HESTEMnews
www.hestem.ac.uk
SPRING/SUMMER 2012
IN THIS ISSUE
5
Virtual
Experiments
15
GEARING UP
FOR INDUSTRIAL
GROWTH
26
Interview with
Alice Roberts
2
FOREWORD
Welcome from the Director
In just a few months’ time universities will be
welcoming a new cohort of learners to the STEM
disciplines. Students will be commencing higher
education study and making a transition that
is acknowledged to be difficult for many,
particularly for those who choose to study
science, technology, engineering and
mathematics.
Michael Grove,
National HE STEM Programme Director
Contents
Curriculum Development
London and South East spoke Maths strand
Midlands and East Anglia spoke
North East spoke
Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Society of Chemistry
South West spoke
Wales spoke
Interview with Alice Roberts
3
6
14
16
18
20
21
25
26
Whilst the exact nature of these transitional issues will vary, there are some commonalities
– none of which are the fault of the individual students themselves. Lack of depth and
breadth of mathematical ability among students on entry is causing learning difficulties for
the student, and posing challenges for the staff members teaching them. There are also
concerns around students arriving at university with limited practical and laboratory skills
and the ability of new university students to solve problems and adapt to a more
independent way of learning.
Universities have been pro-active in responding to these challenges, and the National HE
STEM Programme identified these areas as priorities for activity at its outset. Through the
Programme, universities have not only implemented measures to support students once
they commence university study, but a number have also initiated interventions to work
with schools and colleges to address transitional issues before the new students arrive
in higher education. This represents a significant success which also fulfills an original
Programme objective to build greater strategic relationships between universities and
schools and colleges.
While the Programme will complete its funded activities in July 2012, its work in this area
and many others will continue long into the future. Key to this sustainability has been the
way in which the Programme has sought both to support universities to address their
individual needs and priorities and also to embed its activities as part of the higher
education curriculum. Highly sustainable activities generate further benefits to be
derived from the learning and expertise which the Programme has inspired.
In April 2012, the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, announced his
plans for A level reform and proposal that exam boards directly involve universities in
designing the A level curriculum. This is an initiative I warmly welcome, as do many of
my colleagues, and one which will help ensure students commence university study with
the best possible preparation. However, such reform also needs to be undertaken in
an inclusive and collaborative manner. Development of the A level curriculum of the
future should be undertaken in partnership between exam boards, universities, schools,
colleges, employers and professional bodies. It should also involve a range of universities,
not just a select few. We know a great deal as a sector on the school-university transition,
and we can use this to great effect in support of national policy. Those undertaking the
activities of the National HE STEM Programme are ideally placed to contribute and I
know many would be delighted to do so.
If you would like to know more about specific activities the Programme has undertaken
to enhance the school-university transition, why not participate in our Conference in
September 2012? Attendance is available free of charge to those within the higher
education sector in England and Wales: to find out more and to register please visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/conference
Michael Grove
National HE STEM Programme Director
3
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
London and South East spoke
Development
and integration
of computer-aided
assessment
of discrete
mathematics
Department of Mathematical Sciences,
Brunel University
The ma
ths E.G
. interfa
ce – lik
e
The principal aim of this project is
to translate existing computer-aided
assessment questions (CAA) in
elementary discrete mathematics (sets,
logic and graph theory) that form part of
the Mathletics system. These questions
were written in an extended form of
Question Mark’s Perception version 3 (P3)
and exploit random parameters throughout,
including very full feedback and diagrams,
thereby generating thousands of rich
questions that form an effective learning
resource. The project team decided that
such questions would form a demanding
test case for translation into other CAA
systems. Although within P3 one can
successfully encode algorithms that
generate questions with specified
characteristics, their answers and
distracters based on mal-rules (incorrect
but structured mistakes), it has not proved
shoppin
g on Am
azon, b
ut free!
feasible to translate them to Perception
version 5 (P5) as originally proposed.
The project team therefore exploited the
stand-alone web application to be found
at http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk:8081/
mathseg/. Designed to require little
editing of original question content, this
app requires no external software. Building
on this, the maths web application at
Brunel now hosts most of the 2000
original Mathletics questions, including
the demanding discrete mathematics
questions mentioned above. Delivery is via
PCs or Macs using any browser, and staff
will, at the very least, find this a rich source
of useful examples for lecture notes and
their own assessments since many of the
questions have been reverse engineered
from ‘nice’ solutions which avoid getting
bogged down in excessive arithmetic!
Tagging of questions enable a search
engine to find whatever you want
according to various criteria and a
teacher’s interface has been added to
allow staff to create their own tests by
adding selected (or randomly-selected
questions) to their ‘shopping trolley’.
Creating and scheduling a test is
therefore easy (and free).
For more information and to make
use of the resource, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
development-and-integrationcomputer-aided-assessmentdiscrete-mathematics
4
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
London and South East spoke
Exploring engineering
thresholds: lessons for
curriculum development
Dr Kathleen M Quinlan, University of Oxford
This project has engaged engineering
and materials science tutors at Oxford
in enhancing student learning and
contributed to an international community
of practice related to teaching, learning and
curriculum development in engineering
and materials science.
‘Threshold concepts’ is a term which refers
to particular ideas within a discipline that
open up new ways of thinking and allow
students to progress in that discipline.
The notion of threshold concepts has
already proven pedagogically effective
in disciplines other than engineering.
Thresholds are also often particularly
troublesome or tricky for students.
Fourteen Oxford tutors and eight students
were interviewed to: a) identify perceived
thresholds; b) explore why and how
proposed thresholds were troublesome,
transformative and integrative and; 3)
discuss their experience of teaching or
learning them. Oxford’s tutorial system
provided a unique context for the study
because tutors work with students in small
groups in their colleges throughout their
degree course. The tutorial thus provides
continuity and a space where connections
can be made across different topic areas.
Since tutors spend much of their time
working with students who are studying
topics outside their own specialty area,
they are well positioned to focus on the
underlying thinking processes involved in
becoming an engineer. Most tutors traced
student difficulties to four tightly connected
areas (as illustrated in the concept map):
a)Connecting maths and the physical
world. The problem lay not in doing
mathematics itself, but rather in
‘translating abstract ideas into
mathematics’ or ‘mathematical
representation of the physical world’.
b)Approximation and estimation, also
described as ‘back-of-the-envelope
calculation’ and an ‘automatic checking
system’. Students who understand
how maths and the physical world are
related will be able to ‘appreciate the
appropriate approximations which we
all have to do to actually produce a
new engineering solution.’ They will
‘have the confidence to chuck away
those terms [in the] approximation
process...the larger skill is translating
physical problems in a meaningful way
into a mathematical representation.’
c)Modelling a problem. Many of the
tutors say that students need to learn
the ‘set up of the problem…we call
that – modelling a problem…And
one thing we hope is, by doing
courses together, they will see the
links between, say, electricity and
fluids, electricity and mechanics...’
d)Convergent vs. divergent problem
solving. In school, students are used
to questions that converge on a single
right answer. In engineering, real world
problems are open-ended, choices
need to be made about how they will
be modeled and the goal is a ‘good’
answer that meets the needs of the
situation to hand. Students therefore
need to become more comfortable
with uncertainty.
Lessons for curriculum design
A concept map illustrating processes involved in connecting maths to the physical world.
This research illuminated the key
connections between a variety of difficult
topics in engineering and emphasised
the thinking processes that students
must master on the way to becoming
engineers. These connections seem
to be best spotted and taught by
experienced academics who are involved
across a wide range of the curriculum.
