N E W S TECHNICALACADEMIES PART


OF THE COALITION’S PLANS IN ABUDGET-SLASHED


asWe GO to press, teachers, suppliers and educational organisations are endeavouring to read the runes in the statements of intent put out by the coalition ahead of the emergency budget and the spending review in the autumn. In the coalitions’s section


on education in its programme for government, two positive items stand out


from a STEMpoint of view: lWe will seek to attract more top science and maths


graduates to be teachers lWe will improve the quality of vocational teaching, including increasing the flexibility for 14–19 year olds and creating new technical academies as part of our plans to diversify schools provision. Already there has been


muted approval for the disbanding of Becta, the ICT quango, in some quarters. However, there is concern that much of the hard work and investment that has gone into creating 14–19 diplomas is going to be wasted as the impression is that the new government intends to let them wither on the vine by cutting off funding. Like many others,


Technology in Education awaits developments.


Kidsare creative and they just love to build things—but why stop at cardboard, glue and paint?Young minds are like sponges and they soak up information and new experiences, which can stay with themfor life. A1 Technologies strongly


believes that teaching young children the basic principles of real design and engineering by allowing them to experiment for themselves is a long-term, extremely positive way of impacting the future of the engineering and manufacturing industry, as well as providing practical learning for the pupils. One of the most startling – and


interesting – elements ofA1 Technologies’ portfolio of ultra- low-cost advanced 3D design and manufacturing products is the PLAYMAT 4in1 Workshop. PLAYMAT is a fully operational, wholly safe, woodcrafting workshop developed specifically for small hands. The recommended age range for PLAYMAT is 5–12 years old and safety is ensured through innovative functional


Technology in Education No.176 June/July 2010


design and the inclusion of a childproof adaptor. The PLAYMAT kit contains all


of the necessary parts for building up to four different, real working machines – a jigsaw, a sanding machine, a drill press and a wood lathe. Similar to large machine tools (machine bed, slides and drill table, etc.) the PLAYMAT enables children to safely learn and experiment with how industrial machines really work. In addition, getting up and


running with the PLAYMAT could not be simpler because turning wood, sawing wood and plenty of detailed construction plans are available with the kit. To date, thousands of enthusiastic children have produced small parts and pieces across continental Europe both within schools and during organized workshops with overriding success. A1 Technologies’PLAYMAT product is available for £99.


Circle No.E1


EDUCATION PROGRAMME A1 Technologies


introduces a UNIMAT for primary schools


Universities


play key role inMars mission


tHe UK sPaceagency has announced £10.5 million for the development of instruments to search for signs of past and present life onMars. The instruments are part of the


scientific payload on the ExoMars Rover to be launched in 2018 as part of a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and US space agency NASA. EcoMars is a flagship project in the UK Space Agency’s science and exploration programme. Atwo-step programme, the


adventure begins in 2016 when NASA will launch an ESA-led orbiter to try to understand the origin and distribution of trace gases in the atmosphere of the red planet. Then in 2018, NASAwill land


ESA’s ExoMars Rover alongside a NASA rover. The UK is leading on developing two of the nine instruments on the Rover – the life marker chip to detect the presence of organic compounds that might suggest past or present life and the panoramic camera that will be the eyes of the Rover – and has involvement in two other instruments. UK involvement comes from


the University of Leicester, Cranfield University, Imperial College London and the University ofAberystwyth.


Circle No.E2 4 Check out our website: www.technology-in-education.co.uk


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