September 8, 2014
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Dundee Science Centre:Professional Learning for Education Practitioners

Dundee Science Centre Science Learning Institute is a partnership for professional development in learning, teaching and public engagement with science

School of Education, Social Work and Community Education, University of Dundee
Dundee College
SSERC
Revealing Research, University of Dundee
Scottish Council for Development and Industry
Abertay University

The Science Learning Institute is a collaborative approach to providing support and development for the many professions who engage with learners throughout the community. Dundee Science Centre’s vision is a culture of curiosity, confidence and engagement with science for the whole community, and we are working with our partners to provide high quality and interprofessional training for practising professionals, those in further and higher education, STEM Ambassadors and others working with children and young people in formal and informal learning settings, to enhance learning for all across our region.

Working in partnership allows us to support you in making your teaching relevant, engaging and challenging, reflecting cutting-edge science in Dundee and the surrounding area, Scotland and beyond.

Through joint programming, a wide range of learning sessions and courses are created and delivered by the Dundee Science Centre Science Learning Institute team and partners. We are delighted to have funding to cover the costs of attendance. Please not that this is limited, so please get in touch soon to reserve a place for the session(s) you’d like to attend.

To help with your planning, we have arranged our information in date order and have indicated suggested level for each session. For more information on our offerings, please see our website where information on Curriculum for Excellence organisers and significant aspects of learning can also be found for each offering.

Except where stated, all courses are open to all professions and backgrounds. We look forward to welcoming and working with you.

Upcoming Professional Learning sessions

Dove self-esteem PL session

www.DSCScienceLearningInstitute.org.uk

Kindly supported by the Mathew Trust and Dundee City Council

September 8, 2014
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Generation Science

Edinburgh International Festival is an educational charity. Each year it delivers one of Europe’s largest science festivals, a primary school education programme and a variety of international projects.

A key part is Generation Science.

Generation Science tours all over Scotland bringing educational and entertaining performances to your classroom, including hands on activities.

This year, to compliment the Logo Mindstorms Challenge workshop, there will be a Mindstorms Advanced workshop where learners will be challenged to use their programming skills to rescue a robot stranded on another island.

Through the Fuel Hunters workshop learners will become exploratory engineers and discover the origins of oil.

The Generation Science team deliver science workshops from Early to Second Level. The team will come to your establishment and support your delivery of transition projects, science fayres and science themed days.

For further information call 0131 553 0321 or download the Generation Science Brochure www.generationscience.co.uk

September 1, 2014
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Glow Meet, Supporting the Sciences: planning the primary early years science curriculum

Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.

Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring:

support with the initial planning for learning and teaching in the sciences
guidance and exemplifications for assessment in the sciences
support to develop and improve confidence in teaching the experiences and outcomes, including how to deliver practical activities

To address each aspect the sciences team will be hosting three Glow meets, complimented by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.

The first Glow meet Supporting the Sciences: planning the primary & early years science curriculum will take place on Wednesday 17h September 3.45 – 4.30pm

To register for the glow meet: http://bit.ly/supportingthesciences1

Further information regarding dates and venues for the professional learning twilights relating to this Glow meet will be available shortly.

August 30, 2014
by K. McFaul
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The E-CLIC Landscape Competition

The E-CLIC Landscape Competition was announced on January 25th 2014 and will run until September 30th 2014. Participants are invited to submit an idea / project based on the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) devices and tools to face a challenge for the landscape, with respect to the principles of the European Landscape Convention. Participants can compete in one of three categories (Secondary Education Pupils, University Students and the General Public) and win a trip to Estonia, where they will have the chance to present their idea and take part in the international E-CLIC Competition.

Choose one of the three challenges for the landscape in our country and put your imagination to work – you have four months to think, prepare and submit your project, either as an individual or in a team (if you are aged under 18, please do not forget to get permission from your parent or tutor at the personal data form).

The Scottish/British challenges are as follows:

Offshore renewables in coastal landscapes and seascapes.

Allotment gardens and change in urban landscapes.

The historic shaping of upland landscapes.

We will be happy to answer your questions (jose.munoz-rojas@hutton.ac.uk). Good Luck !

Please visit our website ([http://www.e-clicproject.eu%3chttp:/www.e-clicproject.eu]www.e-clicproject.eu<http://www.e-clicproject.eu>) and ning platform (http://e-clic.ning.com/) for further information, and also pass onto those whom you think might be interested.

August 29, 2014
by K. McFaul
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Series of 6 glow meets with Engineers

Glow meet series

Meet the Engineer with Primary Engineer.

A series of 6 glow meets between the 4^th of September and the 23^rd of October 10am until 11am

Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award
With Primary Engineer and the Leaders Award for STEM.

Ask your pupils the question ‘What would you do if you could be an engineer in Scotland?’ to help them formulate their answer we have a series of Glow Meets interviews with engineers and a Glasgow based solicitor who can tell you how to protect your ideas!

For the third year in a row Education Scotland supports this award as an exciting and relevant way for students from primary and secondary schools in Scotland can discover more about the impact and diversity of engineering, alongside paths and routes into this amazing career.

The list of all the dates and speakers is shown below and their bios can be found on the leaders award website http://leadersaward.com/index.php/corporate/glow-meets

4^th September – Philip Hannay – Cloch Solicitors (Patents Solicitor)

11^th of September – Craig Goldie – Director Sweitelsky

25^th of September – Gordon Masterton – Vice President Jacobs Engineering

2^nd of October – Tom Sreeves – Director of Manufacturing Aggreko

9^th of October – Douglas Anderson – Founder and CEO OPTOS – this will not be an interactive presentation and will be recorded and uploaded to the Education Scotland website Technologies pages

23^rd of October – Emma Henderson – Senior Engineer Expro Group

If you would like to sign up for the glow meets please visit the GLow TV listings https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/GlowTV/default.aspx

The Leaders Award for STEM website holds resources such as lesson plans for primary and secondary schools, links to resources from The Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame and award winning engineering companies from across Scotland through Scottish Engineering.

