View from the lab: Recent Episodes
Pearson Edexcel Science
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the panel and guests on the show. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Pearson.
In this episode, the host talks to Lucinda Powell, an Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning in a boys school in South Oxfordshire, England.Lucinda's interests lie in the intersection between psychology and education and include memory and learning, special educational needs, social influence and pupil-teacher relationships in schools, mental health and wellbeing. She shares this passion through her podcast ‘Psychology in the Classroom’ which aims to make psychological research on learning and education accessible to all. Lucinda was recently named ‘Psychology Teacher of the Year’ by the British Psychological Society. This episode will explore these topics, as well as other related talking points derived from Lucinda's career and expertise. Press play!
In this episode Andy Woods talks to practical science champion Bob Worley from CLEAPSS. He's a true superstar in the world of school chemistry practicals and is at the vanguard of the microchemistry approach and inspires technicians and teachers in school laboratories in the UK and across the world with his approach. Bob taught Chemistry for many years before joining the school safety organization CLEAPSS. At CLEAPSS he has worked on debunking many myths about practicals including which are safe or unsafe to carry out with or by students. In this episode we talk about his career and his microchemistry escapades that have inspired so many across the world. Don’t delay – just press play.
In this ‘half century’ edition of the ‘view from the lab’ podcast I talk to Professor Jonathan Osborne, the Kamalachari Professor of Science Education and Emeritus at the Graduate School of Education, University of Stanford, California. In our conversation we look back on Jonathan’s career in science education from Physics teacher to teacher trainer and science education academic. Jonathan has worked on many high-profile reports and initiatives and has been an influential member on the international PISA test committee for several years. More recently he has been working on challenging the prevalence of misinformation in science in our digital world and devising approaches to help young people spot this misleading information.
In this episode of the pod Andy Woods chats to Alex Gray – a true ‘early adopter’ in the application of AI to science education. Alex is an experienced Biology teacher who has taught both in UK and International schools and is currently based in Dubai. Not only does he teach, but he also contributes to the CPD world with his digital content found at www.deepprofessional.com. Alex has embraced the world of AI and explains in this episode how it has transformed his practice and how it can transform yours too. We talk about the seismic shift it has had on the education world and discuss how teachers today can leverage the power of these new tools to elevate their teaching. It’s a fascinating discussion that will develop your understanding of AI and what it can do to make your teaching life better!
In this episode Andy Woods is joined by a titan of the science education world – the widely respected Professor Michael Reiss! Michael currently works for University College London’s Institute of Education. His whole career has been deeply embedded in the science world from starting off as a teacher in Cambridgeshire to becoming a well-respected voice in science education and particularly the field of ‘bioethics’. We delve into his thoughts on integrating the three main sciences as well as taking a ‘side road’ to discuss the benefits of ‘psychodynamic counselling’, we also have an opportunity to discuss the friction we sometimes see between science and religion. There’s so much to discover in this enlightening episode!
Yes, we’re talking electricity and the wonderful world of circuits with former teacher and ‘current’ (haha!) entrepreneur Julian Hamm! Julian has been fascinated by the world of Physics and especially circuits for much of his working life. He’s worked in and out of the education sector throughout his career but has always been most passionate about circuits and the best ways to explain how they work. Through his pioneering site ‘furry elephant’ to its current incarnation – electricityexplained.com Julian has dedicated himself to demystifying this area of the science curriculum. In this episode we have a deep-dive conversation in how science teachers can model and explain the common topics that come up at the senior school level.
