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Introduction

This is a short report covering the workshop on School's Liaison that was held at Bath University on 26th June. It is split into four sections:

  1. Topics discussed: A summary of the main discussion topics
  2. Schemes identified: Details of the schemes that were highlighted by delegates
  3. Resource 'wants' and 'offers': A summary of the lists developed by delegates
  4. Actions proposed: The final actions discussed at the end of the workshop

Please return any comments that you have to:

Cheryl Anderson
Research Engineer
Department of Materials Engineering
University of Wales Swansea
Singleton Park
Swansea
SA2 8PP

01792 295699

cheryl.anderson@totalise.co.uk

 

1)Topics discussed:This is a summary of the questions raised and the responses given by delegates.

  • Choosing Degree Subjects:

    What are the influences on a pupil when choosing their degree subject?
    • University location
    • Information sent out by department to school/individual
    • Directed to subject by UCAS handbook suggestions based on A-level subjects
    • Open days
    • Former students of the school studied Materials
    • Residential courses at universities
    • Grades required for desired subjects
    • Parents
    • Teachers
    • General image of fields in the press/media
    • Employability of graduates in league tables
    • Number/attractiveness of related vacancies
    • Bursaries offered to enter particular degree schemes
    • Flexibility of degree schemes (for example, years out on work placements or at partner universities)
  • Are pupils considering future careers when they choose degree subjects?
    • No. They are thinking more about whether they would enjoy/could manage the degree subject.
    • Yes. This is why they are prepared to choose more directed degrees such as Aerospace or Automotive engineering
    • See Actions Proposed (nos. 1 and 3)
  • Promoting Materials
  • How do we and how should we communicate with schools?
    • Ensure that any literature/course information goes to the right person in the school. Often this may not be the careers advisor but the subject teachers, who are in greater contact with pupils studying the relevant subjects.
  • Which age range should be targeted?
    • General feeling that the earlier the better.
    • Different schemes work better at different levels.
  • Where will the increase in numbers of students come from?
    • The aim of widening participation encourages the idea of more students entering university which would create a larger pool of potential applicants rather than having to take students from the physical sciences/other engineering intakes.
    • Vocational subjects should be given more attention as there are many students studying these that may not normally consider university/ Materials
    • Mature students
    • Part time/distance learning students
  • What could be done to improve awareness of Materials aside from contacting potential students?
    • Introduce courses for newly qualified teachers covering Materials at the appropriate level. This could be aimed at primary and secondary schools.
    • There is a need to show that a demand for Materials graduates exists. This requires greater promotion of Materials and science and engineering in general. Companies that employ Materials graduates need to be highlighted.
    • Promotion of the Materials field in general is more effective at raising general public awareness if carried out centrally, for example, by the IOM3.
    • Alternative view: it is local contact with individuals that has the most impact on pupils selecting degree subjects.
  • Are general Materials degrees required anymore?
    • Demand from employers is often quoted as a reason for having Materials degrees but the skills required could possibly be taught at Masters level.
    • As noted above, if companies want to employ Materials graduates they need to promote this fact. (See Actions Proposed No. 5).
    • More specialist degrees, for example, Sports Materials or Biomedical Materials, may offer more a chance of encouraging pupils into Materials related fields.

  • Evaluating existing schemes and resources

  • Who evaluates the existing schemes?
    • Often the scheme promoter
    • Not often independent
  • What evaluation is available for existing schemes?
    • See sections 'Schemes identified' and Proposed Actions (no. 4)

  • Co-ordinating resources

  • What are the resources that need co-ordinating?
    • Schemes that involve pupils spending time in university departments and/or industrial partners
    • Practical resources including samples of materials, videos, books
    • Careers information
  • What is the best way to co-ordinate these resources?
    • Central database of information and contacts. Must be searchable.
    • Mailing list to inform members of new schemes/resources. Members will have to register to be added. There are data protection considerations. Different parties, for example, teachers or university admissions officers will be interested in different information. Information must be well targeted.
    • See Actions Proposed (No. 5)

2) Schemes Identified: The following is a summary of the comments made by delegates on some of the existing schemes designed to promote science and engineering.

