Help make Science Teaching more relevant!!

Does your company have any resources that teachers could use to enhance their teaching of science and chemistry?  If so the National STEM Centre would be interested; they are compiling the UK’s largest open collection of STEM teaching and learning resources for teachers and lecturers.

The National STEM Centre is funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and Department for Children, Schools and Families, and is located on the University of York campus. An important objective of the Centre is to house the UK’s largest open collection of STEM teaching and learning resources for teachers and lecturers.  In this way they are working to realise the vision for a ‘British Library of STEM’, as set out in the 2006 STEM Programme Report.

Teachers are already able to access the STEM resource collection in York, with currently 2000 visitors per year. In addition to the physical collection, as much material as possible will be made available online through the Centre’s website from 2010 onwards.

Alongside contemporary resource materials (including print, multimedia, and practical resources) the Centre will hold an archive collection showcasing curriculum development over several decades. The archive will be an essential treasure chest of ideas for teachers and lecturers. Resources displayed online will all clearly identify the originator, together with a weblink.

They are collecting a wide range of resources including formats such as print materials for teachers and students, video, audio, practical kit and gadgets, and interactive materials. Some materials are targeted directly at use in the classroom; others provide resources for wider discussion (e.g. contemporary careers information, STEM after school clubs).  They hold resources for use with students across the 5 – 19 age range.

Where digital copies of a resource are not available, the National STEM Centre is able to arrange digitisation of hard copy materials. In such cases our library team will contact copyright holders for the appropriate permissions.

More information on the National STEM Centre is available at http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/.

If you have any material you think could be added to the collection that would enhance the relevance of science teaching please contact Jenifer Burden (01904 328377 or j.burden@nationalstemcentre.org.uk)

Digital information can sent via Jenifer to the National STEM Centre, hard copy can be delivered to Chemicals Northwest for forwarding.