STEM Projects toolkit

STEM Projects toolkit

Module 1: Getting Started with STEM Inquiry Work

1.1 Welcome

We believe that young people learn a lot about science and engineering by

being scientists and engineers themselves.

We have over 25 years’ experience of encouraging young people to carry

out their own investigations through our CREST Awards scheme. Over 30,000

secondary pupils of all ages and abilities, from across the UK, gain a CREST

Award every year. CREST Awards are respected indicators of young people’s

own achievements as scientists and engineers, and they’re endorsed by

UCAS for inclusion in personal statements (on university application forms).

Independent evaluation of the CREST Awards scheme1 shows that it develops

students’ organisational and practical science projects and gives them a

clearer idea of what it’s like to work in science, engineering and technology.

So we’ve seen first-hand the powerful effects of giving young people a

combination of support and freedom: support to help them use the scientific

method, or the design process in engineering – and freedom to choose

topics, questions or briefs that are relevant to their lives and interests.

We’d like to see this kind of inquiry-based learning deployed in schools and

colleges more often. Not only can it support students’ learning in STEM

subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) but it can also

encourage a life-long interest in these areas. For some students, hands-on

experience of ‘real’ science and engineering can trigger a desire to follow a

career in the STEM sector – a valuable outcome for the UK economy which,

like many others, relies increasingly on the advances generated by the STEM

sectors.

So we were extremely pleased when Intel asked us to develop a resource to

help teachers to carry out enquiry-based project work with their students. This

resource is partly based on a training manual that was originally developed

by members of Intel’s network of educators in India.

It has been updated and adapted for UK teachers by Linda Scott at the

University of Worcester who has a wealth of experience in helping teachers to

develop their professional practice.

Any teacher or technician working in schools or colleges can use this resource

in full, or by accessing specific sections, to support their personal professional

1

www.britishscienceassociation.org/sites/default/files/root/CREST/CRESTfinalevaluationreport.pdf

STEM Projects toolkit development. It contains advice and guidance about running inquiry based

learning and student project work, and includes some examples of successful

activities for anyone who wants ‘step-by-step’ support as well as generic help

sheets for more confident users.

There is also a section devoted to participation in STEM Fairs and

Competitions, either through preparing students to present and compete at a

Fair or, more ambitiously, staging a STEM Fair for a single class, school or even

educational community. Again, the advice is accompanied by examples of

successful activities to demonstrate the wide range of possible approaches

and to provide inspiration.

We hope this resource will inspire and guide teachers from the UK and

beyond to give their students the opportunity to learn about STEM through

hands-on, real-world, inquiry-based project work.

Katherine Mathieson, Director of Education, British Science Association,

October 2012

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to all who contributed to this resource, including:

- Michel Dzoga and Iza Pastuszynska, Intel

- Delegates at the workshop held at the Intel Educator Academy in

September 2012

- Adrian Fenton and Katherine Mathieson, British Science Association

- Liz Lister, Amy Mulkern, Michael Bullock, Sven Baszio, Karen Cryan and

Robert Piehl-Fridqvist

- Susie Fisher, Ben Gammon and Roger Titford

- The National Strategies team

- Liz Hind, author of the STEM Fairs toolkit provided by the British Science

Association and supported by Intel

1.2 Introduction:

A 21st century science classroom is one in which every student is equipped to

think for themselves. Problem solving, critical thinking, the ability to carry out

independent research, to collaborate with others, and to communicate ideas

confidently are all curriculum goals of the STEM subjects in the UK.

Student projects have long been recognised as an invaluable component of

contemporary learning and teaching across the science, technology,

engineering and maths (STEM) curriculum areas. However relatively recent

changes to the examination syllabuses in the UK have tended to marginalise

STEM project work, relegating it to the realms of extra curricular clubs and

occasional activities conducted during inter-disciplinary or collapsed

curriculum days.

STEM Projects toolkit Although experienced in organising and

supervising student practical work within

mainstream curriculum lessons, many

teachers have limited or even no

experience of supporting the semi-

structured or open-ended sort of

activities needed to give students the

freedom to carry out investigations as

part of extended project work.

This resource is intended to help teachers extend their understanding of

Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and Problem Based Learning (PBL) and to

introduce them to ways of using these approaches to develop their students’

ability to carry out meaningful and rewarding project work. It brings together

advice from experienced teachers and other education practitioners and

offers inspiration through a range of case studies featuring the successful

project work of students who have presented their work as entries to STEM

challenges or as part of a formal project award scheme such as CREST

Awards.

Starting from suggestions about how to extend and enrich students’ current

practical and investigative work to create meaningful projects, this resource

goes on to encourage the sharing and celebration of students’ work beyond

their own classrooms or extra curricular clubs.

Through the use of case studies and helpful checklists, teachers are provided

with all the necessary information to feel confident to encourage their

students to confidently share and explain the results of their project work at

local, regional or even national STEM Fairs and Competitions. Step-by-step

advice is included to enable teachers and other project mentors guide

students through the selection and completion of suitable project work and

how to prepare them for the demands of the judging process at a

Competition. There is a section devoted to how to help students prepare

presentations and to produce eye-catching display boards and to

communicate the key information about their projects.

Sections of the resource can be used independently, giving teachers the

option to work through the contents from beginning to end, but they are also

suitable for ‘dipping into’ by more experienced or confident teachers who

just want to access those sections of the resource which are of most

immediate use to them.

Subject leaders may use elements of the resource to support in-house

professional development sessions but the contents are equally suited to

individual use by teachers wishing to extend their skills repertoire by

introducing project working to their classrooms or laboratories.

The diagram below is a schematic representation of the contents of the

resource and suggests just a few of the pathways which users can employ to

access information and enrich their classrooms.

STEM Projects toolkit

1.3 Why adopt Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL)?

1.3.1 Meeting the needs of industry and businesses

In June 2012 a survey conducted on behalf of the Confederation of British

Industry (CBI) reported a severe STEM skills shortage:

“Among those firms that need employees with STEM skills and

knowledge, two in five currently have difficulties recruiting

staff...Businesses know they have an essential role to play in promoting

the study of STEM subjects by young people...One element in this

process is encouraging employees to become STEM Ambassadors”

The CBI also reports that as the UK competes ever more for business and

talent in global markets, employers are looking to up-skill their workforces.

Over the next three to five years, employers expect to need more people

with leadership and management skills (a balance of +67%) and other higher

skills (+61%), whereas for lower-skilled workers, they expect to slightly cut

numbers (-3%).

CBI education and skills survey 2012

This alarming skills shortage is repeated across Europe as the 2010 CEDEFOP

report “Skills supply and demand in Europe Medium-term forecast up to 2020”

demonstrates:

“Europe’s citizens and businesses have been hit severely by the

economic slump. To recover speedily and tackle long-term challenges,

we must unleash Europe’s potential. To compete in the global market,

Europe needs to generate higher quality and more innovative products and services. Higher pro ucti it is essential to maintain our

social model. New jobs and new skills are emerging, as technology,

innovation, demographic change and climate strategies generate

new demands. Downturn and exit strategies are accelerating

economic restructuring. This will affect the t pe of skills nee e .”

These European statistics are in stark contrast with the STEM education and

training figures reported in those Asian countries generally seen as our direct

STEM Projects toolkit business and commercial competitors. In the UK the Department for Business,

Innovation and Skills (BIS) has declared its commitment to increasing the

numbers of young people choosing to study STEM post-16, and to ensuring

that UK has a skilled workforce to compete effectively in the global economy.

It also commits to the development of a science curriculum that is sufficiently

challenging for the top 25%, an increase in the scientific literacy of the

population at large and good quality enrichment and enhancement

activities as part of science education.

(http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/science/science-and-society/stem-skills)

Also in the UK, the Science and Learning Expert Group (2010) refers to:

“...[the] demand to make the curriculum more engaging and related

to real life contexts, as well as the desire to improve the scientific

literacy of all young people.”

1.3.2 The positive impact of introducing ‘real life’ challenges into science in

schools

Student participation in project work,

either in curriculum time or as part of

an ‘after school club activity’, is a

valuable component of an enriched

and enhanced STEM education.

One of the acknowledged benefits

of student participation in inquiry-

based learning (IBL) and in extended

project work is the opportunity for

students to explore STEM subjects in more depth than is possible during

conventional lessons. This encourages students to consider the relevance of

their STEM studies ‘to the real world’ and can kindle greater commitment to

pursue employment and/or further study in these subjects. Additionally, the

essential life skills of successful time and resource management, negotiation

and collaborative working, creative thinking and clear communication of

processes and outcomes are all encouraged and developed in students

when they are involved in STEM projects.

