STEM Blog

• Would you like to see how STEM looks in other settings?
• Are you thinking of further developing the STEM offering in your setting?
• Are you looking at engaging with the STEM Nation Award programme?

We’re delighted to share an exciting opportunity to visit a setting that has successfully achieved the STEM Nation Award. Join us in seeing how STEM comes to life in the classroom. Find out how staff, learners and parents/carers and the wider community have engaged to promote STEM and skills across learning within the setting. Through this open session you will have the opportunity to engage with learners and staff and see how STEM learning can be engaging and vibrant in settings.

We have scheduled two open sessions:

9^th March 2023 at 1:30pm-3:30pm: Our Lady of the Missions & Glenwood ELC (East Renfrewshire Council)

Event details: STEM Open day – Our Lady of the Missions Primary School and Glenwood Family Centre | Events | News and events | Education Scotland

Register for tickets on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stem-open-day-our-lady-of-the-missions-primary-school-and-glenwood-elc-tickets-557598290497

14^th March 2023 at 1:20pm – 3:30pm: Mosshead Primary School (East Dunbartonshire Council)

Event details: STEM Open day – Mosshead Primary School (East Dunbartonshire Council) | Events | News and events | Education Scotland

Register for tickets on Eventbrite: STEM Open day – Mosshead Primary School (East Dunbartonshire Council) Tickets, Tue 14 Mar 2023 at 13:20 | Eventbrite

If you need any further information please contact stem@educationscotland.gov.scot

Welcome to the fortnightly STEM planner. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this planner with colleagues and school partners.

National STEM professional learning calendar

Education Scotland STEM team, working with STEM National partners, have catalogued all professional learning for STEM being delivered across Scotland. This invaluable resource is live on the STEM Nation Online Resource Events page as a calendar, with useful links direct to the STEM Partners websites and booking information. Visit our Events page on the STEM Nation Online Resource to see the wide range of support available from Education Scotland and national partner organisations:

Events – STEM Nation (glowscotland.org.uk)

The contents of the calendar can be viewed in a monthly list view here.

STEM Nation Award Programme

The STEM Nation Award has been developed by Education Scotland to celebrate, promote and build on effective practice in STEM education within and across sectors. All early learning and childcare (ELC) settings, primary schools, secondary schools and providers of community learning and development (CLD) are eligible to apply for the STEM Nation Award. Settings may apply for an individual element or any combination of elements. Settings which achieve all five elements within a three year period will be eligible for the full STEM Nation Award.

Teachers, ELC practitioners and CLD providers from across Scotland worked with Education Scotland during the pilot phase and as part of a CLD working group to shape the award criteria and application process. The programme is designed to be flexible and supportive in response to the varying needs of different sectors and specific local contexts.

Find out more here.

Starting out in STEM

Session 1: 6 February 4-5pm

Session 2: 20 March 4-5pm

Don’t know where to start with STEM learning and teaching? Want to improve your confidence in this area and know where to find resources? Then this two part series is for you!

• These events are aimed at early learning and childcare, ASN and primary practitioners who are starting out in STEM.
• The sessions will explore three provocations designed to look at what STEM pedagogy and contexts for STEM learning look like, why we teach STEM, and how we teach STEM.
• Both live sessions will give you a chance to connect with colleagues and engage in depth discussion around your STEM practice. There will be signposts to helpful resources to get you started plus opportunities to network.

Sign up via Eventbrite: Starting out in STEM (2-part series)

Creativity and science IDL pilot

23 Feb 4-5pm

Are you a science or art teacher with an interest in IDL? What if a science teacher and an art and design teacher worked together to map out an experience that we could offer in BGE? Come along to find out more and be part of this exciting pilot to create a science based experience using the creative design process. This will be in partnership with Daydream believers so if you are already working with them, this could be a great opportunity for you to explore further.

