2010 June | Keen2Learn Blog

Archive for June, 2010

Are School Budgets Decimated By Needless Fancy Software

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Teaching resources are being drained by expensive corporate software says Tristan Ashman. The question is do we need it all? The level of sophistication far exceeds the real needs of the educational classroom. If we are brutally honest do we really need it; have we become overcome by hype? If we stuck to blackboards just think of the hours saved from sorting computer crashes, lost broadband, stolen laptops and the other the host of technological nightmares that beset the learning programme. And how often do we used the interactive whiteboards to their full design capacity. If we used chalk there’s absolutely no need to queue all night for that essential iPad. Suddenly we get to realise that our lives can actually continue and our teaching skills can be better used.

Please note theses sanguine comments are not at all influenced by the fact the writer has just inherited a 3rd generation iPod which refuses to load new tunes. Not that he begrudges the astonishing gift from his now upgraded son, but heavy metal rock is not the ideal listening content for theses delicate ears. And he dreads to think how long he spent trying to remove and replace the software and myriad of on-line advice. Oh for radio and FM at that – don’t get him going on DAB unless it is a brand of beer.

Read the article by Tristan Ashman

Tags: corporate software in schools, Interactive whiteboards, school budgets, Tristan Ashman
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Teachers Use Dice To Develop Students Thinking skills

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Getting children to think and develop their reasoning skills is sometimes like climbing a mountain – where do you start. Keen2learn have introduced a great new educational product designed as literacy games to help children, parents and teachers tackle new concepts in a range of subjects.

Thinking Dice is a brand new fun product to encourage pupils to develop higher order thinking and questioning skills. Research has shown teaching children effective thinking skills can make a world of difference in their effective learning.

Each set of the dice comprise six large 5cm cube colour coded foam dice that have a question structure printed on each face. They are specifically designed to promote questioning and higher order thinking at a specific level of Bloom’s revised taxonomy of thinking. In case these have slipped your mind they are: remembering and recalling information; understanding ideas and concepts; applying information; analysing information in order to explore and understand relationships; evaluating ideas, concepts, situations and creativity; and making something new with the knowledge. See it all floods back!

Thinking Dice can be easily adapted for a wide age range and can be applied to a huge selection of topics in many subject areas. They are a boon to a teacher who can use the application of the questions to help in the lesson plan.

The possibilities of developing children’s higher order thinking are endless!

Thinking Dice from www.keen2learn.co.uk

Tags: Bloom’s revised taxonomy of thinking, educational games, literacy games, reasoning skills, thinking skills
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Beat Revision Blues With New Fun Educational Games

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Revising for a GCSE exam or SAT test is generally seen as a chore by school children. Swatting through textbooks and exercise books can be boring and tedious. Parents and teachers can do little but urge children along. But the process can now be turned into a series of fun educational games.

Keen2learn had just teamed up with the Pagabo range of on line educational games. Developed by educationalists to meet the full scope of the National curriculum, the subjects are portrayed in clever and entertaining revision games. The annual subscription gives a family of up to four children and both parents the opportunity to revise on-line using 100’s of entertaining games. Parents are also able to see records of their child’s progress online.

The revision exercises cover maths, literacy, English, Science, art and design, ICT, modern foreign languages and more. Designed for children in all key stages and GCSE the educational game approach removes the normal dislike of learning and swatting with text books and exercises. Turning revision into fun draws children into the system that helps them recap on facts and progress through the games.

Developed for use at home Pagabo is an incredibly practical gift for children from Aunts, Uncle and Grandparents. If you’re stuck for that ideal birthday or Christmas present send them a Pagabo subscription or some revision games from www.keen2learn.co.uk. They will have hours hours of fun, learn and revise at the same time.

Tags: art and design, educational games, English, ICT, maths, pagabo revision, revision games, science
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Learning Too Early Can Damage A Child’s Educational Progress.

Friday, June 18th, 2010

The majority of parents want their children to have the best in education, believing children should be able to read and calculate pi to 22 significant places by the time they are three. But in reality children schooled early can often peak too soon and then fail to thrive in primary school. Children need to have fun and playing with educational games and toys can be a far more productive way of introducing the learning process.