Curricula in the sciences tend to be
over-crowded; intentionally focusing
on thresholds such as the generic
engineering thinking skills outlined above
– even while teaching the contents of the
programme – may be helpful in creating
overall programme coherence.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
engineering-thresholds-approachcurriculum-renewal
5
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
London and South East spoke
Virtual
Experiments
Capturing experimental imagery
The Virtual Experiments (VE) project has
been pivotal in progressing laboratory
teaching through technology. A Virtual
Experiment is a highly interactive interface
where users are able to change settings
in order to reach and record different
outcomes of an experiment. The VE team
now have over eight years’ experience
between them and have produced more
than 20 unique VEs.
The Virtual Experiments team at the
University of Southampton is currently
disseminating its knowledge of virtual
experiments to other higher education
institutions throughout the country, helping
them to capitalise on recreating the
laboratory in a virtual setting. These virtual
experiments allow students to develop
key scientific skills at a place and within
a timescale of their own choosing. The
team has been giving presentations
to academics and technical staff and
introducing them to the many benefits
of such an experimental approach.
Virtual Development Officer Paolo Memoli
has also hosted a full day training session
in Southampton where delegates were
taken step by step through the creation
of a simple Virtual Experiment. Delegates
were taught advanced photography and
programming techniques together with
how to avoid common setbacks specific
to Virtual Experiments. It is hoped VEs
will become a key way of supplementing
difficult and specialist experiments within
an undergraduate environment, and to this
end the team has written a good practice
guide which gives a brief summary of the
training session and is freely available for
distribution here: www.hestem.ac.uk/
news/virtual-experiment-manual
To find out more, please visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
practical-skills-and-virtualexperiments-including-pedagogicalevaluation
6
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
Good practice on inclusive
curricula and methods to produce
flexible and accessible learning
resources in mathematics
Emma Cliffe, Mathematics and Statistics Resource Centre, University of Bath, E.H.Cliffe@bath.ac.uk
Jane White, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, K.A.J.White@bath.ac.uk
The specific accessibility challenges
posed by courses with substantial
mathematical content are beyond the
scope of existing general good practice
advice on developing inclusive curricula.
Inclusive curriculum practice refers to
‘the process of developing, designing
and refining programmes of study to
minimise the barriers that students may
face in accessing the curriculum’ (Higher
Education Academy [1]). The Maths,
Stats and OR (MSOR) Access Working
and Interest Group (AccessMSOR WG)
[2] brings together expertise and interest
in issues surrounding the support of
disabled students in MSOR subjects.
An AccessMSOR WG workshop on
inclusive curricula in MSOR took place
with support from the National HE STEM
Programme in February 2011. Following
this, group members and workshop
attendees were invited to submit case
studies or reports relevant to the theme.
A guide, ‘Good Practice on Inclusive
Curricula in the Mathematical Sciences’
was produced [3] which seeks to
complement and extend, rather than
replace, general good practice advice.
Many of the contributions to the guide
highlight the need for notes to be
provided prior to classes. They also
note that a significant barrier for disabled
students in MSOR subjects is the
suitability of the learning resource format
provided. For instance, the mathematics
in a Word or PDF document output from
LaTeX (figure 1), cannot easily be
produced in large print or Braille, accessed
by text-to-speech or edited, allowing
colour highlighting of symbols and text
annotations which include equations.
Teaching staff may not be aware of the
range of assistive software available or
have experience in the production of
learning resources in flexible formats
which can be modified to individual
requirements. This has an impact on
departments’ ability to design and
deliver inclusive curricula.
As part of an HE STEM Mathematics
Curriculum Innovation project the project
team are exploring methods to produce
flexible and accessible resources
automatically from a single document
using a small range of mathematical and
assistive technologies. One of the key
outcomes of the project will be a lecturers’
guide to assist in the creation of such
resources using common methods (e.g.
LaTeX). This guidance builds on input
from academic staff and students in the
mathematical sciences, a literature review
of current practice and technical tests of
available tools. In the case of LaTeX, we
have documented structure, command,
style and symbol constraints which allow
multiple formats to be produced from
a master automatically. These formats
include Braille output to hardware, large
print (figure 2), formats accessible to
text-to-speech technologies (figure 3) and
editable formats (figure 4). In the case of
Word, the project team is reporting on the
use of assistive technology with Word
itself or acting to transform documents
into accessible formats. This includes
considerations of document structure
and equation format.
Barriers remain – producing some formats
imposes additional costs or uses software
not in active development. Some desired
combinations of formats cannot be
produced with ease. However, it is hoped
that by clarifying what can be produced
this project will enable departments to
minimise barriers and to take a transparent
approach to delivering an accessible
mathematical curriculum.
[1]Gravestock, P., 2011. Inclusive
Curriculum Practices. Available via:
www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/
detail/subjects/psychology/
Inclusive_Curriculum_Practices
[2]Maths, Stats and OR Network, 2010.
Supporting Students with Disabilities.
Available via: www.mathstore.ac.uk/
node/126
m
ed from LaTeX
formats produc
r
Figure 4: editable tations and alterations in prog
no
(with example an
[3]Cliffe, E. and Rowlett, P. (Editors),
2012. Good Practice on Inclusive
Curricula in the Mathematical
Sciences. Available via: http://
mathstore.ac.uk/node/2095
7
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
Figure 1: standard PDF
output from LaTeX
ed
aths) produc
t, reflowed m
0p
(2
t
in
pr
e
Figure 2: larg ter
mas
from LaTeX
Figure 3: text-to-speec
h enabled format produc
ed
from LaTeX master
master
ress)
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
good-practice-inclusive-curriculamaths and www.hestem.ac.uk/
activity/flexible-accessiblelearning-resources
Engineering
students’
understanding
of mathematics
Mathematics is heavily involved in
engineering and can be a barrier for
some students to progressing with their
engineering study. Two projects are
addressing this barrier.
Some teaching of mathematics to
engineers can be procedural, which may
not develop genuine understanding of
mathematical concepts. Lacking such
understanding may cause difficulties
in further study. Barbara Jaworski
(Loughborough) has been supported
by the MSOR Network and the Royal
Academy of Engineering to look at the
mathematical understanding of first year
engineering students [1]. This project
aimed to develop/improve participation
and mathematical understanding of first
year engineering students through
pioneering an innovative methodology,
and to study outcomes. This has led to
further work in engineering students’
understanding of mathematics,
supported by the RAEng.
Lack of sufficient mathematical skills
can be a barrier to incoming students
progressing onto or succeeding at
higher-level engineering study. The
MSOR Network has supported Alexandra
Shukie (University Centre at Blackburn
College) to develop a mathematics
bridging programme for incoming
engineering students [2]. Identifying that
potential learners are being lost from
engineering due to their lack of practical
mathematics skills, and not due to lack of
competence or understanding, this project
is providing a bridging programme,
conceptualised for engineering and
delivered through a blended approach.
This project aims to improve engagement
in higher education engineering through
improving the mathematical skills of
prospective engineers. To better engage
its target students, an engaging
programme of learning moves away
significantly from the traditional ‘talk and
chalk’ approach to mathematics delivery.
Peter Rowlett, April 2012.
References
1.Jaworski, B. et al. (2011). Engineering
Students Understanding Mathematics
(ESUM). MSOR Connections, 11(3),
p. 47–48.
2.Shukie, A. et al. (2011). Supporting
Undergraduate Engagement and
Achievement in STEM Disciplines.