During the evaluation of the British Science Association’s expansion

programme for the CREST Awards scheme over the period 2009-2011, 63% of

students questioned reported that their involvement in CREST projects made

them ‘much more’ or ‘more’ interested in STEM subjects at school, whilst 64%

reported greater interest in STEM subjects at Higher Education (H.E.) and 61%

were more interested in a future career in STEM once they had completed

the extended project work associated with the CREST scheme. Another bonus

of students’ involvement in project work was the progression in their

understanding of the scientific process and the roles played by scientists and

engineers (see an extract from the evaluation report below, taken from

http://collectivememory.britishscienceassociation.org/memory/crest-awards-

expansion-project/).

STEM Projects toolkit

Even when students express preferences for developing their careers outside

the STEM field, their participation in CREST projects has a positive impact on

the level of their scientific literacy (extract from evaluation report below

http://collectivememory.britishscienceassociation.org/memory/crest-awards-

expansion-project/).

After CREST, Insight Into What Science Does Deepens

Science is planned, not random

Scientists learn by their mistakes. Repetition is not just boring but is advancing towards scientific discovery

Recording and writing up (although tedious) are an essential part of the process

Science involves real-world problems, sometimes involving household names

“we had to have this lab book. That’s what real scientists do” “In Science Club, we didn’t know about it, we just did it. Not CREST. We got something to work from.”

Extract from Survey responses from students following their involvement in the CREST Expansion Project

CONFIDENCE, ENTITLEMENT, SENSE OF CHALLENGE

“Instead of answering the question, we’ve realized how big the question can be. There’s plenty more for budding scientists to do” Expansion student, post CREST

I am more interested in others subjects but I respect science more now I wouldn’t want to be a scientist, there are more other subjects I like Expansion student (post CREST)

Yes, I am more likely to consider carrying on with science now I would enjoy the job!

(post CREST)

CREST

STEM Projects toolkit

Through their involvement in project work, students gain valuable insights into

the nature of scientific inquiry and the associated applications and

implications of science, helping develop their levels of scientific literacy.

Bybee (1997) has suggested scientific literacy can be considered at four

functional levels:

- nominal (can recognise scientific terms, but does not have a clear

understanding of the meaning);

- functional (can use scientific and technological vocabulary, but

usually this is only out of context as is the case for example in a school

test of examination);

- conceptual and procedural (demonstrates understanding and a

relationship between concepts and can use processes with meaning);

and

- multi-dimensional (not only has understanding, but has developed

perspectives of science and technology that include the nature of

science, the role of science and technology in personal life and

society).

Student attitudes such as those

collected as part of the CREST

evaluation study suggest that their

participation in project work helps

them move from Bybee’s ‘functional

scientific literacy’ to ‘conceptual and

procedural’ and ‘multidimensional’

levels. Similar successes are reported

for other project based work such as

participation in STEM Fairs (Intel White

Paper – STEM Education: Defining the

Challenges (2011)

ISBN 9789491440144)

www.britishscienceassociation.org/crest

STEM Projects toolkit 2. Models of student-centred inquiry

2.1 Introduction:

An environment that uses inquiry-based learning is a place where students

collaborate with each other to make sense of the world through the topics

they study. The use of an inquiry-based approach in everyday teaching helps

to make classrooms, workshops and laboratories places of discovery where

students take greater ownership of their learning through initiative and

independent decision making, paving the way for their participation in full

scale STEM projects.

“Inquir -base learning is a constructi ist or “buil ing block” approach,

in which students have ownership of their learning. It starts with

exploration and questioning and leads to original (for the students at

least) investigations into a question, issue, problem or idea. It involves

asking questions, gathering and analysing information, generating

solutions, making ecisions, justif ing conclusions an taking action.”

Based on definitions from Sharon Friesen accessed at

www.galileo.org/inquiry-what.html

An introduction to the philosophy and

methodology of inquiry-based learning

can accessed through the Intel Teach

Elements resources “Inquiry in the

Science Classroom”. Although aimed at

U.S. teachers, much of the information is

relevant to teachers of science in other

countries (a short video is also available

to give an overview of the resources).

STEM Projects toolkit 2.2 The continuum of Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) Approaches

Teacher-centred Student-centred

Students need increasing exposure to the challenges of independent, open-

ended inquiry work in supportive, mainstream learning environments before

they graduate to the sort of medium to long term project-based work

necessary to produce a competent, competitive entry for an external STEM

Competition/Fair. This section introduces different types of open-ended,

inquiry-based learning and discusses when and how they can be used in

STEM learning environments to build up students’ inquiry skills to enable them

to develop to become confident, successful, autonomous managers of their

own project work.

2.3 Comparing Types of Inquiry-based Learning

It is not only students who need time and practice to become familiar with

and benefit from inquiry-based learning approaches; teachers also need to

build up their expertise in managing students’ learning through the use of less

prescriptive, didactic approaches. As the level of inquiry increases, the

teacher’s role changes from being a source of informationfor their students

to being a facilitator working to empower the students to answer their own

questions. The following examples demonstrate how you can extend your

current curriculum-based ‘scientific enquiry’ learning and teaching methods

to give your students opportunities for risk-taking and working creatively in

inquiry-based learning environments.

By using the following case studies you can explore the characteristics of

different levels of inquiry-based learning and the associated roles of students

when working in the different learning modes. The examples also illustrate a

range of different roles for the teacher as autonomy and responsibility for

decision making in the work is shifted from teacher to student.

Each example is based on the same scenario -

that students will be conducting practical work

involving a ‘wildlife pond’ located near the

science labs and previously designed and

constructed by the school Eco Club (the

examples are all based on resources available

from the ‘Water Survey’ section of the Opal

Project).

Limited student

autonomy

Structured Student Inquiry

Guided Student Inquiry

Open Student Inquiry

STEM Projects toolkit

Structured Inquiry: A suitable prompt question from the teacher could

be “does the sunny side of the pond support a greater variety of

wildlife than the shaded side?”

This involves both the investigative question and the practical procedure for

the inquiry being provided by the teacher. The students generate the results

through their own exploration of the scene/circumstances made available to

them by the teacher. The students are then required to generate and present

a response to the investigative question, supported by the evidence they

have collected.

e.g. students, working individually or in small groups, survey the different

regions of the pond and use their observational skills and dipping techniques

to monitor and record the range of wildlife found in each region. Typical

guidance sheets may exist as part of a commercial teaching scheme or can

be accessed from a reputable website such as the OPAL Water Survey which

is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and accredited by LWEC (Living with

Environmental Change) (http://www.opalexplorenature.org/WaterSurvey).

Guided Inquiry: A suitable question could be “has the pond built by

the Eco-Club pupils achieved its aim of attracting and supporting a

wide range of wildlife?”

This involves the teacher providing students with only the research question

and the materials. The students are then encouraged to design an inquiry

procedure that would enable them to answer the question. This allows

greater involvement of the students in designing investigations, collecting

evidence and generating explanations. However, greater freedom for the

students in conducting an inquiry does not mean that the teacher’s role

becomes passive. Students will still need guidance on whether their proposed

investigative procedures are sound and safe to carry out.

e.g. students use the same sampling and recording techniques as before, but

they make their own decisions about where to sample in order to generate

data (evidence) to allow them to answer the question posed by their

teacher.

Limited student

autonomy

Structured Student Inquiry

Guided Student Inquiry

Open Student Inquiry

Limited student

autonomy

Structured Student Inquiry

Guided Student Inquiry

Open Student Inquiry

STEM Projects toolkit

Open Inquiry: A suitable scenario and linked question could be “an

extension to the school building is being planned and the completed

new classrooms will restrict the amount of sunlight getting to the pond.

What will be the impact on the pon ’s wil life?”

Open Inquiry: this involves students having the greatest degree of freedom to

take charge of their learning. They generate their own research questions

prompted by the stimulus provided by the teacher and then design and carry

out investigations to answer their questions. They make their own decisions

about what data to collect and then use this when they communicate their

responses to the original question posed by their teacher. It is at this level that

students get an opportunity to demonstrate the capability and confidence to

lead their own inquiry on a topic and to emulate the methods used by

practicing scientists.

e.g., students use the same sampling and recording techniques as before but

they first have to discuss the scenario posed by the research question in order

to decide how their strand(s) of investigation will be conducted. Students

scrutinise the data (evidence) to decide whether it provides any potential

answers to the questions raised by the scenario.

2.3 Moving from IBL to independent project work

There isn’t a sharp distinction between ‘inquiry-based learning (IBL) activities’

and ‘project work’, as most projects which involve the scientific method will

include considerable elements of IBL within the investigation work conducted

by students.

