Kings College University : Aspires Project 2014

aspires imageMany governments and organisations are concerned that not enough young people are choosing to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) after the age of 16.

There is also widespread concern that the profile of those who do go on to study STEM subjects and pursue STEM careers is too narrow, with women, working-class and some minority ethnic groups remaining under-represented, especially in the physical sciences and engineering.

Particular STEM fields are predicting or already experiencing significant STEM skills gaps that may impact negatively on the economy. There is also a pressing need to improve the spread of scientific literacy across all societal groups.

The ASPIRES study sought to shed new light on our understanding of how young people’s aspirations develop over this 10-14 age period, exploring in particular what influences the likelihood of a young person aspiring to a science-related career.

The project is a five-year study funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of its Targeted Initiative on Science and Mathematics Education (TISME).

In addition to researching influences on students’ aspirations, the project also worked with a small group of teachers to develop approaches for integrating STEM careers information into science lessons.

Access the report through http://bit.ly/1fkDdDy

#DigiLearnScot Week

Save the date! From 2 – 6 March 2015 all educators in Scotland are invited to take part in the Digital Learning Week. This is your chance to find out what is happening in Scottish schools in relation to digital learning. Explore how you can integrate digital learning into your classroom. Join our TeachMeets or take part in our Glow TV events. You can decide to join with your colleagues or your cluster, locally and nationally and have a digital learning focus for the week. Tell us all about it and what you plan to do next through our Professional Learning Community. Talk to and learn from others who have a similar focus.

What will you do for DigiLearnScot week? #DigiLearnScot

Further information click here

Scottish Learning Festival 2015 – Learning for Sustainability

SLF_2015logoThe Scottish Learning Festival (SLF) 2015 will address the theme of raising attainment and achievement for all, with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through:

* local partnerships and collaboration – to share approaches that lead to better outcomes

* self-evaluation – to ensure creative and innovative approaches to sustained improvement

* work-related learning – to improve transitions into sustainable, productive employment.

Is your establishment delivering Learning for Sustainability (LfS) that you would like to showcase? Are you able to share your approaches to promoting local partnerships and collaboration? Would you be willing to help others make the connections between the different aspects of LfS; including global citizenship, sustainable development education, outdoor learning, international education, children’s rights and play?

If the answer to any (or all) of these questions is “Yes”, we would love to hear from you. Please consider submitting your seminar proposal by Friday 27th February 2015.

A nucleus of talent

First Minister meets Higgs Prize for Physics winners.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced the newest winners of the Higgs Prize for Physics, congratulating them on their success.

The prize is named after Scottish-based Nobel Physics Prize winner Professor Peter Higgs, whose work in the field has had a significant impact on modern day particle physics, and rewards pupils who show a particular aptitude for the subject.

Ms Sturgeon and Education Secretary Angela Constance met Professor Higgs himself and the four winners in the First Minister’s office on Thursday 29th January.

The winners are:

• Eilidh Birse – a former pupil at Boclair Academy in Bearsden who is now studying medicine at the University of St Andrews
• Julie Lynch – a former pupil at St Ninian’s High School in Giffnock who is now studying Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Glasgow and is continuing to take Physics as a third subject
• Stuart McGibbon – a fellow former pupil at St Ninian’s High School in Giffnock, now currently studying Physics at the University of Glasgow
• Raheem Beg – a former pupil at Perth High School who is currently studying mathematics at the University of Dundee

As part of the Scottish Government funded prize, they will travel to the internationally renowned CERN research facility in Switzerland in July to attend lectures and seminars on physics as part of the summer school programme, as well as talking to Scottish researchers about their work at the facility and their careers in physics.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“Scotland has a wonderful history of scientific discovery and it’s encouraging to see that tradition continue through today’s pupils and students who continue to be passionate and excited to take on the scientific challenges that remain unexplained.

“Science is hugely important to Scotland in the modern era and the achievements of Professor Higgs – a man whose work is internationally renowned – are of course inspiring for any budding scientist. This year, the International Year of Light, also celebrates the incredible legacy of another Scottish physicist, James Clerk Maxwell, whose theories underpin the technology at the heart of almost all communications equipment we take for granted today.

“We are absolutely determined to support pupils to excel and remove any barriers that might prevent them from realising their full potential. This prize is the perfect example of hard work opening up life-changing opportunities. Today’s four winners Eilidh, Julie, Stuart and Raheem now have the opportunity to go to the fantastic CERN research facility in Switzerland to listen and learn from some of the brightest minds of our generation. We are offering them the chance to be the very best they can be – the vast knowledge and experience they will have access to is an opportunity that many across the world will envy.

“I’m therefore delighted to award a prize in Professor Higg’s name to these exceptionally hard working and talented youngsters.”

Professor Higgs said:

“Everyone in life has people that they admire and strive to be like – my own inspiration was Paul Dirac, a man who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1933 – and I’m honoured that an award in my name is used as inspiration to the younger generation of physicists.

“I congratulate Eilidh, Julie, Stuart and Raheem on winning this prize and I am sure they will have an amazing time at CERN where they will learn from the very best. I hope these four promising young talents go on to became esteemed in their own right.”

Background

Pictures of the First Minister meeting Professor Higgs and the prize winners will be available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/firstministerofscotland

The prize is awarded on merit, to the highest performing male and female Advanced Higher Physics candidates from a publicly-funded school.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT EDUCATION FUND SERVES UP ANOTHER COURSE OF FUNDING

Another phase of funding has been announced as part of The Food for Thought Education Fund to support schools across Scotland to develop and improve learning and teaching around food education.

