This project developed training and resources for teachers to promote classroom discussion around contemporary science, and to use museum collections to engage teenagers with science.
OUTCOMES
- Development and delivery of the Talk Science Teacher Course for secondary school teachers at venues across the UK and attended by 2,600 teachers.
- Development and production of classroom teaching kits, a blog for teachers and a series of tools and techniques giving teachers ideas for engaging students in classroom discussion.
- Creation of Futurecade, a suite of four online games and a series of videos to stimulate classroom discussion around contemporary science.
- Delivery of seminars for museum educators to share expertise in engaging teenagers in science through museum collections. Download the report for Exploring the Potential of Museums, held in June 2012.
- Sharing of the Talk Science ethos and its learnings through presentations and workshops at national and international conferences including the Museums Association Conference, Ecsite, Museum Next and the Asia Science and Creativity Conference 2012.
- Working to raise young people’s aspirations in science through the Enterprising Science project.
The long-term impacts of all aspects of this project were measured and all findings are available on request.
FUTURECADE
Futurecade’s four games—Bacto-Lab, Robo-Lobster, Cloud Control and Space Junker—were based on scientific research happening today and could be used as fun, interactive stimuli to get students thinking about how technology might impact their lives.
The following resources contain lesson ideas, top tips and background information to help teachers become familiar with the science portrayed in the games:
- Teacher briefing notes: Lesson ideas
- Bacto-Lab: Synthetic biology
- Robo-Lobster: Military robots
- Cloud Control: Geo-engineering
- Space Junker: Space junk
Futurecade supported teaching of How Science Works and helped students consider the applications and implications of science.
PROJECT PARTNERS
This project was supported by BP.