STEM Blog

December 5, 2013
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Scotland’s Environment Web Competition – extended entry!

Scotland’s Environment Web is running an exciting competition for young people, with fantastic prizes, and the closing date for entries has now been extended until 31st March 2014.

 What is the competition about?

What needs to change in your local community that will make a difference to your environment and what role can you play in making it happen?

We want you to answer the question above. Tell us how you could make your environment better. Planet Earth faces tough environmental challenges which will directly impact your future. Everyone can be a part of the solution to these challenges and Scotland’s young people have a key role to play.

During our recent Glow Meet, which you can access through Watch Again T.V. at http://bit.ly/SEWeb , you told us how you are already getting involved in caring for and improving Scotland’s environment. 

The extended closing date of 31st March 2014 will provide more opportunity for young people to participate. The awards ceremony will be held in June.

Who can enter?

This competition is open to all young people throughout Scotland between the ages of 5-18, whether through your school, as part of a group or as an individual.

You can also enter the Young Reporters for the Environment competition if you are eligible.

For more information, visit www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/yd

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

 

 

 

Further links:

Scotland’s Environment website http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/

Scottish environment youth discussion http://bit.ly/19dnExK

December 5, 2013
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Natural Partners: Forests and Education

Forests, trees and woodlands, and all aspects of wood as a material, offer fantastic opportunities for learning. Explore a number of hands-on activities suitable for all ages e.g. working with wood to make presents to take away, building bee hives, forest bridge design and testing, digital games exploring forest  stewardship.

There will be samples of work in progress, by student teachers, in the theme of STEM: Natural Partners exploring teaching and Learning for Sustainability.

This event is hosted and designed by students from Moray House School of Education (Edinburgh University), and staff from Forest Research and Forestry Commission Scotland. Please do come along and drop in!

SATURDAY 7TH DEC AND SUNDAY 8TH DEC
Time: 12.30 pm-3.30 pm
Location: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Venue: Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway
Age: 5+ALL WELCOME
Booking: No booking required

For further information regarding this event and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh:
http://www.rbge.org.uk/whats-on/event-details/3057

Natural posters (1)

Check out last year’s student units of work on:
http://www.ltl.org.uk/resources/results.php?id=716

December 5, 2013
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Languages and STEM skills – opening doors!

SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, is working with businesses and schools in Scotland to promote languages as a key skill for employment.

Operating effectively in a global economy relies on many skills and can include the right language skills.

People who can communicate, at least conversationally, can make all the difference in the conduct of business, consolidating relationships with existing suppliers and customers and opening the way to new overseas contacts. When combined with STEM skills, the career opportunities in a vast array of sectors widens.

Key facts from the CBI Education and Skills Survey 2013

  • Seven out of ten (70%) businesses value foreign language skills among their employees
  • French(49%) and German(45%) are the leading languages in demand, but those geared to businesses in China feature increasingly prominently – of those valuing staff with foreign language skills, 28% value Manderin and 16% Cantonese
  • STEM skills are in high demand and nearly two in five firms (39%) are having difficulties recruiting staff. 41% expect this to persist over the next three years
  • Shortages of STEM qualified technicians (29%) and graduates (26%) are widespread among firms in engineering, hi-tech/IT and science areas
  • Businesses recognise that they have a key role in encouraging more young people to study STEM subjects, enthusing young people about STEM (55%) and working with Universities to ensure the business relevance of the course (50%).

Read about successful people in the business and sporting worlds who have combined their language and STEM skills and find out why they consider that learning a language is really important.

http://www.scilt.org.uk/Business/Jobprofilesandcareers/tabid/2867/Default.aspx

December 4, 2013
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Bringing Sustainability to Life

Year of Natural Scotland: working in partnership to bring sustainability to life at Dundee Science Centre Science Learning Institute.

Last Friday, Dundee Science Centre were joined by over 200 children from P6/7 at Kinross Primary School, St Mary’s RC Primary School Dundee and St Vincent’s RC Primary School Dundee. Children experienced an informative, hands-on day of learning about renewable energy and low carbon living.

Renewable energy scientists from Marine Scotland took the children on a journey from ancient Greece, through the discovery of electricity, to renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Children learned about the differences between renewable and non renewables, and explored amazing new technologies being developed to tap into our natural wind, tidal and wave energy sources. A Pelamis wave snake, and functioning model wind turbine really grabbed their attention.

Sustrans attended with their electric bikes and all children took part with great gusto in an energy challenge with Solar Cities Scotland. Taking it in turns, the children attempted to use muscle power to charge a capacitor to make music and smoothies, learning about the cost of power the hard way!

Dundee Science Centre is delighted to be working in partnership as part of Year of Natural Scotland to bring sustainable, low carbon technologies alive for children.

December 4, 2013
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The Royal Institution Christmas Countdown

Inspired by this year’s CHRISTMAS LECTURES with Alison Woollard the Royal Institute has launched a Chromosome-themed advent calendar. Each day between 1 December and Christmas Eve they will release a new video working through the 23 pairs of human chromosomes and the mitochondrial DNA that make up the building blocks of human life.