WARNING: some explicit language is present in this episode. Listener discretion is advised.In this episode Andy Woods is joined by the effervescent behaviour expert - Adele Bates. Adele is known for her engaging teacher training in schools and her popular book on behaviour “Miss, I don’t give a st" Engaging with Challenging Behaviour in Schools, Adele has learnt her craft by working in several mainstream secondary and primary schools as well as holding roles in local authority Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). In this conversation we talk about the many challenges of dealing with difficult pupil behaviour in schools. We discuss the multiple reasons behind why young people and whole classes can present challenging behaviour for teachers. In addition to this, we look at some pragmatic approaches that both teachers and school communities can apply to shape positive learning environments for the young people in their charge. Don’t delay just press play! Miss I Don’t give a Sht! - Adele Bates - "Miss, I don’t give a sh*t": Engaging with... by Bates, Adele (amazon.co.uk) Home - Adele Bates Education - Adelebateseducation.co.uk On X - @AdeleBatesZ
In this episode Andy Woods is joined by a high-profile enthusiast for STEM subjects and STEM careers Dr Anne Marie Imafidon! Anne -Marie is a champion of underrepresented groups in STEM and co-founded Stemettes in 2013, a social enterprise supporting and advocating for more girls and young women non-binary people between 5-25 and to participate in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) disciplines. In our conversation we hear about her love of maths and computing and her journey from school to receiving her masters in Maths and Computing from the University of Oxford at just age 20. She’s a published author of 2 books and has also been the resident maths expert on the well-loved UK quiz show Countdown. And if she wasn’t busy enough, she’s also the current President of the British Science Association! There’s so much to talk about in this episode of view from the lab so let's go! Anne Marie’s books... She’s in CTRL How to be a Maths Whizz
In this episode of VFTL I was lucky enough to catch up with Dr Jasper Green. Jasper is currently an Associate Professor and Head of Initial Teacher Education at the Institute of Education at UCL in London. Jasper has had a significant impact on the world of science teaching in the numerous roles he has held in his distinguished career. He has been a science teacher, head of department, network lead for a large MAT, and an author of a recent book called ‘Powerful ideas in science and how to teach them’. He is the creator of the respected website- thescienceteacher.co.uk and not only that but he was also the science lead for Ofsted between 2020-2022. What a CV! There’s so much to discuss in this full to bursting episode of... view from the lab.Powerful Ideas of Science and How to teach them – Dr Jasper GreenChildren’s Ideas in Science – Roaslind DriverAlex Johnstone’s Triangle
On today’s podcast I have an icon of progressive science pedagogy from the UK –Adam Robbins. Adam is a well-respected and knowledgeable practitioner, who for 20+ years has been committed to understanding how students learn most effectively, especially in science. He has held many different roles in schools, is a published author and is one of the founding members of the active science teaching group ‘cogscisci’. Adam regularly contributes thoughtful ideas to help teachers across the UK and beyond deliver our jam-packed science curriculum. Links...
Adam’s Book – Middle Leadership Mastery - Middle Leadership Mastery: A toolkit for subject and pastoral leaders : Adam Robbins: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Adam’s book recommendations:
Why don’t students like school – Dan Willingham - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Don%E2%80%B2t-Students-Like-School/dp/1119715660/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1691508238&sr=8-1
Teaching Secondary Science: a complete guide – Adam Boxer - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaching-Secondary-Science-Complete-Guide/dp/1913622789/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=adam+boxer+teaching+secondary+science&qid=1691508808&sprefix=adam+boxer+%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1
Running the room – Tom Bennett - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Running-Room-Teachers-Guide-Behaviour/dp/B0B1MJMFT4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=running+the+room+tom+bennett&qid=1691508853&sprefix=runni%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-1
https://adam-robbins.com/
On this episode of the pod, I spoke to a pillar of the STEM community – Dr Ajay Sharman.
Ajay is a science enthusiast who has spent much of the past 20 years building stronger connections between STEM education and STEM industry. He has had extensive experience in the bioscience sector working for several high-profile organisations but has also found time to support education in his role as a school governor, trustee, and STEM ambassador.
In our conversation we discuss Ajay’s route into science and discover how STEM learning actively promotes opportunities for young people particularly in areas of disadvantage across the country. It was a real treat to talk to someone with such passion and knowledge of the sector.