MSOR Connections, 11(3), p. 49.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
engineering-studentsunderstanding-mathematics-esuminnovative-teaching-approachintegrated, www.hestem.ac.uk/
activity/engineering-studentsunderstanding-mathematics-esumresearch-rigour-and-disseminationproje and www.hestem.ac.uk/
activity/supporting-undergraduateengagement-achievement-stemdisciplines
8
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
Working with
employers and
employees to improve
statistical awareness
and the HE curriculum
John Marriott and Neville Davies, Royal Statistical Society
Centre for Statistical Education, Plymouth University
Project 1 – Bringing Industrial
Problems into the HE Curriculum
The range of industrial problems suitable
for embedding in the HE curriculum is
very large, with the RSSCSE’s industrial
partner producing several million items
of food a week. The project team have
focused on products that are mass
produced and have discussed a range
of problems that can be devised using
the large amount of real data provided.
The data to be used for some of the
problems involves measuring pre- and
post-baking weights and dimensions of
the items for a range of different products.
Measurements and counts are being used
to create real problems to populate the
Moodle-based management system which
has been developed. The project team
have used the data from the company
to randomly generate a large number of
different problems from which students
will be able to choose a problem type and
obtain a randomly chosen problem with
associated data set.
Project 2 – A curriculum for STEM
employee learning
The second project has designed and
implemented an audit questionnaire to
assess the statistical skills and knowledge
of STEM graduates in employment, which
is now being circulated electronically
to STEM graduates in a wide range
of companies.
The tool was been refined in the light of
feedback from BT, Toyota, the Met Office
College, the Plymouth Manufacturing
Group, SEMTA and colleagues on the
Royal Statistical Society getstats board.
Emerging findings indicate that the
extent and form of statistical skills and
knowledge needed by employers and
employers in the piloted companies is
very wide.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
industrial-problems-he-curriculumstats and www.hestem.ac.uk/
activity/statistical-awarenesscurriculum-stem-employees
9
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
‘MU-MAP – Mapping University
Mathematics Assessment Practices’,
led by Paola Iannnone (UEA) and Adrian
Simpson (Durham) has surveyed
assessment practice in HE mathematics
and is developing resources to share
good practice. To explore the costs of
change, this project has supported a
series of mini-projects for lecturers to
implement a new assessment method in
their modules and the team are studying
the change process. They hope to learn
about the costs and effects of the change
required to implement good practice in
new contexts.
Maths strand
Major work
arising from the
HE Mathematics
Curriculum
Summit
The HE Mathematics Curriculum Summit
was operated by the Maths, Stats and
OR Network as part of the National HE
STEM Programme in January 2011.
This brought heads of mathematics or
their representatives from 26 universities
offering mathematics degrees (about half
of those in England and Wales) together
with representatives from professional
bodies for a day of debate and discussion
around the HE mathematics curriculum,
which led to a series of recommendations
for current curriculum development
priorities [1].
The Summit was concerned with the
level of explicit (rather than implicit)
development and assessment of problem
solving (a key graduate attribute) in the
curriculum. Trevor Hawkes (Coventry
University) and Chris Sangwin (University
of Birmingham) have surveyed problemsolving teaching in mathematics
departments in universities in England
and Wales, and are studying a number
of departments closely. The result of
this work will be a guide to inform the
implementation of problem-solving in
undergraduate mathematics. A team led
by Sue Pope (University of Manchester)
working with Liverpool Hope University
and the NRICH project at the University
of Cambridge, are developing a virtual
problem-solving environment to host
problems suitable for a range of
undergraduate mathematics courses.
A talk at the Summit on assessment
methods developed interest in the use of
non-standard forms of assessment in the
curriculum and how able lecturers are to
explore alternatives to majority-exam
module assessment. The project
The Summit identified that engaging with
industrial partners to create real-world
student projects encounters several
barriers around availability and suitability.
Consequently, two projects are working to
draw real world mathematical problems
from industrial partners, assess these for
use in the undergraduate curriculum and
make them available to the sector. Martin
Homer (Bristol) is working on mathematics
industrial problems while Neville Davies
(Plymouth) is working on statistics
problems. Summit participants were also
concerned that undergraduate students
may not be aware of the realities of
working as a mathematician or the
development of the subject. Tony
Mann (Greenwich) and Chris Good
(Birmingham) are building a set of
resources on working as a mathematician
and the development of mathematics
together with guidance on how to use
these in the curriculum.
The HE Mathematics Curriculum Summit
was a high-level meeting from which
the National HE STEM Programme
learned a great deal which has had a
substantial effect on the directing of
support to the curriculum development
priorities of the community, enabling the
work supported as a result to have real
practical relevance for improving the
HE mathematics curriculum.
Peter Rowlett, April 2012
References
1. Rowlett, P. (ed.), 2011. HE
Mathematics Curriculum Summit.
Birmingham: MSOR Network.
10
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
MU MAP: Mapping
University Mathematics
Assessment Practices
The University of East Anglia and Durham
University are leading a project which
investigates assessment practices across
undergraduate mathematics degrees in
the UK.
Assessment in higher education is of
considerable importance in the changing
landscape of higher education: the
skills which mathematics degrees
claim to develop have grown to include
communication, use of IT, problem solving
and group work. These skills could be
assessed alongside specific competencies
in mathematics, but this raises questions
as to how traditional assessment may be
used to assess such skills.
The MU MAP team carried out a
comprehensive review of the literature
available on assessment in STEM subjects
to detail findings from research as well
as practitioners’ experiences. Given the
emphasis on innovative assessment in
this literature, the team produced both a
snapshot of assessment practices
currently in use and a collection of
materials, in the form of case studies,
on alternative assessment practices.
Data from this survey shows that whilst
the closed book examination still
dominates assessment in mathematics,
there are many examples of alternatives.
To explore the costs, advantages,
drawbacks and barriers to the use of new
assessment methods, MU MAP has also
supported a number of mini projects that
detail the implementation and evaluation
of different methods. These projects took
place at the universities of Loughborough,
Salford, Nottingham Trent, Plymouth,
Leicester and Durham and focused
on how lecturers perceive the following
approaches:
n
computer aided assessment
comparative judgement
methods in marking pure mathematics
examination questions
nadaptive
nuse
of multiple-choice questions to
assess mathematical proof
nassessment of open ended problems
nuse of clickers as a tool for summative
assessment
nintroduction of a component of oral
assessment in a graph theory module
The outcomes on the mini projects and of
MU MAP will be disseminated in the ‘MU
MAP Good Practice Book’ (which will be
distributed for free and will be available
to download from the MU MAP website
from June 2012), and were presented in a
workshop held at the British Mathematical
Colloquium 2012, at the University of Kent.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
mu-map-mapping-universitymathematics-assessment-practices
and www.hestem.ac.uk/event/
partner-event/mu-map-workshopand-call
11
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
Maths Arcade
uptake
programme
Noel-Ann B
ra
Chadwick (S dshaw (Greenwich) an
d
alford) at th
e Maths Arc Edmund
ade training
day
eenwich) observing
Noel-Ann Bradshaw (Gr
Salford Maths Arcade
The Maths Arcade, an innovative practice
developed by Noel-Ann Bradshaw at the
University of Greenwich, aims to stretch
more confident mathematical sciences
undergraduates and support those who
are struggling, and to encourage
interaction between students and with
staff outside of the curriculum. The Maths
Arcade provides a venue for mathematical
talk, games and problem-solving, with
a range of strategy board games and
puzzles available which are designed
to hone and develop strategic thinking.
It also encourages staff/student
interaction, with academic staff attending
and students getting help with tutorial
work from peers or staff.
The Institute of Mathematics and its
Applications are supporting a project to
enhance the Maths Arcade provision at
Greenwich and provide the guidance
needed to transfer this novel practice to
other institutions. They are also providing
support to establish new Maths Arcades
at Salford University, Keele University,
Sheffield Hallam University and the
University of Leicester. In addition,
independent Maths Arcades, inspired
by the Greenwich model, have been
established at the University of
Nottingham, University of Bath
and University of Manchester.