Entry deadlines are the 12^th February 2014 with awards being presented in Glasgow alongside a public exhibition in March 2015.

August 27, 2014
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Science and Sustainability at the Scottish Learning Festival

THE SCOTTISH LEARNING FESTIVAL 2014: RAISING ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTAINMENT FOR ALL

SLF 2014 is completely FREE for everyone to attend and will support practitioners as they explore a wide range of practical approaches, resources and research aimed at improving achievement and attainment for all learners in Scotland.

There will be inspirational keynotes speeches, conversation and debate in the professional discussion sessions and professional learning seminars where you can engage in activities and learn from practitioners and young people;

This includes a number of seminars specifically aimed at addressing the sciences curriculum.

Wednesday 24^th September 9.30-10.15am

Learning for sustainability – a strategic agenda for change – SLF Guide Page 7

In February 2014, the National Implementation Group for Learning for Sustainability was established to ensure all learners in schools experience global citizenship, outdoor learning, sustainability, children’s rights and play in a transformative way. This seminar will outline the ambitions of the group and this exciting agenda for change which will impact on all schools and support the introduction of the new GTCS Professional Standards.

Thursday 25^th September 12.00-12.45pm

Supporting primary science to inspire STEM careers – SLF Guide Page 21

STEM subjects are central to Scotland’s economic future and our health and wellbeing. They also offer a range of excellent career opportunities for young people. This seminar will demonstrate how SSERC and Education Scotland provide valuable support for primary practitioners to enthuse and inspire learners about science and STEM careers.

Thursday 25^th September 13.15-14.00

Engaging pupils with science – SLF Guide Page 23

Outlining the various projects Aberdeen City have developed, which have increased pupils’ engagement and enthusiasm in science. This includes the S6 Science Ambassador Award; Science Buddy Award; P6/7 Science Champions; Intertek Science Fair; Science for PSAs & Playground Science.

Thursday 25^th September 11-11.30am

Conversation Area : Supporting the Sciences

Meet the Education Scotland Sciences Team and explore the vast range of support available across all levels of the sciences curriculum. Discuss how to enthuse and motivate learners and practitioners through real life contexts and partnership working.

To book your place browse the conference programme, note the seminars you want to attend and visit the SLF website – www.scottishlearningfestival.org.uk.

August 26, 2014
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Whole organ ‘grown’ in world first

Fully functional immune organ grown in mice from lab-created cells.

Scientists have for the first time grown a complex, fully functional organ from scratch in a living animal by transplanting cells that were originally created in a laboratory. The advance could in future aid the development of ‘lab-grown’ replacement organs.

Researchers from the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, at the University of Edinburgh, took cells called fibroblasts from a mouse embryo and converted them directly into a completely unrelated type of cell – specialised thymus cells- using a technique called ‘reprogramming’. When mixed with other thymus cell types and transplanted into mice, these cells formed a replacement organ that had the same structure, complexity and function as a healthy native adult thymus. The reprogrammed cells were also capable of producing T cells – a type of white blood cell important for fighting infection – in the lab.

For the full story visit the Centre for Regenerative Medicine website

August 20, 2014
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Future Learn – Inside Cancer: How Genes Influence Cancer Development

Inside Cancer: How Genes Influence Cancer Development

An ideal introduction for those interested in understanding how genetics influences the development and spread of cancer.

As an ‘Inside Cancer’ student, you will learn about the fundamental biological concepts that inform our current understanding of the molecular genetics of cancer development and its spread within the body. The course will be delivered by some of the University of Bath’s leading cancer researchers and clinical oncologists.

Cancer cells form part of complex tissues, containing different cell types, each with their own unique set of rules of behaviour. As a class, we will explore this unique genetic landscape of cancer cells. We will introduce the concept of DNA mutations and the emerging area of epigenetics and identify how they confer a selective advantage to cancer cells with unstable DNA, leading to uncontrolled cell division and tumour growth.

For more course information follow the link

August 19, 2014
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SSERC Advancing Science, Technology and Safety NEWSLETTER: August 2014

SSERC, is a Local Authority shared-service providing support across all thirty-two Scottish Education Authorities. The organisation offers practical hands-on professional learning and development courses to Primary, Secondary and Newly Qualified teachers and technicians.

The latest newsletter details the residential and day courses available and how to access free equipment loan for your authority.

For further information click SSERC August newsletter

August 19, 2014
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Rethink the future! – Ellen MacArthur Foundation

A one-day course for Secondary Teachers
Advancing Science, Technology and Safety
Imagine if we changed the way we used materials and energy. Imagine that instead of using things up, we designed objects so they were made to be made again. Firms have already begun to do this, and they are reaping the benefits of this ‘circular economy’ approach.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and SSERC are offering a professional development workshop designed to enable participants to learn about the circular economy, to investigate case studies of some companies that are adopting this model, and to look at some of the 700 teaching resources the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has produced.
The course will be of interest to those who teach about:
 Industry
 Energy
 Raw materials
 Food and textiles
 New technologies
 Design
 Systems
 Business and economics

Participants will be supported to develop an inter-disciplinary learning (IDL) project in conjunction with others attending the event. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation will support schools in implementing the IDL project. We strongly encourage schools to send at least 2 members of staff to the event.
Costs: The cost per participant will be £15 to include refreshments and course
materials
The closing date for booking is Monday 25th August.

For more information visit:
www.sserc.org.uk or
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org