A strong foundation in mathematics and numeracy skills is fundamental to our children and young people’s learning in STEM and to support them in their pursuit of future STEM careers. In line with this, the Royal Society have launched the Mathematical Futures programme which aims to support the role of “mathematics for individuals, economies and society, strengthening diversity and reducing inequity.”

The programme seeks to answer two core questions:

• What mathematical competences will be needed by citizens to thrive in the future?
• How should education systems develop these mathematical competences?

We encourage you to think about what this looks like in your context. For example: Which aspects of numeracy and mathematics in the Broad General Education are key for progression in Senior Phase STEM subjects? Has the increase in online payments and the prevalence of “loot boxes” in online games had an impact on learners understanding of money? Two of the key skills from SDS’s Skills 4.0 paper are sense making and critical thinking – can mathematics education support the development of the associated skills of pattern recognition, analysis and logical thinking?

The Numeracy and Mathematics team at Education Scotland have already canvassed the views of the national numeracy and mathematics networks and invited individual survey responses from interested parties. However, we are keen to encourage practitioners working across all areas of STEM education to contribute to this survey and have your views heard.

The call for views closes on 11 January 2021.

The survey can be accessed here:

Mathematical Futures programme Call for Views | Royal Society

The call for views is open to:

• Primary schools, secondary schools and FE colleges
• Higher Education Institutions
• School and college staff
• Other educational professionals including academics and researchers
• Parents and carers
• Young people
• Businesses
• Organisations providing activities for children and young people
• Other interested parties.

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.

STEM Nation Awards success – find out which nineteen education settings are amongst the first to gain a STEM Nation Award from Education Scotland.

National e-learning offer – Education Scotland, working with practitioners, has posted subject spreadsheets (for NQ subjects) with links to resources for practitioners and learners. Sciences and Mathematics spreadsheets are among 14 subjects that have been uploaded to the blog. We would encourage practitioners to send any resource suggestions via the suggestion form located within the National e-learning offer blog.

Interactive exhibits and activities bringing careers to life – My World of Work Live is a set of fun, interactive activities that help young people understand future careers. Aimed at 8 – 18 year olds, activities are designed and delivered by experts with a passion for education and learning. Details of the MyWoW live offer can be found here.

As well as this the MyWoW live team have a series of Meet the Expert sessions over the next couple of months and these can be booked on Marketplace.

Engineering – Explore this useful image library –  This is engineering Flickr site

The Institute of Engineering and Technology needs you to Help Santa save the North Pole – IET Santa Loves STEM 2020 .  @TheIET #SantaLovesSTEM festive video returns and you’re invited on a journey to the North Pole to find out what we can all do to help.

Education recovery and support from outdoor education centres –  materials to support engagement with outdoor education centres during COVID-19 restrictions. Useful information and templates that provide contacts, case studies and guidance on permitted activities.

Dates for your diary

Scottish Apprenticeship Week  1 – 5 March 2021

International Women’s Day 2021 – 8 March

Institute of Physics (IOP) Webinars – December 2020 – January 2021

Royal Society of Biology (RSB) CPD events – December 2020 – April 2021

STEM fortnightly planner 17/11/20

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.

• National e-learning offer – Education Scotland, working with practitioners, has posted subject spreadsheets (for NQ subjects) with links to resources for practitioners and learners. Sciences and Mathematics spreadsheets have initially been uploaded to the blog. We would encourage practitioners to send any resource suggestions via the suggestion form located within the National e-learning offer blog.
• Science planning resource – planning science learning for early to Second Level? Our RAiSE science planners for each science experience and outcome will get learning off to a fabulous start and are only a click away.
• My World of Work Live – a set of fun, interactive activities that help young people understand future careers. Aimed at 8 – 18 year olds, activities are designed and delivered by experts with a passion for education and learning. MyWoW live here.  MyWoW live team also have a series of Meet the Expert sessions
• STEM in a Nutshell – this simple guide for parents explains what STEM is and why STEM skills are important.
• Skills Development Scotland YouTube Channel – careers information, advice and guidance, skills for the future, work based learning and apprenticeships and more on the SDS YouTube channel.
• #STEMforall – Book your tickets @transportgovuk and @Stemettes invite you to a celebration of #WomenInAviation .  Hear from an exceptional panel of Aviation role models – 26 November 5pm dftaviationpanel.eventbrite.co.uk/?aff=twitter
• i meets Escher: mathematics in art – M C Escher was a Dutch graphic artist famous for mind-bending artistic creations such as ‘Print Gallery’. In this Facebook live event, Aislinn Borland, a final year Mathematics student at the University of Dundee, will discuss with  Dr Philip Murray how the art of M C Escher can be interpreted using complex numbers.   Register here

Dates for your diary

2021 – The United Nations has declared 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, and the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables.

The World Health Organisation has designated 2021 as the International Year of Health and Care Workers

STEM Fortnightly Planner 3/11/20

Welcome to our fortnightly STEM blog. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this post with colleagues and school partners.

• Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2 – 6 November – providing inspiring and exciting opportunities for young people to experience the world of engineering on digital and social media. tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/tomorrows-engineers-week-2020/
• Engineering in the Primary Classroom – really useful Sway from Hilary Gorman at Harrysmuir Primary School West Lothian   sway.office.com/IH7Phnu97lXurR0L?ref=email&loc=play
• Outdoor Classroom Day (5th November) – a global day to inspire and celebrate outdoor learning at school and at home. How are you getting involved. More info at: https://outdoorclassroomday.org.uk/. Check out our outdoor learning Wakelet and Improvement Hub Summary Page.
• Royal Society of Edinburgh – book a free online school talk to inspire your learners on a wide range of areas from astronomy to zoology! Available for P6 to S6 learners until December: https://www.rse.org.uk/schools/school-talks/
• Keep Scotland Beautiful Community Climate Asset Fund  – Local authority and non-profit schools and nurseries are eligible to apply for equipment to support community food growing, up to £10,000 maximum. A fantastic opportunity. Apply by 9 November.  www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/
• Safer Internet Day 2021 planning event for Scotland  11^th November (online).  The UK Safer Internet Centre and partners will talk about plans for the day and the free education packs being developing for use with young people and parents.  More info and booking is at SIDscotland2021.eventbrite.co.uk
• #STEMforall Rachael Akano, 15, Margaret Akano, 17 and Joy Njekwe, 17, developed an app which uses music to comfort people living with dementia t.co/TYMudVqiA7

Dates for your diary:

21 November World Television Day www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-television-day

1 December World Aids Day www.worldaidsday.org/

7 -13  December Computer Science Week csedweek.org/

National online session: Tuesday 17^th November 4pm – 5pm

The STEM Ambassador Programme is FREE to access. Ambassador opportunities mostly take place in schools across Scotland, and we are now seeking to create further opportunities in local CLD settings.

This session is being hosted in conjunction with the Education Scotland CLD Team, and is open to anyone delivering CLD services to young people. It will provide you with information about the STEM Ambassador programme, and how it can support local CLD groups – with a focus on young people and family learning. Examples of recent opportunities will be discussed, and information on how to request STEM Ambassadors for your own projects.

The STEM Ambassador Programme in Scotland is led by three regional hubs:

North of Scotland: Aberdeen Science Centre

West of Scotland: Science Connects

East of Scotland: STEM Ambassador East @SSERC

Ambassadors come from all types of STEM backgrounds, and can support a wide range of STEM activities for children and young people. On joining the programme all STEM Ambassadors attend induction training and a PVG for working with children.

The information session will take place on Zoom. Joining instructions will be distributed shortly before the session.

Registration: Introduction to the STEM Ambassador Programme Registration

If you have any queries, please contact stem-ambassadors@glasgow.ac.uk

For more information on the STEM Ambassador Programme visit www.stem.org.uk

Through SCHOLAR, the partnership of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Heriot-Watt University, Scotland’s local authorities are providing access to interactive, online learning materials to support 41 SQA National Qualifications spanning Art & Design, Business Education, English, ESOL, Gaelic, Modern Languages and STEM, with further resources available to support level 3 of the Broad General Education including a Gaelic-medium Science resource.

• If the course(s) you teach are included in SCHOLAR’s list of Available Courses, you will be able to access online course materials packed with activities for your learners to work on including: video clips, listening tasks, animations, simulations, drag-and-drop exercises, matching and ordering tasks, practice exam questions etc.
• For learners without home internet access, paper-based versions of course materials and exercises can be produced using the downloadable PDF Study Guides.
• SCHOLAR exercises can be assigned as homework using platforms such as Google Classroom, MS Teams or Firefly.
• Data supplied by SEEMiS is used to automatically populate the class lists for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher learners in S4-S6. The ‘Reports’ feature provides teachers with detailed information on the progress of each of the learners in their classes.
• As part of its series of Video Tutorials for Teachers and Lecturers, SCHOLAR will shortly be releasing a video demonstrating how to insert SCHOLAR animations, videos or activities into PowerPoint presentations.
• Learners and teachers can use the SCHOLAR tile in Glow to access their account. Learners enrolled on any SCHOLAR course can access their account through Glow without the need for a separate SCHOLAR username and password.
• Teachers wishing to log in directly to the SCHOLAR site can obtain their login details using the Forgotten Password
• Some National 5 SCHOLAR activities are suitable for supporting learning at CfE level 4. Schools who wish to use SCHOLAR materials with S3 learners to support BGE learning should contact reg@scholar.hw.ac.uk.

SCHOLAR is currently available within all secondary schools in: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll & Bute, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, Na h‑Eileanan Siar, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth & Kinross, Scottish Borders, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

Guide to SCHOLAR support for Blended Learning (A4 version)

World Space Week is a UN declared celebration of space held annually, every October 4 to 10. It is the largest space event on Earth, with over 8,000 events in 2019 held in 96 countries. These events are organised by thousands of organisations, including space agencies, aerospace companies, astronomy clubs and museums. In 2020, World Space Week is dedicated to satellites and their benefits under the theme “Satellites improve life.”

There are safe and exciting ways to participate and celebrate World Space Week. The Highlights section below showcases some of the creative, innovative and popular events bringing people together to celebrate space.