As part of the uptake of good practice
from Greenwich at other institutions,
Noel-Ann Bradshaw ran a training session
the
for staff from Salford, Keele, Sheffield
Hallam and Manchester at the University
of Salford on 7th March 2012.
Participants attended the Salford Maths
Arcade over lunch, and in the afternoon
each Maths Arcade gave an update on
how their centre was running and had the
opportunity to discuss challenges, explore
the mathematical thinking behind some of
the games and plan evaluation strategy.
Peter Rowlett,
MSOR Network, March 2012.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/mathsarcade-uptake-programme
12
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
STEM careers module
First face-to-face day of the STEM careers module
The STEM careers module team have put together a
postgraduate level course based on online modules originally
developed by the Institute for Employment Research at Warwick.
A trial run of the course in Wales and the South West exceeded its
original target of 10–15 students, with the final list including 18
careers advisers and 6 teachers.
This course was developed in conjunction
with the Welsh spoke, Pat Morton of
Sheffield Hallam University and Claire
Nix of Babcock International who also
provided the delivery. The aim was to raise
awareness and confidence in promotion
of STEM subjects and careers, important
not only in Wales but in England too.
The course, which is being delivered
mainly through distance learning, has
drawn together a cohort of enthusiastic
individuals who are committed to
promoting STEM subjects and careers
to their students. Students have been
encouraged to make the learning suit
their own priorities so the work they
do can be situated in their own school,
college or office. (For example, one of
the students has chosen the issue of
gender stereotyping while designing
and delivering a range of activities for
girls with employers and WISE in
Wales through Saturday clubs.)
The course includes two face-to-face
days with the tutors supporting
independent learning through the study
of the online module. Assessment will be
based on portfolios detailing the work
done and the learning that has taken place
throughout the course. To date, the team
has been delighted with the low drop-out
rate and many enthusiastic and supportive
comments, and believes that the pilot has
demonstrated that the course has great
potential as a way forward for teachers
and careers advisers in England and
Wales, to strengthen their own knowledge
and also widen opportunities for the
young people with whom they work.
So where next? The aim is to work
with Welsh and English universities on
accreditation of the course as a module
in a postgraduate programme. Course
material will also be made available
through the National STEM Centre,
and successful students on the pilot
will receive a certificate which may
be accepted for APEL purposes.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/stemcareers-awareness-resources
13
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Maths strand
Views of mathematics
graduates on the HE
curriculum
This project was conducted on behalf
of the Institute of Mathematics and its
Applications and the National HE STEM
Programme in late 2011 and early 2012.
The aim of the project was to ensure an
evidence base for the higher education
mathematics community to be able to
review its provision, in order to equip
students with the skills necessary to keep
pace with developments in the workplace
and the demands of postgraduate study.
Mathematics graduates from 40 UK
universities were surveyed by email
approximately two years after graduation
to gather their perceptions of the generic
skills and mathematical knowledge that
they developed during the course of their
undergraduate studies. The research
investigated the extent to which each
of these have been used to date in
employment or further study, and
questioned which specific skills graduates
have needed to acquire since graduating
that were not developed during degree
courses and whether these should have
been so. Graduates were also asked
to consider how well they believe their
curriculum was delivered and whether,
with hindsight, different delivery
mechanisms might have left them
better prepared for their experiences
since graduation.
developing a knowledge and skill base
that is appropriate to the requirements
of the workplace or further study there
are, however, areas in which a perception
exists that skills could be further
developed, and analysis reveals
differences between student expectations
prior to embarking on mathematics
undergraduate study and their
experiences some two years
after graduation.
The data is currently being analysed
and findings will shortly be published on
www.hestem.ac.uk . Early results show
that whilst mathematics degrees are
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/viewsgraduates-he-curriculum
14
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Midlands and East Anglia spoke
2020 vision:
the challenges of
curriculum revision
The mathematics curriculum at the
University of Birmingham is broadly similar
to that of other Russell Group universities;
a core first two years preparing students
for advanced modules in years three and
four, largely based on staff research
interests. The last substantial revision
of the curriculum was a decade ago.
Since then, small changes to modules
have lead to some repetition of material
and a slightly disjointed approach to
certain topics. At the same time, the
School of Mathematics has grown
considerably resulting in a wider range of
advanced modules and extra demands on
the core, and universities are increasingly
focusing on employability as a significant
aspect of undergraduate curricula. In
response to these drivers, with support
from the National HE STEM Programme,
the School of Mathematics at the
University of Birmingham is revising its
curriculum, improving provision for the
majority going on to graduate employment
and for the significant minority taking their
studies further. Such changes, however,
are not simple.
There are significant structural challenges
to curriculum review. Mathematics, like
many other subjects, does not sit easily
within a modular structure of 10 and 20
credit modules. Devising and timetabling
programmes for combined and joint
honours throws up particular challenges,
especially given that certain modules must
be available to first and second years. The
transition period from the old curriculum to
the new also poses significant technical
challenges as both new and old versions
must run in parallel.
In a school which emphasises research
and teaching there will always be
disagreement about what is core material
and consequent pressure to increase
content. However, discussions with
employers, even those who specifically
recruit mathematicians, reveal that it is
not particular knowledge that they look
for, but the ability to think mathematically,
solve problems and tackle projects
effectively in groups. Finding the right
balance between content and training
is a thorny issue.
Employability and graduate skills also
divide colleagues. Many believe that
this is an essential part of the curriculum.
Others believe that we should only
concern ourselves with mathematics.
(As one colleague pointed out, it is also
a good idea for students to be fit, but
that does not mean that exercise classes
should be part of a mathematics degree!)
A strong argument can be made for
including problem solving, group work
and presentation skills as these improve
mathematical ability. Surely, however,
a little attention to CV writing and job
applications cannot hurt. We owe it to
our students to show them just how
employable they really are.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/2020vision-curriculum-mathematics
15
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Midlands and East Anglia spoke
Gearing up for
industrial growth
Members of the new partnership between the University of Wolverhampton and the
aerospace and automotive sectors at a recent meeting
A new partnership between academics and the
aerospace and automotive sectors is going from
strength to strength.
The School of Technology at the University
of Wolverhampton is consulting with
industry partners about a new
undergraduate degree specifically
designed to address the needs of industry.
Partners include Caterpillar, Goodrich,
Moog, HS Marston, Meggitt, UNIPART,
ZF Lemforder, Ajax Tocco, TIMKEN,
SEMTA, EEF Ltd, MAA, IMechE, and
Wolverhampton City Council. All the
companies are involved with High Value
Manufacturing and are growing, some
between 10–15% per annum, and hence
need significant numbers of highly skilled
staff, and partners have collectively agreed
to develop an all new manufacturing
engineering degree for industry.
The pilot is seeking to recruit graduates
from the local University Technology
College at Walsall, and local academies.
Early indications are that industry is
seeking accelerated delivery and for
Wolverhampton University staff to
co-deliver teaching in industry.
Associate Dean, Professor Richard Hall,
who is leading this development says:
‘With Moog building their factory of the
future on i54 and Jaguar Land Rover plans
to build its new engine plant also there,
the time is right for us now to be more
adventurous with the design of our degree
programmes, to more closely meet the
needs of industry.
‘We will work collaboratively and will work
more closely with our industrial partners
to form the bigger team. Our staff will be
teaching students who are based in
industry, to ensure the supply of significant
numbers of highly skilled people to our
local companies.
‘In turn this will ensure the continued
success of High Value Manufacturing in
the UK; and, will help reduce the country’s
deficit and unemployment.’