Although formal schooling starts in England at five years old, in Wales children are allowed to play until they are seven. By no means the disaster you might think, this approach is generating positive feedback although too early to reveal any definite conclusion. But in Finland, much heralded as the benchmark in early year’s education, children don’t start school until they are seven years old and can boast high literacy rates, indicating a significant catch up.

Playing educational games in maths, English and science are a great way of learning in disguise helping children to associate the learning process with enjoyment. They like to repeat favourite games over and over again, a repetitive cycle that may seem boring to parents, but is an essential element of learning. Seventy five per cent of learning retention comes with practice.

Although there is a central department education in the UK there are several variants in the way the national curriculum is interpreted. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England have slightly different approaches. There are strong arguments for and against the schooling start age with leading educationalists, school Headteachers and research institutions arguing the toss. All agree learning to read is absolutely vital in any educational programme. “The fundamentals of literacy are caught not taught” says Sue Palmer, former primary school head teacher and literacy expert. “Crucial to the learning process is training people how to achieve this. We have to invest in training practitioners how to help children catch the principles.” She also said there is no rush to teach children to read and a staunch protagonist against the targets set in the early years learning curriculum.

One concern about changes in the educational process is the inherent time-scale to prove or disprove theory and practice. If proven wrong the change may have disrupted the potential for a generation of children. But one thing we can be sure of, childhood is designed to allow kids to learn through experimentation and fun. If you want your children to master the basics in phonics, literacy and maths before they start school be sure you consider educational games and toys to help.

Tags: early learning, educational games, English, Literacy, maths, science, Sue Palmer
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Children’s Education Improves From Cuts Bruises and Climbing Trees

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Children need to the opportunity to explore their surroundings at home and in the open air to develop and test their boundaries. Educational development stems from both practical games and theoretical classroom experience from the formal teaching resources. Unfortunately in our modern world we have curtailed many outdoor, secret games for children due mainly to safety concerns. But have we inadvertently reduced the spirit of adventure and ability to develop experience through experimentation.

The learning curve is still extraordinary steep at age seven to eleven years, yet we may have restricted children from a great slab of experience that could prove invaluable in school. We may think outdoor play is recreational but exploration encompasses an amazing range of subject disciplines. From the mechanics of a simple swing to avoiding brambles and nettles or picking a football team, maths, physics, biology and social skills all subliminally roll into their environment.

I recently visited my daughter and her family now living in a small town in Australia.. At the bottom of their garden lies the Australian bush. The town is abundantly served with outdoor sports and playground equipment for children. But the most enjoyable site for children lay hidden in the undergrowth. Sitting in the garden I could hear the laughter of children active in their secret den hidden from sight. Safety in numbers assured, the den comprised of a small clearing 20 metres from the gardens of a row of houses. You could detect the presence of the kids by the laughter and shaking bush and tree branches as the clambered about.

Parents in the neighbourhood arrived to summon their children home for lunch or tea by standing outside the den and shouting. The children felt secure, perhaps more importantly they were in control able to explore, experiment and enjoy the learning experience without parents. The educational benefits from such games are immense that can influence their whole schooling experience. Perhaps we need children to take another time-out period later in their educational careers.

The gap year, post university degree is a chance for young adults to broaden their experience which could materially assist their next stage of learning. Developing travel plans, travelling and the exploration of overseas cultures reveal the value of personal freedom and is the making of many young adults. But this ultimately occurs after the completion of the degree. Had the experience been obtained before university it could well have changed perception and the direction chosen for degree. How often have we heard graduates say they wished they had chosen a different course? Some time out to think, explore and develop may change perceptions to their advantage and allow them to select a more relevant direction. All proving that the element of play is an essential part of learning that should lasts a lifetime.

Tags: biology, classroom resources, education, gap year, maths, physics, social skills in children, teaching resources
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Academy Success Could Overload Universities

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

A recent forecast suggested the educational benefits of a child attending an academy over a state school can result in improved GCSE results leading to better jobs. This benefit has been estimated at £100k in additional income during their working lives, but there has also been criticism the forecast is as an over simplification.

A few years ago floundering schools were offered a lifeline in the form of gaining academy status. Run by local philanthropists, or managed under the wing of a local outstanding school or educational institution, the objective was to steer the ailing school to greater things. Some succeeded, others failed.

