Student involvement in STEM Activities

1. Student involvement in STEM Activities Is it a good idea, what works and how can we make it better? Chris Budd, University of Bath

2. Some ‘obvious’ facts Welcome !!!!!! • There are lots of students doing STEM degrees. • Many of these are highly creative individuals • All of them need to learn how to communicate and interact with the public and learn useful skills for later employment • It is vital for Universities to communicate science to the general public, especially to young people • Resources are available through Widening Participation schemes, HE-STEM and the Beacons for Public Engagement

3. Q. How well can we combine these issues • To encourage and involve student participation in STEM outreach • To ensure that this is a meaningful and useful experience for both the students and the general public • Purpose of today’s meeting: • To share, compare and evaluate good practice and ideas • To see what more can be done • To look forward to producing a Good Practice Guide

6. Maths Communicators at Bath Chris Budd

7. Bath Maths Course run since 2002 • 20 final year maths students per year • Students selected from a much larger pool who want to do the course • Students gain full degree credit! AIMS To teach the students to be effective maths communicators (and evaluators) To give the students experience of working with young people, teachers and the general public To use the great creative resources of our students to be effective agents for promoting maths and encouraging widening participation.

8. Format and timetable • November .. Students selected • January .. CRB and child protection training • Feb .. May Students trained in presentation and evaluation skills and do .. • Baths Taps Into Science (NSEW) • Maths Masterclass (KS3) • Optional activity • Written piece on maths • May.. Submit a 40 side project report for evaluation • June.. Project evaluated and credit given.

9. 1. Bath Taps Into Science • Run an exhibit in the Bath Taps Into Science Festival • Students work in teams of four for 1/2 a day • Subjects: mazes, codes, probability, OX, magic,… • Trained in presenting and evaluating • Students do dry run and full exhibition

10. 2. Maths Masterclasses RI Classes founded by Christopher Zeeman • Saturday morning classes for KS3 young people • Mixture of talk and workshops • Based in a university (Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Reading, UWE), linked to local schools • Huge variety of topics eg. Mazes*, codes*, deep sea diving, dancing • * Involve sex and violence! Students have two theory training sessions, one observation and run one class

11. 3.Optional Activity • Wide variety of possible options, eg. • Primary school lesson • Secondary school lesson • Maths Inspiration • STEM Net activity (eg. Lego Robotics) • BBC4 production • University of the Third Age • Royal Institution • Dr Maths Journalism • Further Maths Network • Big Bang Fair

12. 4. Written Piece • This is a permanent piece of work in a style of the student’s own choosing • Poster • Web-site • DVD/Video • Newspaper article • Booklet (eg. For More Maths Grads in a Box) • Students have to identify an audience and write for that audience.

13. Evaluation .. By portfolio. • Students are assessed on • Presentation • Explanation of the maths in each activity • Explanation of how this was conveyed and the expected learning outcomes • Careful evaluation of how the activity went, including audience statistics • All projects are double blind marked to a careful set of criteria.

14. For one year only, the students also were able to take part in the The Royal Society Summer Exhibition

15. Outcomes: • Many of the students have gone onto careers in teaching or public engagement. All have enjoyed the course and have learned from it. • They have created a lasting legacy of resources and a lasting impression amongst the young people and general public that they have worked with. Logistics: Costs about £4k per year to run and is very time intensive for me. Sponsors: HE-STEM, HEA, NTFS, HP, Science City Bristol, British Science Association, University of Bath

16. Activity for Credit (Bristol) • Undergraduate Ambassador’s Scheme • Physics version running since 2004 • Replaces Final year project. (30CP ¼ of final year) for BSc students • 1 day in school for 14 weeks. • 12-18 students / year • Selection Interview – most accepted • Other schools within the University have different schemes • Shorter units (as small as 10CP) • Run as a project

17. Activity for Credit (Bristol) • Communicating Science (New this year) • 20CP optional physics unit in the first year • Many science students have a slot for Open Units in the first year • 15 students in the current cohort • 13 physics, 1 Chemistry, 1 neuroscience • Concentrating on delivering practical sessions • Involvement of Centre for Public Engagement and School teacher in delivering sessions

18. Setting up units with credit • Positive response from the Faculty to Communicating Science • Name changed from Communicating Physics by Faculty • Enquiry from Neuroscience as it may be a potential unit for 2nd year students. • Easier than setting up Physics Education • Need to reflect the presentation element in the learning outcomes and assessment. • Physics Education has 30% based on a Final presentation

19. Units with credit • Issues • Involvement of 3rd parties • Moderation of assessment e.g. Teacher’s report in Physics Education • What happens when things go wrong? • Is this a serious unit? • Positive feedback From IoP on the last accreditation visit. • Less of a concern for and “open unit” replacement • Student perception of an easy option • Interview for Physics Education.