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STEM Skills, Careers Guidance and the Science Curriculum

STEM Skills, Careers Guidance and the Science Curriculum. Intended Outcomes. You will be: Aware of research findings on how and why students chose (or don’t choose) to study STEM subjects Considered how your students can be better informed when choosing which subjects to study.

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STEM Skills, Careers Guidance and the Science Curriculum

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  1. STEM Skills, Careers Guidance and the Science Curriculum

  2. Intended Outcomes You will be: • Aware of research findings on how and why students chose (or don’t choose) to study STEM subjects • Considered how your students can be better informed when choosing which subjects to study

  3. The STEM Skills Agenda • What is it all about?

  4. The STEM Skills Agenda • There is a shortage of people with STEM degrees in the West • CBI goes further – Level 3 STEM qualifications in short supply in UK

  5. The STEM Skills Agenda • “Closing Doors – Exploring gender and subject choice in schools” December 2013 – Institute of Physics, 2013 • “Improving young people’s engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)” – NFER, 2013

  6. The STEM Skills Agenda • Make links with real‑life and cutting edge technology • Use practical contexts for teaching and open‑ended activities to foster creativity • Offer clubs, STEM days and enrichment activities

  7. Extract from “Careers guidance and inspiration in schools” – statutory guidance 20. Schools should also ensure that, as early as possible, pupils understand that a wide range of career choices require good knowledge of maths and the sciences. Schools should ensure that pupils are exposed to a diverse selection of professionals from varying occupations which require STEM subjects, and emphasise in particular the opportunities created for girls and boys who choose science subjects at school and college. Schools should be aware of the need to do this for girls, in particular, who are statistically much more likely than boys to risk limiting their careers by dropping STEM subjects at an early age.

  8. The STEM Skills Agenda BUT…………..

  9. Research on Students’STEM Subject Choices • “Careers from Science” – Peter Stagg, Science Education Forum 2007 • “Lengthening Ladders, Shortening Snakes” – Peter Stagg, Centre for Education and Industry 2009 • “ASPIRE Project - Young people’s science and career aspirations age 10-14” - Professor Louise Archer, King’s College London 2014

  10. Aspire Project 2014 - recommendations • 1. Shift the policy discourse – from ‘increasing interest’ to ‘building science capital’ • 2. Earlier intervention – from primary school • 3. Break the ‘science = scientist’ link – science as a springboard, keeping options open • 4. Embed STEM careers awareness in science lessons • 6. Bust the ‘brainy’ image of science/science careers

  11. So:- Students need: • Employment advice from age 10 • Guidance on wider employment opportunities • Exposure to the idea that studying STEM subjects keeps options open The notion “studying science = becoming a scientist” must be challenged. Staff need: • CPD and resources on employment opportunities

  12. What we’ve done:

  13. How might one use it? Take a look at the sample materials – primary and secondary – how could you use them? Comments please!

  14. Contacts: Terry Kirk terry.kirk@northyorks.gov.uk Pam Waite pam.waite@northyorks.gov.uk Twitter: @funNYscience

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