Posts Tagged ‘STEM’

Future Of Science Education Takes a Knock In The UK

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

The uptake of the educational programme to promote science in schools is already a concern. Yet the future economic wealth of the UK will depend more on our historic ability in science research and invention. But this essential element in the UK psyche is under threat. The cutback in immigrant scientists studying and completing research work  in the UK will starve the UK of some leading brains from overseas.

The inspiration that school children gain from developments in science teaching resources and research is immeasurable. Apart from learning about historical figures like Newton and Boyle contemporary scientists can enthral kids to pursue an interest in engineering and science. STEM ( science, technology, engineering and maths) activities are the key to the future of vast numbers of school children. Ross Brawn team boss of the formula 1 team, Stephen Hawkin the cosmologist, and James Dyson he of vacuum engineering are amongst the leading figures to whom children can easily relate. Equally the skills of Tim Berners-Lee the inventor of the Internet, Jonathan Ive the R and D brains behind the development of the iPod, iPad and iPhone, and Richard Friend who developed the multi talented plastics used in mobile phone displays, demonstrate the research and development skill that can inspire the engineer and scientist of tomorrow.

Interestingly many of the inventions developed in the UK only became successful after being manufactured and developed overseas. Certainly they changed the face of science and technology, generated wealth, and encouragingly, many individuals put a huge amount of their energy and talent back into promoting science to children. But this could soon change. Some of the talent pool that has historically supported science research comes from overseas. Seeing the UK as the catalyst to stimulate their research many eminent immigrant scientists have achieved Nobel laureate status for their discoveries. But this is about to change. The government is reducing the funding to science research and closing the door to overseas students and scientists just when we need their energy the most.

Clearly we have some short monetary issues to resolve but we need to accept that our role in the commercial world is changing. Our historical manufacturing base has migrating East. Our expertise in design and development, innovation and research has to flourish not only to provide a source of alternative wealth but, critically, inspire children to pursue a career in science. The last thing we can afford is to stop the flow. If nothing else science will need to come to the fore in renewable energy and reduce the use of plastics in packaging. This is not going to happen overnight and we need to invest now.

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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

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Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Supports School STEM Projects

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

The future of the UK lies significantly  in developing  its engineering ability. Not an easy task as interest in engineering and science in school and university has fallen significantly over the years. The STEM focus is designed to whet the appetite in children and there are a number of fantastic projects on the go. Keen2learn in particular are  pleased to be associated with hydrogen fuel cell  renewal energy teaching resources and the huge possibilities of how these will help reduce climate change.

Keen2learn’s link with educational games and renewable energy  has resulted in their recent  appointment as the UK distributor for the fantastic hydrogen fuel cell teaching resources from Heliocentris of Germany. Designed and built with schools, colleges and universities in mind the range of resources are supplied with comprehensive resources, worksheets and lesson plans. With over 30 experiments,  these front of class  learning resources  and model hydrogen fuel cell car allow hands on experience for children.  Alistair Owens MD at keen2learn explained  “A real benefit of the range lies in the equipment design and documentation which  allow non science teachers to also get involved in renewable energy and hydrogen fuel cells.”

The interest in renewable energy products from keen2learn is growing rapidly in schools. The combined focus in climate change from the Copenhagen summit and STEM cross curricular projects have elevated hydrogen fuel cells, solar and wind energy as  lead applications to interest children in science and engineering.  The Heliocentris equipment developed over the last 10 years is ideal to fire their enthusiasm in an energy source for the future.

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Parents Influence in Careers Could Stem Science and Engineering Recovery

Monday, February 1st, 2010

The Big Bang Young scientists and Engineers fair kicks off the National Science and Engineering week. Run in association with STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and the National Science Learning centres, this now annual event will be held Manchester Central Convention Complex from 11-13th March 2010. Key day for parents and children is Saturday 13th March. To find out more Keen2learn spoke to the event director Jeremy Buckle.

As the UK emerges from recession increased emphasis is being placed on our future commercial structure that will make us more secure in future years. If the normal trend continues to follow the “biblical cycle” we are due another recession in seven years. By then hopefully we will have re-engineered ourselves and built on our unique strengths to produce wealth, security and reduced risk for the UK.  One key area open to substantial development lies in science and engineering where British innovation is legendary. This is the key objective of the Big Bang.