Generally, a ‘project’ is the all-embracing term which includes information

about the entire research process, either reported in a project handbook or

as a combination of text-based report and oral presentation, whereas the

term IBL is reserved for the discrete investigative components which

contribute to a project. However, for younger students and relatively short

projects, the subject of the ‘inquiry’ and the project ‘research question’ may

actually be identical.

Many activities commonly used in science teaching can be modified by

using current resources differently e.g. by changing the context in which the

activity is presented to pupils, or by reframing the question, prompting a

different type of response from pupils. In addition, inquiries can take place in

a range of different contexts, not simply by students conducting ‘fair test’

types of practical work in which they manipulate a number of independent

variables and measure the outcome (or dependent variable). Some

investigations involve the processes of identification and classification, whilst

others require the conduction of surveys and the search for patterns or

correlations. Students can also explore and extend their explanations,

hypotheses or theories through the use of models, including mathematical

Limited student

autonomy

Structured Student Inquiry

Guided Student Inquiry

Open Student Inquiry

STEM Projects toolkit models and by interacting with IT simulations.

Types of scientific enquiry

Notes in this section are in line with the principles

presented in the ‘Beyond Fair Testing: Teaching

Different Types of Scientific Enquiry’ resources

developed by the Gatsby Science Enhancement

Programme and King’s College London in order to

broaden the range of scientific enquiries for

students aged 11-16.The original resource includes

useful professional development advice for anyone

who lacks confidence in varying the style of

practical investigations carried out by their students. It can be accessed at

the National STEM Centre e-library (http://stem.org.uk/rx657).

Planning for Inclusion

Students of all abilities and cultural backgrounds can benefit from IBL

opportunities and the skills encouraged by such projects are highly prized by

potential employers and by higher and further education establishments.

UK employers do not expect schools to produce job-ready employees by the

time they leave secondary school. But what they do expect is to be able to

recruit young people with the right skills, capabilities and attitude for the work

place:

“Goo literac an communication skills, inclu ing the use of IT

A broad set of so-called 'employability skills'. That is, being able to work

in a team, to solve problems, to communicate effectively, to

understand how businesses work and the ability to manage their time

A strong grounding in science and maths, particularly numeracy skills

Access to a range of further learning options, whether academic,

vocational or applied qualifications that are recognised, understood

and valued b business.”

(extract from Confederation for British Industry (CBI) statement,

available in full at http://www.cbi.org.uk/business-issues/education-

and-skills/in-focus/the-education-sector/)

In addition to the benefits of participation in project work experienced by all

students, the rewards gained from successful participation, and the impact of

receiving praise and feedback from expert judges from beyond their

immediate community, is particularly beneficial and motivational for students

from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Unfortunately, at present in the UK when it comes to sharing students’ project

work beyond their school community at events such as the finals of the

National Science + Engineering Competition, or the STEM Clubs showcase,

both hosted by the Big Bang Fair, a disproportionate number of the

competitors and exhibitors are from the independent sector or from state

selective schools (this is in contrast with the full range of schools attending UK

STEM Projects toolkit STEM Fairs as ‘visitors’).

This link between educational and/or social advantage and participation in

stem fairs has been the subject of research in Canada (where there is a

popular, well established hierarchy of Science Fairs from school to national

level). The research has indicated that students from advantaged

backgrounds are currently disproportionately represented in the finalists for

the National Science Fair (Bencze, J.L. and Bowen, G. M. (2009); A National

Science Fair: Exhibiting support for the knowledge economy. International

Journal of Science Education 31:18. 2459-2483).

In the UK, in recognition of the need to encourage greater participation in

major STEM Fairs by schools serving students with disadvantaged

backgrounds, some ‘seed’ funding has been made available to stimulate a

growth in participation in project work for schools with high numbers of

students registered as eligible for free school meals. Additionally, schools can

apply for financial aid to support a group of students exhibiting their work at

the Big Bang if they can show that they have exhausted all other funding

routes.

Using Differentiation strategies to support inclusion

Teachers can apply the common tools of differentiation to ensure that their

students can engage positively with the investigative project work whilst also

feeling challenged and empowered by exercising their autonomy. It is

important however that the nature and extent of support provided by

teachers or other supervising adults is acknowledged and taken into account

when students’ project work is being assessed or ranked in comparison to that

of their peers.

Type of differentiation Example

Differentiation by task

(similar subject for the investigation

or inquiry, but different degrees of

exploration employed by different

categories of student)

Younger students normally require

shorter projects and/or those with fewer

inter-related variables to handle. They

cope best with clear ‘cause and effect’

outcomes (or with data supporting

simple patterns or correlations)

Older, more experienced students can

handle open-ended tasks and/or those

requiring mastery of more sophisticated

data gathering techniques.

In a mixed ability group or one involving

students in a ‘vertical’ age group,

different tasks may be carried out by

different students to match their interests

and abilities to the nature and stages of

the investigation.

STEM Projects toolkit Differentiation by resource

(similar subject for the investigation

or inquiry, but the level of student

engagement is determined by the

type and relative sophistication of

the resources – apparatus and

access to reference materials -

available for students to work with)

Younger or weaker students may be

steered, at least initially, to use simpler

measuring techniques or instruments. This

is one area where some students may

outperform expectations as their

curiosity about an aspect of their inquiry

drives them to seek detail or accuracy

beyond the complexity that they have

previously exhibited.

Students with limited sensor-motor skills

may need specially sourced or adapted

resources, but generally nothing beyond

those needed for good inclusive

practice for their curriculum studies.

Support may also be in the form of

access to additional resources not

generally available in school such as the

specialist CAD/CAM facilities offered by

a local business or further education

college.

Differentiation by support

(similar subject for the investigation

or inquiry, but with varying levels of

access to support and instruction

by teachers or other supervising

adults)

Support for students’ projects may be

through contact with a mentor – a senior

student or an adult volunteer such as a

STEM Ambassador.

Individual students may also need more

support than their peers. If they have

difficulties with the time management of

extended projects, the support may

simply be in the form of closer monitoring

of their progress and ‘recap’ meetings. If

students have difficulty with data

handling and interpretation, they may

be provided with report frameworks and

other templates to help organize and

structure their work.

The planning and delivery of this support

will normally follow the same principles

as those use during standard practical

work, whilst taking care not to

undermine students’ opportunities to

exhibit some autonomy over the

direction of their inquiry.

Good projects are ones which have

accessible outcomes for the students

involved – if excessive adult support is

required, it is usually an indication that

the project is over-ambitious for the

STEM Projects toolkit students. A re-negotiation of the project

objectives is normally a more satisfying

intervention strategy than repeated

compensatory inputs from teachers or

other project mentors.

Differentiation by outcome

(similar subject for the investigation

or inquiry and similar resources

available for everyone engaged

in the project. Students ‘reach

their own levels’)

Even when all students find their projects

engaging and they are well motivated,

differences in personal attention to

detail, the collective creativity of a

particular team of students or even just

the luck of the location of data

collection will result in a range of final

project outcomes.

The diversity of the approaches to

problem solving is in itself a quality to be

celebrated.

Pitching inquiry questions at the appropriate level of challenge for students

Good inquiry questions are based on scenarios which will have sufficient

challenge to appeal to students’ intellectual interest and conceptual curiosity

whilst also requiring them to apply procedural skills in new situations.

It is important that the levels of conceptual and procedural demand

associated with an inquiry question are accessible to the target group of

students. Teachers need to use professional judgment, based on their prior

knowledge of the students’ achievements, to select the subject for inquiries

and/or to structure support to enable students of different abilities to engage

with the investigations at their own level. Support for students can also be

provided by their peers whenever they work collaboratively within small

groups or teams. By collaborating with each other, students can share ideas,

test hypotheses and suggest alternative investigative methods, and by doing

so they can extend their capacity to make progress in their understanding of

the topic being investigated – the students would be working at their

respective ‘zones of proximal development’ in Vygotskian social

development theory terms.

STEM Projects toolkit

Further information on procedural and conceptual demand is available from:

http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/elibrary/resource/5327/scientific-

enquiry-training-materials

STEM Projects toolkit Module 3: Moving from teacher-led individual lessons to student-designed

and -led inquiry based lessons and projects

3.1 Identifying the extent of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) taking place in your

own lessons.

The term ‘natural teaching style’ is a bit of a misnomer as all teachers vary

their styles of interactions with classes to accommodate the learning needs of

students of different ages and ability ranges as well as in response to the most

appropriate delivery styles for sections of the curriculum. Generally though, a

teacher will feel most comfortable to teach within the boundaries of their

confidence to control both the behavior and the quality of learning of the

students in his or her class. The thought of giving students greater autonomy

by taking responsibility for shaping their own learning through independent

project work is an exciting prospect for some teachers and potentially ‘a step

too far’ for others.

