HOOLEY ROOM

The importance

HOOLEY ROOM

Mal CowgillPrincipal of Central College

The importance of STEM Education

NORTH OF ENGLAND EDUCATION CONFERENCE

THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

16 JANUARY 2014

WWW.CENTRALNOTTINGHAM.AC.UK

Agenda

• Define STEM

• Statistics – gaps, geeks and girls…..

• The Role of Further Education

• Summary

Definition

• Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths - STEM is everywhere

• Every sector – health & sport science as well as traditional

• It is at every level

• Importance to individuals, to industry and to society

• It is really interesting – so why do we make it so boring

• There is a place for everyone

Gaps, Geeks & Girls

• The skill gaps and recruitment constraints are significant• Three fifths of companies struggling in Engineering, Science & Maths• Majority of staff in 40s and 50s – retrain middle managers or go abroad• Low carbon and technology – significant training needs – eg smart

meters• Fab and Welding requires 20,000 new technicians• 550,000 technicians according to CEO Cisco UK

• Its for Geeks????

• Girls – WISE - only 13% STEM occupations women• Majority in Health• Study to GCSE then fall off at A level• Apprenticeships – even ICT less than 20%

Further Education Contribution

• Central has achieved the STEM Assured Kite-mark• As a General FE college we have almost 60% courses STEM related• Our local growth areas are Science, Engineering and Automotive• Plan to invest in people, equipment and facilities to support STEM

• Further Challenges and Opportunities• Careers guidance – proper independent advice and guidance• Target funding to providers and individuals• Top employer partnerships will shift the views of young people• Develop valuable work placement opportunities• Greater industry involvement in designing the courses• Develop next generation through incubator units

Summary

• It is hugely important to individuals and society

• It is everywhere and everything

• Target funding - government and industry

• Make it fun………..

The importance of STEM Education

HOOLEY ROOM

Professor Louise ArcherKing’s College, London

The importance of STEM Education

North of England Education Conference, 16th January 2014

ASPIRES (Children’s science and career aspirations, age 10-14)

Professor Louise Archer, King’s College, London

Methodology• 5 year, longitudinal ESRC funded project, part of TISME• Mixed methods• 3 tracking phases• Phase 1: Y6 (age 10/11)

• Survey of 9,319 Y6 students, 279 primary schools, England• 170 interviews (92 children, 78 parents)

• Phase 2: Y8 (age 12/13), • Survey of 5,634 Y8 students (69 secondary schools)• Follow-up interviews with 85 children

• Phase 3: Y9 (age 13/14)• Survey of 4,600 Y9 students• Follow up interviews with 83 students and 65 parents

• Intervention

Students like science ... But not science careers

Comparison of survey responses from Y6, Y8 and Y9 students (% strongly/ agreeing)

0102030405060708090

Learn interesting

things in science

Parents think important learn

science

Scientists do valuable work

Aspire be scientist

Age 10/11Age 12/13Age 13/14

Business

Arts & desi

gn

Celebrity

Teacher

Medicin

e/ docto

rSp

orts Law

Engin

eering

Inventor

Hair/ b

eauty

Scien

tist

Trades

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% Y9 students agreeing would like this job

What careers do Y9 students aspire to?

What shapes likelihood of developing science aspirations?

1. Attitudes to school science2. Family and ‘Science Capital’ (Science-related

qualifications, knowledge, interest, literacy and contacts)

3. Popular perceptions of science as ‘brainy’4. Gender

– E.g. 47% of Y8 students with a family member who works in a science-related job vs. 29% of the whole cohort say that they would like to work in a science-related job.

– Most students and families unaware of transferable nature of science qualifications

“I think it’s different because English and Maths are used more widely but Science is like a thing that you … like unless you want to be a scientist, isn’t as relevant to you” (Pamela, Y9).

– Effect of science capital increases with age

• www.kcl.ac.uk/aspires

• tisme-scienceandmaths.org

• Follow our research on Twitter: @TISMESciMaths#scienceaspirations

The importance of STEM Education

Michael McKeeverHead Teacher, Trinity School

The importance of STEM Education

Michael McKeeverHeadteacher.