Jeremy Buckle hails from Australia and noticed a marked difference with the UK in the educational emphasis placed on science and engineering. Although we lack the prominence and take up in these subjects in our National Curriculum, British children can still demonstrate innovation brilliance from science games which can be seen in the student projects to be judged at Big Bang. This ability needs to be nurtured in all children. It holds huge potential for future entrepreneurship, niche manufacturing and areas of excellence that can put Britain back on the evolving global map. The primary object of the Big Bang is to encourage children to pursue qualifications and a career in science and engineering and  is expected to attract around 15,000 students.

Sir Anthony Cleaver, Chairman of Engineering UK, which leads The Big Bang, said: “Having leading companies from life sciences, aerospace, energy and electrical engineering, involved in The Big Bang allows us to show young people just some of the fantastic careers that are possible with a background in science, technology, engineering and maths. The participation of AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, Shell and Siemens  – some of the UK’s biggest employers of scientists and engineers in the UK – makes The Big Bang even more of an appealing event for students, teachers and parents who want to see science in action, outside the classroom.”

I have to reveal a passion for engineering. It has been my lifeblood, providing a career that held many trials and tribulations but above all gave a constant buzz and sense of achievement; be it the simple repair, innovation or break through. My greatest accolade came when someone described me as the ideal guy to have on a dessert island. I’ve always preferred to believe this was a compliment rather than a request to go disappear. Science and Engineering is full of the practicalities of life.

The Royal Institution will reprise a highlighted version of its famous televised Christmas Lectures, which this year investigates the ‘Three Hundred Million Year War’ between plants and animals.  The show seeks to investigate the ways in which plants and animals have both clashed and aided each other over the millennia.  Featuring cutting-edge science, explosions and live animals, this is the first time that the full Christmas Lectures experience has been held outside the famous Faraday Lecture Theatre in the UK.

Based on Jeremy Buckle’s considerable past experience, Big Bang has been designed as a theme park divided into four principle zones with masses of attractions for children, parents and teachers. The choice of Manchester as the location is no accident. Key centres of excellence in The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), all the regional technology universities, along with STEM and National Science Learning Centre’s will be present. Linked to the central information hub where teachers’ master classes in science will be held, the four zones each promote a different STEM theme surrounded by associated attractions all forming a link to National science opportunities and plenty of hands-on activities.

  1. Body talk- Mind and body health, development, sports and fitness
  2. Power up – How we use energy, renewable energy, how we harness energy
  3. Go Global – Global opportunities for Science and Engineering
  4. X Factor – New technology in STEM applications

Parents are critical in driving careers forward in STEM activities. The Big Bang fair is a fantastic chance to allow parents and children see opportunities that are crucial for the future success of Britain. Do I sound biased? You bet, because in my working like no day was ever the same. I travelled the world as science and engineering have global applications and phenomenal scope for development.  Now can you think of any other career that holds this potential? And if you think we lack this vital spark just get along on the 13th March to see the finals of the National Science and Engineering Competitions. You will be absolutely astounded at the ingenuity, innovation and skill these children are demonstrating.  We need to encourage and elevate careers in this essential activity. We could start by giving qualified Engineers similar recognition to Scientists and add the prefix of Eng. in similar fashion to Dr. before their name – as they do in Germany. These children are definitely our future.

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Periodic Table Will Never Be Forgotten By School Children In Event Promotion

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Manchester school children help launch Big Bang

Manchester school children help launch Big Bang

Keen2learn is adding its weight to a great educational science and engineering event. With under 50 days to go, over 100 children helped organisers of the 2010 Big Bang: UK Young Scientists’ and Engineers’ Fair, launch the programme for the 11-13th March 2010 spectacular in Manchester.

The school children from local Manchester schools launched the countdown by creating a human periodic table, with each child representing a chemical element. As well as highlighting the fun “elements” of science in the forthcoming Fair, organizers launched a new ‘countdown’ website giving visitors a flavour of what to expect at March’s extravaganza: www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/countdown

The website showcases the most exciting activities and events from the National Science & Engineering Week. And you can start right now with 50 experiments to do at home and in class and 40 fascinating science facts for kids:
• learn weird and wonderful science facts such as why people sneeze when looking at the sun, or how to grow your own body parts.
• learn experiments to do at home such as using marshmallows to look at how cells split or investigate heat insulation with a ‘blubber’ glove.

