October 29, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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The Association for Science Education in Scotland have just published their Autumn newsletter, including details of the upcoming Scottish conference, Keeping Science Practical and resources for Science education.
October 29, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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The STEM Ambassadors in Scotland Hub is a hive of activity over the next short while, and they want you to be involved.
First up, on Monday 15 November from 9.15-10am as part of Book Week Scotland they’d love you to come to their “STOP DROPPING LITTER” event which will include a reading, presentation and Q&A session about sustainability and engineering for learners in P3-P6. The3Engineers team will be showcasing their new series of books raising awareness of environmental issues.
Also in November, their Forestry and Aquaculture in STEM Week is running from the 22nd to the 26th, and will be showcasing the unique people and careers in these sectors, with opportunities to engage with STEM Ambassadors from a range of related careers. Two exciting schools competitions are also being launched so head to their website to find out more.
Not an event but a new resource from the Hub are their Sustainability Cards. Currently featuring over 20 Ambassadors, with more to be added, the cards demonstrate how the work carried out in various roles support the Sustainable Development Goals. There’s also some suggestions of ways the cards could be used with learners.
Lastly they’d love you to save the date in your diary for the next STEM Ambassadors in Scotland Week, taking place in 2022 from 31 January to 6 February. This will be a great chance to hear from and work with Scottish STEM Ambassadors from a huge range of backgrounds and sectors and you won’t want to miss it, make sure to express your interest in being kept up to date with all the details.
October 26, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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Welcome to this COP26 edition of our fortnightly STEM blog post. Keep reading to find out more about exciting events taking place before & during COP26, 1 – 12 November 2021, across Scotland. Please feel free to share this post with colleagues and school partners.
COY16 – The 16th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth 28 – 31 October
VCOY – the virtual conference for COY16 – be part of one of the biggest youth gatherings all around the world in the run-up to COP26. Register for online workshops and talks – also livestreams open to everyone.
Join us as Linlithgow Academy Science Team share their thoughts and experiences about how they have developed their BGE Science curriculum, their successes and plans for the future.
BGE Science Curriculum Rationale, led by staff from Linlithgow Academy, supported by the Education Scotland STEM Team.
Sign up via the Eventbrite link HERE
🌍 Tuesday 9 November 11 – 11:45am Confident Coders – Save the Oceans!
Join Code Club for this massive Scotland wide live ‘Code Along’ session based on the Save the Shark project; suitable for P4 upwards. Register here . Learners will need a laptop or computer with access to Scratch online.
🌍 Friday 5 November 11am Tweet Storm – Schedule Copy and Paste from below:
“#OurDearGreenPlace #COP26 We are pledging to undertake actions to #EngageTheWorldToChangeTheWorld by signing Glasgow’s Children and Young People’s Climate Charter. Join with us by sharing this tweet.”
🌍 Beginning 1st November #COP26 – What is it all about and what it means for me – a series of sessions for GME Primary classes at Level 1 or 2. Live, interactive weekly sessions delivered through Teams in Glow which will help pupils understand more of what COP26 is all about. Register here
🌍 Live now – Young Enterprise Scotland have launched their COP26 Learning for Sustainability Circular Solutions Challenge for primary and secondary schools across Scotland. Students are asked to design a world without waste. Full details here.
🌍 1 – 12 November Learning for Sustainability Scotland – Live at COP26 course will explore the contemporary issues discussed at COP26 as it happens.
🌍 Visit our Countdown to COP page on the LfS blog for resources and ideas around COP26 and Countdown to COP on the National Improvement Hub for support, resources and programmes organised by Education Scotland.
Dates for your diary
STEM in the North Professional Learning September 21 – June 22
COY16 – The 16th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth 28 – 31 October
COP26 Glasgow 1 November – 12 November
Secondary Science Network Linlithgow Academy 2 November
October 21, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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TechFest Digital Science Festival 2021
Techfest are holding their Digital TechFest again this November. Techfest Digital Science Festival 2020 had presenters from as far away as San Francisco, USA and reached an international audience from the UK, France, Canada, South America, USA, Cyprus, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Slovakia. This year TechFest aim to reach even bigger audiences across the globe. Dates for this year are 5 – 25 November, the programme will be online soon.