Where are you on the continuum?

Teacher-centred Student-centred

By taking the intermediate step of introducing short, student-centred

investigations and inquiry-based work, teachers can learn and gain

confidence alongside their students.

Experiencing the reassuring

feedback that students can

use intrinsic motivation to

sustain their concentration

on topics which they have

selected for themselves is

important for teachers.

Because the students are on

task during inquiry work,

teachers do not need to

take on the role of

motivators and time-keepers and instead have the freedom to monitor the

quality of the students work, intervening as necessary with advice, additional

information and/or extra prompts or questions. While being engaged in

inquiry, students explore and research topics, participate actively in the

learning process, collaborate and discuss and finally arrive at answers on their

own.

Clearly there is a definite progression from a teacher-led to student-owned

learning environment as the focus of lessons moves from structured to guided

to open inquiry. So as your role as teacher evolves from being a source of

information for your students to a facilitator who works to empower them to

answer their own questions, so your students will progress from being

accumulators of knowledge to becoming authentic explorers, scientists and

engineers.

STEM Projects toolkit Try using the Inquiry Model framework to help you decide on the extent to

which the structure of your current lessons allows your students to follow

authentic inquiry-based learning. Having identified your current practice, you

can then refer to the descriptions of how learning takes place in adjacent

cells to identify targets and to suggest strategies to move your teaching to

include more open-ended activities for your students

3.2 Planning for Inquiry-based Learning – posing appropriate questions for

students to answer

Many activities commonly used in science can be modified by using current

resources differently e.g. by changing the context in which the activity is

presented to pupils, or by reframing the question, promoting a different type

of response from pupils.

In addition, inquiries can take place in a range of different contexts, not

simply by students conducting ‘fair test’ types of practical work in which they

manipulate a number of independent variables and measure the outcome

(or dependent variable). Some investigations involve the processes of

identification and classification, whilst others require the conduction of

This chart is available as a download from the Resources section of the Intel Teach Elements “Inquiry in the Science Classroom” http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/k12/stem.html

STEM Projects toolkit surveys and the search for patterns or correlations. Students can also explore

and extend their explanations, hypotheses or theories through the use of

models, including mathematical models and by interacting with IT simulations.

Ideas for student investigations may emerge from their deeper interest in a

curriculum topic, or from a hobby or other personal interest. In some cases

local ‘events’ such as the staging of a concert or exhibition or changes to the

locality such as the construction of a new road will give the opportunity for

students to investigate the resulting impact on their local environment.

http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/crestresources

Many books and websites offer suggestions for projects and good sources

including the STEM Clubs website in the UK

(http://www.stemclubs.net/activity) and the ‘pick up and run’ section of the

CREST Awards pages on the British Science Association website.

(http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/crest-awards/project-resources-

and-accredited-partners). ‘Science buddies’ is an American website which

allows students to search for potential projects based on their choice of

preferred curriculum areas (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/).

3.3 Classroom and resource management for student inquiries and projects

Whatever the source of inspiration for an area of research, it is essential that

students’ proposed work is thoroughly checked against the relevant Health

and Safety advice and that project-specific risk assessments are carried out if

the activities do not fall under existing assessments adopted by the school.

Some investigations involving live subjects (including the collection of data by

surveys) will also need checking against advice and regulations for ethical

approval. All schools should have a nominated member of staff with

responsibility for Health & Safety and if necessary he or she can determine the

viability of a project and/or clarify any special steps or precautions that need

to be complied with. In the UK, staff in schools registered with CLEAPSS can

request support and advice on any proposed practical activity and this

school advisory service has readily available safety audits for many of the

more common practical activities (www.cleapss.org.uk).

STEM Projects toolkit At some point, by the very fact that they tend to be extra-curricular activities,

there will be some expense involved in supporting student projects. This may

be in the form of additional consumables such as supplies of chemicals (or

additional coffees and cookies to fortify the staff giving up their time!). It may

also mean the purchase of additional materials such as microprocessors,

thermochromic paints or seeds/plants/growing medium. More substantial

costs such as extended hours for laboratory technicians or transport to off-site

venues are really only addressed by having a ‘STEM Club/Project’ budget

within school, or by securing sponsorship by a local business.

Using the arguments presented in modules 1 & 2 can support a claim to

school management for the allocation of some funding for the basic running

costs for project work. Inviting senior management and budget holders to

view the quality of the work being carried out during projects is often a good

lever for securing some funding – and if they are slow to accept an invitation

to see students work in progress, formally invite members of the management

team to act as assessors or judges for the finished projects. Further advice is

available on line from the STEM Fairs Toolkit (www.stemfairstoolkit.co.uk).

The perennial ‘inter-school rivalry’ can also be used as a lever for funding as

the prestige of positive media coverage of students’ participation in events,

particularly external ones, is always highly valued – so it is worth applying the

adage ‘you have to speculate to accumulate’.

3.4 Why expand participation in STEM Fairs?

Students can get intrinsic reward from their participation in self-directed

project work, but the opportunity to share their work with others by taking part

in a celebratory exhibition or through entering their project report in a STEM

competition or STEM Fair has many times the impact. When students are given

an audience for their work outside their usual learning environment, it

challenges them to communicate their ideas in rich detail, often using mixed

media such as posters, models or samples of apparatus or products of their

research to complement the contents of their project notebooks.

Researchers have suggested that engagement in student-led science and

technology projects is necessary for students to develop scientific and

technological ‘connoisseurship’ - that is, acquisition of the unique sets of

Competitor in a STEM Fair

STEM Projects toolkit capabilities that enable people to solve problems in specific contexts useful

for science-based careers and for the application of science in everyday life

(Aikenhead, 2005; Duggan & Gott, 2002, cited in Bencze & Bowen (2009)).

Certainly staff and students interviewed at regional heats and national finals

of the National Science + Engineering Competition were unanimous in their

endorsements of the far-ranging benefits of competing in the Competition

(www.nsecuk.org).

“Amazing fair! A rare opportunity for pupils to see such a breadth of science and technology, find out things and broaden their horizons. We are encouraging our pupils not to just stay on their stand but to go and find out more, including the chance to contact possible future employers.”

Parent/Governor, from an 11-18 school in Kendal,

“It’s been a way of meeting loads of different people. All the stands show science in lots of different lights. It is good talking about my project to experts.”

S.K., Senior Biology Competitor,

“Don't participate in science fairs for the awards. Don't do science for the recognition. Don't compare yourself to anyone else and don't force yourself to do it. Do it because you love it and because you can make a difference. Help your community and contribute to society. Learn through your experiences and discover the world around you. Such is the true reward of science." Intel ISEF Alumnus

Parent/Governor, from an 11-18 school in Kendal,

STEM Projects toolkit Module 4: Characteristics of good project work

4.1 What is a ‘good project’?

‘Good projects’ provide interest and challenge for students and give them

the opportunity to study topics in considerable detail. In many cases, simply

getting engrossed in the processes of authentic discovery and investigation

provides new insight into the ‘real world of STEM’ for the student or students

involved. Therefore projects should allow students to:

work beyond the confines of a prescribed ‘core curriculum’

reflect on questions that they would like to answer

develop their own research proposals and to see them through to a

satisfying conclusion

have the time and opportunity to consult with people from beyond

their immediate classroom environment

develop their independent learning skills as well as their scientific

knowledge and understanding

Landmark dates in the school calendar such as Open Days, National Science

& Engineering Week, the start of an examination period and others can

determine checkpoints and deadlines for projects so that time management

is added to the rich mix of personal skills which students develop through their

project work.

With such positive potential outcomes, there is a strong case to argue that

the opportunity to take part in ‘good projects’ should be available to all

students, not just those attending extra-curricular activities such as science

clubs.

In the report by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and

Skills (Ofsted) in January 2011, entitled ‘Successful Science: an evaluation of

science education in England 2007-2010’ the following observation was

made

“The impact of good teaching was seen when pupils understood

clearly the standards they had achieved; knew what they needed to

do to improve and were involved in peer and self-evaluation; took part

in decision-making, discussion, research and scientific enquiry; and

were engaged in science that had relevance to their lives.”

And amongst the key findings in the same report is the statement

“In the schools which showed clear improvement in science subjects,

key factors in promoting students’ engagement, learning and progress

were more practical science lessons and the development of the skills

of scientific enquiry.”

(www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/100034)

4.2 Challenges for inclusive practice

STEM Projects toolkit The positioning of project work outside core curriculum time can create

problems of access and equal opportunity. For example, if support for

projects is offered after the end of the school day, students who are

dependent on public transport or shared lifts with siblings may be unable to

attend. The alternative of placing the project work at lunchtime generally

results in less time being available to devote to projects and increases the

chances of the sessions clashing with other extra-curricular activities.

