STEM Blog

The Raising Aspirations in Science Education (RAiSE) network of Primary Science Development Officers (PSDOs) has developed a suite of resources, lesson ideas, professional learning events and tailored sessions to teachers during the lockdown period.

Throughout the country, primary STEM leads within the network have used a variety of digital technologies, tailoring their communications strategies and outputs dependent on local need and context.

Gayle Duffus, National Education Officer for RAiSE, said:

“RAiSE has been designed with flexibility at its core. Our aim is to offer an equitable approach to primary STEM learning opportunities that is firmly driven at a local level to ensure maximum impact in learning communities.

“With the announcement of lockdown and a move to home learning for the majority of pupils, our agile network rallied to enhance its digital footprint and deliver a series of innovative solutions which would support teachers to deliver impactful online learning.

“The role of the PSDO provides strategic support to the authorities within our network. These specialists offer a central point in which to foster networks, opportunities, professional learning and lesson ideas which can be effectively cascaded throughout the entire authority and beyond.”

RAiSE is a programme of The Wood Foundation, Education Scotland, Scottish Government and participating local authorities. Following a successful pilot, it is now being offered on a rolling basis to all local authorities in Scotland, with 14 having already joined the network.

Interventions by the RAiSE network in response to Covid-19 have included:

• The hosting of the third annual Dumfries & Galloway STEM Conference moved online with 32 professional learning opportunities hosted with themes designed following a survey of local need.
• Falkirk hosted a #STEMatHome Week and developed a range of resources linked to Star Wars Day which were very popular. Falkirk has grown its Teams group by 50 and had more than 30,000 impressions on tweets since lockdown began – showing its content is reaching practitioners in the region and beyond.
• South Ayrshire is developing a new website and hosting a number of professional learning opportunities virtually.
• North Lanarkshire PSDOs hosted professional learning for the rest of the RAiSE network to share their learning on breakout room-themed STEM lessons which could be conducted online. They provided this professional learning to 150 practitioners from all sectors using GLOW.
• Angus secured First Lego League Junior kits for eight learning hubs and is issuing a newsletter focused on home learning and professional learning opportunities.
• North Ayrshire has developed and promoted a range of online resources which have been viewed more than 1000 times.
• Clackmannanshire has created a new resource hub website, with professional learning tailored to responses from teachers on local need.

The online science planning resource, prepared by the RAiSE network, was published by Education Scotland.   The resource forms an integral part of Education Scotland’s ‘Scotland Learns’ campaign supporting practitioners and communities to continue to best support learners during current extraordinary circumstances.

Education Scotland are supporting the Thank a Teacher campaign in Scotland to highlight the positive impact teaching staff have in our society.

Education Scotland are working in partnership with the Pearson National Teaching Awards – the organisation behind the awards – to celebrate the amazing work of our teachers in Scotland.

It is free to send a card with a personal message through the Thank a Teacher website and anyone can send a card; pupils, parents, grandparents or colleagues all have the opportunity to say thank you to a teacher, teaching assistant, headteacher or team.

Gayle Gorman, Education Scotland Chief Executive, said “Saying thank you could be for a number of reasons, from helping your child settle in, last year’s class teacher, helping you though a difficult time or for helping you when you were struggling. It is important that we take time to recognise the hard work of teachers across Scotland and I encourage people to get involved in this campaign to let teachers know just how much they are appreciated.”

Education Scotland is proud to be a partner in the #ThankATeacher campaign, allowing you to nominate a Scottish teacher to receive a special thank you card for making a real difference. Nominate at ​https://bit.ly/2shxPAj

With the ever-changing situation with COVID-19, it continues to be a challenging time for everyone but we at Education Scotland are doing our very best to ensure teachers, local authorities and learners are supported during this difficult time. Our team is working hard to support practitioners in helping them to ensure learning continues while schools are closed. Our National Improvement Hub now has a range of support to help practitioners develop opportunities for learning at home.

In June the STEM Education Officers are hosting a series of webinars for practitioners in early learning and childcare settings, primary schools, secondary schools and CLD settings to discuss a range of STEM-related themes. Please use the links below to register for the webinars via Eventbrite – spaces are limited. After you have registered for tickets you will receive an email from Eventbrite with a link to the webinar and joining instructions.

Tuesday 9th June at 3:30 – 4:30pm  Sciences – Senior Phase  – share and discuss approaches in sciences as we move from learning at home to a more blended model for session 2020/21.

Sign up for this webinar is now open: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/es-senior-phase-sciences-webinar-tickets-107535589844

Wednesday 10th June at 3:30-4:30pm: Primary Science Planning Resource is an introduction to this resource published in May 2020. Opportunity to share practice in early years and primary science with colleagues across Scotland.

Sign up for this webinar is now open: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/primary-science-planning-resource-tickets-107690178222

Thursday 11th June at 3:30-4:30: Outdoor Learning  – Focus on STEM in the great outdoors.

Sign up for this webinar is now open: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/outdoor-learning-webinar-tickets-107672998838

Tuesday 16th June at 3:30-4:30pm: STEM sharing practice blether – Interested in STEM? Looking for ideas to deliver exciting and engaging learning opportunities? Join us for this webinar to hear about and share practice with colleagues from across Scotland. This session is suitable for practitioners from all sectors.

Sign up for this webinar is now open: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stem-sharing-practice-blether-tickets-107674035940

We look forward to connecting with you through these events; bring a cuppa and maybe a wee biscuit (or two…)

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at STEM@educationscotland.gov.scot

Every Wednesday we will publish a few highlights from across Scotland of interesting STEM practice or resources on the STEM Blog.

These will showcase cross sector, ELC, primary and secondary ideas we have seen on Twitter over the previous week.

If you would like to share something with us on Twitter use the #STEMNation or tag us using @STEMedscot

These are located in the STEM Resources tab as a PPT of highlights and a searchable archive on Excel.

Look out for weekly additions to our STEM Wakelets too: https://wakelet.com/@STEMES

https://glowscotland.sharepoint.com/sites/sciencesplc

The former Sciences GLOW Community has moved to become part of Education Scotland’s National Professional Learning Communities: https://glowscotland.sharepoint.com/sites/nationalplcs

During this transition we have taken the opportunity to restructure and tidy the BGE – Early to Fourth Level and NQ Resources Folders which are now held within the Learning & Teaching Resources section.
Together these hold approximately 7000 individual resources uploaded by practitioners over a number of years and those developed by Education Scotland as we moved to the CfE National Qualifications.
We would like to thank all of you for your patience with this process (which is still ongoing) and also thank all those who have contributed and who continue to share resources on this platform.

Learning and Teaching resources:
As well as the aforementioned resources from the Sciences GLOW Community there is a link to the newly published Primary Science Planning Resource (created through the RAiSE programme) and a new collection of resources focussing on the Life Sciences Sector.

These were created by practitioners who attended the Education Scotland/SDS & DYW Life Sciences Sector Days in Dec 2019 and Feb 2020. They include professional learning resources, as well materials for use with pupils linking to careers and pathways and the science curriculum.

If you would like to work with us to support this process or contribute Learning and Teaching resources to the Sciences PLC please get in touch either directly with me janey.irving@educationscotland.gov.scot or with the STEM Team STEM@educationscotland.gov.scot using the e-mail header GLOW Sciences PLC.

We have also created sections for Professional Learning and Key Documents – these are just in the formative stages; if you have suggestions of materials to add to these sections please get in touch.