Sciences » STEM Central in Motion

Help shape the future of STEM professional learning

Curriculum Area, Curriculum Levels, Early, First, Fourth, Mathematics, Sciences, Second, Senior Phase, Technologies, Third No Responses »

Oct 032019

The Annual STEM Professional Learning Practitioner Survey 2019 is now live: https://educationscotland.formic.com/i/STEMPractitioner2019

Early learning and childcare, primary, ASN and secondary practitioners and school/centre leaders are being invited to complete our 10 minute online survey by Monday 16 December 2019.

Education Scotland has provided almost £2 million in grant funding this financial year to enhance the professional learning offer in sciences, technologies, engineering and also in mathematics and numeracy. The funding issued in our latest round of grants will directly benefit over 700 establishments and nearly 14,000 practitioners. The direction of this grants programme has been shaped by the practitioners and school and centre leaders who completed our Annual STEM Practitioner Surveys in 2017 and in 2018. These survey findings have helped us identify the challenges that practitioners face in accessing high-quality professional learning and have also given us a clear idea of your priorities.

Education Scotland and the Scottish Government are inviting practitioners to complete our Annual STEM Professional Learning Practitioner Survey for 2019. The information you provide will help us improve the access that practitioners in relevant sectors, and in various geographical locations, have to high-quality professional learning that meets their needs. It will also help us to track improvements in the provision of professional learning over the lifetime of the STEM Strategy (2017-2022) and will enable us to identify where further support may be required.

Your individual response will not be shared with other organisations. However, the anonymised analysis from the survey will be shared widely to help STEM partner organisations align their programmes to your priorities.

Who should complete this survey?

Practitioners and school/centre leaders in the following sectors are being invited to complete the survey:

early learning and childcare
primary
additional support needs
secondary (all subject areas including those not normally associated with STEM).

Please note: community learning and development practitioners and school-based technical support staff should not complete the survey at this stage. Education Scotland will issue separate surveys by November for these sectors.

We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete our online survey to help us get the STEM professional learning offer right for you and your setting: https://educationscotland.formic.com/i/STEMPractitioner2019

STEM fair inspires 160 Lochaber children

Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies No Responses »

Mar 282019

Children from the eight primary schools in the Lochaber High School catchment area attended a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) fair at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar.

More than 160 children took part in a STEM workshop, shared displays of their own class learning and spoke to local employers about local STEM careers.

The event for Primary 5 pupils was organised by the RAiSE (Raising Aspirations in Science Education) programme which is funded and delivered by The Wood Foundation, Education Scotland, Scottish Government and participating local authorities. RAiSE increases the confidence, skills and networks of teachers in STEM education to motive and inspire learners.

RAiSE was supported in the development and delivery of the event by Lochaber Geopark and DYW West Highland.

Emily Brown, Primary Science Development Officer in the Highland region for RAiSE, said:

“The Lochaber STEM Fair provides a wonderful opportunity for young people, teachers and the local community to come together and inspire, excite and learn from one another about how STEM impacts the region.”

“The highlight of the day was hearing the young people talk so enthusiastically about their displays during the showcase. Motivating learners at a young age and providing the platforms to engage them meaningfully

in STEM is vitally important for creating the workforce the region needs for the future.”

Caol Primary School’s project showcasing computer games using digital technology platform MakeyMakey was named the winner of the showcase and the children were presented with a trophy. The judges were impressed by the children’s problem-solving and creativity skills.

Highland Wood Energy paid for transport for the pupils to attend and catering costs were met by DYW West Highland.

The attending primary schools were Caol, Lundavra, St. Columba’s, Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar, Banavie, Inverlochy, Spean Bridge and Invergarry.

The Careers’ Hub featured employers including Mowi, BSW Timber, John Muir Trust, UHI STEM Hub, BAM Nuttall, Science Skills Academy, Liberty, Lochaber Geopark and Aberdeen Science Centre.

RAiSE – an overview and key links

Curriculum Levels, Early, First, Sciences, Second No Responses »

Mar 122019

This resource provides an overview of the Raising Aspirations in Science Education (RAiSE) programme and provides links to key documents including the interim evaluation of the RAiSE programme.

https://bit.ly/2J9gJRs

Glasgow schools celebrate British Science Week

Sciences No Responses »

Mar 082019

Thousands of young people across Glasgow will celebrate British Science Week at 25 events running in primary schools throughout the city.

STEM fairs, family events and career information sessions are being organised by the Primary Science Leaders of the RAiSE (Raising Attainment in Science Education) programme.

RAiSE is funded and delivered by The Wood Foundation, Education Scotland, Scottish Government and participating local authorities. It increases the confidence, skills and networks of primary teachers to develop and deliver impactful STEM (science, technology, maths and engineering) lessons.

As well as supporting and developing these STEM lead teachers in schools, RAiSE has also provided funding to enable their delivery.

Alex McLaughlin, Primary Science Development Officer for Glasgow, said:

“British Science Week is a great opportunity to shine a light on STEM within and outwith the classroom, giving young people opportunities to be inspired and impacted by exciting events and lessons.