The Trinity Catholic School.

What’s the problem? STEM subjects not taught widely enough in Primary

schools.

Serious skills mismatch looming in Science and Engineering based industries.

Not enough female Physicists in the UK.

Technology entries declining at G.C.S.E.

Insufficient FULLY QUALIFIED Mathematics teachers teaching in Secondary schools.

In sufficient general interest/uptake in STEM subjects in many schools.

You cannot be serious! We need a 20-30% increase in STEM

graduates by 2016 to meet projected need. STEM employment grew 3 times faster than

non STEM employment between 2010-2012. For every STEM graduate who works in a

STEM field, three do not. There is an urgent need to import STEM

talent in the short term to meet need. 9 out of 10 businesses employ people with

STEM skills but 2/3rds report difficulties recruiting such employees.

How does the UK compare?

Stem degrees as a proportion of all degrees.

Why bother? STEM boosts innovation. Investment in STEM gives broad, proven

economic returns over the short and long term.

Every STEM worker is estimated to create 2.6 jobs for non STEM employees.

Countries with strong STEM sectors are outperforming those with little or no strategy.

The UK is losing talent to other nations now.

Primary issues. Crowded primary curriculum. Health and safety concerns militate against

practical science. Lack of confidence to teach practical Science

among primary staff. Lack of equipment/facilities to teach

practical Science. Extension/outreach work in primary schools

not always sustainable. Science teaching in Primary schools very

‘patchy’.

Secondary issues. Insufficient properly qualified staff especially in

Mathematics and Physics. Nearly half of all state schools have no girls studying A2 Physics.

STEM subjects being delivered by non specialists in some schools and its impact consequently reduced.

STEM subjects perceived by some as ‘too hard’. Insufficient weekly curriculum offer in STEM areas. Lack of laboratory space. Growth in Social Science H.E. courses over past 25

years; competition. STEM subject teaching costly and potentially

‘vulnerable’.

Good practice. The Ogden Trust; ‘three pronged approach’. Primary schools;

*teachers-upskilling courses, esp. in Physics and Physical processes., £250 free resources, ‘Phizz’ laboratories, laboratory coats!, H&S training.*pupils-links with Birmingham University/Drayton Manor/Birmingham Airport and others to engage and stimulate interest; ‘Scientist of the Year’ awards for year 6; guest speakers; tailored resources.*parents-newsletters; invitations to events; information evenings; awards evenings; recruiting from related industries.*other-6th form ‘teacher training’; sixth formers go to primary schools and deliver post school Science; often their own old school.

Good practice. The Ogden Trust

Secondary schools;*sponsored ‘outreach’ work in primary schools using secondary staff/students.*Physics ‘hubs’ developing collaborative work across groups of schools.*Stimulating activities including visits to Cern and visiting specialist speakers to schools.*Masterclasses in specific areas for ‘high flyers’.*Special events involving parents/employers and students such as dinners and guest speakers.*Ogden ‘interns’ stimulating work and interest in shortage areas.*Competitions/presentations about frontier Physics. ’The Big Rocket Challenge’, The ‘Physics Olympics’, The ‘Trent University Music Challenge’.*’Saving the Universe’ challenge for Year 9.

Our good practice.*All STEM subjects taught by STEM specialists.*Minimum 3 hours per week for Science in KS3, 6 in KS4 & 5+ in KS5.*Investment in Laboratories.*Overstaffing Science and Mathematics departments.*Triple Science offered to widest possible cohort.*Technology for all up to Year 11.*Small groups in Key Stage 5.*Range of visiting speakers using close links with local employers/universities/hospitals.*Celebrating good practice publicly.*Stressing the ‘human face’ of STEM work.*6th formers studying STEM subjects mentor younger pupils.*Revision and extension classes available from September.

The importance of STEM Education

Anne-Marie ImafidonFounder of the Stemettes

The importance of STEM Education

The importance of STEM Education

The importance of STEM Education