Techfest are excited to announce a strategic partnership with Skills Development Scotland and will be holding Scottish Careers Week from 15-19 November as part of the Festival schools programme. This week will promote the skills needed to ensure Scotland’s young people are equipped with the tools to thrive in the digital world.
TechFest Talks – Podcasts by students for students
A new venture for TechFest, as part of the Festival and the Scottish Careers Week – a series looking at new technologies influencing our future careers, not only in the energy industry but in agriculture, manufacturing and transportation. A recent series of podcasts linked to Explorathon 21, which looked at the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Insulin, are still available, more details here.
Explorathon
Explorathon 2021, is an initiative with researchers from universities across Europe joining together for events and presentations. TechFest were invited by the University of Aberdeen and The Rowett Institute to collaborate with Explorathon 2021.
The Rowett Institute delivered a series of workshops for schools on the discovery of insulin. TechFest also curated a podcast series with students interviewing researchers involved in developing new diabetes treatments and helping to better understand how this condition develops, and the factors that influence it. They also interviewed people living with diabetes who had experienced the changes in technology and influenced the management of their condition. These podcasts are still available online.
October 19, 2021
by I. Menzies
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Help shape the future of STEM professional learning by completing our 10 minute online survey by Monday 20 December 2021
Education Scotland is inviting you to complete our Annual STEM Professional Learning Practitioner Survey for 2020-21. The information you provide will help 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?
Separate surveys have been developed for specific sectors. You should only complete one of the surveys below:
Practitioners in early learning and childcare, primary, additional support needs and secondary sectors (all subject areas including those not normally associated with STEM) are invited to complete this survey:
https://forms.education.gov.scot/i/STEMPractitioners2021
School-based technical support staff should complete this survey:
https://forms.education.gov.scot/i/STEMTechnicians2021
Community learning and development practitioners should complete this survey:
https://forms.education.gov.scot/i/STEMCLD2021
Did you know?
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.
October 7, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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Welcome to our fortnightly STEM blog post. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this post with colleagues and school partners.
Join us as the Linlithgow Academy Science Team share their thoughts and experiences about how they have developed their BGE Science curriculum, their successes and plans for the future.
BGE Science Curriculum Rationale, led by staff from Linlithgow Academy, supported by the Education Scotland STEM Team.
Tuesday 2nd November 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Sign up via the Eventbrite link HERE
Just launched – a new live lesson for learners P7-S4.
The free event ‘Use Data Science to reduce your school’s carbon footprint’ is on 9 Nov and aligns with COP26. Each live lesson focuses on a data science topic and brings together a YouTube livestream event with a series of guided web-based activities. The first live lesson, ‘Defend the Rhino’, focused on machine learning (training cameras to spot poachers and save rhinos!). The second ‘Data Selfie’ live lesson supports learners to explore data visualisation.
Access both lessons from the events page in the Data Education in Schools website: Events for data education – Data Education in Schools (dataschools.education)
STEM Online Resource
Spotlight on Professional Learning
As practitioners we need to keep up to date with what is happening in the STEM landscape. Within this PL section we have selected reading material which can support you to deepen your professional knowledge and understanding and help you develop progressive and innovative practice. Here you will find policy documents and reports relating to STEM, Improving Gender Balance and equalities, Digital, Developing the Young Workforce and research demonstrating effective approaches to STEM education.
A professional learning offer from the STEM Education Officers at Education Officers is available and further details can be found in the section titled STEMedscot professional learning.
The STEM Summary page provides a summary of key information, resources, and exemplification relating to Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
This page aims to support policy makers and practitioners from all sectors with an interest in, or responsibility for, STEM-related learning.
Technologies Wakelet
With Computing Science, CDT, Home Economics and Business Education – there are materials stored online which can be used for each curricular area. The links take you to the National Improvement Hub, Glow, websites or YouTube – easy to access materials in one place.
Technologies – DigiLearn (glowscotland.org.uk)
National e-Learning Offer
The National e-Learning Offer complements the delivery of teaching and learning by schools and settings, local authorities and Regional Improvement Collaboratives in Scotland. You will find resources to support learning across the curriculum.