“We are incredibly proud of the development of the Primary Science Leaders in the Glasgow area and delighted they have the confidence and respect within their settings to lead on projects such as these.”

Events will include:

Family Code Club at Gowanbank Primary School where 94% of the pupils live in deprivation. The event is set to increase parental confidence with technologies and provide a positive family learning experience.
St Rose of Lima Primary School is hosting a family evening which will include STEM activities linked to the Global Goals and Malawi.
World of Work events which will see members of the school and business communities highlight their STEM career pathways.
St Benedict’s Primary School is asking their Primary 6 pupils to support younger classes throughout the week to develop a STEM showcase for the entire school.
St Roch’s Primary School will be crime solvers throughout the week, working in teams to solve a mystery.

For more information on the RAiSE team STEM Glasgow, visit https://www.stemglasgow.co.uk/.

British Science Week runs from 8^th to 14^th March.

A full list of the events:

British Science Week: The Power of Electricity	Annette Street PS
World of Work STEM Week	Avenue End PS
Space Exploration	Barmulloch PS
STEM Community Event	Caledonia PS
Big STEM Showcase	Carmyle PS
STEM Week	Cuthbertson PS
Science Day and STEM Family Afternoon	Dalmarnock PS
Fun with Forces	Darnley PS
Move It!	Gaelic School
Family Code Club	Gowanbank PS
CSI Hillington	Hillington PS
Science Week Activities	John Paul II PS
Think Science Show	Langside PS
Science and Technology at Miller	Miller PS
Raising Aspirations through STEM Careers	Pirie Park PS
Science Week at Quarry Brae	Quarry Brae PS
Sandwood Polar Explorer STEM Fair	Sandwood PS
Science Day: Problem Solving using our Senses	Scotstoun PS
STEM Week	St. Benedict’s PS
The Big STEM Showcase	St. Clare’s PS
Journeys in Science	St. Marnock’s PS
All the Fun of the Fair	St. Philomena’s PS
Whodunit/CSI	St. Roch’s PS
Science Week and Beyond	St. Rose of Lima PS
Science Fair	Thorntree PS
British Science Week	Wellshot PS
British Science Week	Whitehill PS

Enhancing Professional Learning in STEM – Grants Programme 2018/19

Early, First, Fourth, Mathematics, Sciences, Second, Senior Phase, STEM Contexts, STEMCentralinMotion, Technologies, Third No Responses »

Feb 262019

Education Scotland is pleased to share details of the twenty-four successful applicants who have been awarded a total of £187,000 grant funding through the Enhancing Professional Learning in STEM Grants Programme.

Launched in October 2018, the grants programme aims to to build the capacity and confidence of practitioners and to support the implementation of the STEM Education and Training Strategy for Scotland. These exciting opportunities have been developed by a wide range of national partners to support practitioners working in early learning and childcare, primary, secondary and community learning and development settings. School-based technical support staff will also benefit from new professional learning. The programmes of professional learning that are being supported are aligned to the needs of practitioners as outlined in the 2017 annual STEM practitioner survey findings.

To find out more information about the exciting and varied professional learning opportunities being supported by the grants programme, please download to the STEM Grants Overview document available below.

STEM Professional Grants Overview

At a glance STEM Grants

Oct 112018

Tomorrow’s Engineers Week provides a unique opportunity for engineers, employers, universities and schools to help inspire the next generation of engineers.

Download toolkits of ideas on how to take part.

This year’s plans include the first Tomorrow’s Engineers Week Big Assembly; offering schools across the UK the chance to take part in the same assembly at the same time.

Oct 112018

The PSTT Children’s Conference at PSEC is an exciting and unique opportunity for schools to participate in a dedicated primary science conference. The event will take place on Friday 7^th June 2019 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre as part of the international Primary Science Education Conference (PSEC).

The theme of the conference is Climate Change, Sustainable Living and Environmental Science. Schools will be encouraged to develop their own projects focused on finding a local issue and developing solutions for it and then share their work: either by attending the Conference or submitting a poster/film of their activity.

Schools can register their Interest at https://www.primaryscienceconference.org/childrens-conference and download the free Climate Change Teachers’ Project Pack. The pack has ideas for projects in ten different areas; as well as advice on developing partnerships, planning projects and a Climate Change Special Topical Science Update.

Look out for more information in late 2018 when schools will be able to apply to present their projects at the PSTT Children’s Conference at PSEC in June 2019.