Sign up here via Eventbrite

Secondary Sciences Network – Fraserburgh Academy’s approach to STEM in BGE

21 Feb 16:45 – 17:45

For secondary science teachers, this is the second of three sessions looking at BGE in the sciences. This session will focus on Fraserburgh Academy’s approach to STEM in the BGE. Hear from them as they describe how they created their STEM strategy, how they timetable STEM in the BGE and the way they use challenge and context based learning in STEM. There will be a chance to ask questions and opportunity for discussion.

Sign up here via Eventbrite

STEM Networks Early Years, ASN & Primary

Join us on 2 Feb to explore how learners & practitioners can lead STEM in their classroom or early years setting. Hear from practitioners who have implemented SSERC’s Young STEM Leader Programme & share experiences of leading STEM.

Register here.

Race to Net Zero Learning Programme

The Race to Net Zero suite can be used as a blended or full eLearning programme to empower learners to take positive action inside and outside of school. Available as nine bitesize chapters, the suite can be used to deliver distinct subjects or as part of a whole programme, building on knowledge throughout.

The chapters are packed with resources and extra learning and are available with suggested lesson plans mapping experiences and outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

Practitioners will be provided with CPD sessions, exploring each topic, linking to a wide range of curriculum areas, and considering challenges and opportunities in embedding Net Zero learning throughout education.

The programme offers young people the opportunity to expand their knowledge through topics relating to Net Zero and explore small, manageable behaviour changes that they can make to positively impact on the climate crisis.

STEM Ambassadors in Scotland Week

Running 30 Jan – 03 Feb this is your opportunity to discover who STEM Ambassadors are and how they can bring STEM to life. The theme of the week is ‘Storytelling’ with a series of online events for primary schools called STEM Storytime. Ambassadors will read a book followed by a short talk about how the story relates to STEM or their job. For secondary schools learners can ask questions direct to a variety of ambassadors. Answers will be recorded and sent out to schools.

Practitioners’ guide and website with information, ideas for getting involved and resources all about STEM and storytelling:  https://www.stemambassadors.scot/sais-week-2023

Upskill and Engage Programme

An exciting new project in 2023 will focus on giving STEM Ambassadors the training and tools needed to deliver engaging, interactive STEM sessions across Early and First Level in primary schools.

There is capacity for 50 schools to be matched to a STEM Ambassador who will deliver 3 face to face career linked STEM sessions between April – June 2023. Participating schools will also benefit from a training session from Dr Richard Holmes, Lecturer in Education at Dundee University on making the most of STEM Ambassadors in the classroom.

To apply for a place on the programme please register here

To find out more join our information session.

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here 

Help school students see science outside of the classroom through I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here this British Science Week!

I’m a Scientist is a student-led activity engaging school students with people working in STEM. Students get direct access to world-leading researchers from top institutions through live, online chats and follow-up questions.

With activities about chemistry, plant science, health, and physics running in British Science Week, there’s something for everyone.

The Molecule Zone

In March 2023, show your students the exciting chemistry research that’s happening in their home nation with the Molecule Zone, funded by Royal Society of Chemistry and ScotChem.

Teachers across Scotland get priority access to the Molecule Zone. Find out more and take part.
.
The activity is free to UK state schools and facilitated by DBS-checked moderators.

Rolls-Royce Schools Prize for Science & Technology

The Rolls-Royce Schools Prize is open to all schools in the UK and helps teachers increase STEM engagement in their schools and colleges. Our Schools Prize supports teacher CPD through our partnership with STEM Learning and Project ENTHUSE. The Rolls-Royce Schools Prize for Science & Technology is now open for entries.  To enter you are invited to submit a Stage 1 application outlining an idea for a sustainable science, mathematics or technology project for development during the next academic year.  The proposed project could be a new idea or the progression of something you are already working on but should demonstrate innovation, creativity and ambition in STEM education.

Jacob’s Butterfly Effect

The Jacobs’ Butterfly Effect is a free programme designed to create lasting behaviour change through habit formation, by providing pupils aged 5-12 with the knowledge and understanding they need to put sustainability at the heart of every decision they make. our online program covers all areas of the curriculum and is intended to be delivered throughout the summer term across the school and over the course of 8 weeks. The easy to follow, themed and fully digital activities encourage fun learning and teachers can tailor activities to suit different pupil needs. Activities are short and there is only one set activity per week, lasting between 15 minutes and 1 hour.