The Fair, which takes place at Manchester Central Convention Complex, March 2010, will also host more than 120 interactive activities, exhibitions and live shows, as well as the finals of the National Science & Engineering Competition. Organisers believe The Fair will be the biggest, single celebration of science and engineering in the UK, over 15,000 people already registered to attend. There is an open day on Saturday 13th March when The Big Bang team invites children to bring their families and friends for free*.

The Fair includes live performances of television’s ‘Bang Goes The Theory’ and ‘Brainiac Live’ shows, and the 2009 Royal Institution’s Christmas lectures – “300 Million Year war between plants and animals.” Other great educational activities include:

• The finals of the National Science & Engineering Competition
• Live shows from science comedians Punk Science
• Beautiful Music – Horrible Sounds – using acoustics science to make two terrible bands sound better
• Welding large structures using chocolate
• F1 in Schools Primary UK National Championship
• Primary Engineers National Finals
• ‘CSI Manchester’ workshop
• Smallpiece Trust challenge to answer engineering challenge set by Unicef
• Design and technology using Laser technology
• ‘Space invaders’ machine demonstrating solar emissions
• Experiments allowing visitors to measure the speed of light
• Maths challenges around oil trading and dealing on the markets
• Bridge building exercises from the Institute of Civil Engineers
• Do-it-yourself DNA and more

Patron, of The Big Bang 2010, Sir Anthony Cleaver, said: “We are delighted that our second Big Bang Fair is just around the corner and is going to be bigger, better attended and, more spectacular than last year’s inaugural Fair. With 50 days to go we’re keen to whet the appetite of those thinking of coming along to find out more about science, technology, engineering & maths.”

For more information, regular updates and to register for the public day of The Fair, go to www.thebigbangfair.co.uk

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Educational Opportunities To STEM the Flow Of Engineering Overseas.

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Stem projects in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths have probably the greatest educational interest and employment potential for children. The UK is rapidly changing direction and over the next 20 years we will see a change in our culture comparable to the dynamics of the industrial revolution. The National Curriculum must keep pace with these evolving demands and associated educational needs of our children to capture the opportunity this presents.

Manufacturing has clearly migrated east notably to India and China. But this, however, does not completely exclude the UK. Our historic expertise in design and manufacturing engineering still has a marketable value to manufacturers based overseas. We can maintain a centre of engineering excellence. The benchmark is already set by BAE who having immense skill in the design of aircraft wings, manufactures them in the UK and ships them to France for assembly into Airbus aircraft. Rolls Royce aircraft engines go overseas to be incorporated into aeroplanes. Perhaps the best example is Dyson vacuum cleaners is designed and developed in the UK, manufactured in Malaysia and sold worldwide.

This pool of expertise will still be relevant as inevitably the UK manufacturing dries up. Undaunted despite a downturn in their own sales base MG sports car designers had a hand in the design of the Mazda MX5 and Lotus cars have a hand in numerous overseas car developments. British architects designed the fantastic Viaduct de Millau motorway bridge in the French massif Central built by French civil engineers. UK Ltd. still has a lot to offer.

James Dyson tried hundreds of prototypes before he perfected the model for his vacuum cleaner; a true example of our historical culture based on resilience, inventiveness and reluctance to give up. The number of significant British inventions is disproportionate to the size of our country but it is fair to say we lack the capitalisation of the invention. If our design ability is our real strength maybe this is where we should focus our curriculum efforts.

To do this we need to convince children that science and engineering are the fun games part of education and schooling with huge potential for employment globally. If you want adventure, employment and a real opportunity of a Eureka moment, science technology, engineering and maths is the educational route to take. Our educational authorities need to capitalise on the work achieved so far and then raise the bar. In 20 years’ time the potential for British engineers is vast. We need to recognise the potential of the opportunity, perhaps adopting the German approach where an Engineer with a capital “E” holds the same status as a Doctor, bearing the prefix Eng. before their name.

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Green Energy Fuel Cell Model Gets Top Marks From Teachers

Friday, December 4th, 2009

The Copenhagen summit will gather the world leaders to resolve a common approach to global warming. Timed to coincide with the summit Keen2learn have launched a range of green renewable energy teaching resources for schools and the home. They believe whichever school of thought you subscribe to; natural event or man made, the effects of global warming will be left to our children to resolve.

Accepting the man made inference, this terrible legacy created by current generations will take decades to control.  It will fall to the children in school to learn, understand and take charge of any ongoing solution to minimise the effect.  Educational games specialists Keen2learn’s range of renewable energy games and teaching resources are for use in school and at home to help children learn about green renewable energy.