No matter when the project work is timetabled, motivated students will be

anxious to further their projects by contributing some of their own leisure time

to continue working on their ideas between school-based sessions. Again, a

student’s personal and domestic circumstances will have an impact on their

capacity to pursue their project research successfully. Not all students will

have a supportive environment in which spending personal time on a ‘project

for school’ is encouraged (and some may even come from a culture where

homework of any sort is not valued). Those students with immediate family

members who work in scientific or engineering environments may benefit

from having contact with professionals in the field of their study and / or have

access to specialist equipment.

This is definitely NOT a reason to avoid encouraging less advantaged students

from taking up STEM project work, but it does alert teachers to the extra

nurturing that some students may require to give them the opportunity to

succeed. Appropriate strategies will depend on the range of challenges

which are most prevalent in individual schools, but they will normally just be

extensions of the practices already adopted by the school to address the

access to learning needs of its students e.g. well equipped homework/private

study areas available outside lesson time. Additionally, in the UK, schools have

access to the network of free STEM Ambassadors through the STEMNET

programme (www.stemnet.org.uk) and by making use of the professional

expertise offered by such volunteers, students can receive valuable support

and mentoring for their projects.

4.3 Tackling stereotypes

In the UK, there is still a trend for girls to be under-represented in science

classes after the age of 16 (i.e. after the stage in education when studying

science is no longer a requirement in most schools). A report published in

October 2012 by the Institute of Physics and based on data from the National

Pupil Database concludes:

“For the last 20 years, only 20% of physics A-level students have been

girls, despite about equal success between genders in GCSE physics

and science.

In terms of choices, physics is the 19th most popular A-level subject for

girls, but 4th most popular for boys. Clearly there is something about

physics, or how it is perceived, that iscourages girls.”

(Extract taken from the Institute of Physics report ‘It’s Different for Girls”

http://www.iop.org/education/teacher/support/girls_physics/page_41593.ht

ml)

STEM Projects toolkit

(Chart reproduced from the Institute of Physics briefing sheet for senior

leaders in schools, produced to accompany the report ‘It’s Different for Girls’).

A report by the Institute of Physics (IoP) entitled ‘Girls in the Physics Classroom:

Review of Research on Girls’ Participation in Physics’ provides some insight

into the drop in participation rates of girls:

“Stu ents’ interest in science eclines as the progress through school

and the decline appears to become steeper after age 14, particularly

for girls and particularly in physics.

Girls, more than boys, experience a difference between their personal

goals for learning and the learning objectives of the physics curriculum.

As a consequence they are less inclined to opt for physics, even if they

achieve high grades and enjoy the subject.

As they go through secondary schooling, students experience physics

to be increasingly difficult. This perception is partly due to the

mathematical eman s of the subject but also to girls’ e eloping

feeling of “not being able to o ph sics”. The feeling is not borne out

b the realit of girls’ performance’ ”.

Report and associated recommendations available to download from:

http://www.iop.org/education/teacher/support/girls_physics/review/page_4

1597.html

Participation in inquiry-based project work, where girls’ are able to shape the

focus and structure of their projects, provides the sort of alternative learning

environment in which girls are able to fulfill their ‘personal goals for learning’,

as described in the IoP report. Having examples of past projects where the

‘human stories’ of the study of the topic for its personal, social, medical,

environmental, etc. context as much as for its scientific or technological

content is really important to broaden the appeal, particularly for girls.

Regular coverage of successes with STEM projects in school and local media

STEM Projects toolkit is also good for helping recruit a more inclusive cohort of students into taking

part in projects.

The profiles of successful competitors from recent National Competitions are

available to view in the CREST Projects area of the British Science Association

website (http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/crest-awards/case-

studies). The projects developed by boys and girls are given equal

prominence on the website and the positive role models featured could be

used, in conjunction with the offer of opportunities to conduct their own

projects, to encourage greater participation by girls.

A small scale study of schools with a good continuation rate for girls into post-

16 study of science studies was conducted by The Office for Standards in

Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) and published in April 2011,

points to examples of good practice:

‘In the few examples where girls ha change their min s an set out

on a new and unfamiliar route, that change had often been catalysed

by a personal experience of either meeting a professional in school, or

directly encountering the new kind of work for themselves. That could

happen accidentally, for example as part of a school trip that

capture an in i i ual’s imagination, or deliberately through school-

irecte work placements esigne to challenge preconceptions.’

www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/090239.

4.4 Selecting a suitable project idea

The quality of your students’ projects depends on their selection of viable and

motivating topics for investigation. If given a totally free choice, many

students face difficulty and indecision in coming up with a suitable project

idea and they will benefit from being shown a range of possibilities which are

age and ability appropriate. Ideas for student investigations may emerge

from their deeper interest in a curriculum topic, or from a hobby or other

personal interest and provided the proposed subjects offer the opportunity for

students to engage in meaningful scientific inquiry, they should be

encouraged.

Internet searches will bring up a host of possible topics for projects but

students may need advice about which sites are most trustworthy as some

examples available online have not been ‘tried and tested’ and many come

without any form of risk assessment. Within the UK, ‘branded’ sources of

project ideas such as those designed for the ‘STEM Challenges’

(www.stemchallenges.net), those associated with the Bloodhound Super

Sonic Car (SSC) Project (http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/education) and

those suggested by the CREST Awards programme

(http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/crest-awards/project-resources-

and-accredited-partners) have all been prepared carefully and checked by

experienced practitioners. Although they do not come with a guarantee that

your students will complete them successfully, all the key components for

success are certainly present – and as a bonus, access to the project ideas is

STEM Projects toolkit free.

It is also worth looking out for competitions and/or project work promoted by

museums, industries or professional associations. A recommended website

from North America is called ‘Science buddies’ and it allows students to

search for potential projects based on their choice of preferred curriculum

areas (www.sciencebuddies.org).

4.5 Getting started

Two commonly used ‘thought starters’ on any topic are

‘What would happen if…’ and ‘I wonder how….’.

The examples below are taken from recent competition entries for the UK’s

National Science + Engineering Competition, but the exploration of similar

‘real world’ scenarios could form the basis of successful projects for

completion during STEM Club sessions.

A twel e ear ol competitor e elope his ‘Square E es’ project after

a visit to his optician. After being told that too much time on his

PlayStation was bad for his eyes, he decided to investigate this for

himself for a science fair at school. His project not only netted him the

Junior Science & Maths Prize, but also the Society of Biology Prize for

the best biology project in the 2011 finals of the National Science +

Engineering Competition.

One fourteen year old student turned his hobby of snake keeping into

a project on snake genetics, particularly looking at the inheritance of

different morphs in different species.

A se enteen ear ol pro uce a Te bear chil ’s alarm, inspire

b her ounger brother who has Down’s s n rome an can wan er off

by himself. She designed a gentle alarm (the teddy bears’ picnic song,

chosen not to worry the child) which plays if the child-to-adult distance

increases more than a set amount, which can be altered as the child

grows. Initially linked to her GCSE electronics project work, the alarm

was developed further in her own time and the resulting competition

Examples of ‘branded’ projects

STEM Projects toolkit entry was awarded the Intermediate & Maths Prize and the Shell Prize

for Innovation in the 2011 finals of the National Science + Engineering

Competition.

Once students have settled on a topic to investigate for their project, seeing

some photographs of previous, related project work or copies of reports or

posters from previous presentations can help them to set Specific,

Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART) targets for their

own work. ‘SMART targets’ are more often used in the workplace for

performance management but with a little modification to the definitions of

the terms, the acronym lends itself successfully to providing structure for

student projects, as in the example below:

S – Specific (has well-defined goals. Identifying a concise ‘Research

Question’ or ‘Product Specification’ to be accomplished by the

project work)

M – Measurable (has agreed outcomes and success criteria – including

timelines. Monitoring progress is essential to good time / project

management)

A – Achievable (includes goals and proposed research methods which

are within the capacity of the student to deliver)

R – Realistic (students are both willing and able to work toward the

goal set)

T – Time-bound (interim checkpoints and final delivery date for

completion of project agreed at the outset)

STEM Projects toolkit 4.6 Resources

Most project work is carried out with minimal additional budget for the school

STEM departments involved. Whilst this harsh reality may limit the range of

feasible topics and can also reduce access to some types of investigation, it

does bring out the best in terms of the design of creative alternatives with re-

cycled and modified apparatus. Sometimes projects can be boosted by

support from local or national businesses in the form of funding or access to

resources. There are also occasional opportunities to apply for project funding

associated with particular curriculum areas, such as the scheme offered by a

consortium of The Science and Technology Facilities Council (formerly PPARC

and CCLRC), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the

Institute of Physics, which is intended for “projects or events linked to the

teaching or promotion of physics or engineering”

(http://www.iop.org/about/grants/school/page_38824.html).