For further information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
gearing-industrial-growth
16
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
North East spoke
Evaluation of PebblePAD
as an enhancer of the
final year engineering
project experience
The Final Year Project is an integral part
of engineering degree programmes. At
the University of Bradford’s School of
Engineering, Design and Technology,
the project spans two semesters, and
is equivalent to 300 hours of work or
30 credits. A student works under the
guidance of a supervisor on a particular
topic, which usually involves some
practical work. Over the course of two
semesters, regular meetings occur
between supervisor and student, to gauge
progress, monitor engagement and
discuss technical issues. As the project
progresses, the student is required to
apply a variety of personal and technical
skills as the project evolves from concept
to practical implementation through to
concluding presentation.
There is possible scope for adding
value to the FYP experience, from the
perspectives of both supervisor and
student, through the use of e-portfolio
tools, which make use of the Web to
provide the means for maintaining
communication, monitoring progress
and developing a portfolio of skills.
Following an analysis of the final year
project experience from the perspectives
of student and supervisor, respectively,
a pilot trial phase was implemented by
the investigators, involving a bespoke
e-portfolio application, which they named:
Final Year Project: Skills and Personal
Reflective Activity (FYP:SPA). This
PebblePAD application built on the
University’s first year induction tool
SaPRA: Skills and Personal Reflective
Activity. Upon initial access to FYP:SPA,
at the start of their FYP, students
are prompted to self-evaluate their
competence on a scale of 1 to 5 under
various activities, clustered under six
Skill Statements. For example, under
the Skill Statement Communication
and Presentation Skills, one of the
self-evaluating activities is ‘Producing a
poster presentation’. Resources are used
by the FYP:SPA application to inform
students of freely available development
opportunities, based on internal training
events or open educational resources
made available via the Web. As the
student undertakes training and collects
evidence, self-evaluation can be
re-performed to demonstrate personal
development and learning progression.
The student then has the option to share
this development in the form of a
portfolio of work with their supervisor.
The FYP:SPA application, although
designed for final year engineering
programmes, has the potential to be
applied to other disciplines. Equally, it
could readily be utilised for other levels
of study, including postgraduate taught
and research programmes, as part of a
programme of personal development.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
investigation-applicability-eportfolio-tool-support-final-yearengineering-projects
17
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
North East spoke
Problem-solving
in undergraduate
mathematics
This collaboration between Liverpool Hope
University and NRICH at the University of
Cambridge aims to produce a number of
interactive starting points for problemsolving in undergraduate mathematics.
It forms part of the response to the HE
mathematics curriculum summit in January
2011, which recommended that more
support was needed to incorporate
problem-solving into undergraduate
mathematics.
The starting points for problem-solving
are presented in an interactive, visual and
engaging way that nurtures mathematical
thinking, logical processes and modelling.
They permit a range of teaching
approaches – individual, small group and
whole class. They have been designed
to be fully functional on a range of digital
technologies including handhelds and
developed using freeware. They will be
hosted by NRICH which will ensure their
sustainability and also the potential for
future development.
The starting points are being trialled
with undergraduate students and refined
to ensure they are robust on different
platforms and can be used effectively
by individuals, small groups or with a
class, as suits different lecturers and their
courses. The trial experiences are forming
the basis of case studies which will be
incorporated into an overall package of
guidance and case studies developed
by the collaboration between Coventry
University and the University of Birmingham.
There are four starting points in
development, three of which are illustrated
below: Picture This!, Linear Programming
and Graphs.
You can try the starting points
by visiting:
www.jasondavies.com/psum/
And provide feedback through
a questionnaire:
www.surveymonkey.com/s/
W6H9WXG
For further information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
problem-solving-2
18
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Royal Academy of Engineering
Communicating and
contextualising the tools
and methods of new product
development to current and
potential engineering students
Dr Mark Evans, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University
The CoLab design tool originates from
a Loughborough Design School PhD
which created a playing card-type
system to act as a validated approach
to promoting understanding and
collaboration between engineering
designers and industrial designers
during New Product Development
(NPD). Support from the National
HE STEM Programme facilitated
its development into a web-based
resource called CoLab which includes
the collation of 35 carefully selected
and accessible images.
CoLab has been developed for use
by school pupils and undergraduate
students on a wide range of engineering
courses (such as engineering design,
mechanical engineering, and product
design engineering and manufacture).
Following discussions with secondary
school teachers, the ‘Design
Representations’ section was identified
as being of particular benefit in the
design and technology curriculum
to support understanding and interest
in NPD and engineering as a career.
CoLab provides tangible examples
of the design representations that
are used during NPD to promote the
undergraduate study of engineering
and choice of careers relating to NPD.
A highly visual approach was taken
in the design of the CoLab tool
by selecting images of design
representations which are both
informative and visually appealing.
For example, Figure 1 shows an example
of a Study Sketch (from the Sketches
section of the CoLab tool) and Figure 2
shows an Experimental Prototype
(from the Prototype section of the
CoLab design tool).
Figure 1. Im
age
of a Study S
ketch
Figure 2. Image of an
The presentation of the website is
intentionally simple, being laid out in three
main sections of ‘Home’, ‘Use CoLab’ and
‘Information’. ‘Home’ provides sufficient
information to enable the user to
understand the rationale and functionality
of the tool. ‘Information’ indicates the
background to the project; the nature of
the research; the results from the research
and information on the development of the
CoLab web site. The layout of the CoLab
home page can be seen in Figure 3.
‘Get started with CoLab’ provides access
to the tool and gives the user the options
of searching by:
nDesign Stages (to identify the stages
and explore how engineering designers
and industrial designers use design
representations during four stages
of NPD)
nDesign Information (to identify the
types of design information and explore
how engineering designers and
Experimental prototype
industrial designers use design
representations to communicate)
nTechnical Information (to identify the
types of technical information and
explore how engineering designers
and industrial designers use design
representations to communicate)
nDesign Representations (to identify
35 different types of design
representation and explore how
engineering designers and industrial
designers use these to communicate
design/technical information and
during the stages of NPD)
Having collated 35 images for the design
representations that were derived from
the categories of ‘Sketches’, ‘Drawings’,
‘Models’ and ‘Prototypes’, these were
integrated into new CoLab website.
Figure 4 shows the layout for the Study
Sketch cards in which the purple bar
indicates that this is from the set of
35 Design Representations.
19
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Figure 4. CoLa
b web page fo
r the Study Sket
Representations
ch in the Desig
section
n
ge
ab home pa
Figure 3. CoL
oLab
Figure 5. C
n
ges sectio
Design Sta
ign in the
oncept Des
for the C
web page
Figure 7. CoLab web page for Asse
mbly in the Technical
Information section
Figure 6. C
oLab web pa
ge for Scena
Information
rio of Use in
section
the Desig
n
CoLab is designed to address key emerging issues from the
national agenda, including improving interdisciplinary working by
enhancing the joint understanding of engineers and designers
as suggested by the RAEng in Engineers for the 21st Century
and as a key recommendation of the Cox Review of Creativity
in Business: ‘Higher education courses should better prepare
students to work with, and understand, other specialists’.
It also builds on the work of the London Engineering Project
by contributing to the following pedagogic needs:
nEnsure the practical applications of theoretical principles
are an integral part of teaching practice
nBuild inter-disciplinary links and apply them to existing
courses and teaching material
nUse a broad range of contemporary examples and contexts
nDemonstrate how engineering relates to society and to a
broad range of social and environmental needs by including
examples of engineering in society where possible
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/communicating-andcontextualising-new-product-development-tools-andmethods-engineering-stu and www.colab.lboro.ac.uk
20
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Royal Society of Chemistry
Context and problem based learning
and business skills resources
The Royal Society of Chemistry, in collaboration with the National
HE STEM Programme, have commissioned a variety of Higher
Education resources to be produced focusing on subjectcontextualised and interactive learning. These resources will be
freely available from their e-learning platform Learn Chemistry
(www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry) from the end of July 2012.