Dates for your diary

STEM Ambassador in Scotland Week   30 Jan – 3 Feb

Mars Day 23   7 March

British Science Week   10 -19 March

I am excited to be sharing details of the STEM Nation Award Programme at the West of Scotland Meeting for Teachers of Chemistry at Strathclyde University (Thursday 12^th January 2023).

More information about the STEM Nation Award Programme is available on the STEM Online Resource.

Introduction to the STEM Nation Award Programme:

Additionally there are a wide range of resources which have been collated by the Education Scotland STEM Team – Where to find support for Sciences.

Introduction to Resources from Education Scotland:

As we approach the end of the year, we thought we’d share some of the highlights from Education Scotland’s STEM Team from 2022!

It has been another wonderfully busy and productive year and we’re grateful to all the learners, practitioners and partners who have supported our work and engaged with us. This work has only been possible with all of your engagement and support.

Thank you for the partnership working and commitment to STEM, equity and equality. We’re looking forward to further collaboration and exciting developments in 2023 to promote ‘STEM for all’.

Every best wish to all learners, practitioners and partners from all of us in the STEM Team – enjoy your holiday!

The STEM Team have compiled a range of Useful Links for STEM Careers (Updated Feb 2023) to assist in addressing aspects of the Career Education Standard.

Additionally, a variety of jobs/careers/apprenticeships have been mapped to the BGE Science curriculum:

• Careers mapped to BGE Science Organisers (Teacher Resource)
• Revised Careers to Science Benchmarks – January 2023 (Learner/Lesson Resource).

These resources are designed for use as lesson inserts, in the Laboratory Science – Careers Unit or with a series of BGE lessons – for example Programme Plan from Beeslack Community High School, Midlothian:

• Curriculum to Careers Research
• Years and jobs – Boards
• Cards – Jobs and Employability Skills
• Careers Research Sheet

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Welcome to the fortnightly STEM planner. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this planner with colleagues and school partners.

Thank you to all of you for your work and support for STEM learning this year and every best wish for Christmas and the holidays from all of us in the STEM Team.

Education Scotland Christmas card designed by Luke aged 9.

New national STEM professional learning calendar

Education Scotland STEM team, working with STEM National partners, have catalogued all Professional Learning for STEM being delivered across Scotland. This invaluable resource is now live on the STEM Nation Online Resource Events page as a calendar, with useful links direct to the STEM Partners websites and booking information. Visit our Events page on the STEM Nation Online Resource to see the wide range of support available from Education Scotland and national partner organisations:

Events – STEM Nation (glowscotland.org.uk)

The contents of the calendar can be viewed in a monthly list view here.

Prelim study support – Practical science experiment videos

See our interactive list of Practical science experiment films to support you and your learners with study support and Prelim preparation. This spreadsheet allows you to filter by subject, phase, level and unit.  We have also created listings for all National Qualification practical experiments by subject area. These are organised by subject, experiment title, level, unit and includes the direct video link.

Resources – STEM Nation

Science Planning Resource

Developed through the RAiSE Programme with support from Education Scotland and Scottish Government, this resource supports learning, teaching and assessment of science in early learning and childcare settings and primary schools.

This resource supports planning for science around the experiences and outcomes from early to second level.  Activities and approaches should be viewed as useful starting points and are in no way prescriptive.

To download each level, or the entire resource, click on the DOWNLOAD ALL option on the top right corner of the page.

