Sharing Practice through Peer Review

Alison Hooper

Dept. Engineering Design and MathematicsUniversity of the West of England.

STEM project

Creating a Coherent STEM Strategy in Schools

Alison Hooper (UWE Mathematics)Darren Reynolds (UWE Science)

Martin Lavelle (Plymouth University)

Most universities run STEM enrichment activities with local schools.

UWE

Mathematics (Maths Challenge, Maths Event Day, FUNMaths Roadshows),

Engineering (Engineering activity day, Bloodhound),

Science (Science Awareness Day, Hands on Science Day, Bristol Festival of Nature).

University of Plymouth

run a STEM activity incorporating all three STEM subject (Science, Engineering and Mathematics). This activity is rolled out to schools in the region throughout June.

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Proposal: to share practice between the University of Plymouth and UWE through staff visits with the objective of setting up and piloting at UWE a STOP type project as currently run at the University of Plymouth

Project Outputs:

1. Two activity days: one run by Plymouth and a pilot day by UWE based on the University of Plymouth model.

2. Evaluation by UWE staff of the STOP activity run by Plymouth University.

3. Evaluation of the pilot STOP activity run by UWE with input from the stakeholder population.

4. Evaluation by University of Plymouth staff of an existing outreach activity run by UWE.

5. Dissemination of MMG resource, MMG in a Box, through STOP activity days

STOP school visit run by the University of Plymouth, viewed by UWE staff and Bristol Local Authority staff

Staff present:

UWE Alison Hooper Project leader (mathematics)

Darren Reynolds Project co-investigator (science)

Robert Kelland (mathematics)

Ben Drew (engineering)

Bristol Local Authority: Paul Williams (science co-ordinator)

University of Plymouth: Steve Edmonds University of Plymouth STOP manager

The STOP visits organised by the University of Plymouth take place every day over the month of June once university examinations are completed.

Steve Edmonds, the STOP co-ordinator, manages this role as well as his other duties as Technical Manager Engineering in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

The STOP team comprises Steve Edmonds and 13 students who are studying a variety of STEM subject areas within the University of Plymouth.

The day starts at 8.30 when the team loads the minibus with exhibit equipment. They plan to arrive at the school scheduled for that day at approximately 9.30. The STOP visit runs from approximately 10.00-15.00. The STOP programme has been running in this format since 2000.

There are two possible formats for the day, informal or formal.

• Formal format: There are 9 exhibit activities and set groups of 6-7 pupils spend 20 minutes at each activity before moving on to the next activity. This format can cope with 60 pupils

• Informal activity: A class of approx 30 students is free to wander between exhibits and investigate what takes their interest. The activity lasts one period (normally 45 mins). This activity is organised to fit in with the school day and disrupts one class at most for each pupil cohort. The format can cope with one year group (120-150 pupils approx.)

The STOP exhibits were:

SegWay: Segway which uses a gyroscopic mechanism to steer, was developed by BAeSystems for missile flight. Very popular with pupils but unfortunately not working on visit.

Bubbles: Make a giant bubble to enclose a person, bubble shapes with different metal wire shapes. Applications to optimisation and symmetry in nature. Pupils encouraged to make bubble shapes.

Diving equipment:. Discuss equipment and materials that divers use. Pupils encouraged to try on a diving suit and be blown up like a balloon.

Rock pool: Marine biologists constructed a mini rock pools and discussed the rock pool environment

Body Matters: Different exhibits to show human anatomy, measure body/mass index, grip strength etc. Students encouraged to play with equipment.

Robots: A student had brought along a robot which he himself had programmed to manoeuvre according to a set of input instructions. Pupils encouraged to get robot to do several manoeuvres.

Engineering exhibits: Various scientific toys – gravity effects on a ball filled with liquid, chaotic magnets, metal with memory, gyroscopes, parabolic mirrors. Pupils encouraged to play and then seek a scientific explanation for the weird effects.

Magnetic Sticks and Balls – construct the skeleton of a building using cube shapes with diagonal struts. Shows ideas behind construction. This can be set up as a competition to see who can build the highest/strongest structure.

 

The STOP event we viewed seemed to be successful given that the purpose was to enthuse students with regard to STEM subjects.

We felt that we could run a similar activity in the Bristol area with exhibits either similar to those above or different exhibits which reflected the strengths of STEM activity within UWE.

Aims of the UWE STEM Activity Day were agreed to be:

• Inspire pupils with respect to STEM subjects

• Encourage pupils to aspire to university to study STEM subjects.

• Enhance the school STEM curriculum

• Promote careers that exist with STEM 

What we did

Built 6 STEM activities • Ben Drew - Sound

Dynamics

• Alison Hooper - Aerodynamics Bubbles

• Darren Reynolds - GeneticsMicroscopic life

Technician support: Nick Tidman, Andy MacGauley, Geoff Rowley

What we did

STEM day at Brislington Enterprise College17 November

• 12 student ambassadors (3 from mathematics, 4 from engineering, 4 from science

and 1 Aero PhD student)

• 3 academic staffBen Drew - Alison Hooper - Darren Reynolds

• 1 technicianDave Molesworth – science

What we did

270 year 8 pupils

• Split into 3 batches of 90.• Each 90 split into 6 groups of 15 which rotated around

the 6 activities.

Batch 1: 9.00-10.30

Batch 2: 11.00-12.30

Batch 3: 13.15-14.45

What we did

What we did

What we did

Evaluation

Question1-Before today I was thinking of a career in science, engineering or mathematics

Question 2-After today's events I am more interested in a career in science, engineering or mathematics

Question 3-I know more about the types of careers in science as a result of today

Question4-I am more likely to think about 'A' levels in the future in science and mathematics

Question 5-I am more likely to think about going to college or university one day to study one of these

Evaluation

Question1-I found out something I didn’t know

Question 2-The activity was interesting.

Question 3-I could see connections with what I am learning in maths and science at school

Question4-The activity made me want to find out more about science, engineering or mathematics.

Question 5-The activity was fun

Evaluation

Question1-I found out something I didn’t know

Question 2-The activity was interesting.

Question 3-I could see connections with what I am learning in maths and science at school

Question4-The activity made me want to find out more about science, engineering or mathematics.

Question 5-The activity was fun

To Continue

• Roll out UWE STEM day to 5 schools each year in June

• Use activities in UWE

• Big Bang (11-13 March 2011) – 2 activities presented

What we have learnt

Peer Review• How to run a STEM School Activity Day from UWE

perspective.• Prior visit to school essential.

Other lessons• Enthusiastic academic and technical staff are

essential• Involve Local Authority early• Costs make roll-out difficult