Keep up to date with what’s going on:

Follow @pstt_whyhow on Twitter

#PSECchildrensconf

Join our ‘PSTT Children’s Conference at PSEC’ Facebook group

Homeward Bound – submit your questions to Antarctic scientist

First, Fourth, Sciences, Second, Senior Phase, Technologies, Third No Responses »

Sep 162018

I’m a postdoctoral researcher (and STEM Ambassador) working on antibiotic resistance and drug discovery at the University of Strathclyde. I’m very honoured to have been selected as part of Homeward Bound, a year-long, global women in STEM leadership initiative culminating in a 21 day voyage to Antarctica with 80 other women from across the planet. The programme will enable me to build skills in leadership, science communication and visibility. It will enhance my capacity as a microbiologist working in Scotland and enable me to be a more effective leader and communicator – skills that will also help me in my role as STEM Ambassador. Part of my reason for doing this program is to inspire young people that they can do anything they want to do and that anything is possible – I never believed I would go to Antarctica as a little girl from small west coast town in Scotland.

As part of my Homeward Bound mission in relation to science communication and visibility, I would like to collect questions from school children (primary and secondary) relating to STEM subjects, climate change, sustainability and Antarctica. I will take these to Antarctica and try to answer the questions in a video. Anything goes really. If I don’t know the answers I will interview one of the 80 other women on the ship with me. When I come back in February (we have no internet in Antarctica) I will upload the videos to Vimeo and send the link to the schools so they can get their answers.

For more information and to submit questions, see below:

Homeward Bound Interactive Schools Initiative

Education Scotland is recruiting

Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies No Responses »

Sep 072018

Education Scotland is looking for individuals who are passionate about equality and equity to join our exciting new team.

Our Gender Balance and Equalities Team will comprise six posts, including one Education Officer and five Development Officers. The successful candidates will play an important role in meeting the ambitions of the national STEM Education and Training Strategy, in relation to equality and equity.

Their key task will be to ensure that the learning from the successful Improving Gender Balance pilot programme is embedded in all early learning and childcare establishments and schools by 2022. The officers will be expected to work in close partnership with the Regional Improvement Collaboratives and other key partners to lead and coordinate professional learning programmes and to support effective cross-sectoral collaboration.

Important aspects of the programme will be as follows:

· Helping practitioners to challenge stereotypes and address unconscious bias.

· Challenging gender-based decisions around subject choices, learner pathways and career ambitions.

· Supporting efforts to improve gender balance in Foundation Apprenticeship and Modern Apprenticeship routes.

· Building collaborative networks of practitioners who will come together to learn, share and develop effective approaches.

· Enabling practitioners from early learning and childcare, additional support needs, primary, secondary, community learning and development and further and higher education to work together to ensure a consistent approach to gender and equality across a learner’s journey.

· Helping settings and schools to engage effectively with parents and their wider community in relation to gender balance and equality.

· Promoting effective whole–establishment approaches to equality and equity.

To view the suite of Improving Gender Balance resources developed in partnership with Skills Development Scotland and the Institute of Physics, please visit: http://bit.ly/NIHIGB

To apply for the above posts please visit the following pages on the Work for Scotland website:

· Education Officer, Improving Gender Balance and Equalities

· Development Officer, Improving Gender Balance and Equalities

These posts can be based in any of Education Scotland’s offices located across Scotland. These are 47 month fixed-term and pensionable appointments. Candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria will be invited to the assessments. The closing date is Tuesday 2^nd October 2018 at midnight.

STEM Professional Learning Survey 2017

Curriculum Area, Curriculum Levels, Early, First, Fourth, Mathematics, Sciences, Second, Senior Phase, Technologies, Third No Responses »

Aug 272018

In June 2017, Education Scotland issued an online survey to the early years, primary and secondary sectors to find out more about the STEM career-long professional learning (CLPL) landscape and to identify the needs and priorities of practitioners and school-based technical support staff.

The survey findings provided important information and evidence which helped to shape the development of the national STEM Education and Training Strategy. This was published in October 2017 and is available from the following link: http://bit.ly/STEMstrategy

Key findings include:

· Lack of funding, time, workload and geographical barriers remain the biggest barrier to practitioners and technicians accessing career-long professional learning

· Strong support for online learning and modular learning to allow people to access professional learning flexibly anytime, anywhere

· More localised support including from mentors would be welcomed

· Practitioners and technicians want more opportunities to learn and collaborate with peers in their schools and clusters

· Partnerships with employers are an important source of professional learning and learning about STEM careers is seen as a high priority.

The information provided by practitioners and technicians through the survey responses has been extremely valuable. The findings have helped to inform decisions about the ‘coherent national offer’ of professional learning that is being planned in relation to STEM subjects.

Education Scotland is excited about the potential for increasing support in relation to STEM over the course of this academic year and beyond. We are already in the process or recruiting a team of new STEM Education Officers and Numeracy officers to support this. We are also just about to recruit a new team of Improving Gender Balance and Equalities officers to provide further support within the new Regional Improvement Collaboratives.

We’ll be releasing further details in the months ahead as plans are finalised and approved and as new resources and programmes go live. In the meantime, we’d like to give a sincere ‘thank-you’ to all those who promoted and completed the survey. In doing so, you have played a significant role in shaping the plans and decisions that will help to make Scotland a STEM nation.

Download the key findings:

STEM CLPL Survey Findings June 2017

STEM CLPL survey results overview 2017

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