Dates for your diary
Secondary Science Network Linlithgow Academy 2 November
STEM in the North Professional Learning September 21 – June 22
COP26 Glasgow 1 November – 12 November
October 5, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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The Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach (PSCTA) project invite you to the launch of the brand new ‘PSCTA: Primary Teacher Handbook’. This free to use handbook and resources are the result of two years of collaborative working between researchers and primary teachers across England. The social justice oriented teaching approach works with any curriculum and provides a reflective framework for teachers to support science engagement among all their students.
This virtual event will introduce teachers, school leads, education professionals and policy makers to the new approach and resources. Attendees will get to hear from the UCL/KCL research team, the primary teachers who helped co-develop and trial the approach and the funders, PSTT and The Ogden Trust. Details will also be provided of plans for cascading the approach to regions and schools over the coming year.
Venue: Online
Date: 19 Oct 2021
Time: 4.00 – 5.30 pm
To attend the event register here:
September 23, 2021
by Janey Irving
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The Secondary Sciences Network was set up in MS Teams in Glow in June 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic. It provided over 300 science teachers with an opportunity to collaborate and to co-develop resources to support remote learning. Within the space of 12 months, some 5,000 learning resources had been shared through the network and published on the National e-Learning Offer (NeLO): https://education.gov.scot/nelo/
The leadership provided by science teachers through the network was instrumental in the development of NeLO.
I hope you’ll agree that there is a lot to build on as we navigate new classroom challenges.
Education Scotland’s STEM Team is hosting a “Welcome Back” Session on Wednesday 29th September from 4:30pm – 5:30pm in the Sciences Network Teams Group on Glow. If you have not signed up to the Secondary Sciences Network yet, you can do so using the MS Teams joining code uh9sf32
This initial session will be to review our progress over the last 18 months and to discuss next steps for the Secondary Sciences Network. There will be brief inputs from various members of the Education Scotland STEM Team as well as an opportunity for you to share your ideas on how you would like to see the network dev
September 16, 2021
by C. Gillespie
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A STEM Pathway – Scottish Learning Festival Online 21 – 23 September
As SLF 2021 fast approaches, please find below a suggested STEM Pathway through the SLF Online programme this year.
Tuesday 21 September SLF 2021 Programme Update 5
SESSION 3 14:00 – 14:45
Developing independent digital learners
Building learners skills for independent learning in a digital world – modelling, scaffolding and support for pupils to enable self-regulation. What might this look like as we move through primary->secondary, why is this important and what are the benefits?
Dundee City Council Pedagogy Team
SESSION 5 16:45 – 17:30
Building a STEM Nation through professional learning
A showcase of the professional learning programmes and approaches developed through Education Scotland’s STEM grants programme – covering all sectors.
Education Scotland STEM team
Wednesday 22 September SLF 2021 Programme Update 5
SESSION 3 12:30 – 13:15
Introducing the New Higher Applications of Mathematics
This session will highlight the new Higher, its benefits for students and how to access the support available. Practitioners will share their plans for delivering the course for the first time.
Working group Secondary practitioners from across Scotland
SESSION 5 15:45 – 16:30
Evolving Digital Thinking
An overview of the evolving digital thinking programme. Short and medium term groups of leaders at all levels are enabled to problem find and crowd source questions and possible solutions to digital issues in learning and teaching. Kirsty McFaul and Brian Clark, Education Scotland
Thursday 23 September SLF 2021 Programme Update 5
SESSION 3 12:30 – 13:15
Inspiring and developing young people through STEM
The Young STEM Leader programme is an exciting new award for all young people in Scotland. This session provides on overview of the award, its impact and how to get involved.
Jamie Menzie, SSERC
SESSION 4 14:00 – 14:45
Engaging families in literacy and numeracy at home
This session explores how developing positive relationships with families has supported literacy and numeracy learning at home during COVID-19. It will consider ways to build on this progress moving forward.
Primary practitioners
September 14, 2021
by C. Gillespie
0 comments
Welcome to our fortnightly STEM blog post. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this post with colleagues and school partners.