  • Armourers and Brasiers Scientists in Schools pilot scheme
    • Aimed at primary schools
    • Main problem is lack of support for untrained staff on how to teach to 7 year old pupils
    • No evaluation available yet
  • Bays Science Clubs
    • Aimed at secondary schools. Only experienced with year 7 and 8 pupils.
    • Science club folded due to teachers not having free lunchtimes to support. (former teacher)
    • No formal evaluation but club was popular with students (former teacher)
    • Good resources and certificates (Laboratory)
    • Steve Chapman at BA would know of formal evaluation (Laboratory)
  • Corus Education Partnership
    • Range of audiences from primary school through to A-level
    • Low cost, attractive resources provided (University)
    • Scheme not proactive enough (University)
  • CREST - Creativity in Science and Technology
    • Aimed primarily at 6th form students
    • Aims to raise awareness of science and engineering generally
    • Specific scheme at Imperial College runs for one week of which Materials is one day
    • Scheme seemed complex to follow (Former teacher)
  • Engineering Education Scheme
    • Aimed at A-level students who carry out a project in conjunction with a company and / or a university department
    • Expensive for companies (Laboratory)
    • Summer schools are good (School)
    • Resource drain on schools (School)
    • Some evaluation has been carried out and results may be available from the central office (Laboratory)
  • Engineering Our Future
    • Very good PR but no substance (School)
  • GetSet
    • Very Intermittent (School)
  • Headstart
    • Aimed at 6th form students. Residential courses.
    • Not just aimed at Materials
    • Summer schools are expensive (School)
    • Limited numbers of students can be involved for the cost/time (University)
    • Few students have been received as a result of involvement (University)
    • No evaluation known
  • INPUT (Oxford Trust)
    • Aimed at schools in general. Involves problem solving days, for example, bridge building.
    • Probably not seen as relating to curriculum but more of an end of term activity.
    • Schools have very little time for these activities but pupils do enjoy them.
  • INSIGHT
    • Aimed at 6th form girls interested in engineering. Experience of universities and industry
    • Not specifically focussed on Materials
    • The fee to attend the course may deter some applicants (IOM3)
    • Good scheme (School)
    • Students have mentioned the scheme on UCAS application forms in personal statements (IOM3)
  • Inspire
    • Aimed at key stage 2 and 3 and their families.
    • Not Materials specific
    • Can improve SATS results and image of science with parents (Laboratory)
    • Everything is provided so this scheme could be run by parents or teachers.
    • Coverage is limited at the moment
  • IOM Schools' Affiliate Scheme (SAS)
    • Aimed at secondary schools (years 7 to 13). Science and Design and Technology Departments. Supports teaching of Materials and promotes Materials as a career.
    • Resources are targetted at the appropriate level
    • Some applicants had been received as a follow up to an article on Sports Materials that appeared in the SAS newsletter (University)
    • IOM Education Co-ordinator has letters of teacher feedback on the scheme
  • IOM Presentations to Schools
    • All school years covered
    • Talks are free to SAS members
    • Materials artefacts used in presentations
    • Main limitation is the time taken to visit/give talks
    • Verbal feedback given by teachers and pupils. Many schools are booking return visits. (IOM3)
  • Matter
    • Good software (School)
  • Neighbourhood Engineers
    • No longer operating in South Wales (School)
  • Nuffield Science Bursaries
    • Aimed at 6th Form. Small research project ~ 6 weeks
    • Gives insight into researching a topic (University)
    • Many students prefer the biomedical places. It is harder to get them into other areas. (University)
    • Can be difficult finding projects and supervisors for them. (School)
    • No feedback/evaluation known
  • PAWS TV - Public AWareness Science Television
  • Partnerships for Public Awareness
  • PRI - Pupil Researcher Initiative (run by EPSRC)
    • Aimed at years 10 to 13. Current materials postgraduate students go into local/former schools to promote science and engineering
    • Not Materials specific
    • Gets young researchers into schools so helps to dispel the stereotypes of scientists/engineers
    • Both the students and the participating schools have to fill in a diary/evaluation which is returned to the scheme.
    • Feedback from schools is good but it can be difficult linking students with schools (IOM3)
  • SET week
    • Poor communication with schools (School)
  • Smallpeice Trust
    • Good courses
    • Communication sometimes poor (School)
  • Spark (EPSRC)
  • Teacher Placement Scheme
    • Access virtually impossible - bad communication/badly organised School)
  • WISE - Women Into Science and Engineering
    • Aimed at 6th form female students. Tries to dispel image of science and engineering being male dominated.
    • Cost of organising high both financially and time wise. Poor support (University)
    • Few students received as a direct result of the scheme (University)
    • Very poor administration (School)
  • Young Engineers
    • Huge resource drain, no finance provided (School)
  • The following schemes were indicated as being heard of by delegates but no comments were made regarding their effectiveness:
    • BAe Royal Society Schemes
    • Corus/Armourers and Brasiers Bursaries (co-ordinated from Birmingham University)
    • Inset days (run by the ASE)
    • Materials Matters
    • Millenium Award
    • Problem solving days
    • Science and Engineering Ambassadors

