Science, technology, engineering and maths are key priorities within Curriculum for Excellence.
The Scottish Learning Festival 2013 provides numerous opportunities for practitioners to engage in meaningful discussions and attend seminars and workshops relating to STEM.
A showcase of innovative practice from staff and pupils across Scotland’s local authorities will demonstrate how STEM skills are being developed in creative, exciting and thought provoking ways.
Come along and watch learners from Hamilton College demonstrate how Lego Mindstorm robots helped develop their problem solving skills, take the I-pad journey with Bellshill Academy pupils and find out how to bring science into your school community by becoming a Citizen Science.
Download the STEM programme of workshops and seminars detailing dates and times:
Teachers from throughout Dundee, Perth and Angus sampled the role of food in bringing science to life in Scottish classrooms
Dundee Science Centre’s Science Learning Institute (SLI) hosted a free Food and Science ‘Teach Meet’, focusing on food and drink and their role in teaching and learning. The event was aimed at practitioners in pre-school, primary and secondary settings and was attended by a range of practitioners, pre-service teachers and science communication providers.
The CPD session was the first in the SLI’s brand new programme of courses for the academic year 2013-2014.
Delegates discovered the resources available from a range of organisations to support learning and teaching in the context of food and drink, heard a selection of short presentations and explored a number of exhibitor stands.
Teachers also boarded the Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus which, throughout the week and in partnership with Education Scotland, is giving 80 local primary and early years teachers specialist hands-on training in teaching children how to cook. The massive articulated lorry transforms into a spectacular purpose-built kitchen classroom where teachers can cook a range of healthy age-adaptable recipes that showcase how to teach various cooking skills and techniques.
The event was delivered by Education Scotland, Scottish Food and Drink Federation, Dundee Science Centre and other partners.
Moira Stalker, Scottish Food and Drink Federation Schools Programme Coordinator said, “The food industry is an exciting place to work. It offers great career opportunities and there are so many exciting job opportunities in food, such as food science, product development, engineering, nutrition and design. Working with Dundee Science Centre, Education Scotland and others is a great way to get practitioners involved collaboratively and to help teachers better understand the links between science and careers in food and to encourage them to work with industry to use food as the context for delivering the curriculum.”
Suzanne Hargreaves, Senior Education Officer, Health and Wellbeing, Education Scotland said, “The TeachMeet has brought together a range of early to senior phase practitioners to share innovative approaches to learning and teaching linking food and science. These two curricular areas open many pathways for employability skills that will help learners to develop their understanding of skills making connections across Curriculum for Excellence and into the world of work. “
The Science Learning Institute at Dundee Science Centre supports the Curriculum for Excellence through professional learning for practitioners, promotes public engagement with science through science communication training, and supports core skills training in further education.
Linda Leuchars, Head of Science Learning and Public Engagement commented, “Following the success of last year’s Science Learning Institute programme, which facilitated professional development opportunities for over 1000 professionals, we are delighted to launch the programme for the 2013/2014 academic year. Tonight’s event provided an excellent example of the opportunities which the collaborative nature that underpins the Science Learning Institute can bring. We have been pleased to work with Education Scotland and the Scottish Food and Drinks Federation towards running this highly successful Food and Science TeachMeet. Clearly this is demand for such opportunities for teachers, as the event was fully booked within a matter of days.”
SCOTTISH ENGINEERING SPECIAL LEADERS AWARD CHALLENGE – “If you could be an engineer in Scotland – what would you do?”
Scottish Engineering and the Leaders Award are challenging Primary and Secondary school pupils in Scotland to consider what they would do if they were an engineer.
The challenge addresses many of the Experiences and outcomes within Curriculum for Excellence and, at secondary level, the project will meet the requirements of level 4/5 National Qualification in Engineering Science.
To participate, research engineering in Scotland, download resources from www.leadersaward.com, talk to practicing engineers and complete an annotated illustration answer to the challenge question. Discover the numerous career paths an engineer can follow.