Students display their com
plex polysaccharides and
dehydrated
starch-based renewable tow
ers built from spaghetti and
marshmallows during a tria
l of the Business Skills reso
urces
at the University of Edinbur
gh
Context and Problem Based Learning
Context and Problem Based Learning
(CPBL) is a teaching methodology which
aims to increase students’ engagement
with the subject by delivering courses
which are based upon real-life applications
of the principles, techniques and
experiments students encounter
in their undergraduate courses.
The RSC has commissioned the
development of a suite of 10 new CPBL
resources highlighting the major role of the
chemical sciences in addressing global
challenges outlined in the RSC’s roadmap,
Chemistry for Tomorrow’s World. A
selected team of 20 higher education
institutions are currently trialling these
draft resources, with feedback being
communicated to the developers.
This interaction between the resource
developer and those participating in the
trials will further refine these resources
to make them as simple to use as
possible; enabling both experienced
and inexperienced practitioners to use
them with relative ease. The resources
of the Business Skills
up during the trial of some
Students discuss in their gro
gh
Edinbur
modules at the University of
themselves cover a variety of topics
including medicinal chemistry,
nanomaterials, pollutant monitoring and
remediation, food flavouring, chemistry
of energy to name just a few!
Business Skills Resources
The lack of business skills and commercial
awareness in STEM graduates has
repeatedly been cited by industry in recent
years. Traditional ‘bolt-on’ teaching of
business skills by business schools to
chemistry students has been unsuccessful
and is in decline. In response to this,
the RSC has commissioned the
development of resources teaching
subject-contextualised and relevant
business skills for chemists for full
integration into the chemistry curriculum.
Interest from institutions to develop these
resources has been strong since they
recognise and have evidence for the need
to teach these skills to their undergraduate
cohorts. The RSC has observed an
increased engagement in employer
engagement initiatives, and departments
routinely cite an ‘increased focus on
employability’ which is driving
curriculum change.
The business skills modules will be
embedded into the curriculum of five UK
HEIs (Leeds, Warwick, York, Edinburgh
and Nottingham) for the foreseeable future.
The resources will be designed to facilitate
uptake by other institutions and some will
also be designed for self-study, allowing
access to any interested learner/groups of
learners without requirement to be enrolled
to a HEI. These resources will cover a
variety of topics including Intellectual
Property Rights, Project Management,
SWOT analysis, Market analysis and
production, and from the Bench to
the Bank.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/contextand-problem-based-learning and
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
business-skills-chemists-resources
21
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
South West spoke
Developing
writing in STEM
disciplines:
curriculum
innovation and
enhancement
Dr Trevor Day co-leading an
‘Addressing the needs of
employers’ workshop at Bat
h in February 2012
The project’s research findings and
identified good practice were presented
in September 2011 at a regional
conference in the South West attended
by 45 staff representing 13 HEIs. A
hallmark of both this conference and
the activities that have followed has
been the involvement of a wide range of
stakeholders: STEM academics, industry
partners, writing specialists, learning
The project ‘Developing Writing in STEM developers, English language specialists,
Disciplines’ responded to these questions librarians and careers advisors.
by researching the views of University
of Bath engineering placement students, Another key feature has been the ongoing
collaboration of the project partners.
engineering faculty staff and regional
The project team have gone on to form
employers of engineering graduates.
the editorial and review panel of a
At the same time the project gathered
special edition of the Journal of Learning
examples of good writing development
practice from HEIs in the UK and beyond, Development in Higher Education on
working with partner universities Coventry, the theme ‘Developing Writing in STEM
Disciplines’. Six of the seven project
Exeter, Limerick, Oxford Brookes,
partners have established a special
Plymouth and the West of England.
interest group, ‘Writing and
The project revealed that both engineering Communicating in STEM Disciplines’,
which presented a lively and well-attended
employers and engineering placement
workshop at the Association for Learning
students thought that universities should
play a major role in developing the writing Development in Higher Education
(ALDinHE) Conference at the University
skills of placement students. In addition,
engineering employers expected that the of Leeds in April 2012. Project partners
early career graduates whom they employ from Bath and Exeter have run two
one-day workshops on the theme,
should be able to write for a wide range
‘Addressing the needs of employers’ at
of audiences and purposes, and that
Manchester and Bath. The two workshops
universities should play a major role
were attended by representatives from 19
in developing this ability.
HEIs and 5 non-HEIs with more than half
the participants rating the workshops as
‘excellent’ (the highest rating on a five
point scale).
Communication skills in general, and
writing abilities specifically, regularly top
the list of graduate employers’ concerns
in surveys by organisations such as the
Confederation of British Industry and
the Association of Graduate Recruiters.
Does this concern apply to employers of
STEM graduates? And if so how might
universities respond?
of the special interest
Contributions of members
icating in STEM
mun
Com
and
ting
‘Wri
group
in March 2012
ch
laun
h
Bat
its
Disciplines’ at
The project has highlighted that Writing
in the Disciplines (WiD) approaches, in
which STEM specialists collaborate
with writing specialists and learning
developers, is a fruitful approach to
embedding writing abilities within
undergraduate curricula. The project
has also revealed that developing
writing for academic purposes and
for wider employability are compatible
approaches, and can be developed
alongside one another in the
undergraduate curriculum.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
exploring-employers-expectationsand-requirements-stem-graduateswriting-skills
If you are interested in being added
to the mailing list for the special
interest group, or wish to find out
more, please email
t.day@bath.ac.uk
22
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
South West spoke
Developing
employabili
ty skills of S
TEM studen
ts
with employ
ers Detica
Employer-led
employability
skills programme
The University of Bath is renowned for
its successful placements programme,
particularly within the Faculty of
Science. However, a preliminary
analysis of the employer feedback
received suggested a requirement
for further key skills development.
Whilst key skills development is
fully embedded within the degree
programmes, it was thought that
students needed to recognise the skills
being developed within their degree,
the other development opportunities
available to them during their time at
University, and how these were
transferable to industry. It was also
thought that this message could be
delivered by industrial representatives
providing clear examples of how
students’ skills could be applied within
industry, whilst also providing students
with an insight into the different types of
graduate opportunities available and an
opportunity to speak to key recruiters.
A programme has been developed for
physics, computer science and maths
students in collaboration with key
graduate recruiters of these specific
degree disciplines, including Accenture,
Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and
Tessella. The programme consists
of eight sessions spread over the
academic year, covering the key skills
sought by industry – communication
skills, teamwork skills, leadership skills,
presentation skills, time management,
professionalism in the workplace,
entrepreneurship, application skills and
demonstrating competencies. After the
first semester sessions were delivered,
a student working group was set up
to allow students to feed directly into
the programme. This group worked
alongside the project leaders to
develop a template for future sessions,
to ensure that they were engaging,
providing the right level of information,
and were seen as value-adding from a
student’s perspective. Students have
also provided feedback at the end
of each session to help the future
development of the programme
which is passed on to the employer
representatives. Following each session,
students are provided with a summary
of the key aspects of the session,
and are signposted to other relevant
development opportunities available
within the University.
Seven of the eight sessions have
been successfully delivered so far,
and feedback from students has been
very positive with comments including
‘enthusiastic presenter, interesting
and worthwhile session’, ‘very helpful’,
‘helped to provide a useful insight into
topics we should know’, and ‘very
enjoyable and engaging’. The employer
representatives involved in the
programme have already indicated
interest in future involvement, ensuring
sustainability of the programme. A lot
has been learnt about what students
actually need from a programme like
this, and how it should be delivered.
