UAS: teaching in schools

1. UAS: teaching in schools Penny Gowland Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre School of Physics and Astronomy University of Nottingham

2. How it fits into our degree • Selecting schools and students • Activities undertaken • Assessment • Impact on staff

3. How it fits into the degree • Communicating Science 10 credit module • (120 credits per year) • Only taken by B.Sc. Students • M.Sci. fourth year taught by student centred learning- same transferable skills • Replaces half of the third year project lab • They take second semester lab taken by some ‘Physics with-’ students

4. Selecting Students and Schools

5. Selecting students • Original plan: 6 students (9 this year) • Good record of handing in coursework on time • Application form • Statement judged on previous initiative shown • We are here to offer opportunities • I’d prefer drawing lots • CRB check • 50% at end of second year • (2ii borderline) • Weaker students will need to concentrate on their studies

6. Selecting students • Original plan: 6 students (9 this year) • Good record of handing in coursework on time • Application form • Statement judged on previous initiative shown • We are here to offer opportunities • I’d prefer drawing lots • CRB check • 50% at end of second year • (2ii borderline) • Weaker students will need to concentrate on their studies

7. Finding schools • Widening participation unit • Previous contacts (work experience!) • Cold calling • Be confident • Phone at a sensible time (many teachers do not use email) • Try to speak directly to teacher and not leave a message • Do not give them a chance to phone you back.. Offer to go in straight away

8. Types of schools used • Primary • Comprehensive • ? CTC • Sixth form college (+ secondary school) • ? Museum • So far we have not attempted to ‘select’ schools • Widening participation remit • Benefits of variety • One school has asked for £400

9. Departments used • Physics (A’ level) • Science (< GCSE) • Maths (primary) • ? Other (primary) • Art- light and colour • Music –sound • History • ? Other (sixth form) • Biology- biophysics, physiology, medical • Chemistry

10. Typical activities

11. Observation • 2 weeks • A variety of teachers, sets and ages • Active targets set • Talk to students about learning • Why do you like physics? • What is it like at University? • Different teaching approaches • Student briefed in advance on topic of lesson

12. Teaching assistant • 6 weeks • Helping with set problems • Helping with practical work • ‘Mucking in’ • Hotspots

13. Hotspots • Take 10 minutes of lesson • Presentation (ppt) on broader application of topic of interest • Practical demonstration using equipment from University • Would like at least one practical activity from them during the term • Talk on University life/ applications etc • Talk on careers

14. Hotspot

15. Special project • 1 week (near Christmas) • Take ~ 1 lesson using novel methods to communicate or teach physics or physics ideas • Angles • Bridge building competition • Light theatre

16. Special project (primary) • Model race track used to teach angle • Extended to teaching algebra • Modified as it became clear it was too difficult

17. Special project (primary)

18. Special Project (Secondary) • Bridge building competition • Module on forces • Special-needs team won

19. Special Project (secondary) • Using school theatre to investigate light and colour • ‘Sound and light’ show • Accompanying work book

20. Other activities • Visit to university • Linked to IoP Physics Centre lectures • Competitions • Physics Olympiad • Model aeroplane club • Help with A’level options

21. Assessment

22. Assessment: Diary • Akin to Lab Diary, recording all activities, preparation and observations • Brief outline of planned lesson and learning objectives • General description of lesson • Student’s targets and outcomes • Notes on teacher’s methods • Deliberate mistakes • Description of student’s activities

23. Assessment: Diary targets • Maths and practical work in physics • Qualitative targets • Do pupils know their multiplication tables? • How long does it take class to settle down? • Do pupils convert x to muliple +? • Do the class wander around? • What is ratio of boys to girls in different sets/ages • How are pupils who do well rewarded if at all • Is it raining? • What fraction of the class will ask questions? • What is fraction of time spent on group teaching compared to individual work? • What fraction of students use units?

24. Diary- secondary My rôle Lesson contents General obs. and teaching methods Lesson breakdown

25. Diary I left this class because the teacher was attempting to determine if they were working to level 5, which I could not help with As most of the class seemed to know what they were doing, I asked them about the experimental design

26. Diary Targets My rôle

27. Oral presentation • Previous remit: discuss any aspect of module • Learning styles • Disruptive children • Maths in physics • Now: Detailed description of special project • aims/targets, learning outcomes • underlying science • explanation of main concepts at a variety of ages • common misconceptions • activities typically used • teaching methods and reasoning, • materials used, safety • Analysis of reception based on outcome measures. • Hardcopy of slides

28. Essay/ report < 3000 words • Summary (~100 words- for UAS) • What did you gain from the experience? • Did the experience help you to make up your mind about teaching • Did you increase your transferable skills • How did this module differ from other modules on offer and what made you choose it?

29. Essay/ report • Introduction • General information about school, classes and topics with which you worked • Previous relevant experience • Detailed description of your own activities • Week by week diary summary • Hotspots and special project briefly

30. Essay/ report • General teaching and learning of science at school for topic(s) you were involved with • underlying science • evolution of syllabus across ages • common misconceptions • activities typically used in this area • teaching methods and activities observed and participated in. Safety issues • Targets, and progress in acquisition of and development of skills.

31. Essay/ report • Conclusion • How the module helped you achieve your learning objectives

32. Impact on staff

33. Staff requirements • Contacts and visits to schools • 2.5 hours per student in first year with school • 20 minutes per student in second year with school • My own teaching load did not allow me to visit students in schools • Training • 6 hours initially • 2 hours at week 5 on Powerpoint • 10 mins of tutorials at 3 and 8 weeks per student • Module documentation • 2 weeks in first year • 2 days subsequently

34. Staff requirements- assessment • 30 minutes per student for presentation • 1.5 hours per student for marking report • 1 hours per student for marking diary • Double marking

35. Staff requirements • Administration of students (secretarial) • Handling applications • Handling CRB • Contacting students for school visits • CRB checks (Widening participation unit)

36. Benefits for University Staff • ‘Teaching is learning twice’ • Review of my own teaching methods • Working with a new group of professionals • Knowledge of the dreadful working conditions of most teachers • Prep areas are DREARY, DIRTY and UNTIDY

37. Conclusion

38. Mistakes not to make • Do not ask a teacher to phone you back • Do not contact a teacher by email • Do not promise any student a place until you have their exam results and you have a placement school • Organize CRB checks before the end of exams • Do not accept Microsoft files electronically off students

39. Mistakes not to make • Do not ask a teacher to phone you back • Do not contact a teacher by email • Do not promise any student a place until you have their exam results and you have a placement school • Organize CRB checks before the end of exams • Do not accept Microsoft files electronically off students