1. Connecting it up: towards a Route Map for STEM education A project managed & researched by Dr Elsa Ekevall

2. STEM-ED Scotland A partnership to champion world class education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics Individual Partners at Forum events represent : universities, teacher groups, further education, industry, professional bodies, training agencies, science centres, government agencies Associated with and supported by: The Deans of Science & Engineering in Scotland website http://www.gla.ac.uk/stem

3. Workshop Plan 1.a brief overview of the funded Connecting it up project 2.review general conclusions and ideas for the way ahead 3.the learning pathway in Measurement, Units & Scale 4.discussion – views on its usefulness, and any deficiencies 5.discussion - a starting point for local curriculum planning ? 6.other learning pathways that might be explored?

4. Project aim:to identify and promote coherent and progressive pathways to develop key concepts and skills across STEM in education up to age 15 funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation collaborative project with Association of Science Education Scottish Mathematical Council Scottish Technology Teachers Association supplementary funding support from the Scottish Government to develop two additional pathways key to science has involved over 100 education professionals participating directly or through consultation events

5. STEM Pathways The project has analysed five different Learning Pathways which have a range of different specific characteristics i.Models in STEM ii.Genetics & Inheritance iii.Measurement, Units and Scale iv.Mechanical Systems v.Energy

6. Conclusions from End Event learning pathways can usefully help to guide teaching strategies at successive stages, building better overall understanding the documentation for each pathway – maps the contributing and interacting strands in concept development – identifies rich links to the Experiences & Outcomes curriculum guidance – draws attention to common misconceptions – provides useful glossaries of terms BUT it needs to be used as a starting tool for local adaptation via inter-professional discussions

7. Measurement, Units & Scale slides derived from a presentation by Deirdre Murray Background - People Maths Teachers Primary Teachers Science Teachers Technology Teachers Lecturers

8. Key themes Measurement Comparing and Estimating Measuring Shapes and Objects Measuring Time Measuring Temperature Scale

9. Each CfE Level has: a Big Idea information around each key theme information on common misconceptions links to CfE Es and Os from different subject areas cross – curricular links Measurement, Units and Scale

10. Numeracy and Mathematics Sciences Technologies Health and Wellbeing Social Studies CfE Experience and Outcomes

14. Misconceptions Area of rectangle area of triangle: If you dissect a shape and rearrange the pieces, you change the area. Improving Learning in Mathematics Resource

15. Julia: Perimeter and area Improving Learning in Mathematics Resource

16. Julia: Perimeter and area Improving Learning in Mathematics Resource

17. Julia: Perimeter and area Believes that perimeter is conserved when a shape is cut up and reassembled. Believes that there is a relationship between the area and perimeter of a shape. Improving Learning in Mathematics Resource

18. What do we do with mistakes and misconceptions? Avoid them whenever possible? "If I warn learners about the misconceptions as I teach, they are less likely to happen. Prevention is better than cure. Use them as learning opportunities? "I actively encourage learners to make mistakes and to learn from them. Improving Learning in Mathematics Resource

19. Some principles to consider Encourage learners to explore misconceptions through discussion. Focus discussion on known difficulties and challenging questions. Encourage a variety of viewpoints and interpretations to emerge. Ask questions that create a tension or cognitive conflict' that needs to be resolved. Provide meaningful feedback. Provide opportunities for developing new ideas and concepts, and for consolidation. Improving Learning in Mathematics Resource

20. Lets discuss the Measurement Pathway

21. Issues with the Measurement pathway? simplifying description of understanding sought at each level more explicit link with development of number skills? – fractions, decimals, percentages – ratio, proportion and similarity – but: measurements are compound quantities – number & UNIT Integration of temperature and time in measurement theme? extremes of scale: order of magnitude? continue to Level 4? eg scientific notation? logarithmic scales? possibilities of realignment of E&Os, or wider curriculum enhancement? science and units – compound units and units algebra?

22. There is scope for ambition! The curriculum has to become increasingly ambitious Higher Order Skills Excellence Group 2011 Children Are Born Investigators The capacity of young childrenfrom all backgrounds and socioeconomic levelsto reason in sophisticated ways is much greater than has long been assumed. A Framework for K-12 Science Education USA: NRC Report 2011

23. A framework for professional conversations and teacher CPD It was persuasively argued that the learning pathways could be made the basis for a key advance, which would encourage within-school professional conversations among staff across the different STEM disciplines. Such a group would act as a Teaching & Learning Community and be led by a volunteer coordinator. A first objective would be to arrange to train these trainers. It would be vital to recruit active support for such initiatives at Head Teacher and Local Authority levels.

24. Other pathways to develop? Generalising: acronyms, algorithms, symbols and algebra? Graphs? Scale diagrams, maps, coordinates, vectors?.... ?? (structure of matter) (waves)