Don’t delay – just press play to hear Dr Sharman’s …. View from the lab.
https://www.stem.org.uk/about-us/our-network/sah
In this episode of the View from the Lab podcast we're talking about the thorny issue of recruitment and retention of science teachers. Andy Woods’s guest is Sarah Longshaw from STEM learning. Sarah has deep experience of the education sector, with her 25 plus years in the classroom and has also supported schools and science teachers in her role as a trainer. In this episode we explore the many factors that could be affecting the perennial problem we seem to have in holding on to our science teachers In England. We talk through some facts and figures about the current scale of the problem, we discuss the causes, the effects, and possibly some solutions to address this current challenge we face in our schools and colleges.
Kathy Joseph is an author, educator and YouTube maverick are who has a special interest in the history of science especially physics. In this episode I talked to Kathy about her love science and what inspired her to study it further at college before eventually become a high school physics teacher. Kathy has now had a change direction by becoming an inspirational science communicator who focuses on the history of science with her YouTube channel ‘Kathy loves physics’ and her recent book the ‘lightning tamers’ a history of the changing understanding around electricity. We have a wide-ranging chat exploring the wonders of physics as well as Kathy’s thoughts on her recent ADHD diagnosis.
On today's episode Andy Woods talks to young entrepreneur Francis Jones. Francis has been working on a new approach to support practical science for those students who have found it difficult to engage in mainstream education. Francis is a former science teacher who has taken what he has learned in schools, and turned it into a solution that has widened access to science practicals. In this conversation we hear how Francis’s STEM@Home, company is aiming to disrupt the science education system, by changing 'where, when, and how students’ carry out their practicals whilst also maximizing safety'.
In this episode of the View from the lab podcast Andy Woods is joined by science advocate Dr Jo Foster. Jo is the director of innovative STEM organization known by the acronym ‘IRIS’, which stands for... the Institute for Research in Schools. IRIS has a mission to make real-world, cutting-edge science research projects accessible to pupils from across the UK. In this episode we find out about Jo’s career journey and her passion for supporting an engaging science education for ALL young people. Jo also outlines how your school/college learners can start their own IRIS journey!
In this episode of the podcast Andy Woods talks to micro-economist Dr Hans Sievertsen from the School of Economics at the University of Bristol UK. Hans has published research that reviewed data linked to assessment practises in Danish schools, and their effect on the uptake of STEM courses at the tertiary level. Dr Sievertsen found that one aspect of the assessment process had an unintentional but positive impact on girls’ probability of picking a STEM course at university. We delve into the details of the research and find out what the key conclusions were and whether we can make use of these findings in other educational settings.
In this episode Andy Woods talks to Professor Sibel Erduran from the University of Oxford's education department. Over the past couple of years Sibel has been involved in an EU research project known as the ‘FEDORA project’. The project is looking at answering some very big questions in science education namely: What knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values will today’s students need to thrive in and shape their world? In addition, we discuss how we can develop students into informed ‘citizens of science’ grappling with concepts in a world of fast paced change.
In this episode Andy Woods talks to Dr Mike Milner to discuss his journey from science teacher to head teacher at schools in both the independent and state sectors. We hear about his experience of working in Wellington College when the irrepressible educationalist Sir Anthony Seldon was at the helm and inspired him to go into school leadership himself. In addition, we discover how Mike became the vice principal of the state school - Wellington Academy and find out how he led it from a ‘requires improvement’ Ofsted rating in 2014 to a ‘good’ rating in 2016, before moving back to the independent sector at Reddam House School in Berkshire.
In this episode of the podcast, we’re discussing how to build a more ‘culturally responsive’ education with a spotlight on diversity, equity and inclusion within the science curriculum. Andy Woods met up with Kaye Jones (AKA ‘the Herstorian) and Rebecca Durose-Croft from Westchester Education for an in-depth conversation. We look at the way things currently stand – specifically in science at GCSE level in terms of: ‘centrality and accuracy’, ‘perspectives and context’ and ‘sources of knowledge’. We consider options for the future and discuss how things could be improved as we move towards a truly representative science education.