Science Planning Resource – STEM Nation

Secondary Sciences Network

Past event – Assessment construction in the Sciences (5/12/22) -recordings now available:

• Level of demand and a-type (18 mins): https://youtu.be/-HzxJa5H7q8
• Assessment construction (4mins): https://youtu.be/fC7Uk-fqk-Y
• Grade A questions (12 mins): https://youtu.be/i9-TYfUwmdQ
• Information on appeals process and end of session reminders (11 mins): https://youtu.be/3VVYt9C_CUU
• Q and A sections (20 mins): https://youtu.be/VeEomRRXmy4

Next event – BGE (1): Setting the context – Tuesday 17 January 16:45: 17:45 SIGN UP HERE

This is the first of three sessions looking at BGE in the sciences. This session will explore the recent report ‘Structural barriers to STEM engagement.’ We will explore the key messages such as: why there might be a dip in interest in STEM between S1-S3 and the need for a focus on STEM pedagogy.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions and for discussion.

Structural Barriers to STEM

The Structural Barries to STEM Engagement Report conducted by Ekosgen on behalf of Education Scotland and the Scottish Government has been published.

This is the third in a series of reports supporting the implementation of Scotland’s STEM Education and Training Strategy.

The report provides a valuable insight into perceptions of STEM and factors that would encourage a greater number of learners to continue on their STEM pathways. The data was drawn from 78 interviews with teachers, school leaders, local authority staff and college staff and over 1300 responses from learners and 500 from parents.

Structural Barriers to STEM Engagement Report

Green Jobs

Green jobs in Scotland are significant and on the rise. Not only will these jobs help us to tackle the global climate emergency, they represent an exciting opportunity for our young people, offering higher wages than non-green jobs.

To give you a window into green career pathways, we’ve pulled together some of the key websites, facts and reports into one place – Green Jobs in Scotland

NCR V&A Dundee Design Challenge

In an exciting and innovative opportunity for S2 pupils across Scotland, V&A Dundee are collaborating with NCR (National Cash Registers) on a cross-curricular design challenge.

Pupils will:

• Learn skills for creative thinking
• Work through the design process
• Demonstrate the practical application of STEM

Teachers will benefit from:

• Ready-made, adaptable resources
• Continual support from a range of specialists
• CLPL opportunities

Pupils will work in teams with the support of designers, engineers, and other outside agencies to develop a design brief. The winners in each region will be invited to V&A Dundee (expenses paid) to showcase their work and compete to win a week of work experience with NCR. The challenge will run from August 2023 – December 2023 with the finals in January 2024.

Aimed at S2 pupils to inspire their choices as they select subjects for S3 and beyond, this project is looking to enrol 2 schools from each local authority. Email schools@vandadundee.org with NCR Project as the heading for more details.

STEM Ambassadors in Scotland Week

Running 30 Jan – 3 Feb – find out who STEM Ambassadors are and how they can bring STEM to life. With the theme of ‘Storytelling’, STEM Ambassadors present a series of online events for primary schools called STEM Storytime. Ambassadors will read a story followed by a short talk about how the story relates to STEM or their job. Many of the stories are interactive and include activities the class can do whilst watching. For secondary schools, learners can ask questions directly to the ambassadors. Answers will be recorded and sent out to schools.

A practitioners’ guide and website full of information, ideas for getting involved and resources all about STEM and storytelling can be found here: www.stemambassadors.scot/sais-week-2023

Upskill and Engage Programme

 This exciting new project in 2023 will focus on giving STEM Ambassadors the training and tools needed to deliver engaging, interactive STEM sessions across Early and First Level in primary schools.

STEM Ambassadors in Scotland are looking for 50 schools to match with a STEM Ambassador for 3 face to face career linked STEM sessions between April – June 2023. Participating schools will also benefit from a training session from Dr Richard Holmes, Lecturer in Education at Dundee University, on making the most of STEM Ambassadors in the classroom.

To apply for a place on the programme please register here

To find out more join the information session:

Primary School Information Session – Upskill and Engage Programme, 25 Jan, 3.30 – 4.15pm (Teams)

Structural Barriers to STEM Engagement Report is now available on Education Scotland’s National Improvement Hub.

This evaluation was conducted by Ekosgen on behalf of Education Scotland and the Scottish Government and is the third in a series of reports supporting the implementation of Scotland’s STEM Education and Training Strategy.