Countdown to COP
Education Scotland is delighted to be working together with our partners to help practitioners and learners engage with COP26 through Countdown to COP ahead of the United Nations COP26 Summit taking place in Glasgow from 1 to 12 November.
Focusing on the key themes of nature, finance, energy transition, clean transport and adaptation and resilience, Countdown to COP provides a range of resources which practitioners can use to support their learners.
Visit our Countdown to COP webpage for more information.
Scottish Learning Festival 21 – 23 September
As SLF 2021 fast approaches, please find below a suggested STEM Pathway through the SLF programme this year.
Tuesday 21 September SLF 2021 Programme Update 5
SESSION 3 14:00 – 14:45
Developing independent digital learners
Building learners skills for independent learning in a digital world – modelling, scaffolding and support for pupils to enable self-regulation. What might this look like as we move through primary->secondary, why is this important and what are the benefits?
Dundee City Council Pedagogy Team
SESSION 5 16:45 – 17:30
Building a STEM Nation through professional learning
A showcase of the professional learning programmes and approaches developed through Education Scotland’s STEM grants programme – covering all sectors.
Education Scotland STEM team
Wednesday 22 September SLF 2021 Programme Update 5
SESSION 3 12:30 – 13:15
Introducing the New Higher Applications of Mathematics
This session will highlight the new Higher, its benefits for students and how to access the support available. Practitioners will share their plans for delivering the course for the first time.
Working group Secondary practitioners from across Scotland
SESSION 5 15:45 – 16:30
Evolving Digital Thinking
An overview of the evolving digital thinking programme. Short and medium term groups of leaders at all levels are enabled to problem find and crowd source questions and possible solutions to digital issues in learning and teaching. Kirsty McFaul and Brian Clark, Education Scotland
Thursday 23 September SLF 2021 Programme Update 5
SESSION 3 12:30 – 13:15
Inspiring and developing young people through STEM
The Young STEM Leader programme is an exciting new award for all young people in Scotland. This session provides on overview of the award, its impact and how to get involved.
Jamie Menzie, SSERC
SESSION 4 14:00 – 14:45
Engaging families in literacy and numeracy at home
This session explores how developing positive relationships with families has supported literacy and numeracy learning at home during COVID-19. It will consider ways to build on this progress moving forward.
Primary practitioners
SCDI Energy Quest Workshop
Embed learning about energy sources and energy transfer
Help students uncover engineering skills they didn’t know they had with Energy Quest. This free 2-hour workshop challenges young people to put themselves in the shoes of engineers to design a solution to power a mobile phone.
The workshop is designed for secondary students aged 11 to 14 and is designed to fit into a 2 hour / double period time slot. Energy Quest unlocks students’ inner engineer as they explore sustainable energy sources. During an interactive workshop, they’re immersed in a real-life situation and challenged to save the day. The workshop is fully linked to the curriculum, students gain an understanding of:
• A range of sustainable energy sources and the role engineers play in green energy/sustainable technology
• How to generate energy, and how they can work as a team to respond to a challenge
• How their skills and interest can lead to a career in engineering
A Scientist Just Like Me – Primary Science Teaching Trust
A Scientist Just Like Me is designed to raise awareness of diversity in science-related jobs and to provide illustrated examples of a wide range of science-based careers. It consists of a series of short slideshows, each one ‘telling the story’ of a particular scientist or person working in a science-related job. The people included share details of their work and their everyday lives, making their stories relatable to learners. They describe their job, what they like about it, and the challenges they have faced on their career journeys.
The resources focus on the skills, attitudes and habits that are needed to carry out the work, rather than on any expert knowledge, which may be daunting or seem out of reach to young learners. At the end of each slideshow, the learners are encouraged to imagine and discuss what it might be like to do that job.
The slideshows are intended to be used as discussion prompts, guided by a teacher. They can be used in different ways and for different purposes, for example,
A scientist just like me | Primary Science Teaching Trust
Dates for your diary
Scottish Learning Festival 21 – 23 September
STEM in the North Professional Learning September 21 – June 22
COP26 Glasgow 1 November – 12 November