Information about possible sources of funding is normally well publicized to

schools but in the UK, a synopsis of currently available opportunities can be

supplied by STEMNET Contract Holders whose contact details can be found

on STEMNET’s website (www.stemnet.org.uk) and specific information about

funding for events being held during National Science & Engineering Week

can be accessed online ( http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/national-

science-engineering-week).

Sources of Information

The standard sources of information for school project work include internet

searches, access to reference books in the school and/or public library and

also guidance from parents, teachers, subject matter experts and even

scientists and engineers in the community. For more in-depth project work,

the background information which is readily available may not provide

sufficient detail to inform the project(s) and access to technical data and/or

research literature may be the next step required. This is where the support of

a mentor from an associated company, research institute or Higher Education

institution can be extremely useful as it can not only open doors to new

sources of information but also:

give students an insight into the world of work

provide positive role models of professional researchers, scientists &

engineers

portray universities/further education institutions as appropriate and

desirable destinations

give students an opportunity to develop their communication skills

through communicating with an external mentor

ensure that students are guided towards the most relevant resources in

an otherwise potentially bewildering world of specialist expertise.

4.7 The teacher’s role in facilitating student projects.

STEM Projects toolkit Facilitating project work has some essential components, for example

providing a suitable location (laboratory, workshop, outdoor space) and

scheduling meeting times that are attractive to the target group of students.

As with any activity involving students, health and safety considerations have

to be paramount and it is the teachers’ responsibility to carry out appropriate

risk assessments in the same way as they would for the practical lessons they

deliver during curriculum hours. Many projects available online have

accompanying risk assessments, but it is important to ‘personalise’ these to

meet local regulations and to ensure that they fit the precise circumstances

of school or other environment where the projects will take place.

Due to the unfolding nature of student projects, it is not always possible for

teachers to anticipate all the requests for resources and project advice that

students will generate. As long as the ‘boundaries’ of the projects have been

clearly defined initially (see ‘SMART targets’ in the Getting Started section

above), most of the requests for support can be met by a bit of lateral

thinking by the supervising teachers, or by calling on the talents of a

cooperative laboratory or workshop technician. More demanding requests

may require time to address, re-negotiated with the student if they are

impractical in terms cost, access to resources, health and safety, or unrealistic

timescale for realisation.

Building up a vibrant culture of project work can take time, but the best

advertising is often that generated by the enthusiasm and commitment of the

students taking part. When a school has a tradition of encouraging projects

and perhaps even of participating in external competitions, it is relatively easy

for teachers to promote opportunities for project work with new cohorts of

students by drawing on examples from friends and siblings of the new

students. In the absence of a ‘legacy’ of project work by alumni in a school, it

is likely that teachers will have to market the idea more persuasively, possibly

drawing on some of the examples of good projects presented in previous

sections of this document for inspiration.

Further advice about introducing and supporting student project work is

available from the STEM Clubs website (www.stemclubs.net) and in the UK, by

contacting your local STEMNET Contract Holder (www.

stemnet.org.uk/contact).

Once project work has been established in a STEM Club or other school

setting, a natural progression would be to share the results of the students

work in some form of celebration event. This could be as simple as a display in

the school library, reception area, or other communal space, with

presentations as part of a school open day, or as reports on dedicated pages

of the school website. There may be the opportunity to enter the projects for

formal assessment against criteria for a recognised award such as CREST

Awards (http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/crest-awards) and/or for

comparing the students’ work with that of their peers from other schools by

entering them for external competitions.

Making a ‘reconnaissance visit’ to a STEM Fair or Competition is a great way

to get a good idea of the typical style and standard of entries and to pick up

a few tips from the projects and their presenters. It also gives teachers an

insight into how to prepare their own students to take part in similar external

STEM Projects toolkit events in the future.

Opportunities for professional development for teachers

The world of STEM enhancement and enrichment is extremely varied and this

is reflected in the range of professional development needs of STEM teachers.

Fortunately many stakeholders offer formal professional development support

for teachers. Some courses, such as the ones presented as part of the ‘Intel®

Teach Elements’ series are available through online tutorials

(www.intel.co.uk/content/www/us/en/education/k12/teach-elements).

In the UK, teachers also have access to courses offered by the network of

Science Learning Centres (www.sciencelearningcentres.org.uk) and by the

National STEM Centre (www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk), as well as those

offered by professional organisations such as the Association for Science

Education (ASE, www.ase.org.uk), the Design and Technology Association

(DATA, www.data.org.uk) and the National Centre for Excellence in the

Teaching of Mathematics (www.ncetm.org.uk).

There are also professional discussion groups, such as those supported by the

Times Education Supplement (www.tes.co.uk/forums.aspx) where teachers

involved in STEM enhancement and enrichment can share ideas and support

each other.

STEM Projects toolkit Module 5: From the Classroom to the STEM Fair

5.1 Beyond the classroom walls – first steps

There are a number of possible intermediary steps between students carrying

out projects in their own classes, with their peers and STEM teachers as their

intended audience, and the potentially daunting prospect of presenting a

project at a regional or national STEM Competition or Fair.

One of the simplest steps for teachers to take to provide their students with a

greater sense of value with regards to their project work is to arrange for them

to present their work in school, but to a wider audience, for example, to STEM

Ambassadors (www.stemnet.org.uk/content/ambassadors).

The positive impact of school visits by STEM Ambassadors was reported in 2010

in the National Foundation for Educational Research (NfER) evaluation of

STEMNET’s services on pupils and teachers:

‘Notably, involvement in STEM Clubs and/or interactions with STEM

Ambassa ors is increasing pupils’ interest in STEM, as well as

developing their knowledge of the subjects, practical skills and generic

transferable skills (e.g. team-working, problem-solving) which are of key

importance to their future employability.

There is also some evidence that involvement in STEM Clubs and

interaction with STEM Ambassadors can increase progression to STEM

subjects. In relation to STEM Ambassadors, the evaluation suggests that

more ongoing and sustained contact with STEM Ambassadors could

lead to even greater impacts for pupils.’

(www.stemnet.org.uk/assets/files/tender/evaluation/Summary-of-the-

evaluation-of-STEMNET.pdf)

Even relatively modest projects are elevated in the eyes of the students

working on them by the prospect of a visiting assessor or judge. Although

often nervous about presenting their projects to strangers, students are usually

very interested in receiving feedback about their presentations and

recognise that the overall experience is a valuable learning opportunity for

them. Importantly, teachers report high levels of student motivation and

enthusiastic attention to the preparation of their presentations by students

preparing for a visit by an external audience or panel of assessors.

There are a large number of STEM Projects linked to competitions each

academic year. These can be annual events such as those offered for

different age groups by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT,

www.etrust.org.uk), and many of these have associated success criteria

linked to formal assessment either in schools or at relatively local venues.

Although open-ended projects in terms of the work ultimately produced by

the students, the fact that these competitions have boundaries determined

by the context of the challenge and/or the rules about the nature of the

entry itself, provides a degree of reassurance to first-time competitors. In the

UK, the network of local STEMNET contract holders can provide teaches with

a comprehensive list of STEM competitions currently available for students.

(www.stemnet.org.uk/content/about-us/contractholders)

STEM Projects toolkit Once comfortable with completing project work and with presenting it in in

an extra-curricular context, STEM staff should consider providing their students

with a bigger stage to exhibit their learning and reasoning powers. Particularly

attractive to students are the opportunities to participate in competitive

events that reward their ideas and scientific thinking such as STEM Challenges

(www.stemchallenges.net), Go4Set (www.etrust.org.uk/go4set), Formula 1 in

Schools (www.f1inschools.co.uk/) and so on. These competitions not only

build greater enthusiasm among the students but also give them an

opportunity to build valuable skills such as communication, collaboration,

planning, time management and problem solving in a contrasting context to

just working for themselves or their teachers. This important collection of skills

provides a sound foundation for success in executing real-world tasks as

adults, later in their lives.

5.2 A look at STEM fairs and competitions

Participation in STEM fairs or competitions gives students the opportunity to

learn how to solve problems, engage in teamwork and execute projects

within the regulations set by the organisers of the target event. In addition to

the satisfaction they derive from the project work itself, meeting the

constraints and challenges imposed by the competition or fair organisers,

enables students to gain experience of presenting themselves and their work

professionally to an external audience. Although making a presentation to

strangers may appear initially to be a ‘nerve-wrecking’ prospect for many

students, with support and encouragement from their teachers (and one or

two dress rehearsals before the event itself), the vast majority of students look

back very positively on the experience.

