Since finding out that I had successfully gained a place upon this course, my head has been swimming with ideas of what my ‘itch’ might be. All of the ideas have surrounded the curricular area of Technologies.
Technologies and the delivery of it within schools has been a passion of mine for a few years now, not only have I been lucky enough to drive this forward within our school, but I have been given opportunities to share our journey with many other settings.
This year, I am teaching technologies from Primary 1 to Primary 7, I am keen to narrow my ‘itch’ down further to something I can use with a few of my classes. Through discussions with my HT, she is keen for me to drive forward STEM this year, as the focus of my role the past two years has been more on the Digital Learning side of technologies.
Right now, my thoughts are torn between two topics:
- Approaching the Gender Gap within STEM and how this can be addressed within the Primary School Setting
- Within my setting, in the past couple of years we have seen an increase in the amount of female pupils who are engaging with our Code Club and that have displayed a passion for STEM. However, now that I am teaching throughout the school, I am aware that this is not the case in our younger children. I would focus on working collaboratively with classteachers to ensure that we are embedding STEM within our classrooms through the production of STEM challenge boxes/STEM areas within the classrooms for all learners to be exposed to STEM on a daily basis rather than just in their timetabled slot with myself. I realise that this might be difficult to measure the impact of though…
- Providing worthwhile feedback through Digital Learning and the use of Digital Learning Spaces (such as Google Classroom)
- This is something I would like to develop as the lessons I deliver to my Primary 4 to Primary 7 classes are done through a digital learning space on Google Classroom, where I set a task, attach the material and the pupils complete the work online and then submit it to myself where I can leave a comment. I would love the pupils to be able to share their learning with each other, collaborate and give meaningful feedback on each others work in technologies. I also plan to look at the other ways in which myself and the pupils can provide worthwhile and meaningful feedback to learners.
Any thoughts on either of these would be greatly appreciated.
It’s great to hear your ideas, Jayne. I think you should really go with whichever idea appeals to you most. I wouldn’t worry about difficulties around measuring impact as we will be able to address that as it arises and share ideas about how you would do that. Which of those ideas tends to appeal to you more right now?
Thanks for you comment Emma, upon reflection and discussing my dilemma with a couple of my colleagues I am leaning more towards the STEM Gender Gap as this is something I would love to develop with our children, alongside driving forward STEM in our setting.
Our school is also part of a TRIC Feedback course this term so I will likely be looking at feedback through that in my Digital Learning Lessons.
Exciting to be narrowing it down!
You have some interesting ideas here Jayne, it sounds as though either would be a successful area for enquiry.
I’m not sure where you are based, but there are a number of schools currently working on a Young STEM Leader pilot programme. This requires participants to plan and deliver specific STEM activities to support their community. I’m currently working on this with some of our S5/S6 pupils who are running STEM workshops with local primary schools. You may be able to find someone doing something similar in your area.
Hi there,
I heard about the Young STEM Leader programme at the SLF this year and am keen to look into this for my setting. I will see if any of the High Schools are doing this and hopefully we could work together.
Hi Jayne,
Both sound as though they have the making for a very interesting enquiry but as STEM is such as big focus in education at the moment it might be a good route to go down. Good luck and I look forward to reading what you decide as your focus.