Over 24 days they will look at ‘junk’ DNA, raise awareness of a range of genetic disorders and the research behind the latest treatments, learn about blood donation and visit Alison’s lab in Oxford to find out about genetic ageing. Join the Royal Institute to investigate male baldness, explain Nobel Prize winning science, take a trip to the zoo, delve into the mysteries of ginger hair and much much more…

Explore the advent calendar at www.rigb.org.uk/advent

Plus, follow #Riadvent on Twitter or like us on Facebook to be the first to find and watch the videos and enter our competition to win a prop from the set of the CHRISTMAS LECTURES

December 4, 2013
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iSpot, You Spot, We all Spot Together

www.ispot.org.uk is the place to learn more about wildlife and to share your interest in a friendly community.  iSpot, developed by The Open University, allows you to upload photos of your observations and get help identifying what you have seen.

It’s perfect for those plants, fungi or mini-beasts that you’ve seen whilst outdoors whether it be in the playground or on a school trip, but are not sure what they are.  iSpot can be used as an aid to educating children and adults alike.  Just make sure you have a camera with you and then at home, the office or school, the photos can be uploaded on to iSpot. 

The website also has handy keys to help aid identification, once you register gain points as your reputation grows, and use the forums for discussions.  iSpot is your place to share nature. What have you spotted today?

iSpot is part of The OpenScience Laboratory. Follow us on twitter @ispot_uk

November 29, 2013
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CfE Tackling Transition Events Series

HEA (Scotland): CfE tackling transition events series – Biological Sciences

3rd Dec 2013, 17.45-20.15  

This event, which forms part of the Higher Education Academy Scotland CfE Tackling Transitions Series, will facilitate networking and dialogue between school, college and university Biological Sciences educators, to best support students throughout their learner journeys.

It is crucial that educators delivering university programmes have an in-depth understanding of developments and seek to build on these to achieve long-term improvements in the quality of the student experience in Scotland.

 The HEA is keen to facilitate dialogue, to promote greater understanding of the developments that are taking place, and to assist university staff in preparing to meet the changing needs of future students.

The event will include contributions from the HEA’s Curriculum for Excellence Scholars in the Biological Sciences, who will be presenting outcomes from their work. 

Location

The event will be held in Level 7 Conference Room in the Sir Duncan Rice Library at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone  Avenue , Scotland, AB24 2TZ and a buffet reception will be provided. The event will begin at 17.45 and conclude at 20.15.

Event costs

This event is free of charge to attend

Booking

Please book a place on this event at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2013/03-Dec-CfE-TacklingTransition-Biosciences-Aberdeen

November 22, 2013
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Junior Saltire Prize 2014

Schools across Scotland are invited to make a splash by entering the Junior Saltire 2014 marine renewables competition.

Last year over 130 primary and secondary teams rose to the challenge.  For 2014, the brief is to design a simple hydrokinetic generator – a turbine to produce electricity when submerged in flowing water.

Great prizes of up to £750 as well as Junior Saltire medals are up for grabs and the competition is open to teams of four in three age groups – P5/7, S1/S3 and S4/S6.

Click here for further information and links to the brief and registration form.  NB The closing date for team registrations is Friday 20 December 2013.  Multiple entries per school welcome!  

 

November 21, 2013
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The Queen’s Baton Design

 

 

 

 

Game on Scotland : Learning Zone Glow Meet: The Queen’s Baton Design

 This session allows learners to:

  • hear from the Queen’s Baton designer Will Mitchell (4cDesign) & share their own a baton design ideas
  • find out more about the challenges of producing lawn bowls from Grant Heron Taylor bowls
  • learn how they can get involved in the Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award from Angela Greene from Primary Engineers.

In order for your learners to get involved most effectively in this session why not:

  • set your class a baton design challenge  
  • prepare a 2 minute pitch of your idea to Will Mitchell from 4cDesign (Dragons’ Den Style) on the day.

Register for the Glow Meet either before Tuesday 26th November or join us on the day, 11 am – 12 noon, for the second of our Game on Scotland Technologies Glow Meets

Glow meet sign-up: http://bit.ly/gostechnologieslearningzone

For more information email Kirsty McFaul (DO Technologies) kirsty.mcfaul@educationscotland.gov.uk

November 20, 2013
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Royal College of Surgeons Christmas Lecture

RCSEd Christmas Lecture :

 “The work of the Sports Doctor; Tales of the Unexpected”

Join Dr James Robinson in a Glow meet on Monday 2nd December, 1.55pm-2.55pm, where he will outline the role of exercise in health, both to the individual and the population.

Dr Robson has been team doctor on the last six consecutive tours by the British and Irish Lions. He joined the Scotland team as doctor at the start of season 2002/2003 and has now been team doctor for more than 100 Scotland Test matches, including the Rugby World Cup competitions in 2003, 2007 and 2011. 

He will endeavour to bring to life through his own experiences, over many years of International rugby, the life and times of the team doctor. From the lows of injury, to the highs of sporting victory, the lecture will touch on some moments of drama for those whose work is sport, and for those who care at pitch side.

For further detail regarding registration http://bit.ly/rcschristmaslecture

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