One of the best and most straightforward opportunities to encourage

students to showcase their ideas and achievements is provided by a local

STEM fair, such as a ‘Big Bang Near Me’ event. The familiarity of the venue

and the relatively modest scale of the event itself makes it feel less

intimidating to first time competitors and may even increase the chances of

being amongst the prize winners from a smaller pool of entrants.

Larger STEM Fairs include wide ranging activities for visiting students in

addition to being the venue for the finals of STEM competitions and bringing a

group of students to experience the ‘fringe’ exhibits provides inspiration for

them as well as for the accompanying adults. By visiting the STEM

competitors’ stands and talking to the students about their work, both

teachers and students can get re-assurance that whilst producing a worthy

competition entry would be challenging, the benefits and rewards of being

part of the competition are unparalleled.

5.3 What teachers say

STEM Projects toolkit

5.4 What students say:

“An excellent opportunity for pupils to see some real life applications of science and engineering and the vast number of possible career options available to them.”

Visiting teacher from the Big Bang West Midlands, 2012

“It’s a hassle. It’s hard work. But it’s incredibly rewarding and pupils get to see the relevance of Science. The Fair supports our school philosophy of not teaching Science, but teaching our pupils to become scientists.” Head of Science from a High School in the East Midlands whose STEM

Club students won a national Young Engineers Club award in 2011

“Instead of answering the question, we’ve realised how big the question can be. There’s plenty more for budding scientists to do.”

KS3 student following completion of CREST Award

“That was the hardest thing I have ever done! Can we do it again next year?”

Year 7 pupil, presenting at their first STEM Fair, summer 2012

“I have always been interested in science so when my teacher mentioned the science project and suggested it to our class I really wanted to get involved. The Big Bang was an unforgettable experience, I learnt a lot from it, and then to win an award was an amazing feeling. At first it was quite daunting as there were so many people there. But I really enjoyed being able to talk to lots of other people who are interested in science and it was great to be able to find out about the vast range of different projects. Also it was a great insight into how research science works. It was an incredible feeling to be part of the Big Bang”.

Sarah, 14-year-old student (STEM Fairs Toolkit, Interview 31)

STEM Projects toolkit

Further afield, the endorsements for attendance at STEM Fairs are the same

from students who participated in Fairs in different parts of the world. Below

are some quotes from competitors of different nationalities who took part in

the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in 2011:

“You learn how to present in front of people, how to communicate to

other people because science stuff can be er complicate .”

“It gi es us a reason to look into a certain aspect of science and to

in estigate a concept we are curious about.”

“I will be going to college soon an science fairs ha e taught me a lot

about self-initiati e that I can take to a higher le el of e ucation.”

“It has gi en me a lo e of science an the confi ence in m self that I

can be successful in this fiel .”

(http://www.societyforscience.org/intelisef2011)

5.5 Where to find STEM Fairs

The major STEM Fairs in the UK are the UK Big Bang Fair, held annually during

National Science & Engineering Week (March), and ‘Near Me’ Big Bang Fairs,

held throughout the year, often towards the end of the academic year. The

number of Big Bang ‘Near Me’ fairs is rising to meet the growing demand from

schools. Details for all of these events are updated regularly on the Big Bang

Fair website (www.thebigbangfair.co.uk).

5.6 Helping your Students in making a ‘Presentation’

One of the most important tasks in any project is to communicate the findings

of the project to a larger audience than fellow class students. The most

common tools used in a STEM fair to communicate information on a project

to the judges, teachers, fellow participants and other audience members are:

a) A Display Board: a visual presentation, generally arranged as a three-fold

display, of the project overview. This may be accompanied, but not

replaced, by video or other multi-media content displayed on a laptop

computer.

b) An Oral Presentation: an “overview plus interview” where the students are

required to explain their project and also offer information on any aspect they

are being queried upon.

Designing a Display

The project display should create an impact, providing an insight into your

STEM Projects toolkit project in a compelling way without you having to explain anything.

Encourage students to make the most of the display area by using all

available space to make an effective display This does not mean packing it

with as many things as can be fitted into the space - layout is crucial. The

general wisdom is that there should be:

40% open space - 30% images or plots - 30% text

The details of the project work needs to be as succinct and as to-the-point as

possible, so it is important to focus on what information the reader needs to

understand the gist of the project. It is very tempting for students to try to

include too much information on their displays, resulting in ‘visual clutter’,

rather than a concise, coherent account of their work. Before students even

begin to collate materials for their displays, it is worth discussing with them

what the success criteria for winning posters would be. Subsequently, by

working to this agreed set of criteria, it is easier to get students to critique and

adjust their own presentations rather than having to argue for the removal of

a treasured photo or piece of text which has already found its way onto the

proposed poster!

STEM Projects toolkit Recommended poster layouts:

Remember! Less is more.

Don’t overcrowd your space and leave 40% of it open

This advice has been adapted from the more detailed information available

in the UK National Science & Engineering Competition’s Competitor Guide,

available to download from their website

(www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/_db/_documents/NSEC_Competitor_Guide_FINA

L.pdf).

There are some useful tips for planning project displays written specifically for

a primary student audience (7 – 11 year olds) on the support pages for the

long established and highly successful Intel Ireland ‘mini scientist exhibition’.

(www.miniscientist.ie/helpfulhints) but the principles recommended for

presentation layouts are useful and valid for exhibitors of any age.

5.7 The teacher’s STEM fair countdown timeline

Your tasks will start even before you help your students plan for their STEM

Competition project and will continue after they have presented their project

to the judges. Check your calendar and block out times when you will be

needed exclusively for school or personal events so that you can work around

them. Now make a note of key dates in the students’ school year which may

have other calls on their time – e.g. residential field trips or coursework

deadlines. Add to this calendar the key dates for the project (such as entry

registration date and competition date itself).

Use the following prompts in conjunction with your annotated school

calendar to map the tasks you will need to complete to periods of the school

year.

How will the proposed projects break down into ‘phases’? e.g.

o initial inquiries and investigations

STEM Projects toolkit o project research and development time

o evaluation & testing

o final experimental results (or production of final artifact)

o preparation of project presentation?

…… and how can these phases be accommodated within the time

available?

Are there periods when the support of other teachers, technicians,

STEM Ambassadors will be available – how can these opportunities be

optimised?

Are there existing events on the school calendar which would be

exploited? e.g. using the opportunity for students to demonstrate their

projects at a school open evening to give them experience of talking

to a wider audience

Once a core project countdown calendar has been produced, it is important

to share the key dates, targets and review points with the students as even

the youngest students will need to complete their work by the competition of

fair deadline.

From the outset, students need to be aware that in order for them to produce

successful projects, they will need to demonstrate good (time and project)

management skills to match their good research questions and innovative

inquiry skills.

STEM Projects toolkit Module 6: Aiming higher

6.1 Background information about the National Science + Engineering

Competition

The National Science + Engineering Competition aims to recognise and

reward young people’s achievements in all areas of Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It is open to 11-18 year olds in the UK

and provides young people with the opportunity to build their skills and

confidence in project-based work. The national finals of the Competition take

place every March, during National Science & Engineering Week (NSEW). The

Thousands of young people enter the Competition every year, either as a

team or an individual, via two entry routes:

Regional: Projects showcase their work at

12 regional heats in June/July.

Online: Projects enter a written or film

application between July - October.

There are prizes awarded at three age levels - Junior (ages 11-14 inclusive),

Intermediate (ages 15-16 inclusive) and Senior (ages 17-18 inclusive) winners

with the overall winners of the Senior age group receiving the additional

accolade of being named ‘UK Young Scientist(s) of the Year’ or ‘UK Young

Engineer(s) of the Year’.

Core prizes - these are the main Competition prizes and the therefore

the most sought after. They are all sponsored by the Department for

Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Special prizes - these are additional prizes which are sponsored by

organisations associated with the National Science + Engineering

Competition, often organisations with specific areas of interest.

Core prizes

Science/Maths Engineering

/Technology

Junior 1 winner

1 runner up

3 highly

commended

1 winner

1 runner up

3 highly

commended

Inter-

mediate

1 winner

1 runner up

3 highly

commended

1 winner

1 runner up

3 highly

commended

Senior 1 winner*

1 runner up

3 highly

commended

1 winner**

1 runner up

3 highly

commended

* UK Young Scientist(s) of the Year ** UK Young Engineer(s) of the Year’.

STEM Projects toolkit For further information about all aspects of the National Science +

Engineering Competition and to see a video of the most recent National

Awards Ceremony held at the Big Bang Fair, visit the website

(www.nsecuk.org).

