April 14, 2014
by K. McFaul
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Skills Fusion – VFX film careers outreach programme.

Skills Fusion is a VFX film careers outreach programme. Funded by Creative Skillset (http://www.creativeskillset.org/) , the Sector Skills Council for the Creative Industries, its aim is to highlight the skills shortage that the UK film industry faces in this sector and the opportunities, particularly in the more technical specialist roles that rely on strong educational foundations in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), and computer science subjects, available to students.

Young people concentrating on these areas very often do not know, or realise that rewarding careers based on STEM subjects are possible in the creative industries, nor that many of computer generated imagery (CGI), that they see on the big screen, have been created here in the UK and not Hollywood.

It is recognised through the landmark report published by NESTA – The Next Gen Report – http://www.nesta.org.uk/publications/next-gen, that there is a knowledge gap between the classroom and jobs, and that without an intervention such as Skills Fusion, the UK film industry will not be able to maintain its position as a leading country to do business in the global marketplace.

The intention of Skills Fusion through its resources, attending conferences, working with schools, participating in career fairs, engaging STEM orientated school clubs and cascading information through career advisor networks, that it can inspire and spark that initial interest to potentially fully fledged careers, career paths, which they might not have otherwise considered.

If you would be interested in copies of the specially commissioned careers resource or have opportunities for someone to come to your school to talk about Skills Fusion, participate in an event/teachers CPD session or present a film careers talk to students, please get in touch with yen.yau@intofilm.org (Talent Development Manager, Into Film)

April 8, 2014
by K. McFaul
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Learning Technologies in Argyll & Bute Council

Over the last year the learning technologies team in Argyll and Bute have been providing additional exciting, computer science related learning opportunities for young people at primary level.

The long-term goal of this project is to capture the imagination of young people, to showcase what can be created and inspire through technology.

Before commencing this project we were very aware that our young people had excellent ICT skills and made very good use of technology. However, this project is about equipping young people at primary level with skills and knowledge to turn computing ideas into concepts, improve their understanding of how technologies work and gain some understanding of the concepts involved in computer programming.

We feel that this project is important to the economy of Argyll and Bute, particularly as we want to offer our young people as much choice as possible in where they live and work. We feel that the technology sector provides a number of remote working and company start up opportunities. Additionally we are very aware that almost every field of employment now relies on technology, and our challenge is to prepare young people for jobs that may not even exist yet.

Our team has so far supported approximately 50 primary schools by providing expertise to assist them in commencing a computer programming related project. We work with each school on an individual basis and the projects vary depending on the schools learning outcomes, expertise and available equipment.

Our approach has been to offer centrally hosted CPD sessions for staff whilst working directly with pupils in schools. We feel that technology related learning provides excellent pupil led and peer learning opportunities. It is however interesting to note that in the majority of cases the pupils’ knowledge of technology quickly overtakes that of the teachers. Subsequently, we are seeing teachers taking up more of a facilitator role in technology related learning.

An important part of this project was to establish a loan bank of equipment. This has given our team the opportunity to showcase a variety of technologies whilst allowing us to loan schools suitable equipment. In addition this provides the school with an opportunity to try out various technologies before committing to a purchase.

The two most popular activities in our schools so far are Kodu and Lego Wedo. However schools have also being using Raspberry Pi, Lego Mindstorms, Scratch, PicoBoard for Scratch, LiveCode and .net gadgeteer.

We have been very much encouraged by the enthusiasm and passion our young people exhibit towards technology. We have found that about 97% of the young people have fully engaged with activities such as Kodu and have shown a real desire to learn the basics of computer programming.

This project has provided a number of opportunities for the young people of Argyll and Bute to share their learning and skills. We have seen pupils presenting and demonstrating technology projects at workshops. Some of these young people have stated that as a result of this they feel more confident in using technology but also as individuals too. In addition to this we have a number of schools establishing lunchtime, afterschool computing clubs and some schools appointing pupil ICT mentors.

The next step for this project is to implement a pupil self-evaluation framework in order that we can better measure the impact of learning computer programming in primary schools.

April 1, 2014
by User deactivated
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Disruptive Innovation Festival

What are the latest trends in design, technology, business and education? These issues and more will be debated in the Disruptive Innovation Festival, a four week long global event. Curated by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Festival provides a stage for leading thinkers, emerging entrepreneurs, educationalists and anyone else to share their vision of taking a systems-based approach to some of the challenges of now.

Schools, students and teachers from across the world will be encouraged to get involved to showcase their work, present ideas, debate pressing issues, and overcome design challenges. Sign up for more information and keep an eye out for the latest news at www.thinkdif.co

Topics: DESIGN, TECH TRENDS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CIRCULAR ECONOMY, 21ST CENTURY SCIENCE, ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, INTERNET OF THINGS …AND MANY MORE

March 30, 2014
by User deactivated
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New Sciences Resouce Guide

Education Scotland has produced a new sciences resource guide.

This is a comprehensive information document for anyone with an interest in STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Details regarding how to access our main science website, Journey to Excellence videos, blogs, NQ materials and Tigtag are available, alongwith a number of useful links to other relevant websites and organisations.

To download click :Sciences Resource Guide

March 28, 2014
by I. Menzies
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Evolution Automotive show – seminar for teachers

Special Seminar for Teachers – 3.30pm Friday 25^th of April Royal Highland Centre

Need a greater understanding of the automotive industry to pass onto your learners? Transport Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust and their partners will provide an insight into the developments within the automotive sector and how Scotland is helping shape the future, with specific focus on low emission transport including low-carbon, hybrid, electric and hydrogen vehicles. The seminar will include case studies and examples of innovation to help shape courses and prepare learners to take advantage of this newly emerging and rapidly changing market. Please register your interest by emailing charlotte.cassar@psigroupltd.co.uk

Or you can just come along and enjoy the EVOLUTION show on 26^th April and test drive new generation cars. FREE entry. Register at: www.evolutionshow.co.uk

March 28, 2014
by User deactivated
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Free Online N4/5 Physics Study resources

Flash Learning is pleased to announce free online access to Virtual National 4 Physics and Virtual National 5 Physics until July 2014.

