1. Join an international “Kids Inspiring Kids” challenge
iSTEM+, STEM LEARNING AND IET SCHOOLS LIAISON : A TWO-PAGE PRIMER FOR BUSY PEOPLE
Summary: iSTEM+, STEM Learning and IET SLOs offer significant and under-exploited collaborative benefits for students, teachers, employers, STEM Ambassadors, School Leaders and Engineering Institutions. This document summarises some key stakeholders, indicates nascent joint operating models and signposts further resources.
What is iSTEM+? iSTEM+ (pronounced “eye-stem-plus”) stands for integrated STEM and more. It is a cross-curricular and whole-school approach to embedding joined-up STEM education & skills. Through regional, bottom-up networked endeavours schools, employers and other stakeholders focus and combine STEM effort.
Who are IET SLOs? Schools Liaison Officers (SLOs) are members of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), who organise local schools’ activities, promoting understanding of the role of the engineer and the contribution of engineering to society. They are all STEM Ambassadors registered with STEM Learning.
Who are STEM Learning? STEM Learning provide: STEM-specific CPD; access to free of charge, curated curriculum resources; coordination of the activities of more than 30,000 UK STEM Ambassadors; STEM Club support; and a wide range of engaging activities with proven impact on outcomes for young people.
What are the potential interactions? Burgeoning activities suggest that learners are best placed to design their own iSTEM+ interactions, designed by a team of learners, supported by SLOs and mediated by STEM Learning.
What next? It depends who you are! A good place to start is to subscribe to the iSTEM+ Learning Community and say hello to everyone, and just get started below (these aren’t in any order, and the images are hyperlinks to help):
Join an international “Kids Inspiring Kids” challenge
Design an activity and request a STEM Ambassador
Read a case study of iSTEM+ in action at school