All Outputs (17)

Children as Engineers (2024)
Book

Meeting the diverse aspects of the science, and design and technology curricula can be challenging for many teachers. Children as Engineers addresses this problem, offering both new and experienced teachers an accessible resource to apply within the... Read More about Children as Engineers.

Reading for Science: The use of scientific literary materials in primary schools (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Scientific literary materials (SLMs) present science content in genres such as narratives and poems as well as traditional non-fiction genres. SLMs have the potential to engage children and teachers who are non-science enthusiasts or specialists wit... Read More about Reading for Science: The use of scientific literary materials in primary schools.

Primary pathways: elementary pupils’ aspiration to be engineers and STEM subject interest (2022)
Journal Article

Across Europe, there is concern about the number and diversity of pupils taking study routes leading to Engineering. There is growing evidence that these career choices begin to form at elementary school age (Moote et al., 2020). Science, maths and d... Read More about Primary pathways: elementary pupils’ aspiration to be engineers and STEM subject interest.

Combining drama with physical models to support understanding in science (2022)
Journal Article

Many science concepts can be easily experienced in primary school science, such as cars travelling down ramps and plants growing. For other, more abstract, concepts, such as digestion, circulation and how sound travels through the air, it is challeng... Read More about Combining drama with physical models to support understanding in science.

Leaky pipelines: Primary children’s subject interest, science capital and aspirations to careers in engineering (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

De Witt et al (2015) suggest that children are unlikely to change their minds as to whether science-based careers are for them between the end of primary school and year 9 (aged 11 and 14 in the UK). Indeed, attitudes in children to STEM subjects app... Read More about Leaky pipelines: Primary children’s subject interest, science capital and aspirations to careers in engineering.

Engineering science education: The impact of a paired peer approach on subject knowledge confidence and self-efficacy levels of student teachers (2021)
Journal Article

Teacher performance has been linked with both self-efficacy and subject knowledge confidence suggesting that it is important to address these aspects within initial teacher training programmes. This study investigated the development of pre-service t... Read More about Engineering science education: The impact of a paired peer approach on subject knowledge confidence and self-efficacy levels of student teachers.

The beliefs, practices and developments of three teachers of science in the primary school (2019)
Thesis

This thesis explores the beliefs of three teachers about effective primary science practice, and the ways these develop in the context of a climate where there are few school resources for primary science training.
The research proposes a new theor... Read More about The beliefs, practices and developments of three teachers of science in the primary school.

Curiosity into creation: Can we teach science through engineering? (2019)
Journal Article

An examination of how the science objectives of the primary national Curriculum can be taught through the engineering design process and through 'real-world' contextualized engineering problems.

Children and parents as engineers (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Report on the research of the children as engineers project and discussion of work on research on the impact of parental involvement on interest of primary children in science and engineering

Children as engineers: A toolkit for multidisciplinary STEM education (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Many UK primary school teachers lack confidence in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subject knowledge and ability to teach STEM subjects. Outreach can enhance learning and engagement within these subjects but provision is... Read More about Children as engineers: A toolkit for multidisciplinary STEM education.

Practical steps to building science capital in the primary classroom (2018)
Journal Article

An exploration of how meeting with engineers and scientists and other initiatives can help to increase science capital

Curiosity connections – paired peer learning between engineers and teachers (2017)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Only 5% of primary school teachers have a science related degree (Department for Education, 2013), and yet research shows that children (particularly girls) develop their attitudes towards STEM as a potential career before the age of 11 (Archer et al... Read More about Curiosity connections – paired peer learning between engineers and teachers.

Paired peer learning through engineering education outreach (2016)
Journal Article

© 2016 SEFI. Undergraduate education incorporating active learning and vicarious experience through education outreach presents a critical opportunity to influence future engineering teaching and practice capabilities. Engineering education outreach... Read More about Paired peer learning through engineering education outreach.

Primary pre-service teachers and engineering students learning to teach science - A match made in heaven or hell? (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

The ‘Children as Engineers’ project brought together 10 primary Initial Teacher Training students and 10 Under-Graduate Engineering students to teach one of ten design challenges to 300 children in classrooms using the European ‘Engineer’ materials.... Read More about Primary pre-service teachers and engineering students learning to teach science - A match made in heaven or hell?.

Children as engineers: Paired peer mentors in primary schools final report summary July 2015 (2015)
Report

◾It’s been forecast that a further 100,000 new professionals are needed to fill the skills gap by 2020. It is becoming increasingly important that student engineers gain opportunities to practise their public engagement and education outreach skill... Read More about Children as engineers: Paired peer mentors in primary schools final report summary July 2015.

Children as engineers: Maximising engineering outreach for universities (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

The Children as Engineers project is an innovative new way to enrich undergraduate education as well as giving primary school children the experience of being an engineer. Undergraduate student engineers worked closely with student teachers to design... Read More about Children as engineers: Maximising engineering outreach for universities.

ENGINEER: Evaluation and analysis of the project impact (2013)
Report

An evaluation report analysing the impact of the EU funded ENGINEER project, intended to design and implement materials to promote engineering in primary schools across Europe through science and technology. The report examines impact on teaching and... Read More about ENGINEER: Evaluation and analysis of the project impact.