Already there are over 60 primary and secondary schools registered to be a part of the challenge, many of which have already put in their requests for help from engineers.
Closing date for all entries is 20th November 2013, with the best entries going on display on 20th December 2013 in Glasgow City Councils Banqueting Hall.
Our world is always changing. Look out your window long enough, and you might see the weather change. Look even longer, and you’ll see the seasons change. The Earth’s climate is changing, too, but in ways that you can’t easily see.
People are causing these changes and we are producing much more waste than ever before. At home or in our workplace we use items which need power to work and this power comes from burning fossil fuels and other natural sources. The more fuels we burn, the more CO2 gas we produce into the atmosphere, resulting in climate change.
The Junior Climate Challenge Fund (JCCF), which is part of the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund, administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful, gives young people the funds and support they need to take action on climate change in their own community.
Development grants are available to encourage pupils to investigate their own carbon footprint and that of their community through a variety of relevant and interesting themes such as Food or Transport.
Download further information and by clicking on the links below:
Tuesday 10th September 4.30 – 6.30pm @ Mills Observatory Dundee
“Learners develop their understanding of the Earth’s position within the universe while developing a sense of time and scale.
They develop their understanding of how our knowledge of the universe has changed over time and explore ideas of future space exploration and the likelihood of life beyond planet Earth.” (Planet Earth, Curriculum for Excellence sciences experiences and outcomes)
How can space be used as a context for learning and teaching at first and second level? World Space Week in October provides an ideal opportunity to explore space – join us for ideas and inspiration.
Recommended for: Practitioners planning for learning and teaching in sciences at first and second level.
Delivered by Dundee Science Centre Science Learning Team and Mills Observatory. Contact us on 01382 868609 to find out more or book your place.
Image Copyright NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration.
Scotland’s Environment Web has a unique set of on-line guidance and digital tools to help people set up their own public environmental monitoring projects.
Public monitoring or ‘citizen science’ can be described as “scientific activities in which non-professional scientists volunteer to participate in data collection, analysis and dissemination of a scientific project…”. It can be a great, fun way to gather information and get involved – scientists need your help!
Whether you are a teacher keen to get your students outdoors, a member of the public wanting to get more involved in your local environment, or an organisation wanting to set up a project, there is something in the Scotland’s Environment Web toolkit for you. The tools make it easier to start and run a project, using some of the new digital technology to help.
The site provides a Guide to Citizen Science and a Teacher’s Guide.
An exciting professional learning opportunity with SLF keynote speaker Dr Avis Glaze
Education Scotland is offering a very exciting opportunity to any practitioners interested in looking at equalities issues around STEM. The facts are stark in this area.
“In Scotland, 27% of women graduate in STEM work in the sector they qualified in, compared with 52% of male graduates. This means that of the 56000 female STEM graduates in Scotland, just over 15000 continue to work in the sector.”
The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2012. Tapping all our Talents: Women in STEM: strategy for Scotland, 10.
“23% of the most socially advantaged pupils aspire to become a scientist, compared to just 9% of disadvantaged pupils.”
TISME, spring 2013. Interim Research Summary, ASPIRES project:
What shapes children’s science and career aspiration age 10 – 13, 7.
This is an opportunity to develop a fuller understanding of the issues and consider approaches to tackling them.
The first of two day long sessions will include a morning with SLF keynote speaker Dr Avis Glaze, Edu-quest International Inc and Former Chief Student Achievement Officer of Ontario. Dr Glaze brings a wealth of experience and expertise in addressing issues of equity and this is a unique opportunity to spend time with her in a small group setting. The afternoon will consider relevant research into equalities across STEM and how this is relevant to practitioners’ own contexts. A second day will be planned for early 2014 and will be held in a STEM industry setting with an opportunity for practitioners to share their own experiences and thinking and hear about equalities in STEM from a business perspective.