3) Resources: The following is a summary of the lists of resource 'wants' and 'offers' that were drawn up at the workshop.

  • Funding (wanted by)

Schools
  • Release of staff to:
    • purchase resources such as videos/books
    • attend training days
    • act as neighbourhood engineers
    • accompany students to open days and scheme workshops
 
  • Project facilities such as equipment and materials samples
  • Travel costs to take part in scheme workshops/open days
  • Membership fees of IOM SAS scheme
  • Purchase resources such as videos/books
   
Universities
  • Release of staff to:
    • run workshops and courses
    • write/develop resources
 
  • Pay postgraduates to run workshops/courses
   
Public Awareness Schemes
  • Project facilities such as equipment and materials samples
   
IOM3
  • Kit/packs so that more schools can become SAS members
  • Resources to cope with increased demand on SAS

 

Expertise (wanted from/offered by)

Schools
  • The right contacts and the best ways to contact
  • Details of the syllabi followed
  • Knowledge of why students choose particular degree subjects
 
Universities
  • Course notes/demonstrations related to Materials aspects of syllabi to be delivered by teachers
  • Short courses/presentations/training days for teachers on Materials topics
  • Involvement in national schemes
  • Knowledge of why students choose Materials
 
Public Awareness Schemes
  • Laboratory visits/space/conference facilities (AT Bristol)
  • CDROM/laboratory visits (Rutherford)
 
IOM3
  • Schools Affiliate Scheme membership
  • Presentations in schools/teaching resources
  • Information from membership forms about why students choose Materials
  • Good contacts within universities/industry/schemes
 

4) Actions proposed

  1. Questionnaire aimed at 1st year Materials students to be distributed to all Materials departments for the 2002 September intake.

  2. Contact UCAS to determine the final degrees of students that apply for, but don't ultimately study Materials

  3. Questionnaire aimed at final year A-level students in subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Design and Technology to find out the influences on their choice of degree subject.

  4. Contact existing schemes to determine the evaluation that has been carried out.

  5. Set-up a searchable database of (resources/schemes/contacts) via UK Centre/IOM website covering:
    • contacts within schools/universities/schemes
    • details of existing schemes (companies/universities/organisations such as IOM3/others such as the Science Museum exhibition)
    • details of Materials related websites and practical resources (links to the UK Centre database set up by John Marchment)
    • vacancies open to Materials graduates
    • possible salaries for Materials graduates

 

  

 

  • Page Updated 03/12/2009