In this episode of the pod Andy Woods catches up with innovative science teacher Euan Douglas, who teaches in the South of England. Euan is an advocate of supporting practical work with bespoke software and digital simulations to help support this aspect of the curriculum. Euan has been experimenting for several years along with his colleagues at St Georges School, down in Southampton. Over this time, he has refined the optimal approach that really supports his science students. He's got lots of great advice to share and resources to highlight. So, don’t delay, just press play and you can benefit from Euan’s… view from the lab
In this episode of the pod Andy Woods talks with the effervescent Psychologist, Professor Niamh Stack from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. Niamh is a well-respected academic in the field of Developmental Psychology and has a particular research interest in how to support those students who are sometimes referred to as ‘more able’. In our conversation we talk about the difference between some of the terms you may have heard in the education sphere, including ‘more able’, ‘gifted’ or ‘talented’ or simply high attaining students. How should these students be supported in schools? And what can science teachers do to help them make the most of their tenure in full time education.
note: I introduce Niamh as being in the University of Limerick - she is in Limerick but works at Mary Immaculate College - apologies!
In this conversation Andy Woods catches up with Dan Townley, Head of Science at the world-famous Eton College in the UK. As you may already know Eton has educated no fewer than 20 UK prime ministers!
In our conversation we cover a smorgasbord of educational topics linked to science teaching which included … reflections from the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges of getting students to engage with teacher feedback and find out about the work Eton has been doing in supporting the formation of new 6th form colleges, with the Star Academies chain in 3 new areas of England. And last but not least, finding out whether ‘Eton-mess’ really is on the menu at the school!
So, we’ve now made it to the final episode of the ‘early career teacher series’! In this last instalment Andy Woods talks to Vicky Hilditch about how she found the final few weeks of summer term 2022 and reviews the year as a whole. Vicky’s already thinking ahead to her next year of teaching and how she can improve and build on her experience so far. Many thanks to Vicky who has allowed us to join her on the 1st year of her ECT journey.
On the podcast this time Andy Woods talks to a former science teacher, turned entrepreneur and science rapper - Matt Green. We take a deep dive into Matt’s approach to his innovative and engaging content which has inspired students across the net. He has worked hard to find what works and what doesn’t by experimenting with all the major social media platforms - including the ‘behemoth’ that is tik tok! We here about his experience working in a North London school before changing direction and turning his hand to his online content. Innovative, fresh and enthusiastic; Matt has the science world at his feet. Keep an eye out - this guy’s going global!
Links
www.tiktok.com/@mattgreen.jgm www.instagram.com/mattgreen.jgm www.youtube.com/MattGreenJGM www.jgmtutors.com
Friend of the pod Dr Andy Grevatt (University of Brighton, UK) returns to take us on a voyage of discovery - through the wonderful world of moss! Find out how he has developed an ingenious way to bring life to a part of biology that is all around us but usually ignored. In our conversation we find out how it all started, what you can find out and most importantly how you can carry out your own ‘safari’ with your students. Don’t delay – it's time to press play!
For full details check out the moss safari web page here - https://mosssafari.wordpress.com/
In this episode we continue our early career teacher series with new science teacher Vicky Hilditch. For this recording I caught up with Vicky just before May half term 2022. Vicky was busy as always; the external exams had just started, and the summer break is on the horizon. In this episode we find out what she's been up to and how she’s feeling as the end of the academic year approaches.
In this episode of the podcast, Andy Woods catches up with Early Career Teacher - Oliver Stewart an award-winning teacher who works in a comprehensive school in Whitehaven, Cumbria (UK). Ollie won a ‘Golden Apple Award’ back in 2021 for his inspirational approach to science teaching. In this episode we talk about the challenges of making abstract scientific ideas relevant to our young learners and discuss strategies to engage the great variety of pupils who enter our classes from their different starting points. I hope you can join me on this episode and be inspired!
View from the lab returns with a refreshing episode focused on practical science. How can we make this lynchpin of a great science education have the greatest impact? Andy Woods talks to chair of the ASE in 2021 and all-round practical enthusiast Simon Quinnell. We delve into his wide-ranging experience in supporting teachers and science technicians in his role as curriculum lead for the science PGCE course at the University of York. Could this be the most practical episode yet?