There are 20 places available to any interested practitioners and these will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If you are interested in taking part please email Diane Carson at Diane.Carson@educationscotland.gov.uk .The first day will take place on Tuesday September 24th in The Optima building in Glasgow. The second day will be held in early 2014 in an industry setting, date and venue are yet to be confirmed.
Recommended for: Practitioners with responsibilities for Food and Health, sciences, and Health and Wellbeing, and planning for learning for early years to senior phase.
Food and drink offers an engaging context for learning within Curriculum for Excellence, providing opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, and for rich and meaningful partnerships between schools, the food and drink industry and other organisations.
4.30-5.15: Registration, light refreshments, networking and tours of the Cooking Bus
Education Scotland – Food for Thought – Food Education: an overview
Scottish Food and Drink Federation – How to link real life industrial applications to food education in schools
University of Abertay – What help can higher education provide and what are the next stages of study
Food Industry, Agrico– Why we get involved and how we can help support schools
Food and Drink Ambassadors – What we can offer schools
Eco-Schools Scotland – Food and the Environment’ topic; resources and case studies for interdisciplinary learning and teaching
Dundee Science Centre – Bringing food and science to life in Curriculum for Excellence
Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC) – sharing exciting activities on food chemistry
6.00 – 6.30: Food and Science marketplace, meet experts who can help with practical ideas and ways of using food as a context across learning. Discover the resources available from a range of organisations to support your planning for learning and teaching in the context of food and drink. Hear a selection of micro-presentations, explore exhibitor stands, take away free resources, network with colleagues and take the chance to visit the Cooking Bus.
Delivered by Education Scotland, Scottish Food and Drink Federation, Dundee Science Centre and partners.
The new term is about to begin and SSERC are once again offering a range of practical hands-on CPD courses for Secondary practitioners.
Places remain on the 2-part residential courses for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, which support CfE up to National 4 and 5.
Places are also available on the Leading for Excellence in Science course which is supported by the National Science Learning Centre. Delegates from Local Authority schools will be granted an ENTHUSE Award, which covers the cost of the course.
Please visit our website for our complete listing of CPD opportunities.
SSERC is a Local Authority shared-service providing support across all thirty-two Scottish Education Authorities. Our services are available to elected members and officers of Local Authorities, teachers, student teachers and technicians. In addition, the majority of FE colleges and independent schools within Scotland are members of our organisation.
Join our Glow Meet, where author and Physics Professor, James Kakalios, will explain the basic principles of Physics within the context of superheroes!
Professor Kakalios earned his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1985 and began his comic book collection as a graduate student, as a way to relieve stress. At Minnesota University one of his teaching seminars, Everything I Know About Science I Learned From Reading Comic Books, used the physics of superheroes as a way to motivate students. This course gained great popularity as an enticing alternative to the typical inclined planes and pulleys of physics.
The success of this seminar led to writing articles in popular magazines, lectures on the subject and the publication of his popular book “The Physics of Superheroes”. In his talks, favourite examples are the death of Gwen Stacy (Spider-Man‘s girlfriend), “can Superman jump over tall buildings and what does this tell us about Krypton?”, the high-velocity actions of The Flash, and the shrinking problem of the Atom. His analysis of Gwen Stacy’s death eventually became integral to the plot of a new Spider-Man comic.
“The most important thing is getting the students to ask the right kinds of questions. If a character has wings on her back, what important physical forces and issues do we need to consider if she’s going to use them to fly? What kind of wingspan and muscle structure would that require? Hopefully, pointing out issues like these will help students think critically in other situations,” says James.
Professor Kakalios has also acted as a consultant in the film industry, specifically for the films Watchmen and Green Lantern. The real science knowledge that he provides has made these movies more scientifically correct and may help attract more of the younger generations into the field of Physics.
Science, technology, engineering and maths are key priorities within Curriculum for Excellence.
