August 15, 2012
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An Olympics related story which could provide the stimulus for using the STEM Central Bioengineering context. Kieran Maxwell, a 13 year old who had his leg amputated as a result of cancer, is to get a new prosthetic leg, reported in this BBC News story “Kieran Maxwell’s new limb”. Learners could consider in what ways prosthetic limbs differ, and how the design of one may make it more appropriate than another for Kieran.
August 14, 2012
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Yesterday, we published new advice and guidance associated with National 5 Biology associated with Inheritance.
There are a number of areas in this advice and guidance which would lend themselves to discussion in the classroom. What does this look like? What is the difference between learners talking, and discussing? Arguing and debating? What tools and approaches can be used to ensure learners are developing their skills in discussion, argumentation, and debate?
The teacher’s handbook from the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Scotland may be of use in planning for learning and teaching for the senior phase. 2012 is the year of the ESU’s Speak up Scotland! Science Debating project. Within the easily digestible, practical teacher’s handbook are a range of techniques and approaches which can be used to structure debate within the science classroom, and include all learners within the class. It explains how to plan and structure a formal debate, if that is what you are looking for, including how to structure a speech, a format for judging the content and skills of the participants – useful for teacher observation or peer evaluation. Other approaches described include balloon and role play debates. Exemplification is given for role playdebates in bio-prospecting and badger culling.
The booklet also contains starters for debates such as:
“this house would ban research on embryonic stem cells” – ties in with the National 4/5 qualifications in Biology and our published advice and guidance on Health and Disease.
Each section includes “fast facts”, and suggested questions to ask – does an embryo have human rights? how do we know how old the universe is? how do we control nanoparticles in our environment; or artificial organisms we create?
All of this is also available on the project website where you can find out how schools are using the debates and the feedback from learners.
If your learners need support in building confidence to speak in front of others, why not look back to our Debating in Schools resources published in 2007 which include Building Speaking Confidence: Guidance for first-time speakers.
August 13, 2012
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We’ve been keeping you up to date with this inquiry based science project since last December. Don’t forget that you can find out more by joining us at session N1A at SLF 2012, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor. A vodcast overview of the project can be found on the scienceedresearch channel on YouTube.
The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.
The workshop will include an opportunity for delegates to have hands on experience of the six investigative tasks, using the kit provided to schools, funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will are also available via the ScienceEdResearch channel YouTube.
The individual vodcasts for each school:
Brae High; Blairgowrie; Coupar Angus; Inveralmond Community High; Urafirth; Westfield
Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!
August 12, 2012
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The forthcoming STEM Central context on Sound for early years to fourth level offers opportunities to explore the speed of sound through different substances. But what do these speeds mean to learners and how do they compare to speeds with which they might be more familiar? Capitalising on the 2012 Olympics which draws to a close this evening, why not relate it to the speed of athletes they may have seen on TV this summer? This interactive from the New York Times “One Race, Every Medallist Ever” may be of use in making this connection.
August 8, 2012
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Comments Off on Electric Transport and TEDEd’s new YouTube channel
Our STEM Central Electric Transport context is currently aimed at third and fourth level. In the next school year, we will be publishing an extension to the context for second level. Offering opportunities to embed sustainable development and give insight into STEM in everyday life, the second level extension will highlight green buses on Scottish roads. Last year 15 buses engineered at Alexander Dennis Ltd in Falkirk took to the streets of Edinburgh, with partial funding from the Scottish Government’s Green Bus Fund.
The video Electric Vocabulary from TEDEd’s YouTube channel tells the story of how “charge” and “battery” became part of our everyday language of “electricity”. Useful for your own background and understanding, or for learners at second level.
August 3, 2012
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If you’re planning learning and teaching associated with the STEM Central Renewables context, some recent news to incorporate. Scotland’s first marine energy park opened on 30th July 2012, aiming to help progress marine power development in Scotland. The park is designed to link researchers and industry working in marine energy. Find out more in this BBC news article.
August 1, 2012
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Water is surely not far from anyone’s mind in this rather rainy summer season, so why not plan some learning and teaching to incorporate it? The STEM Central Water context is currently aimed at third and fourth level, but work is underway on early to second level learning journeys to enhance and extend this context. Water, and water security, will also feature in our forthcoming context for early to fourth level on Food Security.
The James Hutton Institute’s Water Works competition for schools offers an ideal tie-in. Perhaps the work of this month’s winner will provide inspiration? 15 year old Aaron Hawthorn of Motherwell captured the beautiful image “The Water Works for Them” below, of which he says “A lot of us don’t realise how important water is in the world today. It’s not just a refreshing drink, or a cleaning material. For some animals, water is their home. I’m sure everyone will agree that water certainly works for this swan and her cygnets.”
Julian Scott, aged 15, from Dundee followed up his June winner (Reflections, below) with a highly commended entry in the July category. Congratulations Julian.
July 5, 2012
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STEM Central makes connections between sciences, technologies and mathematics through the context of engineering allows learners to broaden their understanding of the applications of concepts and skills developed in curriculum subjects. It allows learners to develop solutions to problems and demonstrate creativity through inquiry.
We are delighted to annouce that our Games Context for learning is live on STEM Central.
The games industry in Scotland is thriving. Providing jobs for skilled professionals of all nationalities, games companies are at the forefront of Scotland’s electronic technologies and software industry. Games have been used throughout the ages to teach, entertain and amuse. In some respects games have changed over time with changes in technologies, tools and materials, yet in other ways simple games that resemble those from past societies are still played.
In the Games Development Second Level Learning Journey learners are offered stimulating experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding not only of the history of gaming in Scotland, but will also encourage them to explore technological developments in society, and ultimately how to design, create and market their own game.
The Electrifying Games Second Level Learning Journey offers a range of opportunities for learners enquiry based learning and to develop and apply knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to circuits and components, and to engineering of a 3D game which demonstrates energy transfer and movement.
July 5, 2012
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STEM Central makes connections between sciences, technologies and mathematics through the context of engineering allows learners to broaden their understanding of the applications of concepts and skills developed in curriculum subjects. It allows learners to develop solutions to problems and demonstrate creativity through inquiry.
We are delighted to annouce that our Sound Context for learning is live on STEM Central.
Sound is an important part of our lives and we are constantly surrounded by it. From talking in the classroom, to animal sounds in the forest, from listening to music to hearing a fire engine siren, different sounds can make us feel different emotions; they can trigger memories and remind of us of key events in our lives. It can also affect how we remember different events. Animals and humans use sound to communicate with each other in a variety of forms including song, voice, ultrasound, and the telephone. Sound can be about survival and can warn us of danger but it can also be used for relaxation and entertainment through the medium of music.
The learning journeys with a Sciences and Technologies focus within early and first levels will give learners the opportunity to investigate a variety of sound making materials. They will recognise and produce different sounds through constructive play, design and construct their own instruments and create and record sounds. There will also be second and fourth level learning journeys coming soon.
June 27, 2012
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In this video Mhairi Breingan from Renfrew High School explains how her classes took part in the Engineering Education Scheme.