In this episode of the pod Dr Niki Kaiser joins Andy Woods to talk about the perennial problem of misconceptions in the science classroom. Niki is a science teacher at the Norwich research school and has previously worked closely with the EEF developing their ‘RADAAR’ resources to help identify, challenge, and solve common problems that students face as they make their way through their own science journey. Like all learners Niki has had times when her own misconceptions have made her feel less than confident, and we have a deep discussion exploring how we can make misconceptions part of learning process and embrace rather than ignore them in our classrooms.
Note: Initial recording took place in August 2021
In this episode Andy Woods talks to DNA expert Dr Amanda Hartley (@LittlestoryCo). Mandy has had a wealth of practical experience in the science of DNA across many sectors. In our conversation we talk about her passion for this fascinating area of biology and her commitment to bring this area of science alive for primary school children, with her innovative school workshops. In addition, we also hear about Mandy’s mission to set up more ‘real world’ labs that school age students can visit and experience cutting edge science equipment. And last, but not least we hear how Mandy’s literary creations - the DNA detectives were born!
A chance to hear from our Early Career Teacher - Vicky Hilditch. I caught up with Vicky just before Feb half term 2022 to see how her 1st year as a science teacher was progressing.
In this episode Andy Woods talks to educational researcher from the University of Warwick Dr Tom Perry (@TWPerry1). In 2021 Tom led a team of researchers funded by the EEF to carry out a systematic review of the current research evidence of cognitive science strategies and their effectiveness in the classroom. In this episode we discuss the evidence of many popular techniques used in schools today including spaced practice, interleaving and embodied learning amongst others. This is a deep dive into Tom and his team’s work and is a fascinating insight into the way educational researchers gather evidence and make their judgements.
In episode 20 of view from the lab Andy Woods finds out how youtube pioneer Primrose Kitten built her ever popular science education channel (from scratch!). We talk about her love of all thing’s science and maths and how her career journey took her from her early work in cancer research, to science teaching in London and onto educating the nation’s students with her prolific and engaging digital output. Take half an hour out of your day to listen to this ‘purrfect’ episode of ‘view from the lab’!
Andy Woods catches up with Early Career Teacher (ECT) Vicky Hilditch to have a chat about how things are going in her 1st ‘full-on’ (!) year of science teaching. We discuss how the Autumn term has gone, what she has learned and the challenges that may lie ahead in 2022!
Mocks marking service link - go.pearson.com/mockspodcast
Welcome back to the first podcast of 2022! In this episode Andy Woods delves into what makes a positive difference to our learning environments and their impact on our students. Dr Katherine Forsey (@DrBiol [twitter]/@DrKatherineForsey- Insta and Facebook) (CSciTeach) has wide ranging experience in outdoor education and working at the interface between school science and STEM based industries. In this episode we discover how Katherine’s career in science education has evolved after she finished her PhD at the University of York. We then discuss ways in which learning environments can be improved. Katherine describes and explains the 7 important factors (based on research by Professor Stephen Heppell) in which schools can optimise their spaces to support learning. Press play and listen out for some pragmatic changes you implement and make to make your science lab a chamber of educational excellence!
Further links...