The report provides a valuable insight into perceptions of STEM and factors that would encourage a greater number of learners to continue on their STEM pathways. The data was drawn from 78 interviews with teachers, school leaders, local authority staff and college staff and over 1300 responses from learners and 500 from parents.

The report also contains high-level recommendations to inform the next phase of implementation of the STEM Strategy.

Findings include:

• Learners want their learning experience rooted in the real world with a strong focus on jobs and work experience.
• 59% of parents want more opportunity for their children to work with businesses through their learning.
• Most learners want to or are thinking about taking or continuing STEM subjects (75%). This attitude is most pronounced at S4-S6 (70%), and amongst males (76% vs 74% female). However, those in S1-S3 are least likely to want to take or continue with STEM subjects.
• More than half of respondents want to continue with STEM subjects because they like a specific subject or topic (52%), whilst many recognise STEM subjects as important for future study (46%) or work (42%).
• A better range of subjects offered at all levels was identified by most pupils as a means to help encourage more pupils to engage with STEM (45%; 54% of parents).
• Some 30% of learners said that they wanted to drop STEM subjects as they were not good at them – 66% of respondents that stated this were female.
• Female learners are more likely to report that Learning for Sustainability, climate education and outdoor learning would encourage them to take STEM subjects.

Education Scotland would like to thank all who took part in the interviews, completed the surveys and supported the evaluation activity. The fourth phase of the evaluation is now underway and will focus on effective practice to encourage strong uptake in STEM. If you have interesting practice to share we’d love to hear from you – email us at stem@educationscotland.gov.scot

To see previous evaluation reports and our full range of national STEM data then visit our National Improvement Hub STEM summary page.

Welcome to the fortnightly STEM planner. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this planner with colleagues and school partners.

Meet the STEM Partners – Science centres and Science Skills Academy

During this online opportunity for primary teachers, you’ll hear from Scotland’s four Science Centres in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh – as well as the Science Skills Academy – to explore how they can help you deliver inspiring STEM experiences through their exhibitions and learning programmes.

You’ll have the opportunity to find out more about what each organisation can offer you and your learners in-person and digitally, through visits to their centres or through outreach experiences. Join us to explore how we can support you in the delivery of national priorities for learners and make connections with Scotland’s national science centres.

Target Audience – Primary and Additional support practitioners

STEM Nation Awards Programme

Are your learners engaged in STEM leadership? Do you have a STEM plan or working group? Are staff taking part in STEM professional learning?

Explore how the STEM Nation Award can help you develop and share Leadership in STEM.  

Secondary Sciences Network – Save the date

Constructing assessments in the sciences

1645 to 1745 Monday 5 December

In this session, Andy Shield (SQA Qualifications Manager for Physics and Environmental Science) will provide insight into constructing assessments for Sciences National Qualifications. The session will include:

• Level of demand and A-type questions
• Distribution of questions
• Ensuring a sufficient breadth of content and skills coverage
• Importance of applying marking instructions.

Andy will also share observations and learning from the most recent appeals process. There will be opportunities to discuss and ask questions. Sign up here.

COP 27 – DYW Live

During this week of COP27, Education Scotland and eSgoil have been running DYW LIVE sessions for learners and teachers about climate change and green jobs. Don’t worry if you missed the inspiring input from employers on climate change and green skills within construction, fashion, energy and ethical finance – you can watch the recordings on the DYW LIVE site

Don’t miss out on the last two session running on Thursday 17 November

• AM – Agriculture and Forestry – LANTRA will explain how working the fields, forests and hills can mitigate against climate change.
• PM – Transport – Hear how FirstBus is reducing the impact of travel on the planet and creating green jobs in the process.

To register visit the DYW LIVE COP27 page

Other COP27 Opportunities

1. Live at COP27 Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).

Explore global issues during COP27 and be part of the call for collective action.

Find out more and sign up here.

2. Climate Ambassadors – STEM Learning has created a new subset of STEM Ambassadors called Climate Ambassadors. Employers and organisations can choose to be connected to Climate Ambassadors and filter requests of this type.

