STEM Education: Creating future innovatorsMark Windale

Aims

STEM Education

The needs for STEM Education

Coherent and coordinated STEM programme

Stages in developing a national programme

The role of STEM Centres

Moving towards a Whole School STEM programme

Steps towards implementation

What is STEM Education?

ScienceTechnologyEngineeringMathematics

Engages students in solving real world problems through the application of the knowledge, understanding and skills of one or more STEM subjects

Why are countries moving towards STEM education?

increasing motivation and achievement in STEM subjects

increasing participation in STEM subjects and careers

increasing the numbers of underrepresented groups in STEM subjects

addressing workforce needs

Baseline research

STEM departments do not work together

STEM departments have very little contact with careers staff and careers professionals

Enhancement and enrichment activities are not evaluated for career learning potential

Many schools have no strategy for supporting learning about engineering

The opportunities for STEM careers related CPD for staff are limited

Parents are not approached or involved

Coordinated and Coherent STEM programme

STEM Learning

Experiences

STEM Research

Briefs

STEM Ambassadors

STEM Placements

STEM Clubs

STEM Leaders

Qualification

School STEM Fairs

National STEM

Conferences

National Programme

Recruitment of teachers and lecturers (AP1)

Continuing professional development of teachers and lecturers (AP 2,3,4)

Enhancing and enriching the curriculum, both

within and beyond the classroom(AP5 - 10)

Improving infrastructure and delivery mechanisms

(AP 11)

11 STEM Action Programmes

National STEM

Advisory Group

Ministries (Education

and Science)

Corporate

STEM Centres

and Schools

Higher Education

Research • Baseline study to identify current position and learn from other countries

National STEM

Programme

• National STEM Advisory Group develop purpose and vision• Working group develop with ministries national programme/policy

STEM Centres

• Establish National and Regional STEM Centres and Capacity build staf• STEM Centres develop stakeholder partnerships content for programmes, learning, briefing

and CPD resources

CPD

• STEM Centres develop CPD programmes and train the trainers• Trainers train at ITT and in-service level

School implement

ation

• CPD for Senior management team and development of strategic plans, structures and support• CPD for teachers and supported implementation

Stages in the development of a National Programme

AP8 Improving the quality of advice and guidance about STEM careers, to inform subject choice

Intended outcomes

To significantly (> 20,000) increase the numbers of young people continuing their studies of Science & Maths on post 16 courses (and beyond), and who realise the wide range of interesting and well paid jobs both in and out of STEM available through the study of STEM subjects/qualifications.

Increase the numbers of young people taking up careers in STEM in order to secure the medium and long term supply of the future declining STEM skills workforce

The Role of STEM Centres (Thailand)Developing partnerships with STEM Stakeholders and promote STEM

Developing teaching and learning resources through the capacity building of teachers and in partnership with stakeholders

CPD for STEM teachers

Supporting the establishment of STEM clubs and run STEM camps

Recruit, train and place STEM Ambassadors

Establish stakeholder partnerships for Research and Work Placements and organise placements

Support School STEM Fairs and run Regional and National STEM Conferences

Develop support materials for clubs, ambassadors, fairs and placements

Tackling the curriculum (Malaysia)

Development of an inquiry-based curriculum (to be implemented in 2017)

Development of comprehensive context, inquiry and problem-based STEM teaching and learning resources

Integration of the teaching and learning resources into the curriculum

Please note: They also run STEM projects as co-curriculum activities

Implementing at school levelEight AreasA. Teaching and learning to create greater pupil engagement and progression in STEM subjects and careers, including cross-departmental workB. Development of pupil personal skills and capabilities through STEMC. Teacher awareness of the application of STEM in the workplace and careers pathwaysD. Use of enhancement and enrichment activities to promote greater engagement with STEM, and promotion of awareness of STEM careersE. Effective practice in equality and diversity in STEM to promote widening participationF. Communication about STEM careers and delivery of careers information, advice and guidanceG. Establishment and utilisation of external partnerships to promote STEM subject choices and careersH. Leadership and Management

STEM Health Check

Four level descriptions for each of the 8 areas to enable schools to identify where they are and strategically plan for progressing towards Leading.

EmergingDevelopingExtendingLeading

Leadership and Management

Whole school STEM engagement and careers policy in place in partnership with other key agencies

Monitoring of effectiveness is undertaken by studying participation and achievement in STEM subjects and careers choice

Annual planning takes place to ensure effective and stimulating STEM subject and careers delivery within school needs and priorities

Progression in implementation of STEM teaching resources

Varied approaches

ClubOne day collapsed time tableSingle subjectSingle classProgressively leading to whole year groups and coordinated across two or more subjects

Progression in implementation of STEM components

ClubsTeaching ResourcesSTEM AmbassadorsSLQSTEM PlacementsSTEM FairsRegional STEM ConferencesNational STEM Conference

Outcomes

• Greater motivation of students in STEM• The raising of achievement of students in STEM

• Greater awareness and interest in STEM

• Students experiencing success and a sense of achievement in STEM

• Enriching the STEM curriculum• Greater student ownership of their STEM work

• Giving students experience in sharing their work with the STEM and wider community, thus raising the importance of STEM work in school

• Increase in uptake of STEM careers

Contact

Mark WindaleCentre for Science EducationSheffield Institute of EducationSheffield Hallam UniversityCity Campus (Owen Building Floor 9)Howard StreetSheffield. S1 1WB. UKTel: +44(0)114 225 4870Fax: +44(0)114 225 4872Mobile: +44(0)7771 906 395Email: m.windale@shu.ac.uk