Academies in Scotland have long been associated with schools of excellence. Academy status is now open for outstanding schools to gain operational freedom from local educational authorities. But the prior association of academies with disaster recovery programmes for failing schools now sends a confused message. The distinction between the two roles begs the question, which academy is the good school and which a recovering one? Clearly the objective is that both categories should eventually excel but it is so far from working out that way.

The outstanding school seeking freedom from the restrictive educational and operational bureaucracy could benefit hugely. The report claims this category of academy could influence the ultimate earnings potential of a child put at £100k over their working life. It is clearly difficult to calculate this figure set so far into the future of a rapidly changing economy and some criticism suggests the figure is unrealistic in quoting potential long term income. Professor Alan Smithers, Director of the Centre for Education and Employment at the University of Buckingham said the Government’s predictions were flawed “It cannot be represented in these crude quantative terms.”

A converse argument is how do we tell a child from a failing school they have been penalised by £100k? A key measure of educational success is a child that goes on to university. If the percentage of children going to university rises from the success of the academies we would have a similar abundance of graduates seeking jobs. Supply and demand issues would result in many accepting lower order jobs and perhaps never achieving their full potential – as is the current state of play. The prevailing economic situation and the shift of selected sectors overseas have reduced the number of graduates able to use their degree expertise vocationally. If this vicious circle continues many children will be put off university and could then loose the incentive to excel at school.

Education is a long term strategy. We need to improve the schooling process to recover our standing in the world markets. Similarly we need to invest in universities to capture and nurture improved academic achievement. Maybe the manufacturing base will have moved East in the meantime but our innovation and design capability in science and engineering should be emphasised. We need to approach the educational issues form both ends of the learning spectrum.

Tags: academy schools, Centre for Education and Employment, educational sucess, Professor Alan Smithers
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School Heads Discover A Possible Hole In Educational Academy Budgets

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

An educational nightmare is looming as the Government and Local Educational Authorities play games with the finances of schools considering academy status.

The current financial proposals for academy schools are not all they seem and some Headteachers may be in for shock. A profound maths rule emanating from the financial world states that Cash is King ,which needs to be foremost in any Headteacher’s plan whilst they convert their schools to academy status. A recent survey by the Times newspaper, however, indicates most local educational authorities (LEA) believe the cash from the Department for Education may be a lot lower than anticipated. And this is before any final countdown announcements in the emergency budget. Cracks are appearing raising concern this significant educational move may backfire.

A secondary school with an operating budget GBP 5 million could find a shortfall of around GBP 400k. This represents eight percent of their budget levied by the LEA to cover the provision of central services to all schools. But the levy can vary depending on the LEA and in some area schools could actually enjoy further funding instead of the charge. Many Lib Dem MP’s are concerned the overall scheme may serve to undermine local authorities rather than achieve educational excellence.

School heads, and so far there are 1,100 who have applied to become an academy, see the freedom to manage their destiny as a huge advantage. Autonomy in the relevance of the national curriculum, teacher pay scales, and removal from local authority inspections are among the key benefits.

Whereas the funding transfer is assumed to come under the influence of the LEA, the Department Of Education Secretary, Michael Gove, said they would decide on extra funding for academies based on the services they receive through their local authority and a VAT grant.

Mick Brookes, General Secretary of the National Association of Teachers of summed up the confusion in the maths when he said “I’m not surprised at the disparity. The way in which numbers are manipulated is a bit like smoke and mirrors.”

Before any school switches to become an academy perhaps they need some independent financial advice from the banks. Talk about being in a Rock and Hard place!

Tags: academy budgets, Department of Education, maths, Michael Gove, school academies
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Bedtime Stories Become A Nightmare Missed Opportunity For Literacy Education

Friday, June 11th, 2010

A new report by the Literacy Trust shows just how much we are failing to read to our children. Once upon a time stories that inspire children on the road to literacy. The encouragement parents can give to encourage to children to read and improve their literacy skills is immense. And it starts with reading bedtime stories.

Jonathan Douglas, Director of the National Literacy Trust said “Children who read above the expected level for their age are more likely to have books of their own; 80 per cent of high-achievers have books of their own, while only 58 per cent who read below their expected level do so. Children who aren’t encouraged to read by their mother are three times more likely to say “reading is boring” than those who are encouraged to read a lot. And children are twice as likely to read outside of class if they are encouraged to read by their mother or father.”

