The National STEM Learning Centre provides world-class professional development activities and resources to support the teaching of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. The Centre is a purpose-built, state of the art facility based at the University of York backed by an unrivalled team of experts in the fields of education and STEM.
Make learning fractions, decimals and percentages easier for your studentsOften, when teachers are asked which maths topic they find the most difficult to teach and for their students to learn, teachers say fractions.On this course, you will explore why they find fractions difficult and consider new approaches and methodologies for teaching them that are easier to grasp for your students.You will learn how to avoid teaching the subject in isolation as you approach fractions, decimals and percentages as three interconnected topics. This will help to give your students context and give them a deeper understanding of the maths structure behind fractions.This course is specifically designed for secondary school teachers and educators who are not specialised in maths, but who are wanting to learn mathematical methods and improve their understanding of the subject.It’s particularly suitable for new teachers and those studying teaching as a profession. Primary school teachers may find this course useful to understand how the mathematics curriculum progresses further in secondary school.
Subject knowledge for teachers and educators without a maths backgroundProportional reasoning and the use of ratios is required across different areas of the mathematics curriculum. It is essential to many areas of science and technology and is used in a range of situations in both life and work.In this course we will explore different mathematical strategies to enable you to solve proportional reasoning problems. By participating in this course you will discover multiplicative reasoning strategies, links between ratio and proportion and the ability to scale things up and to scale things down.This course will have mentor support between 15 Jul - 9 Aug 2019.This course is designed specifically for teachers and educators who do not have a specialism in maths, but wish to learn mathematical methods and improve their understanding. This course is suitable for:New teachers, student teachers or people just about to start their teaching career who are interested in increasing their mathematical subject knowledgeInexperienced teachers of mathematics for whom mathematics was not a major part of their degreeNon-specialist teachers of mathematics whose expertise lies elsewhere.Teachers of scienceTeachers of technology, engineering and other related subjectsParents wishing to support their children
Discover how to plan inspiring and engaging STEM activitiesImprove the way you support the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subjects as a volunteer with this course designed to help you plan effective practical activities for young people.This course will help you develop your skills as a volunteer from a STEM background. Upon completion, you will understand how to create an activity plan, with the aim to increase student engagement and inspire more young people in STEM subjects and careers.Deliver more effective practical classroom activities for STEM subjectsThis course will teach you how to organise and prepare for your STEM activities, whether it’s for a lesson in science, technology, engineering, or maths, or for a community group.Learn the importance of connecting your practical STEM activities with your students’ learning framework and curriculum when supporting teaching of STEM subjects in schools.Explore ways to link your experiences as a STEM professional to the curriculum. Discover why educators need clear learning objectives when planning and organising STEM activities.Boost student engagement with inspiring practical STEM activitiesBuilding on your existing skills, this course will give you the tools to inspire young people about STEM careers.The course walks you through best practice when planning and organising classroom activities for STEM lessons.You’ll come away a more effective volunteer, ready to work with educators in schools and youth groups. Gain confidence when engaging young people in STEM subjects as well as experience in using learning frameworks and objectives to plan practical classroom activities to promote STEM in schools.This course has been created for anyone volunteering with young people in STEM. You may be part of a formal volunteering scheme and be known as a STEM champion or STEM ambassador, or you may be a youth volunteering group organiser, field trip educator, working with scout groups (and similar), outdoor pursuit centres, outreach from NGOs.To get the most out of this course, learners should complete the introductory course beforehand:Resources and diversityThis course is not designed for teachers. Please see other courses from STEM Learning for teacher professional development in STEM subjects.
Discover the key components of a strong secondary school science curriculumOn this course, you’ll be introduced to curriculum design for teaching science to students aged 11-19 years.You’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches, as well as how support for teachers can be modelled to support effective learning for students.You’ll consider how practical work and maths skills for science can be embedded in a curriculum and how progression can be mapped effectively.Through videos, discussion and tasks, you’ll engage with other teachers, share your experiences of planning science schemes of learning, and plan for future curriculum development.This course is designed for heads of department, or aspiring heads of department, and teachers with responsibility for curriculum planning in secondary science subjects.
