February 2, 2012
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Harris Academy Win the Go4SET Energy Challenge

School teams from Dundee, Perth and Angus attended The University of Dundee on Tuesday 24^th January to compete in the Go4SET Dundee Celebration and Assessment Day (CAD). The judges decided Harris Academy were the winners of the Best Overall Project Award for their outstanding work on the use of biomass as a source of renewable energy and were presented with a trophy and a cheque for £250 by Joe Fitzpatrick MSP. The team will now go forward to the Go4SET Scottish Final which will be held in the Scottish Parliament in May

The Go4SET biomass project began at the launch event in September 2011 and the teams of six 12 to 14 year olds (S2) continued to work with their teacher and mentors from industry on the challenging 10-week project. They were tasked to research a biomass fuelled renewable electricity and heat plant for their school and provide a written report on their findings, produce a model and display these at the celebration event.

At the event the students demonstrated their individual projects and models to a group of assessors and discussed their projects with guests attending the event. The other award winners at the event were Montrose Academy who won the Innovation Award with a cheque for £100 and Braeview Academy who won the Students Choice Award.

Harris Academy were supported by Axeon during the project and Lawrence Berns, CEO of Axeon, commented “I’m delighted that the students we mentored have done so well. “Clearly they have gained useful insights and experience and their enthusiasm for technology bodes well for the future of engineering. We congratulate them and wish them well for the Scottish finals.”

Joe Fitzpatrick MSP presented the awards at the event and commented “It was a pleasure to meet the students today and to learn of their work during their projects. The tremendous enthusiasm of young people for renewable energy technology and their awareness of the environment is hugely encouraging. “The Scottish Government has set world-leading climate change targets and it is the enthusiasm of young Scots which will help ensure these are achieved.

Duncan McSporran, EDT Director for Scotland commented “This dynamic and innovative curriculum based programme has proved to significantly change the perception of young people on careers and opportunities within science and engineering industries.”

February 2, 2012
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My Gas and Oil Careers

If you’ve been working with the STEM Central contexts, or perhaps want to find out more about potential careers in the Oil and Gas industry for advising learners, OPITO’s new careers website www.myoilandgascareer.com has arrived at the right time. The site is a one-stop-shop for information on careers within the oil and gas industry.

Myoilandgascareer.com is aimed at anyone looking to find out more about entry routes into the sector and details the breadth of careers available. As well as providing information on training and development; the site offers a range of education tools as well as an ‘ask a professional page’ which allows users to post a question to be answered by an industry representative within 5 working days. Filmed case studies focussing on what it’s really like to work in oil and gas (both onshore and offshore) are provided by industry employees – ensuring the site is informed by those who have first-hand experience of working in the sector.

The ‘Future First Survey’ shows 60% of young people choose career advice, work experience or employment skills as issues the education sector should focus on to better prepare students for future careers. This illustrates the vital service myoilandgascareer.com will play in opening up the wealth of opportunities available to young job seekers.

If you are keen to help learners explore their future and plan pathways into oil and gas, or to enhance your understanding of the STEM careers on offer in this industry, why not begin the journey at www.myoilandgascareer.com .

February 1, 2012
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Bioengineering and Bodies of the Future

Interested in the Bioengineering context on STEM Central? This exciting new context coming soon on STEM Central is aimed at third and fourth level. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t work with the ideas with your second level learners.

Perhaps you’re planning to use the Generation Science outreach workshop Make a Move: The Body Unlocked for your primary 4-7 learners?

Have a look around the STEM Central Bioengineering context for video clips and interactives: inspiration on embedding STEM in your curriculum.

February 1, 2012
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BEd4 at UWS investigate STEM Central

Yesterday (31/01/12), I visited the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) in Ayr to complete a Technologies workshop with BEd4. We began by discussing the misconceptions surrounding Technologies within Curriculum for Excellence, and spent the rest of the time looking at draft second level learning journeys for STEM Central. The students thought the website was easy to use, and the available ideas on the website made it easy to plan a lesson.

You can find the presentation here. (Glow log in required)

We ended by looking at some of the other resources available from Education Scotland to help with teaching Technologies:

STEM Central in Motion

Technologies Staffroom (Glow log in required)

Glow Science (Glow log in required)

Technologies area of the website

Exploring Climate Change

Weather and Climate Change

Working in the Energy Sector

January 31, 2012
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STEM club inspires pupils @St. David’s RC High School

Since the STEM club was started in June of last year the CDT department has been a hub of activity with up to twenty pupils coming along to the department for 30 minutes every lunch time.

It began with a group of S1 pupils who took part in the STEM Challenges as part of the build up for the Olympic Games in London. For their first challenge they were tasked with designing an app to improve the accessibility of London 2012 to those who visit.

Since November the size of the club increased further with the addition of S4 Craft and Design pupils working on their practical projects, and will be added to further with a group of ten S2 pupils who will be participating in the Young SET Ambassadors programme.

The aim of the club is to inspire the pupils and to encourage them towards a career in engineering – and to have fun of course!