6.2 UK Big Bang Fairs

The Big Bang Fair is the UK's biggest single celebration of science &

engineering for young people, attracting over 56 000 visitors in 2012 and with

97% of those surveyed agreeing that they would recommend a visit to others.

Billed as a “celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths for

students”, the Big Bang Fair is attended by school parties during the week and

by families and anyone else with an interest in STEM at the weekend. The UK

finals of the National Science + Engineering Competition are held annually at

the Big Bang Fair and by having the project displays for the Competition

finalists alongside the mix of interactive stands, activities, workshops, shows

and careers promotions, both sides of STEM enrichment and enhancement

are on display to the thousands of visitors at one fantastic event.

Smaller Big Bang ‘Near Me’ events are also staged at various times across the

school year to suit local circumstances. 12 of these (held in June/July) also

host regional heats of the National Science + Engineering Competition in

Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and in each English region

(www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/nearme/map.cfm).

6.3 Turning a ‘project’ into a ‘competition entry’

The evidence required to give substance to a competition entry includes

good records of the scientific processes which were applied during the

project and for engineering or technology projects, the history of the

prototype development is required, along with test and evaluation data for

the final product. Whilst it is possible to evaluate a school-based project at or

close to its completion and to decide that it has all the right qualities to ‘make

a good competition entry’, it is often easier for all concerned to have the

possibility of being entered for a competition in mind from the outset as

‘evidence for the judges’ can then be retained at appropriate stages in the

project.

What STEM Competition judges are looking for:

1. Project concept

What was the motivation behind the project?

What were the aims?

2. Project process

How well did the students plan and organise their work?

What sort of experiments and research did they do?

Were they innovative or creative in their approach?

3. Project outcome

How well did the project achieve its aims?

Is the final product or report of a high quality?

STEM Projects toolkit Does the project have a ‘real-world’ application?

4. Personal skills

How well did the students deal with any problems or challenges?

How well did they communicate their project?

Does their enthusiasm shine through?

(adapted from

www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/nsec/how_to_enter/judging_criteria.cfm)

When you and your students have set your sights on taking part in a particular

STEM Competition or STEM Fair it is important to develop an agreed action

plan to make sure that all the components of the entry are developed on

time. Stunning experimental results can be overshadowed by a poorly

produced display or a confused, unrehearsed presentation, so it is important

that students are aware of, and aim to excel in, every one of the assessment

areas.

6.4 Keeping a Project Log

Documentation is a very important part of any STEM fair project. If students’

projects are being completed as part of a formal Award Scheme such as the

Engineering Education Scheme (EES) or CREST Award Scheme, they will be

required to complete a project log and to collect evidence of the scientific

and/or technological processes that they have employed. Even if a formal

research log is not a requirement of the competition which the students are

preparing for, it is a good idea to provide students with a project notebook

and to introduce them to the discipline of recording their thoughts, plans and

investigation notes as an integral part of their project management.

Some competition rules require students to go further than just keeping a

contemporaneous account and they require a developed research plan

which gives the overview of the proposed aims, investigation design, methods

of data collection and analysis and anticipated outcomes. This parallels the

‘real world’ where research teams have to substantiate their bids for funding

with details of the research and development methods which will be used to

meet the contract requirements.

When a class or STEM Club has several projects running concurrently a

generic timeline with key milestone dates marked on it can act as a useful

reference tool for both staff and students (especially if the timeline is

displayed at a ‘count down’ to the submission and judging date(s) and is

prominently displayed in the location where the students meet to work on

their projects).

Getting individual project teams to produce their own timelines to fit with their

experimental designs gives students ownership of their work, whilst still allowing

staff to have a clear overview of the progress made, and to retain overall

responsibility for the getting the projects completed on time.

6.5 Collecting supporting evidence

The students’ logbooks should be unlike any other written work which they

produce for school. It should be used to log thoughts as well as events, to

STEM Projects toolkit include failed attempts as well as successes, interim data sets and graphs and

photos of experimental set ups during the preliminary investigations, not just

‘staged’ photographs of the final arrangement. The log also includes the

contemporaneous accounts of students’ thoughts about where the inquiry

work is leading them, so it can include ‘cerebral’ sections as well as ‘hands

on’ sections (although these will be recorded in chronological order, so

interspersed through the log, not appearing in different zones within the

book).

Depending on the nature of the project, it may generate evidence in the

form of electronic data – video evidence, captured datalogger outputs,

images of transitory effects, etc. so the notebook may be supplemented by a

dedicated project folder stored and backed-up on a reliable server.

Even if they are working as part of a team, students should keep their own

notebooks. When the team members come together to produce a single

project presentation for a Fair, the different perspectives on the development

of the project which are recorded in individual student’s handbooks provide

a richer range of evidence and make the ‘story’ of the project easier to retell

for the competition judges.

6.6 Writing an Abstract

After the students have completed their investigations and development

work and have reached a conclusion or final product, they will need to write

an abstract which includes:

For Science/Maths For Technology/Engineering

the purpose of the

experiment

description of procedures

used

data analysis

conclusions

description of development

stages

outcomes of tests and

evaluation of product

example of final artifact with

performance specifications

Do find out if there are any conditions governing the abstract to be submitted

by the students. For example, the Intel International Science and Engineering

Fair limits the abstract to a maximum of 250 words. Remind your students to

use the formatting style specified by the competition organisers, if any.

6.7 The World of Intel ISEF

Looking for the ultimate challenge? The Intel ISEF is the world's largest

international pre-college science competition and is held annually in the

United States. (www.societyforscience.org/isef). The Intel ISEF unites these top

young scientific minds, showcasing their talent on an international stage and

enabling them to submit their work to judging by doctoral level scientists,

providing the opportunity to compete for over $3 million in prizes and

scholarships. There are some profiles, including videos, of winning students

and information about their projects on the ISEF website

(www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/competitions/international-

science-and-engineering-fair/winners.html).

STEM Projects toolkit

(International science fair finalists restore fish populations and promote marine

conservation)

Every year some lucky winners at the UK National Science + Engineering

Competition, held at the Big Bang, are nominated to attend the Intel ISEF

final. The ‘Competitor Diary’ available on the Young Engineers website

(www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1419) gives an excellent insight into

the atmosphere at the event and t describes the build-up to the judging from

a competitor’s perspective. There are also a few interesting interviews with

competitors from other countries which help emphasis the international and

cultural nature of the event.

The UK National Science and Engineering Competition is an example of a

‘Intel ISEF affiliated’ event and others take place across the world, existing in

nearly every state in the United States as well as in in 65 other countries,

regions, and territories. All the affiliated fairs are available from

http://apps.societyforscience.org/find%5Fa%5Ffair/index.asp

Entries for the ISEF Fair, and all the subsidiary affiliated fairs, have to meet a

rigid set of rules and the next section outlines the necessary steps to submit a

winning science fair project.

Reading the Rules and Regulations

There are a number of different categories for entries to Intel ISEF and it is

essential that students target the category that best fits their proposed project

as failure to do so could result in their work being rejected. For the scientific

projects, students must demonstrate that they have followed the scientific

method as defined in the Intel ISEF rules and for the engineering projects,

students must follow the engineering design process specified in the rules.

Refer to the Intel ISEF Rulebook

(http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/document) for a complete description

STEM Projects toolkit of all types of projects.

Before time is invested in taking the project idea further it is important to find

out about any restrictions in place on submission of STEM fair projects due to

their proposed methodology, subject for study, or health and safety issues.

Every science fair has certain set rules and guidelines on conducting

experiments or investigations which have to be respected and followed.

Some projects may require approvals from an IRB (Institutional Review Board

or SRC (Scientific Review Committee) before they can be executed.

The Intel ISEF Wizard is a useful tool to check which forms and prior submissions

different types of project would require and the essential forms are also

available to download from the website. Although the responsibility ultimately

lies with the designated supervising adult (normally the STEM teacher), it is

advised that students use the wizard as well so that they fully are aware of

any issues associated with their project design and can take ownership of the

actions necessary to work within the competition rules and regulations.

At later stages, as the adult supervising the project, you will have to evaluate

carefully if there is any risk to the health and safety of the students carrying

out the experiment or to any live subject matter of the experiment. It is

important to know if there are any restrictions that can affect the experiment

or investigation that your students want to conduct. One useful way to keep

everyone aware of them, throughout the project is to post a copy of the rules

and regulations list on the class bulletin board.

Joining the Intel Engage Group

If you are planning to get involved in any of the Intel sponsored project

competitions, you may find it useful to join the online community ‘Intel

Engage’ (http://engage.intel.com). Some of the discussion strands in the

community go beyond the topic of taking part in competitions but as they

are all stimulated by teachers’ engagement in inquiry-based learning and

curriculum development, they contain a wealth of useful information.