Ensuring attendance is crucial to ensure
employers’ future involvement, and this
can only be achieved if the programme
is credit-weighted and fully embedded
within the degree programme. It is also
worth recognising that students have
been saturated with the ‘buzzwords’
used around employability skills, and
that this needs to be taken into careful
consideration when delivering any
future programmes.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
strengthening-extending-andembedding-employer-engagement
23
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
South West spoke
Enhancing the
opportunities
derived from
large cohorts
of engineering
students
Students engaged in a simulation exercise
In recent years some universities have
experienced increases in module class
sizes. Coincident with the increasing size
of classes, educators are under growing
pressure to ensure that assessments are
contextually relevant for the industry in
which graduates will be expected to apply
their skills. These changes can present
acute challenges when the subject is
already a problematic one for the discipline.
In the Department of Civil Engineering at
Plymouth University one such challenging
subject, construction law, was chosen to
test a new simulation exercise designed to
exploit opportunities presented by large
class sizes, engender practical knowledge
and skills and also do so in a way that
improved student engagement.
Simulation exercises have long been
recognised as a means to stimulate student
engagement, but within engineering more
case studies are needed to evidence their
effectiveness as a learning tool. Hopefully
this simulation exercise will help to address
the deficit and be of use to engineering
academics. The exercise itself required
students to form client, consultant,
contractor and sub-contractor companies.
These companies then engaged in a
competitive tendering exercise to create
multi-organisational project teams and
were required to negotiate and sign
contracts with other parties in their project
team. Once formed, the contractual ties
were tested with variation orders, dispute
situations and finally with a requirement
to comply with a piece of environmental
legislation. The large class size allowed
a credible recreation of the real world to
be achieved and also enabled a number
of contractual forms and a variety of
procurement pathways to be explored
simultaneously.
Evaluations of the student experience
found the exercise effective in creating a
student-centred learning approach which
enhanced student motivation and agency.
The simulation allowed students to work
autonomously, helping them to identify with
ideas when solving real-world problems.
The multi-organisational group working
environment also engendered a heightened
sense of collaborative working, promoting
more secure relations with others and
creating a sense of social belonging within
the teams that traditional exercises often
fail to achieve. Collaborative learning and
the development of strong interpersonal
skills were also well recognised in student
feedback and augmented the targeted
learning aims of the module, which
were to achieve a deepened level of
understanding in construction law.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/
enhancing-opportunities-derivedlarge-cohorts-engineering-students
24
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Wales spoke
South West spoke
Launch of the
Hydrographic Academy
makes a splash!
The Winter 2012 edition of HE STEM
news highlighted the South West’s
Hydrographic Academy project which
has involved Plymouth University
working with Fugro (the world’s largest
integrated suppliers of geoscience,
survey and geotechnical related
services) and the Royal Navy to
develop innovative distance learning
programmes. These will provide vital
scientific and technical education to
students working on oil rigs and survey
vessels hundreds or thousands of
miles away from the nearest college
or university.
their strategies for measuring, exploiting,
protecting and operating in the world’s
oceans. There were over 7,700 visitors
to OI during the three day event.
Dr Richard Thain, Project Manager,
commented: ‘We now have over 300
strong expressions of interest from
prospective students and this is
increasing by the day. Our stand
at the show was inundated by
visitors throughout!’
The Hydrographic Academy was formally
launched to a large offshore industry
audience at Oceanology International
(OI) at the Excel Centre in London
on 14 March 2012. Oceanology
International is the global forum where
industry, academia and government
share knowledge and connect with the
marine technology and ocean science
community, improving
Andy McNeill, Fugro’s Global Learning
and Development Manager, commented:
‘Fugro’s involvement is driven by the
need not just to raise standards but to
make education more accessible and
broader reaching given the ongoing
shortage of supply of suitably qualified
and experienced staff. It provides an
educational and qualification route for
us that is not currently available other
than through full time study.’
bara Bond
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th University
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/hydrographic-academy-meeting-needsworkforce-and-industry-through-innovative-flexible-onlin and www.hestemsw.org.uk/workforce-development/wfd-projects/?p=43&pp=Follow+the+pr
oject+development
HESTEM
and Bangor
develop the
first ever Welsh
Interactive
Periodic Table
Bangor University have unveiled the
latest addition to their suite of welshmedium teaching resources, an interactive
periodic table. The periodic table was first
translated by the School of Chemistry, and
in response both to demand from schools
and the objectives of Welsh Medium
provision at Undergraduate level the
School decided to enlist the help of the
National HE STEM Programme to take it a
step further and make the table interactive.
Working closely with the School of
Computer Science, the School of
Chemistry at Bangor purchased the
necessary specialist equipment (computer,
flat screen and multi touch overlay) and
employed a developer from the School
of Computer Science to create the
interactive version of the table. The
resulting application is now also available
for use by schools on SmartBoards and a
smartphone application is available for free
download and includes a Welsh version.
Interactive collaborative learning allows
both teacher and pupils to engage in
highly interactive exploration, using their
primary senses to enhance the learning
experience and also reinforcing the
material taught. In addition to its availability
via SmartBoards and mobile phones, the
interactive periodic table is also available
to schools who visit the University on
taster visits or at schools events. By
linking chemistry and technology Bangor
University are not only opening students’
eyes to different types of science but will
be able to explain the links between
computers and chemistry and how
important technology now is to the
study of all science, including chemistry.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/bangorinteractive-periodic-table
25
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Wales spoke
Computing
in the physics
curriculum
D. Westwood and Phil Buckle (Physics and
Astronomy, Cardiff University)
The incorporation of computing skills is a
challenge. Very few (<10%) new entrants
have any experience of programming.
Worse, compiled languages (such as C++)
are unsuitable for simple problems and so
mathematical packages are often taught
first. Consequently, for most students,
programming is largely restricted to
computing modules, there is restricted
scope for practice and the development
of skills is difficult. Recently however
highly versatile languages such as Python
have emerged which fulfil (almost) all
undergraduate requirements. For the first
time it has become possible to envisage
a truly progressive approach to teaching
computing that embeds its use widely
into the curriculum.
The first HE STEM facilitated project,
‘Combining problem solving and
computational skills in physics’ supported
two students for three months over the
summer of 2011 to help to develop a new
first year computing module with the aim of
transforming the Physics and Astronomy
Optical spectrometer controlled with Python (a new year 2
experiment for 2012/13)
Department’s whole approach to
computing. This is also a pivotal module
for the Department’s completely new
degree schemes which place greater
emphasis on problem solving and
transferable skills. The resulting first year
course was delivered for the first time
in spring 2012; it is web based and is
intended to be a resource for all
students (and staff).
The second project, ‘Computer control
of experimental parameters’, investigates
how computer interfacing to scientific
instruments might subsequently be
introduced to undergraduates. Here,
4th year students have written a
programme to control instrumentation
and perform electrical measurements on
semiconductor devices using industry
standard test and measurement
equipment with IEEE and USB interfaces.
In addition a member of the teaching
support staff new to programming has
written a routine to perform optical
spectroscopy (see photograph).
Based on these experiences interfacing
will certainly figure in future (3rd and
4th year) projects and a new module on
interfacing and small signal measurement
has been proposed.
It is still early days for embedding
computing more widely in the curriculum.
A new computer based experiment (using
Python to illustrate data statistics) is
already running in the 1st year practical
laboratory whereas integration into the
lecture based modules is planned to
increase gradually over the next few years
as colleagues working in Physics and
Astronomy at Cardiff learn about and
hone, their (new) curriculum.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/problemsolving-and-computational-skillsphysics and www.hestem.ac.uk/
activity/computer-controlexperimental-parameters
26
INTERVIEW
Wales spoke
Pre-university online
mathematics course for
STEM undergraduates
The rationale for this project was to
help new undergraduates meet the
mathematical demands of their degree
courses. The project enabled students to
use tailored online materials to reinforce
and extend their mathematical skills over
the period from confirmation of their
university places at the end of August
to the end of their first university term.