3. Royal Society of Chemistry Take Charge Global Battery experiment

4. Education Scotland COP26 legacy materials – recycling, reusing, repurpose materials from last year…because they were so popular and it’s good for the planet to use again!

IGBE Team

Improving Gender Balance Self-evaluation and Data Guides Workshop – Wednesday 16 November 4 – 5:15 pm

Are you a leader of gender aware practice in your setting? Come along to our session exploring how data can be viewed through an equalities lens and support self-evaluation.

We’ve updated our IGB Self-evaluation Framework –

Improving Gender Balance Self Evaluation Framework (education.gov.scot)

‘How does gender inequality affect attainment, wellbeing and participation?’

Another chance to find out!

Our next awareness raising session is on Thursday 1 December. If you’ve already attended one of these why not encourage others within your department/setting to come along? Sign up here

Dates for your diary 

18 Nov: Last day of COP27

5 Dec: Secondary Sciences Network – Constructing assessments in the sciences

1 Dec: World AIDS Day

7 -19 Dec: UN COP15 Biodiversity Conference, Montreal Canada

Thank you to all those who managed to attend the Secondary Sciences Network Meeting (Teams on Glow) on 05 October.

Those attending identified the following priorities for the network for the year ahead:

• BGE – curriculum design and assessment
• Skills progression and tracking
• Improving career and course advice (including pathways such as Environmental Science/ NPAs/ Apprenticeships
• Multi-level teaching
• Pedagogy
• Designing A-type questions
• ASN – differentiation and resources

We hope to theme the live sessions and discussions around these topics over the coming months. The purpose of the network is to facilitate sharing, dialogue and collaboration between schools so if you have resources, approaches or practice to share on the aspects listed above then please email: stem@educationscotland.gov.scot – we’d be very keen to hear from you.

NEXT up: Environmental sciences webinar on 15 November (4.45pm to 5.45pm)

The session will be hosted on the Secondary Sciences Network Team (Joining code: uh9sf32). To register: https://bit.ly/3ft8YXt

During the session, SQA colleagues will share an update and teachers will share their experience of delivering Environmental Science courses.

Network focus for November: New qualifications and assessment consultation

The Scottish Government consultation on the new qualifications (Hayward Review) is now open: https://www.gov.scot/publications/professor-haywards-independent-review-qualifications-assessment/pages/2/ .  Responses to this consultation should be submitted by 16 December 2022. Our network discussion will focus on this theme throughout November. What are your hopes, ideas and suggestions for the review and the future of sciences qualifications? How can sciences qualifications best meet the needs of all learners? Please post your thoughts and ideas into the network chat.

STEM Nation Award

Passionate about STEM and looking to make a whole school commitment? Education Scotland’s STEM Nation Award Programme can help you on your journey. To register and find out the support that is available visit: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/stemnation/stemnation-awards/

DYW LIVE Programme for COP27 (14^th to 17^th November)

Sustainability and climate change will be key to all jobs in the future. Join our COP27 DYW Live Programme to hear from six inspiring employers who are putting climate change at the heart of their business including construction, transport, energy, fashion, finance, agriculture and forestry: https://www.e-sgoil.com/dyw-live-cop27-homepage/

Resources

• Handy resource guide – download these handy sciences resources guides for teachers and learners:

Secondary Sciences Resources for Teachers Nov 2022

Secondary Sciences Resources for Learners Nov 2022

• STEM resources directory – a full listing of all the professional learning support and resources for STEM in Scotland for this term: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/stemnation/stem-resources/
• See our fortnightly planner for a fuller list of resources: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/STEMcentralinmotion/2022/11/01/fortnightly-planner-1-11/

 SQA Connections (7 – 10 November)

A series of free online information sessions which will help you learn about qualification updates, get insights into new developments, and develop ideas for the future. More than 20 sessions are available – some have a subject-specific focus while others consider broader topics such as meta-skills, SCQF learner pathways, systems verification and the SQA Centre Hub. Full list of sessions: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/QualityNetwork-Programme-2022.pdf . To book: https://bit.ly/3FKfHH5. New users will need to register first.