STEM
neurobiological studies support this fundamental fact - and teaching has to harness this on-screen and in their hands. With engagement comes a desire to follow curiosity, right out into the workplace.
“Science equips children not only with the specialist skills required to support a strong economy but it actually teaches a robust framework for enquiry throughout their whole lives. Why does this work? How can I make it work?”
Lizzie Crouch, Science News Reporter, Twig Science adds: “There is already fantastic media that helps to bring science to life in the classroom. Despite this, more could be done to connect children to the realities of what being a scientist entails.
scientist wouldn’t achieve CSI status without superior knowledge of subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology.
“In the process of developing our resources we work closely with teachers and pupils and I have witnessed a palpable change in interest levels when pupils are out of their seats, engaging physically with the subject. One teacher explained this to me; sitting still can be incredibly physically taxing for teenagers, sitting still while being taught abstract maths even more so. Whether it’s a mathematics field-trip to show how physics and geometry are used in bridges and buildings or measuring circular objects to demonstrate circumference and radius; a variety of approaches can help appeal to a range of learning styles, ultimately making the connection between the subject and the world clearer.”
Putting the ‘fun’ into learning Probably best known for Robotics, but equally strong in Early Learning and in concepts that tackle Language Arts & Humanities subjects, LEGO Education has been working with educational experts for 30 years. The first LEGO Robotics concept (Control Lab) was developed in cooperation with Seymour Papert and his team as MIT in the early 80’s. Today this concept is known as LEGO MINDSTORMS Education and is used by schools worldwide to teach control technology, design and engineering with children as young as eight, right up to university.
More recently, LEGO Education launched a primary school concept that teaches programming and control but in a cross curricular and playful way – covering language arts as well as STEM. This concept is called LEGO Education WeDo and it is currently seeing an impressive uptake in schools that are looking for resources that embrace new technologies to teach the curriculum. “LEGO Education works continuously to develop innovative solutions because we believe that the
“With an ever-increasing number of researchers acknowledging that public engagement is a vital part of their role as a scientist, there are many who could be called upon to share their experiences. Through greater emphasis on the scientific process, done through building better narratives into audiovisual and print media used in the classroom, students could be introduced to the faces behind the scientific facts they are taught.”
Andrea Forbes, UK manager of Texas Instruments, discusses ways to motivate pupils in mathematics to encourage the next generation of innovators, she says: “I have had the privilege of observing some fantastic teaching, where learners are offered insight into how mathematics is applied in the world around them, enabling them to see the direct benefit of developing their skills. As teachers recognise, functional skills are important, but do not only encompass being able to calculate your mortgage, which isn’t likely to fire a pupil’s imagination. When pupils’ eyes are opened to the impact of mathematics and science all around them they can begin to realise that maths is not boring, but extremely relevant, and a passport to all kinds of interesting careers – many of which are not immediately obvious at secondary school. I am often told that many pupils are not aware that computer games wouldn’t be possible without advanced mathematics, that fairground rides require skills in geometry or that a forensic
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ability of resources to engage young people is central to any schools’ success today. The ability to improve test scores will depend more and more how well teachers can engage and direct today’s young generation of technocrats,” said a spokesperson.
LEGO Education is helping to reshape approaches to teaching and learning by creating educational resources and methods that meet these 21st century needs. Working in close collaboration with companies such as National Instruments and Carnegie Mellon and with leading universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT and Tufts (US) and Cambridge (UK), LEGO kits allow students to build realistic working models that bring text books and theory to life.
In April last year, the company partnered with NASA to run a series of playful space activities designed for use in schools. LEGO Education models were put onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour and delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) where astronauts are using them to explore the effects of microgravity on simple machines by building models, conducting experiments and sharing those results with students and teachers back on earth through video and crew commentary.
Technology and scientific understanding has changed the global economy and many worry that the UK is failing to keep pace. The international markets have been ‘levelled’ by technology and there is growing need for UK graduates skilled in science, technology and engineering to ensure that we can compete internationally, says Andrea Forbes, UK manager of Texas Instruments. Adds: “With record levels of jobseekers in the UK and rapid advancements in the technology sector, the time is ripe for renewed focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) skills in our schools to ensure that today’s pupils will have access to tomorrow’s jobs.”
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