Mathematics in Education and Industry
(MEI), a charitable, independent curriculum
development body for mathematics, has
developed extensive online mathematics
teaching and learning resources covering
all of A level mathematics and further
mathematics, and is expert at using them
to develop tailored courses to meet the
needs of different learners. HE STEM
Wales commissioned MEI to work with
a consortium of Welsh universities to
facilitate the project.
MEI worked with representatives from
Cardiff University (mathematics), University
of Glamorgan (engineering) and Swansea
University (engineering, mathematics) to
produce bespoke courses. There was
some overlap of materials between
courses such as algebra, polynomials,
calculus, trigonometry, but some materials
were required by one department but not
another, e.g. proof for mathematics and
vectors for engineering.
Materials were held in MEI’s Integral
virtual learning environment. Each topic
had a section test, learning resources,
interactive resources and links to
appropriate external websites.
A ‘Student Guide’ was also produced.
The first chapter was specific to each
university department and allowed the
different departments to indicate their
expectations of students accessing
the materials. The second chapter
gave advice on how students need
to take more responsibility for their own
learning at university and how to develop
their independent learning skills in
mathematics. The third gave guidance
on using the resources.
Engagement by students with the project
was good, and 285 (of the 700+ who had
been involved) completed an evaluation
survey. Results were overwhelmingly
positive and detailed findings are to be
presented at the Engineering Education
2012 conference. One student response
summed up how the project had met
its aims:
nIt (the online course) helped to reinforce
A level material which I am now using
as building blocks for the material I am
studying in lectures.
The content and methodology now in place
could be extended to other universities and
departments, enabling many more students
to benefit from such materials and support.
For more information, visit
www.hestem.ac.uk/activity/preuniversity-online-maths-coursestem-undergraduates and http://
integralmaths.org
Interview with
Alice
Roberts
Clinical anatomist,
author and broadcaster
Alice Roberts has
recently also been
appointed Professor
of Public Engagement
in Science at the
University of
Birmingham. In
addition to a range
of academic duties,
her new role involves
promoting the
University of
Birmingham’s
academics and their
research to the general
public, and inspiring
people about science.
Alice originally studied anatomy before
completing a medical degree and then
a PhD in palaeopathology. In 2011 she
was elected an honorary fellow of the
British Science Association, and she
is currently filming two new series with
the BBC.
1. What first excited you about
science?
I remember being intrigued by certain
aspects of science when I was at primary
school. I was particularly interested in
the form and function of biological things:
humans, other animals, flowers. I’ve
always been drawn to aspects of science
that are very visual – and that’s probably
why anatomy has always fascinated me. I
enjoyed the stripped-down nuts and bolts
of chemistry and physics, but it’s always
biology that has really gripped me.
27
INTERVIEW
2. How important are chemistry,
engineering, maths and physics to what
you do?
The physical sciences are essential within
biology. I was really pleased that I’d done
maths AS and physics A level before
embarking on my undergraduate medical
training. Physics and maths weren’t
essential subjects for applicants to medical
school, and still aren’t, but they provide
a fantastic foundation for physiology.
Understanding how the cardiovascular
system works – what happens to blood
pressure when vessels constrict or dilate,
for instance, was so much easier because
I’d already learnt some very basic fluid
dynamics. Physics and engineering
principles lie at the heart of functional
anatomy and biomechanics –
understanding how muscles operate on
bones as a system of levers, for instance.
A good grounding in chemistry was very
important for both physiology and
biochemistry within medicine.
3. What do you think a person from
3000 years ago would find most
surprising if they could visit the
modern world?
I think they’d be surprised at how much
the world – our technology – has been
transformed by fossil fuels. I think they’d
be dumbfounded by our ability to
communicate – in both audio and
video – over vast distances, but possibly
equally surprised by the huge differences
in lifestyle, in wealth and health, between
different countries, whilst the world seems
such a connected place in some ways.
4. Does it matter whether or not
working scientists engage with young
people to encourage them to study
science?
I think that real life, working scientists can
be inspirational to young people. These
are the people who are so enthusiastic
about science, that they have chosen to
dedicate their careers to the pursuit of
scientific knowledge. So, yes, it does
matter. But I think the importance of
public engagement with science goes
much further than recruitment to science
degrees and careers. Science is part of
our culture. Even if you’re not considering
becoming a scientist yourself, you can still
be interested and engaged in this exciting
sphere of human endeavour.
5. When you talked about hating the
word ‘geek’ were you criticising
scientists or stereotyping or both?
(www.telegraph.co.uk/education/
educationnews/9030938/AliceRobertshits-out-at-science-geeks.html)
The title of this article was ever so slightly
misleading! I think it’s clear from the
interview that I’m not criticising scientists,
but I’m certainly criticising the (sometimes
self-inflicted) ghetto-isation of scientists.
It’s very clear from correspondence I
received after this article appeared that
many scientists don’t consider themselves
to be ‘geeks’ and even hate the label.
In some ways, it’s like a small group of
fundamentalists have claimed that the
label applies to anyone who supports
a rational way of thinking. I think that
this type of stereotyping can be
very unhelpful, when we’re trying to
encourage an appreciation of the wide
range of people who are involved with
science. I think it could put people off.
I also think it’s still a pejorative term, and
whilst some adults seem to want to claim
the label and celebrate it, I have heard
from young people for whom it’s still
a term of abuse.
6. Am I an ape?
Yes, and so am I.
7. What should the UK be doing to
inspire the next generation of Alice
Robertses and Brian Coxes?
I think we should celebrate the creative
nature of science, and make sure that
young people are getting an opportunity
to experience the real joy of finding out
about the world for themselves, through
experiments and other practical
activities, and not just having to learn
the facts (although you need some facts
as foundations for discovery). We also
need to tackle the terrible discrepancy
in science careers; even while the
proportions of men and women starting
off in science are almost equal, only
15% of science professors in the
UK are women. That’s a startling
inequality, but I think the roots of the
problem are deep and widespread in
our society – this is an issue which
goes beyond science.
28
FOREWORD
National HE STEM
Programme Conferen
c
e
ATTENTION STEM Prac
titioners!
Are you involved in the teaching
and learning of STEM subjects
in HE?
Do you want to find out more abo
ut latest developments and bes
t practice?
Do you want to showcase you
r work and innovation?
The National HE STEM Program
me is now accepting registration
s for its conference.
When: Tuesday 4th to Thursd
ay 6th September 2012
Where: University of Birmingh
am.
The conference will provide the
opportunity for all STEM practitio
ners (physics, chemistry,
mathematics and engineering)
to find out about the latest dev
elop
ments in the learning and
teaching of STEM courses and
also find new ways to encourage
upta
ke of these strategically
important subjects.
We are calling for mixed session
types (e.g. paper presentations,
hands-on active
workshops, and panel discussions
) focusing around the Program
me’
s key themes.
In addition we welcome posters
displaying work which is underw
ay
and
short, snappy
3–5 minute presentations whe
re inventive performances are enc
ouraged!
Attending the conference will gen
erate:
recognition and interest relating
to your practice for those who
facilitate,
networking opportunities with
project leads from the National
HE
STEM Programme,
inspiration and ideas to enhanc
e your teaching.
Sign up to the event and submit
a proposal for the chance to pres
ent at
the conference.
www.hestem.ac.uk/conferenc
e
Scan for more
information
www.hestem.ac.uk