“The resolution of this vital subject area will fall to future generations” said Alistair Owens managing director of keen2learn. “It is imperative children understand the cause, effect and solution of global warming. Our new range of renewable energy games cover wind, water turbines and hydrogen fuel cells in fun working models  demonstrating the technology now available in renewable energy”.

Keen2learn are using the opportunity of the Copenhagen summit to focus attention on the subject in schools. The products were recently shown at the Design and Technology exhibition in Birmingham where they generated significant attention from teachers.  The fuel cell model car on show is a didactic learning resource that lets children see the conversion of solar energy into hydrogen and oxygen molecules through electrolysis of water and a two way PE membrane. The recombination of the gases through the fuel cell releases electricity used to power a model car. The kit includes a solar panel and a variable load panel with ammeter and voltmeter to show the performance of the cell under different loads.

Fuel cell model car_Product-Shot_With-fuel-cell-and-PV-module

The Hydrogen fuel cell car was recently reviewed by the National Science Learning centre and the STEM learning centre and is being incorporated into their teaching resources for science teachers  attending  training courses.

The fuel cell is a great cross curricular resource covering chemistry, physics, engineering and maths. Many design teachers were considering how they could mount the fuel cell in different projects. The pack of 6 cars comes with a comprehensive teacher’s guide, worksheets and 30 experiments. A front of class teachers demonstration panel is also available which scales the equipment up to let all the class see the fuel cell in action and measure its performance. “Fuel cells are a future power source and this is a fantastic way to introduce children into their operation and benefits” said Alistair Owens

Fuel cell professional

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Educational Opportunities Blowing In The Wind

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Alistair Owens http://www.keen2learn.co.uk

If you were like me perhaps you found much of the educational activities at school boring. Nothing to do with the teaching skills or academic ability – no honestly, in the moments when I was alert I frequently found the subject matter uninteresting because I couldn’t see the  current or future relevance to me. Despite erudite arguments to the contrary, Latin,  French and History found little sway in the Owens intellect. No don’t start, I’ve been there and there is no hope. What did fire me up were  STEM subjects; science, technology engineering and maths – because they all have relevance in my world. They can be great fun and used as green energy games to enthuse children at school.

I spent some time as an Engineering Officer in the merchant navy, for my sins spent in very large crude oil carriers. These leviathans in those days topped 500,000 tons and powered by 150,000 shp engines. The centre of much debate with fellow officers was the relevance of skills. Could the ship still sail without navigation officers or engineers? Without navigators  we could not be sure of where we were going. Without engineers the ship couldn’t go anywhere. Without engineers the ship would not have been built and certainly not  serviced or repaired. The arguments were endless but the outright winner every time was the vital role of engineers. Taking a simplistic view, the only common element with navigators was the necessity of maths!

Think about your day. You get up, have a shower, get dressed have some breakfast and watch the news. That’s enough input. Now analyse how you would have achieved this sequence without engineers. Alarm clock, central heating and hot water, shower pump, clothing manufacturers, electric toaster, and television. All down to engineers in design and manufacture. But what relevance will engineers have in the future? Well they could save the world as we know it. As politicians and scientists gather in Copenhagen to discuss global warming it will be down to the intellect and ability of engineers to solve most of the issues. Perhaps the hot air of the political debate can be harnessed to generate power!

As STEM children leave school  they will be  faced with many challenges, perhaps the most relevant will be renewable energy, a hot topic at the moment but surprisingly around for quite a while. The challenge is to improve the  efficiency of the various sources of renewable power and reduce waste – even though in theory it is free. Take wind energy. *In 1919, German physicist Albert Betz determined a physical limit to the amount of energy a wind turbine can draw from the wind.

His law stated that only 59.3 per cent of the kinetic energy in the wind can be converted to mechanical energy using a wind turbine. His calculations were based on a fluid flowing at a certain speed through an infinitely thin rotor.

Today, some modern wind turbines can approach Betz’s limit, capturing more than 50 per cent of the wind’s available kinetic energy. However, the speed of the wind, the temperature of the air, the sweep area of the blades and the height of the turbine all influence the power generated. (*Engineering and Technology Education Summer 2009).

So engineers of tomorrow in school do you think you can beat Betz’s law? If the efficiency could be raised we would generate more power from each wind turbine for the same operational cost and reduce the number of turbines needed. Quite a challenge but a fantastic outcome and makes all the games in educational  all the more relevant.

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