June 4, 2014
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Citizen Science for Hurricane Season: Cyclone Center

June 1st marked the official beginning of the hurricane season in the Atlantic, and you can help improve our understanding of these powerful storms on www.cyclonecenter.org

To recognize the start of the season, Cyclone Center (or Centre – depending on where you are in the world) is focussing on four hurricanes that all struck Florida ten years ago in 2004: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. These storms claimed 34 lives and caused $18.9 billion in damages. We can’t prevent these disasters from happening, but your clicks can help us understand them better.

We’ll be doing more special storm sets throughout the hurricane season, so keep checking on the site.

PS If storms aren’t your thing, then maybe try our most-recently launched animal-spotting project: Condor Watch.

June 2, 2014
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Higher Sciences Cross Authority Writing Group

Following the NQ Sciences events which took place in Hampden Stadium in December 2013, Education Scotland, in partnership with the SQA, organised cross authority writing workshops for NQ sciences qualifications. Faculty Heads and Principal Teachers from 30 local authorities have attended and worked collaboratively to co-develop materials for priority areas identified required support at the Hampden events.

These events have been hugely successful; at the first event hosted at SSERC materials for the National 5 Assignment, National 4 Added Vaue unit were produced along with a bank of open ended questions.

The first Higher event allowed practitioners to generate and share further support materials. The second event at SSERC allowed delegates to choose practical activities appropriate for the new Highers and practice these as well as gain some content training from our partners at SSERC. Over 500 resources were shared through the GLOW 365 sciences platform. http://bit.ly/glowsciences

The third Higher Cross Authority Writing Workshop took place on Tuesday 27th May.

The purpose of the day was to provide practitioners with the opportunity to complete the materials they are developing for the Higher Sciences qualifications and professional learning events with updates from industry and further education professionals of the applications and theory of new content areas. Colleagues from HMI, SQA, RSC, STEMNET and research institutes also attended to provide input about careers in life sciences, particle physics, antioxidants in food and stem cell research. Speakers then worked with teachers to produce professional learning materials, teacher and pupil resources and assignment materials.

The feedback from the events was very positive with those attending keen for the model of cross-authority collaboration to be extended to include preparations for the new Advanced Higher courses and review best practice in National 3, 4 and 5 courses. If you haven’t done so already then you can view and download the materials produced by visiting the GLOW 365 sciences platform http://bit.ly/glowsciences

June 2, 2014
by K. McFaul
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Higher Computing Science Conference

Computing Science – support for new national Qualifications

Education Scotland organised and delivered a conference to support learning and teaching around the new Higher Computing Science on 29 May 2014. The main aims of the conference were to

Examine a range of appropriate approaches to learning and teaching
Exemplify a significant amount of new course content
Continue to build a successful learning community for computing science
Examine other areas for development to be addressed over the next academic year

Gerry Docherty, Chief Executive of Smarter Grid Solutions, who leads on the implementation of the ICT and Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan was the keynote speaker. He did a tremendous job setting the scene for the conference and many of the issues he raised in the morning were discussed again in the closing plenary.

It was a really great day and gives us lots to build on. If you have any suggestions as to how Education Scotland can further support this area of the curriculum please contact jim.lally@educationscotland.gov.uk.

June 2, 2014
by K. McFaul
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Edinburgh International Film Festival – STEM Careers Events

Wednesday 24th – 25th June 2014

Into Films will be running 3 career sessions at next month’s EIFF.

One focusing on STEM students, the other on the same day includes STEM as part of film careers, with a third event will involve conversations with a VFX industry professional.

If you are interested in attending these events please contact – yen.yau@intofilm.org

June 2, 2014
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Royal Institute, Big Physics

Join the Royal Institute this month for a series of physics events and workshops.

Black Hole Firewalls: What would you experience if you jumped into a black hole?

Matter Atoms in Action – explore the far-reaching applications of being able to watch atoms in action in important chemical reactions.

Faraday’s magnetic laboratory – explore the lab in which he worked.

Watch Physics Talks and hear the latest plans to explore Mars.

For further information about all events http://www.rigb.org/whats-on

May 30, 2014
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Higher Biology Resource Guide

This Higher Biology Resources Guide links Mandatory key areas to useful learning and teaching resources.

