Working with Teachers – a University Liaison Perspective

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, School of Physics & Astronomy: www.ph.bham.ac.uk/schools e-mail:l.long@bham.ac.uk Tel: 0121 414 4656

What can Universities offer teachers in terms of CPD?

Teacher/Technician Ideas Days, Teacher Updates & Residential

Conferences etc

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Universities are at the cutting edge of research…….experts in their field! Can offer knowledge updates

in various areas……– From investigating the very

large……..

…To the very small……..- increasing teacher confidence to answer outside questions...

Why does that happen?

What IS the smallest particle?

As well as introducing the “wow” factor……

A collision where the temperature is 1000000x hotter than the Sun’s core

Machines bigger than school buildings

….and illustrating where the knowledge can take us…..

Enthusing teachers and rekindling their enthusiasm can

Fill in background knowledge Give confidence to answer questions outside the

syllabus Provide useful “snippets” to add extra interest to

lessons Provide useful contacts for more info etc Give teachers an idea of what activities etc may be

on offer as enrichment for their students

What Universities can’t really offer……Advice on

–syllabus updates– teaching techniques–Class control etc

–..more expertise elsewhere!

But they can provide venues and invite in outside expertise Give teachers an opportunity to network with

each other and share useful ideas Demonstrate teaching techniques that work

well with undergraduates that have proved popular in schools too…….

For example……. The IOP Teacher

Network in the West Midlands has run rocket workshops for teachers & students which have been very popular and successful…

Other IOP coordinators around the country have introduced similar workshops in their areas

The IOP have provided money for all schools attending to build & take away their launchers!

And…. Problem solving

“What happens next?” workshops have been demonstrated with teachers

Ideas successfully taken back to the classroom

Other things close contact with a University department can offer…..

• An appreciation that Physics can be a truly global activity involving thousands of people….and not a little travel….

As well as a way of dispelling some myths for students about physicists....

Rather than

And highlighting employment prospects and careers…

Typical Graduates First Destinations

Higher DegreeComputing & Software IndustryIndustrial ScientistOther Employment

Physics graduates earn the highest average salaries after law and medicine graduates

Some talks available at Birmingham to be

taken out to schools

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Physics HOT & COLD - a talk for local schools

A selection of slides taken from this talk follow -the talk can be adapted to various age groups and

refers to the school curriculum as well as developing some new ideas. Demonstrations using

liquid Nitrogen are used.

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Physics - What’s next after A Levels?Degrees, Research, Careers

- a talk offered to schools locally and further afield.A selection of slides from this talk follow.

Examples from cutting edge research are used as well as discussing degree routes, career paths and

university life in general

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Why Physics? A talk more suitable to Y10/11,offered to schools

locally and further afield.A selection of slides from this talk follow.

Examples of misconceptions about physics and some of the exciting research questions are

discussed, as well as possible degree routes, career paths and university life in general

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Sometimes talks can be adapted to cover specific

syllabus areas - for example, an Exploring the Universe talk, for Y7 students,

including simple demos etc given at a Telford school for 3 or 4

consecutive years

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Occasionally academics – subject experts - are able to

give specialist talks Mainly suitable for A Level students

But sometimes suitable for younger year groups

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

New this year……….Experiments with SKYPE

links to academics as part of timetabled classes – ask an

expert opportunities!

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

We organise many events & activities for students throughout

the year on campus Suitable for a variety of age groups

Lynne Long, Schools Liaison Officer, The School of Physics & Astronomy

Specialist or general Master class days inParticle Physics

Including live video links to CERN …….

Some quotes from students:

The live link was amazing to see people working there and what it actually looks like

The link with CERN added relevance

Astrophysics

AS Challenge days

Residential Summer School for AS students UK wide

Evening Lecture Programme September - March

Activities for younger year groups

Lab activitiesRocket days

Poster competitions

Including the very popular Y9 Physics Quiz

Other School competitions organised eg 2007-12 PP cascade competitions

Celebrating big eventsExcited post Graduates explainprogress on Sept 10th 2008 – first proton beam injected into the LHC ring

We also offer 30+ work experience placements to school students every year

Demand is increasing – applications up to 12 months in advance!

• Feedback is very good

• Many of the students end up as undergraduates on our courses or at other institutions!

Teachers Advisory Board We have recently been

awarded a small STEM grant to pilot a Teachers’ Advisory Board on campus to further develop and extend links between University staff and school teachers in the locality

In conclusion

A close working relationship between teachers and a University department aims to– Enhance and support school teaching– Enrich and extend the student’s experience– Illustrate where studying Physics may lead– Encourage more students to study physics

at higher levels!

As well as– Keep academic staff in University

departments updated with curriculum changes

– Advise on university outreach activities to ensure relevance and correct levels

– Enable the student transition from school to university to be as smooth as possible

– …it works best as a two way process!

Important things to remember…… Teachers are busy, time constrained people – there is usually a

lot of paperwork associated with taking themselves or students out of school – give at least 6 weeks notice of any event you organise

Vary the times you hold events – different schools have different restraints.

Some schools prefer you to go to them, others value the campus experience.

If you can get subsidies to help fund outreach events and reduce costs to those attending, more schools may be able to take part…..but we do get a significant “no show” at free events. Try and send out e-mail reminders etc. a few days before.

Make sure any academic speakers or workshop organisers know what to expect from different age groups and support those new to the experience of schools liaison – help with level, language and concentration limits

Involve enthusiastic UG and/or PG students as much as you can – they are excellent ambassadors for their subject and University if chosen and trained (if necessary) carefully

Outreach should be fun for the teachers or students and the outreach leader- so everyone wants to do it again!.. but should also have some value/context and physics content

Schools usually ask for curriculum relevance and it’s nice to have an idea of the experience/knowledge the teachers or students already have…….but it’s also nice to enhance this and this works well if prepared and delivered with care.