Support the biology curriculum with plant scienceBiology lessons provide opportunities to inspire students with practical examples of science. On this course, developed with specialists at Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), you will learn how to use plants to teach biology and support secondary students’ learning.You’ll improve your knowledge of plant science and learn how to incorporate it into the curriculum. You’ll be able to share examples of hinge-point questions to address student misconceptions. You’ll also explore how to help your students apply what they’ve learnt to new contexts and increase their engagement in the classroom.This course is designed as professional development for secondary science and biology teachers who are teaching students aged 11-16 years old. Newly qualified teachers (NQT), early career, returning, and non-specialist teachers will also benefit from this course.To get the most out of this course, it is recommended that you have access to a school laboratory to evaluate approaches to practical work.
Help your students benefit from formative feedbackMarking has been identified as an area of excessive workload for teachers, but feedback is crucial for students to improve their understanding.On this course, you’ll learn evidence-based approaches for using written and oral feedback to support student learning, without increasing your workload.You’ll learn how to develop a classroom culture that encourages formative dialogue and prepares students to receive, act upon, and learn from teacher feedback.The course adopts a reflective approach and will encourage changes in classroom practice that will have a direct impact on student learning.This course is designed for primary, secondary, and further education teachers.Classroom examples are provided from a science and mathematics context, but the course is suitable for teachers of STEM and non-STEM subjects.You do not need any prior experience other than marking and facilitating lessons.This course compliments the Planning for Learning: Formative Assessment course but can be taken alone.
Discover how behaviour management skills can help you and your studentsBy effectively managing behaviour in the classroom, your students will benefit and you’ll enjoy your teaching more.On this course, you’ll explore how your own behaviour influences your students’, and learn how to control your emotional responses when you’re interacting in the classroom. You’ll discover the latest techniques in classroom management and develop your capability to achieve consistency.You’ll also learn how to properly recognise positive behaviour from your students and build trust in your classroom.Managing Behaviour for Learning is a continuing professional development (CPD) course for teachers in primary schools, secondary schools and colleges. Newly qualified teachers, returning teachers and experienced teachers will benefit from the range of techniques presented and opportunity to reflect on practice. To get the most out of this course you should be currently teaching in a classroom environment. Teaching assistants and school leadership may also learn from the techniques explored.Although the course draws from examples experienced in the UK, the course is relevant to an international audience and to teachers of non-STEM subjects.
Improve student learning in biology practical lessonsThere are only so many ways a student can look at an onion cell, so how do we engage students with biology practicals?On this course you will discuss the relationship between theoretical concepts and practical work, and consider closely what is happening in your own classroom during biology practicals.You will also develop and share creative ways of teaching practical biology with approaches that are applicable to a range of situations including GCSE required practicals.The course has been designed as CPD for teachers of science subjects for 14-16 year olds. Teachers of biology, early career teachers, returning teachers, and non-specialist teachers will gain from the peer learning and resources available on this course.Learn from national CPD subject leaders, the experience of other teachers and access high quality supporting resources throughout this course.Access to a laboratory is recommended in order for you to evaluate approaches to practical work during this course.
Learn how to maximise learning through practical science in the classroomOn this course, you’ll learn strategies for managing the practical classroom in science.From managing behaviour and fostering positive attitudes to implementing departmental processes and working with colleagues, you’ll explore all aspects of practical activities in the school or college laboratory.You’ll consider classroom layouts as well as the use of practical work to maximise learning.You’ll also discover how to create the right climate for collaborative learning and how to simplify more complex practical work using micro-scale setups or integrated instructions.This online professional development course is designed for teachers of science subjects to students aged 11-19 years.This may include newly qualified, recently qualified and experienced teachers of science who don’t have a science background.You will need to be teaching in a school or college laboratory setting to get the most from this course.
Help students understand physics through practicalsPhysics can be a challenging topic for students, it is essential that they practice and embed their understanding of practical skills in preparation for assessment of their learning.This course, specially designed for teachers, will allow you to discuss the relationship between theoretical physics concepts and practical work, challenging you to think about the classroom and what your students are learning through practical work. You will also develop creative ways of teaching practical physics with approaches that are applicable to a range of situations including GCSE required practicals.The course has been designed as CPD for teachers of science subjects for 14-16 year olds. Teachers of physics, early career teachers, returning teachers and non-specialist teachers will gain from the peer learning and resources available on this course.Learn from national CPD subject leaders, the experience of other teachers and access high quality supporting resources throughout this course.Access to a laboratory is recommended in order for you to evaluate approaches to practical work during this course.