• Learnometer website with information on each of the 7 factors - https://gratnellslearnometer.com/ • Learning Rooms website - links Planning Learning Spaces programme with teacher support and free science/STEM/outdoor teaching resources https://gratnellslearningrooms.com/ • Does your classroom help children learn? - recorded webinar on Learning Environments and practical steps to improve your own https://gratnellslearningrooms.com/does-your-classroom-help-children-learn/ • Does your classroom help children learn? - published article in the ASE’s International Science Education Journal https://www.ase.org.uk/resources/ase-international-journal/issue-13/does-your-classroom-help-children-learn (ASE members only) also in Teach Middle East p35-37 https://teachmiddleeastmag.com/teach-middle-east-magazine-jan-apr-2021-issue-2-volume-8/ (open access) • List of plants for the classroom to reduce CO2 and increase oxygen - https://gratnellslearnometer.com/which-plants-are-best-to-reduce-co2-in-a-classroom/ • Learning Rooms Outdoors - free resources https://gratnellslearningrooms.com/learning-rooms-outdoors/ • Learning Rooms Outdoors - free webinar recording https://gratnellslearningrooms.com/learning-rooms-outdoors-webinar/
In this jam-packed episode of the pod I talk with Professor David Read (Professional Fellow in Chemical Education at the University of Southampton). David is an expert in supporting students in their transition from 6th form, to university courses, specifically in chemistry. He has a keen interest in innovative pedagogy techniques and is often in the vanguard for integrating new tech into the courses he teaches. We delve into the pros and cons of different teaching approaches and explore what lessons can be learned from everyone’s enforced ‘lock-down learning’ experience due to COVID -19. I hope you can take time out of your busy day to listen to David’s ‘View from the Lab’.
In this mini series within 'view from the lab'. I will be catching up with Vicky Hilditch who is an early career science teacher based in northwest England. I will be dropping in for a quick conversation with Vicki at the end of every half term to see how things are progressing and how she's finding her new career. I hope you'll join me on her journey throughout the 2021 to 2022 academic year. For the 1st episode I caught up with her at the end of October to see how the start of the year had gone. So, without further ado let's hear Vicky's 'view from in the lab'.
In this episode of the podcast Andy Woods catches up with the mighty Kit Betts-Masters, a.k.a ‘Gorilla physics’. You may know him from his YouTube channel and his prolific video output which supports physics students both in the UK and across the globe. We explore key lessons learned from the challenges brought by teaching during the pandemic, and the importance of using the right technology at the right time, to maximise its impact on our learners. We discuss active learning techniques and many more topics besides, too many to list here!
We're putting a spotlight on STEM careers in this episode of the podcast and talking to inspirational young conservationist Dr Rutendo Shackleton (nee Wazara). Tendo is a scientist based at Chester Zoo and her main focus is the study of elephant behaviour and welfare . During her time at the zoo she has been involved with some ground breaking research on how best to look after elephants in captivity, which we discuss in this episode. Tendo has had an interesting educational journey to get where she is today, and we dig into her story so far and the challenges she's faced along the way. It's now time to press play, so you can hear her - 'view from the lab'.
In episode 13 of the podcast Andy Woods talks to Pritesh Raichura who is the Head of Science at the world-famous Michaela school in North London, sometimes referred to as England's 'strictest school'. We delve into what makes the culture at Michaela unique and he explains how it enables their students to make astonishing progress during their time there. He talks through their approach to learning and how teachers there work collaboratively to produce consistently excellent lessons. Make time in your schedule to listen to Pritesh's informative 'view from the lab'.
In this episode Andy Woods talks to educational researcher Alistair Moore (@amUYSEG) who works at the University of York in the Science Education Group (@UYSEG). He is one of the principal researchers on the “Best Evidence Science Teaching” project; better known simply as “BEST”. This important project (funded by @Salters_Inst) is making hundreds of research-informed diagnostic questions and follow-up activities freely available to teachers, and also spawned the ASE’s (@theASE) free "BEST steps” resources. In our conversation we delve into how projects such as BEST are transforming research evidence into free resources to help teachers develop research-informed practices in their classrooms.
In this episode of the podcast Andy Woods talks to an inspirational young woman Lilly Denny, who has set up the vibrant new ezine "Stemmed". Spurred on by the aim of sharing better advice and support for STEM careers than she did growing up as a young person; Lilly has with the help of her international volunteers produced a vibrant and informative ezine that can be accessed across the globe! Find out how she did it and what her plans are for the ezine in the future in episode 11 of ...View from the lab.
In this episode Andy Woods talks to Adam Higgins, a science teacher who works in an all boys comprehensive school in Essex. The focus of our discussion is low attainers, and how best to support them in the classroom. Adam has some fantastic strategies that are both efficient and practical. Press play to find out more!