Research has repeatedly shown that the most accurate predictor of a pupil’s achievement is not parental income or social status but the extent to which parents create a home environment that encourages learning. The literacy trust survey shows that two in 10 young people don’t get any encouragement to read at all from their mother and four in 10 don’t get support from their father. A significant number of parents are either unconvinced of the benefits of supporting their child’s literacy, don’t prioritise it or don’t have the skills to do so.

The National Literacy Trust is determined to increase opportunities for parents to support their children’s reading. This month they have launched their Tell Me A Story campaign to raise awareness of the importance of family literacy.
One in six children in the UK grows up unable to read or write to a minimum standard. Literacy is not simply an issue for developing nations it is also the UK’s most pressing educational challenge.

Dads fail to read bedtime stories

Bedtime stories are being abandoned

Tags: bedtime stories, Director of National Literacy Trust, Jonathan Douglas, Tell me a story campaign
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How Do We Stop The UK Going Backwards In Educational Achievement?

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Education has been evolving over thousands of years. History has shown that we can educate scholars such as Aristotle in ancient Greece and Copernicus in medieval Poland. So why do we struggle to achieve an educational programme that is fully fit for purpose in 2010?

Whilst we learn of medical advances that push the boundaries in health care, educational achievements seem to have stagnated. Disease control, organ transplants, keyhole and robotic surgery have emerged yet teaching procedures appear moribund struggling in general to meet required literacy and numeracy standards in primary schools. The possible reasons for this situation are legion. The effects of the national curriculum, SAT’s, 11 plus, GCSE and special government schemes costing billions of pounds have seemingly failed to achieve any sustainable breakthrough.

The dilemma for parents wanting the best for their children starts when their child is five, epitomised by the sometimes traumatic activity to get their child into an “outstanding school.” Although five years old is the start of formal schooling for UK children, greater academic success has been achieved in countries where children start school aged six or seven such as in Finland and topically South Africa.

The type of school in the UK creates further headaches. The choice between Montessori, Steiner, Kumon, faith, independent and state schools complicates the decision as does that old chestnut of class size. Although some techniques appear to be marginally more successful than others no single teaching method emerges as the outright winner. The skill of the teacher emerges as the only significant denominator.

Technology in the schooling process has indeed moved on. Kids are taught keyboard skills, maybe to the detriment of handwriting skills, and our teaching resources are awash with interactive white boards. Soon many schools could be linked through the web to allow a strong teacher to simultaneously broadcast to several schools. So what is not working? There appears no simple answer. Various influences are cited as inducing a negative effect, notably teaching to test, where lessons are geared to passing exams and achieving targets rather than providing a broad educational strategy.

Strangely the collective might of the European Union have failed to influence the UK educational programme. This seems odd. Whilst we have the specification for the acceptable shape of bananas, one area we could seemingly benefit from is a European standard in education. A federal approach could identify the best practice from each member state. Although the potential benefits embedded in the International Baccalaureate and International GCSE are welcomed by trend setting schools these standards have been predominately avoided by most schools, and until lately, the government. Perhaps overwhelmed by current inefficiencies, the emphasis on targets and considerations of academy status, we are reluctant to adopt yet another change. Yet these schemes have proven effective in other European countries, whilst over the last decade the UK has little to show in overall educational achievements despite the effort and determination of its teachers and pupils.

The clock ticks on. Educational development must be the primary focus of any government. Technology, improved communications and the paradigm shift of the commercial centre of gravity towards the Far East has changed the emphasis. Our children will need to thrive in a now global employment market. They need the career flexibility commensurate with a broad based education to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that we need help. The average tenure of the Secretary of State for Education is around 18 months yet they are charged with the strategic policies influencing a child’s schooling journey lasting a minimum of 11 years. Perhaps we should leave teaching to teachers and establish a team tasked with the definition and implementation of a new curriculum and best teaching practices drawn from the very best in Europe. It must be better than the current situation, which, if unchanged, could leave us the poor relation, justly receiving the condemnation of generations of children to come.

Tags: education, GCSE, international baccalureate, international GCSE, National Curriculum, sat's, teaching resources, teaching standards
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Is Latin Actually An Essential Modern Foreign Language In Everyday Use?

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Latin is a foreign language in daily use in web design and advertising. I’ll repeat that – it really is Latin! Yet the number learning Latin in school is minimal, and for once, looking furtively over both shoulders, it doesn’t matter because you don’t need to understand a word of it!