Help your pupils love and understand sciencePrimary science is the first opportunity to develop your pupils’ curiosity about the world. Studies suggest that by engaging pupils in practical science work frequently, they will have a greater understanding and enjoyment of science.On this course, you will develop your confidence in doing practical science in the primary classroom. You will explore a range of practical science techniques, activities, and enquiries and think about the impact they have upon the learning of your pupils.This course is for primary school teachers who are new to teaching or would like to develop their skills in science teaching. There will be references to the English National Curriculum but learners will be encouraged to review their local curricula to contextualise the course content. This course adopts a reflective practice approach that will also support the development of teaching skills for non-UK teachers.
Guided by leading experts in assessment for learning, on this course you’ll discover how to gauge your learners’ understanding, so that you can better progress their learning.You’ll discover how you can create a classroom culture that allows difficult ideas to surface, revealing student misconceptions and allowing you to tailor your teaching to your students. You will learn the key principles of assessment for learning, before exploring two approaches in more detail.This course is for teachers, curriculum leaders, newly qualified teachers, trainee teachers and others involved in the education of young people. It’s suitable for educators working in primary, secondary or further education (ages 5-19 years).Examples are provided from STEM subjects, but the principles will apply to other disciplines.
Keep your primary school students inspired by science whilst learning at homePrimary school science teaching often involves sparking students’ imagination through practical activities.With some classes being taught online or remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, primary science teachers must learn innovative new ways of teaching young students science using online and offline learning.On this course, you’ll consider the new learning environment of your pupils, the role of parents in your teaching, and discover new science activities your pupils can do from home.You’ll explore a variety of asynchronous teaching and learning tools, and explore these new challenges with colleagues.This course is designed for primary teachers of pupils aged 5-11 years, who are supporting parents and pupils with learning from home due to the coronavirus pandemic.Science and STEM subject leaders and heads of primary schools may also find this course useful for devising their approach to home teaching and online learning.
Improve your teaching by discussing the science of learningWhat is learning? How does it work? On this course you try and answer these questions, exploring how you can use the science of learning to inform your teaching and support your students’ learning.Drawing upon educational neuroscience and psychology (and combating neuroscience myths), you will learn how to interpret research to be better informed about how your students learn. Throughout the course, you will reflect on your own practice as a teacher, learning how to justify and improve your approach.This course is for teachers and educators supporting students of all ages, including newly qualified teachers (NQT), subject leaders and school leadership. Some concepts are contextualised with examples from primary, secondary and FE STEM subjects, but the principles apply to all disciplines. Teaching assistants, tutors and trainee teachers may also benefit, though the course will be framed within teaching classroom contexts. You will need recent classroom experience to benefit from the reflective activities on this course.
Enhance your KS2 science teaching with teaching CPD on life processes in biologyThis course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to inspire your primary science pupils with world-class biology teaching on the subject of body systems and processes.Develop your scientific knowledge for teaching key stage 2 biologyLife processes is a key subject within the biology element of the primary science national curriculum and includes the study of the heart, the circulatory system, and digestion.On this course, you’ll build your knowledge of body systems and body processes so that you’re able to effectively teach the ‘Animals, including humans’ component of the national curriculum in England.Help 7-11-year-old pupils understand the circulatory system and digestion processYou’ll explore the common challenges that may arise amongst key stage 2 pupils encountering the heart, circulatory system, and digestive system for the first time.You’ll learn how to structure your teaching to successfully navigate these challenges.You’ll also have the chance to learn about practical biology activities you can use in your classroom to inspire your pupils whilst developing their understanding of the concept of living processes.Access engaging and fun biology primary science resourcesThis course is delivered by the National STEM Learning Centre, a leading organisation offering teacher CPD, career support, and education in STEM.You’ll learn from primary STEM subject specialists, experienced in teaching science in primary education.This course is designed for primary teachers and trainee teachers in primary education (pupils aged 5-11 years) who want to develop their biology subject knowledge, specifically the topic of body processes.The course refers to the English National Curriculum, but the subject matter is equally transferable to other curricula, and you’ll be encouraged to explore connections with your own national curriculum.