Our software to support National 4 and 5 Physics has been very well received and is now in use in approximately two thirds of Scottish schools. We have developed an enhanced version of the material and this is available online at www.eflashlearning.co.uk

All Scottish pupils (and teachers) are invited to register online. Click on the Join Now button and you will be asked to supply a username, password and email address.

This online, enhanced version of the software includes topic quizzes and progress checks. There is also a forum (one for each course) and this will be available for a trial period . Please note that the website uses advanced web design technology and is best viewed with a modern web browser.

Pupils need to provide an email address when they register and we undertake not to do anything with this, other than to send one mail in August, inviting them to subscribe to the next physics course they may be taking.

March 26, 2014
by User deactivated
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Clean Energy from the Sea

The Sustainable Learning Partnership, in association with The Crown Estate, has produced an interdisciplinary learning and teaching resource – the first in a planned series – founded upon the principles and practices of 21st Century Learning and designed to help young learners prepare for life and active participation in a global society that is safe, just and sustainable.

The Clean Energy from the Sea project is being piloted in Scottish secondary schools in Orkney, Thurso, Wick and Midlothian.

The project introduces pupils to the offshore renewables industry and the significant employment opportunities which are being created. Clean Energy from the Sea provides learning opportunities which allows them to make a connection between offshore renewables and their own studies in subjects such as geography, physics, and modern studies and also to explore three interlinked themes:

Why the future of human society depends upon secure energy supplies to meet our essential energy demands
Why the only safe and sustainable form of energy for the future is clean, renewable energy
Why the oceans and seas are potentially a vast source of clean, renewable energy, presenting great technical challenges but enormous economic, social and environmental benefits.

To view this online resource visit: http://learnforsustainability.wordpress.com/

March 25, 2014
by User deactivated
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NPL Educate and Explore Science Posters

Schools Posters

A selection of posters is available for the classroom to support science and maths teaching at primary and secondary schools.

These are match to Key Stages in the English Curriculum but provide and excellent free resources for Scottish Schools.

March 25, 2014
by User deactivated
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Magnificent Microbes at Dundee Science Centre

Friday 14th March saw around 150 P6/7 children from 4 schools visit Dundee Science Centre to participate in the Magnificent Microbes day, part of the Magnificent Microbes project, a joint venture between the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee and Dundee Science Centre Science Learning Institute.

The children had the opportunity to meet scientists and researchers from the University of Dundee, and with them explore the magnificent world of microbes, including getting hands-on with techniques used by microbiologists. There was a wide range of activities and games to take part in, including learning about biofilms, glow-in-the-dark bacteria, discovering what microbes look like, finding out which of our favourite foods owe all they are to microbes, and an exciting opportunity to grow common microbes from their hands in a petri dish.

Children and teachers alike were amazed by the range of activities on offer. From the feedback we received it seems that this session had a very positive effect on the learners’ attitudes towards microbes, and that the scientists successfully engaged with school pupils over the necessity of microbes to our lives and the important research taking place at the University of Dundee.

This project has been running since February 2014 and began with professional learning for teachers and classroom based activity to discover the degree of the children’s prior knowledge and understanding of microbes. This children’s time with us at Dundee Science Centre will be followed up with further learning in class, supporting literacy, numeracy and encouraging creativity, as well as opportunities to have scientists visit the schools to work with the children and discuss their learning. The project will culminate in a Celebration Day at the University of Dundee, where representatives from each class, their teachers and families will join the Magnificent Microbes researchers to share their learning from the project – a chance for the children to teach the scientists!

We are delighted to have been supporting this project, working in partnership with the College of Life Science at the University of Dundee. To find out more about the Magnificent Microbes project or if you are interested in getting involved in the future, why not come along to our Professional Learning session on 7^th May 2014 at Dundee Science Centre, where we will be showcasing some of the activities involved and discussing progressions of learning in sciences from early to second level, focusing on CfE organisers in sciences Body Systems and Cells, and Inheritance. You can find more information on our website, or contact us on learning@dundeesciencecentre.org.uk or 01382868609 for enquiries and booking.

March 24, 2014
by User deactivated
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Sharing innovative practice: planning for sciences early to second level

30th April 2014, Dundee Science Centre, 1630 – 1800 including refreshments

Are you planning learning and teaching in sciences for early to second level? Or thinking about revamping your early, first and second level sciences? Are you an experienced teacher, PT, depute or headteacher looking for a model of staff mentoring and cluster working? Or a student or newly-qualified teacher looking to learn from the practice of others? This is a professional learning session you won’t want to miss!

On 30th April, teachers from primary schools in Perth and Kinross, and from Perth High School, will be joining us to describe how they went from a desire to plan for progression in sciences in the primary schools throughout the cluster, to a successful implementation of a series of rich tasks for all lines of development in sciences, incorporating skills.

Join us to hear how they got started, how they went about it, how they tied it into national resources and guidance, the view of staff on the experience, the pitfalls, and the successes. Teachers will also share some of their rich tasks, implemented in 2013/14, sharing their reflections from the perspective of learners’ experiences.

Charitable funding is available to support your attendance at this session. For more information, see our website. To book your place, or talk to us about this learning opportunity, contact learning@dundeesciencecentre.org.uk or telephone us on 01382868609.

We look forward to seeing you there!