Can this be true? Can a leading technological industry really use Latin that often? Has our educational system gone haywire and missed the need for a foreign language in the national curriculum? Well granted this amazing fact is stranger than fiction but it has all to do with Lorem Ipsum. Aha I hear you say, I have seen those words before.

If you are involved with the work of advertising agencies, web designers and printers you will have seen Lorem Ipsum frequently. They use it constantly and if you have ordered any copy, design work or printed material you will see the following passage in Latin. Sends spell-check absolutely crazy.

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”

So what ’s it all about? Certainly it is Latin copy but why is used by the designers today when to most of use it makes no sense? Precisely the reason it is used – it makes no sense to anyone who cannot read Latin and therefore is a distraction. The idea is it fills the space where the English language or any other language will go in the artwork to give the customer an idea how the wording will look in the finished web site or printed page. A new idea? Not at all! Our modern artwork designers are using an idea from the year 1500 when an unknown printer set the text to make a type-set specimen book to promote his services. The passage in Latin was formulated from a passage by Cicero written in 45 BC describing the” Extremes of Good and Evil.”

And 500 year later despite huge technological advances transforming the design and print industry beyond measure it still holds a focal place, virtually unchanged and in constant daily use. Amazing or what?

Tags: Latin language, Lorem Ipsem, Modern foreign languages, National Curriculum
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Are Educational Fads The King’s New Suit of Clothes?

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

One of the biggest concerns for parents and teachers is the realisation the UK is slipping down the world educational league table. Whilst we have a number of excellent schools and respected teaching resources all are bombarded by continuous changes in policies, budgets changes and educational FAD’s. Just how these have hampered progress is questionable but like the King’s invisible suit of clothes in the song should we now shout out the obvious that they need to stop.

The results in primary and secondary education emphasis the previous government’s unsuccessful educational policy. Proven over the last 10 years throwing money at the problem has achieved little. Billions of pounds have been invested to improve educational standards in numeracy and literacy. But the initiatives have left the teaching profession, parents, children and the government frustrated. How have we gone backwards in subject areas that have changed little in content and educational structure? Teachers are still in the classroom teaching, children still attend school and the number of schools has not materially changed dramatically so what has been the cause? I believe it is the advent of the educational FAD.

I once listened to an intriguing lecture by an eminent management guru who, having been responsible for the conception of numerous management fads, had lost faith and become an arch critic of the process. Using a clock face to support his argument 12 o’clock represented the launch point of a FAD. The first quarter hour was the evangelical process; books were published, personal appearances made and editorial comment solicited. From quarter past to half past saw the early adopter. From half past to quarter to the hour management teams felt obliged to accept the concept driven by marketing hype from companies who had adopted the scheme but yet to prove its usefulness. Caught in the pizazz comparable to the King’s new suite of clothes very few criticised the FAD, before they did, our man had developed its replacement. And at 12 o’clock he launched the next theme. He claimed the lifespan of a FAD ranged from 18 months to five years. The trick is to be always one step ahead.

Sound familiar? How may FAD’s have landed in education since the 1987 education bill launched the national curriculum. The educational journey for a child is 10 years long. Most will encounter games played with learning as the government introduces streams of initiatives, many of which fail and are replaced. Schools expend vast amount of time, energy and expense adopting these measures generally against their better judgement. A representative sample of the 32,000 head teachers or 450,000 teachers show little enthusiasm for any of the government’s schemes.

If the UK schooling standards are still slipping just how much have educational FAD’s diluted the teaching thrust? In the meantime the world and global markets are catching up. Educational policies overseas illustrate the success of common sense and logic. Perhaps we have a lot to learn from them and adopt more rational measures based on the ideas emerging from teachers not governments that will put the UK’s schooling system where it belongs; top of the class.

Alistair Owens MD keen2learn

Tags: Department for Education, Educational FAD's, National Curriculum, schooling league tables
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Will digital books used in the classroom reduce the cost and the educational standard.

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

As books become digitised and downloaded from the Internet will this be a benefit or hindrance to schools. Will this reduce the vast cost of educational textbooks used as teaching resources or would it become a fad that interrupts learning that we will learn to regret.