The popularity of the club makes for busy but thoroughly enjoyable lunchtimes.

January 31, 2012
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STEM Central and STEM Careers

With announcements like those below indicating the health of Scotland’s renewables future, what better time to explore the contexts in STEM Central for use with learners?

This Interactive Map of Renewable and Alternative Energy projects in the UK would make a good starting point for discussion.

Osborne unveils £103m renewables funding for Scotland

Renewables growth ‘to continue’ in Scotland during 2012

Samsung wind turbine project to create 500 jobs in Fife

January 27, 2012
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Hand of the Future

Last night I was lucky enough to win tickets to the Tells They Tell presentation at the 26 Treasures Exhibition at the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh.

For this exhibition, the museum selected 26 objects from their Scotland galleries, which together trace Scotland’s history from its ancient geological roots to its technological future. Some are iconic, others less well-known, but all have a story to tell. The 26 writers from poets and novelists to screenwriters, journalists and academics. The writers were paired up with objects at random, and set the intriguing challenge of responding to their object in exactly 62 words.

Object number 26 was a Bionic Hand which relates to our up and coming STEM Context of Bioengineering. (Watch this space for more information on this context being released).

To read the poem Hand of the Future click here.

January 25, 2012
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Go4SET

Go4SET links teams of six S2 learners with companies and universities to offer a 10 week science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experience. By providing a STEM project, Go4SET aims to raise learners’ awareness, and highlight the exciting future career opportunities in STEM.

Work-related learning within an industry and enterprise context is at the core of the Go4SET experience. Learners are offered personal development education enhancing their powers of creativity and innovation.

The UK needs to increase the number of learners pursuing careers in Science, Engineering and Technology. Support from Industry and business is sought for this initiative and can help to make an important contribution to the future of Science, Technology , Engineering and Maths through inspiring the learners to become involved at this key stage in their education.

Go4SET aims to empower young people to make informed decisions about their future, particularly with regard to STEM subjects and courses.

Go4SET info sheet for schools

Go4SET poster

Go4SET schools leaflet

Visit the EDT website for more information.

January 24, 2012
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The Great Climate Change Debate – Join us on Glow

A series of interactive and lively Glow meets

In November this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change launched a report warning that climate change is likely to lead to more extreme weather. Within weeks of this launch, Scotland was battered by severe flooding and hurricane-force winds which brought much of the country to a standstill. Is our climate already changing? What will climate change mean for Scotland? How can we respond positively and adapt to the changes ahead?

We’re inviting your school to join the great climate change debate. We’ll be bringing together a panel of scientists and experts to answer questions, spark debate and discussion and help learners navigate their way through climate fact, fiction and controversy.

Glow meet 1: Our changing weather and climate – Click here to watch the Glow Meet Recording
Glow meet 2: Climate science – evidence versus controversy (30^th Jan ’12)
Glow meet 3: Adapting to climate change (6^th Feb ’12)

Each Glow meet will take place from 2pm to 3:00pm. These events will be aimed at learners in secondary schools but classes in upper primary will be welcome to participate.

Please see links below for further details about each event:

GLOW MEET 1 Our changing weather and climate 23Jan12 – Click here to watch the Glow Meet Recording

GLOW MEET 2 Climate science evidence vs controversy 30Jan12

GLOW MEET 3 Adapting to climate change 6Feb12

For resources and videos on climate change visit Weather and Climate Change, Exploring Climate Change and Climate Change on Glow.

January 24, 2012
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Young talent on course to solve real engineering problems

On 11th January I was invited along to the Engineering Education Scheme Residential at Strathclyde University.

Young talent from secondary schools across Scotland returned to the University of Strathclyde to take part in the Engineering Education Scheme (EES) workshop on the 10^th & 11^th January. As a key part of the 6 month project, the EES workshop offers a unique opportunity for the whole team of students, teachers and mentor engineers to work together over the 2 day residential period to jointly solve complex engineering and technical problems. Working together the teams develop their knowledge on the practical application of theory learnt in school and gain an understanding of business and industry.

The learners have opportunities to develop key life and employability skills such as team work, project management, presentation skills, report writing and leadership.

The Faculty of Engineering at Strathclyde University hosted the event and supported the 16 teams by providing the workshop facilities and technicians on hand to assist with project development.

The organisations and academic institutions taking part in the EES programme this year are Aggreko Manufacturing, BOC Ltd, ClydeUnionPumps, Coherent Scotland, Doosan Power Systems, EDF Energy, Heriot-Watt University (Department of Chemical Engineering), Howden, Rolls-Royce. Selex Galileo, University of Edinburgh (Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering), and the University of Strathclyde (Departments of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management (DMEM); Electronic & Electrical Engineering: Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering (NAME); and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering).

The teams will now work on testing and finalising their project and attend the celebration event at the University of Strathclyde on April 23^rd. Learners will present the final outcome of their projects and a working prototype to panels of judges and guests from industry and compete for the best project award.

Visit the scheme’s website to find out more or contact EES Coordinator for Scotland George Foster (e-mail g.foster@etrust.org.uk)