The pages show the Mandatory key areas table from the SQA Higher Biology course and unit support notes with an additional column containing hyperlinks to videos, animations and other resources. Content new to the course from the Higher Still Higher have been highlighted in green to further assist practitioners.

Updates will be posted on GLOW 365

Higher Biology Resources Guide

May 23, 2014
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Royal Society of Chemistry Global Experiment 2014

The Global Experiment 2014 encourages young people aged 7-16 , from all around the world, to participate in two experiments, investigating solubility and growing crystals, and to share their results around the world by posting them online. The resources required are very simple and there is an introductory video, lesson plans and certificates for those who take part.

The experiments address experiences and outcomes from Materials: Properties and uses of substances, SCN 2-16b & SCN 3-16b.

The experiments help learners to develop skills associated with measuring and recording results, embed numeracy skills within a practical context and offer ICT development opportunities through presenting and publishing their results on the web.

Full details about the Global Experiment 2014 can be downloaded using the link http://rsc.li/ge2014

Did you know?
In 2013, over 21000 children took part in the Global Experiment, with 103 schools in Scotland posting results.

May 21, 2014
by K. McFaul
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Software to support server-side development for Higher Computing Science

The new Higher Computing Science has a clear focus on modern technologies and development for the Web. Server-side scripting and online databases are the building blocks of the large information systems that we all use today.

The new Higher requires learners to provide “exemplifications and implementation of coding to create and modify information systems including the use of: … scripting (database/web pages), server-side scripting…”

This means that every learner studying Higher Computing Science should have experience of using these technologies. To support the introduction of the new Higher Computing Science, Aberdeen City Council have created and deployed a number of open source software packages.

We have deployed EasyPHP to provide each learner with a dedicated web and database server. This open source software provides an Apache Web Server, MySQL Database Server, PHP language plug-in (to allow for server-side scripting), phpMyAdmin (a web based database management tool) and Xdebug (to provide full debug information for learners as they develop programs). These servers are hosted locally on each computer where this software is deployed and the servers are controlled via a small application that learners can manage to start/store the servers as required.

This solution provides a full suite of technology that our teachers can now deploy in the classroom. We have modified the software so the data that a learner creates is stored and moves with the leaner in his/her roaming profile. No matter which computer he/she is using the required data is available.

As the solution is deployed locally on each station, the web pages are viewed using the localhost (http://localhost/) URL and the server is not broadcast to the wider Internet.

To assist with the development of programs, we have also deployed the open source NetBeans web project editor which supports development using a number of technologies that feature in the new Higher: Javascript (client-side scripting), PHP (server-side scripting), MySQL (database queries), HTML, CSS and others.

In tandem with this software deployment, we have also provided training to support this technology, which all our Computing Science teachers have been involved with.

If you would like additional information about this solution please contact Charlie Love at Aberdeen City Council.

May 21, 2014
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Twitter chats with the Royal Institute

Ever wished you could attend an event at the Royal Institute but haven’t been able to get tickets? Or do you live too far away to make evening events?

The Ri are now offering more opportunities for you to hear from researchers and experts from the UK and beyond.

As well as filming many events, making talks and debates available online for free, the Ri are now running Twitter chats with speakers to give everyone at home the chance to ask their questions.

The Twitter chat series launches TOMORROW Thursday 21 May with astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell at 7.30pm BST and mathematician Jordan Ellenberg on 4 June at 7pm BST.

For more information about twitter chats and What’s On in May at the Royal Institute:

http://www.rigb.org/whats-on

May 20, 2014
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Glasgow Science Festival 5th – 15th June 2014

As Glasgow prepares for the Commonwealth Games the Glasgow Science Festival is preparing to bring its exciting mix of science and innovative events to its biggest ever festival.

The principle aim of the Festival is to showcase the outstanding contribution Glasgow and Glasgow based researchers make to the worlds of science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM).

From 5-15^th June explore the frontiers of research through comedy, live shows, public debates and hands on exhibitions.

The science of sport will be uncovered and you can debate questions such as “If Usain Bolt was a bacterium, what would he be?”

For further information: http://www.gla.ac.uk/events/sciencefestival/events/