Schools are also required to identify and work in partnership with a local business to enhance their project and to develop skills for learning, life and work.  In Phase One, 176 different businesses engaged with schools. The value of their time, resources, advice, expertise and volunteering was estimated by Scottish Business in the Community to be worth £300,000, which is very close to match funding the £358,618.61 awarded to schools as part of Phase One.

Now in its third year, the aim of the Food for Thought Education Fund is to support schools to use food and health as a context for learning across Curriculum for Excellence, to improve teacher confidence in delivering food education and as a way to engage with parents and the wider community.

The Fund allows schools to apply for grants individually or in a joint application as part of a cluster of schools from their education authority. More information about applying for funding can be found on the Education Scotland website.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, Richard Lochhead, said:

“In Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink I want to see more young people engage with the journey of their food and drink – but not only that: I want them to look to the future and think about the potential careers they could have in an industry that is full of promise – they can learn about business management and how to plan and promote events in the sector.

“I’m delighted that the Food for Thought funding has entered its third phase, with another £300,000 going towards developing and improving both teaching and learning around food education. Scotland’s food and drink industry is booming, and interest in what we have to offer has never been greater. This is a successful sector which Scotland can be – and is – proud of, and it’s really fantastic to see schools getting involved.

“This third round of funding is now open through the Education Scotland website and I would encourage more schools across the country to look at possible projects and get involved in helping Scotland to become a Good Food Nation. I’m also keen to see the private sector support this project – both to increase the funds available and to develop productive relationships between schools and local firms.”

Suzanne Hargreaves, Senior Education Officer for Health and Wellbeing at Education Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to be able to give schools the opportunity to apply for the third phase of the Food for Thought Education Fund, which is having such a positive impact in schools across Scotland already. Since the fund started we have helped support 9,143 learners get involved in new and exciting food education projects.

“One very interesting project we have supported is at Charleston Academy, Inverness where the school has had the help of world-renowned chef Albert Roux over the last five years with both culinary and financial support. The Food for Thought Funding combined with funding from Highland Council and the school’s own fund raising activities has allowed them to open The Albert Roux Training Kitchen at the school. We wish them all the best with this project and would encourage all schools to consider the great opportunities this funding could bring to their learners.”

A total of 232 schools were involved in the first phase of the fund, amounting to an average spend of around £1,532 per school across 25 local authorities, with 20 per cent of the fund targeted at schools to help learners from disadvantaged backgrounds

To enquire about applying for funding or to read a copy of the full evaluation report from Phase One of the Food for Though Education Fund, please contact the Food for Thought team. Schools who were awarded funds in Phase Two are currently evaluating the impact of their projects, and schools who have applied for funding in Phase Three will be notified if their application has been successful by June 2015.

Additional information:

£358,618.61 of funding was granted in Phase One and £649,006.41 in Phase Two.
232 schools were involved meaning an average spend of £1,532 per school in Phase One.
•A total of 9,143 learners were involved in Phase One.
•There were 61 successful applications across 25 Local Authorities, with 20% of the fund focused on the least advantaged areas in Phase One.
•There were 124 successful applications across 30 Local Authorities in Phase Two.
176 different businesses engaged with schools, some with more than one school in Phase One.
•The value of the time, resources, advice, expertise and volunteering provided by the business who were engaged with schools in Phase One is estimated to be worth £300,000 according to Scottish Business in the Community.
•In Phase One 100% of schools reported that learners, staff and the local community benefited as a result of receiving funding.
 

Education Scotland has been working in partnership with a number of organisations and food education partners to embed food and health in the curriculum and produce resources, host career-long professional learning events and to provide guidance and support to schools developing their food education programmes. These partners include the Royal Highland Education Trust, Crofting Connections, Scottish Food and Drink Federation, Food for Life Scotland, Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus, Seafood Scotland, Chefs@School, Dumfries House, Young Engineers and Science Clubs Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland, Food Standards Agency Scotland and Eco Schools Scotland.

Gaelic Medium Education: Modern Studies National 5 Democracy in Scotland

Democracy in Scotland is a new resource available for Modern Studies National 5 through the medium of Gaelic.  Please visit the National Qualifications course materials on Glow for this resource.

Schools and local authorities are invited to advise Education Scotland of the subjects that they are offering in the senior phase through the medium of Gaelic.  We will use these responses to consider the learning materials that we will translate.

Please visit the National Qualifications course materials on Glow for previously published support materials for the senior phase: National 3, 4, 5 and Higher Gàidhlig, Gaelic (Learners), and Gaelic Medium mathematics, Lifeskills mathematics, geography, history, modern studies.

Glow 365 Primary Science Site

The new Primary Science Glow 365 site continues to develop.

Take a look at our blog page which is easily accessible and provides up to date relevant information.

Our latest blogs include how to participate in British Science Week and how to nominate an

establishment for the new STEM Scottish Education Award 2015

We also have a variety of resources and power points to support learning and teaching in the sciences.

To access the site http://bit.ly/glowsciences

#primaryscience

New STEM Scottish Education Award 2015

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms

This year a new award category for STEM, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, has been introduced.

This category recognises establishments who are helping children and young people develop STEM skills and apply these across the four contexts for learning – curriculum, inter-disciplinary learning, ethos and life of the school and opportunities for personal achievement.

Nominations should be able to evidence the following questions and describe the impact on learners, the school and wider community:

  • In what ways do learners in your establishment demonstrate successful application of STEM skills?
  • In what ways are learners using STEM to develop skills for learning, life and work?
  • In what ways do you work with partners/parents/wider community to support STEM?

Nominations for this year’s awards are now open.

Nominations close 12pm on Monday 16 February 2015.

#primaryscience