School budgets worldwide are a continuing source of angst. Every year teachers are given a budget that have most wondering how they will cope. Even then these funds are not sacrosanct. Policies change, market evolve, situations develop. Virtually no year can be complete without some change occurring and, inevitably, the budget is cut or reassigned.

In the USA California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last year cut a massive slice of the educational budget destined to buy English language reading books. Teachers were faced with the continuing need to meet educational performance targets without the conventional textbooks they heavily relied upon. As teachers, needless to say they had seen such budgetary moves before and their resolve opened the way to use digital books. Although the plan slipped neatly into gear there are losers in these circumstances. Not all teachers have the resource to bridge over the cracks from lost text books. A percentage of children now being schooled and measured are being taught without a full set of tools to do the job. Digital books in school are an experiment and we may risk the education of a cohort of children before the outcome can be fully analysed.

The conventions of learning associated with printed books will require reorientation to gain value from a digital book. A printed book, catalogue or newspaper allows scanning of adjacent pages and content until something catches the eye. The digital book may hold the same ultimate potential but the field of view is significantly limited, rather like looking through a keyhole. Will children subsequently receive a narrowed educational experience?

If a government is committed to a strategy it must also commit to the operational budget to support it. The current economic restrictions could enforce changes that have an undesirable long term effect. Perhaps government policies should be graded and Education and Health Care budgets cast in stone. Defence expenditure is to a degree questionable, whether the risk is perceived or real. In Europe a single federal defence force would save a fortune in duplicated resources and possibly resist small incursions instigated by a single government. Sweet dreams perhaps but reduced defence duplication could release vital cash to invest in the education of children who could ultimately steer world issues to avoid future conflict or recessions. The absence of conventional printed books could perhaps stall progress. The experiment continues.

Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Book cutback, budget cutbacks, digital books, educational budgets, educational text books
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Handwriting Skills Becoming Obsolete With Today’s Children

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Alone on the desert island and the sole survivor of an air crash. The only means of communication; a pen, a single sheet of paper and an empty bottle. Gone are phones, faxes, laptops, Facebook and twitter. All that remains to be used are your educational schooling in literacy and handwriting skills. You need to tell the world what happened and where you are? But over 25 per cent of children have never written a letter, and 40 per cent admit they never received one. The chances of you getting rescued may seem extremely limited!

Okay, we forgot to mention a supply of food and drink is available from the aircraft galley to last at least a week, so you can concentrate on the literacy project. Quite a daunting task as the bottle can only hold a single sheet of A4 paper with sufficient information to get the reader who finds it interested enough to organise a rescue mission.

The message must be succinct, informative and immediately catch the reader’s eye to convince them to treat your request seriously and quickly. Learning English literacy has taught you comprehension and essay skills but there is precious little space to expand. And you must gain immediate empathy from the reader.

Text messaging may have honed your abbreviation technique, but is their meaning international? Twitter has taught you to express your thoughts in 140 characters and Facebook how not to disclose too much secure information.
Your knowledge of geography should help you indicate where you might be, maths, science and physics tell you how long you were flying and at what speed to help you plot a possible location along the flight path before ditching. Biology is going to keep you alive by knowing what food and drink you need.

As a modern language English may have a wide audience in the world but the vast majority of the population speak it as a second language. Make sure your words portray the meaning in easily understood terms. Could be great fun and remember only 500 words and don’t forget the cork!

Tags: education, handwriting skills, Literacy
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STEM Educational Opportunities Largely Untapped

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

The STEM curriculum (science, technology, engineering and maths) is creating as much educational turmoil in the USA as it is in the UK. The number of children pursuing this option is well below the required and expected number. Additional teaching resources are being trained to support schools but equally having enlisted students it is proving equally difficult to retain them.

The emerging global markets will have a huge influence on the employment stakes in the future. Many conventional career paths will be superseded. Whilst the manufacturing base will undoubtedly move to Asia it is probable that product design and development will stay in the West. This will create untold opportunities for those who have developed STEM capabilities, although there is a a gradual build up in interest the general realisation of this opportunity remains largely dormant.

See further analysis of this situation by eschool.com http://tinyurl.com/3682exn , see previuos blog Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Supports School STEM Projects and some ideas for primary school projects http://tinyurl.com/33sf2fm

Tags: engineering education, maths education, Science edcuation, STEM, technolgy eductation
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