In this episode of the podcast Andy Woods catches up with Senior lecturer in Science Education at the University of Brighton, Dr Andrew Chandler-Grevatt. This episode focuses on how schools can tackle the retention of science teachers. What are the unique problems science teachers face? And which strategies can SLT and Heads of Department apply to help solve the problem?
In this episode of the view from the lab podcast Andy Woods talks safety with the director of CLEAPSS Steve Jones. All science teachers are aware of CLEAPSS HazCards either in their physical form or their online presence. However, far fewer know about the sterling work they do to to support teachers and technicians every year to make schools as college practicals as safe as they can be. We hope you enjoy this informative and practical(!)episode - stay safe!
In this episode of the podcast Andy Woods catches up with STEM "she can ambassador" Katie King. Katie grew up in an environment where science and maths were encouraged (her mum is Carol Vorderman!) and consequently followed a scientific route herself. Katie is in the final stages of her PhD in Nanotechnology at the University of Cambridge but still finds time to get involved in the STEM community. She is passionate about encouraging and supporting young women to follow in her footsteps and to embrace the wonderful world of science and engineering. Follow her on twitter @KKing_5
Struggling to get the most out of your practical sessions? Have no fear! In this episode of the "view from the lab" Andy Woods catches up with practical pioneers Natalie Hewitt and Sarah Longshaw to discuss the fine art of the school science practical. We discuss how you can make the most of this crucial part of the science curriculum and support your students every step of the way.
Handy links below...
Learn Chemistry – RSC site - https://edu.rsc.org/resources
STEM learning - https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/curated-collections/secondary-and-level-science-0
STEM community pages - https://community.stem.org.uk/home
Spark IOP site - https://spark.iop.org/#gref
Nuffield Science site - https://edu.rsc.org/resources/collections/nuffield-practical-collection
Score framework - https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/collection/3982/score-practical-work-school-science-reports
In this episode Andy Woods catches up with a science teacher icon from twitter - Adam Boxer! Adam is one of the strongest and most erudite voices in UK science education today. We have a wide-ranging conversation about all things teaching with a specific focus on evidence-based practise to improve student outcomes. Adam talks through the approaches he takes with his classes to ensure learners are engaged and highlights the need to objectively observe proxies for good learning in the classroom. We also get a chance to talk about his side projects and his involvement with the innovative cogscisci community on twitter.
In this episode we catch up with Science textbook guru Mark Levesley. Mark has been involved in explaining complex ideas to young scientists for more than 20 years. If you’ve been a Science teacher or student during that time you will likely have come across his contributions to the 11-14 Exploring Science series. We discover how Mark fell into this role after a chance meeting with a publisher early on in his teaching career, which sent him in a new direction. During our discussion we talk through how Mark approaches his work and the challenges of making “classic” ideas in Science seem fresh and appealing for every new edition whether it’s paper or digital. Stay tuned to the end to hear Mark’s favourite school experiment that really makes pupils think.
In this episode of the view from the lab podcast I talk to current teacher Raj Joshi from the e21c education trust. We discuss his career in science education, what attracted him to Physics teaching in the first place and how he communicates his passion for the subject to his students. He shares the challenges and successes he has faced during his time as a schoolteacher and how he has strived engage young people in science throughout that time.
In episode 2 we catch up with the founder of pioneering Edtech learning platform Tassomai. Murray Morrison built his platform from the "ground up" based on his tutoring experiences in the capital early on in his career. He knew from experience that confidence in learning was based on practising the key elements of an activity whether that be in music, sport or science and maths. Listen to Murray's unique insight into the Edtech world and how he believes it compliments the hard work of teachers in classrooms across the world.
View from the lab is a science education podcast aimed at UK science teachers from primary to senior level. The aim is to inform, engage and entertain. We want to talk to a variety of stakeholders within science education; specifically - thought leaders, ed tech specialists, science journalists, professional scientists and teachers themselves. We want to discuss what’s going on in science and science classrooms today and explore how we can make things better.