RISK at IOE | The TURS Project

This workshop was developed for mathematics and science teachers to work with new ideas for collaboration between their subjects. The impetus to do this is ever stronger (for example, from the national STEM programme, and the revised National Curriculum), hence it is timely to explore new ways of working together to develop joint projects in schools. A conventional understanding is that science needs mathematics for essential techniques, whilst mathematics needs science for motivating contexts for mathematical topics. This characterisation however can easily emphasise division between the subjects, rather than encouraging creative collaboration. This event offered inspiration through a keynote address and two hands-on workshops by current multi-disciplinary research projects.

The workshop was a joint production of the TURS project and:

• NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics): Bryony Black, Regional coordinator for Yorkshire and the Humber
• National Science Learning Centre: Mark Langley, Professional Development Leader

Keynote lecture: Mary Ratcliffe (National Science Learning Centre)
'Mathematics-Science collaboration: a pedagogy for engagement'

[Recommended viewing if you have a fast network connection: A higher resolution version of this video is accessible via this link]

Are the barriers to cross-disciplinary collaboration related to the individual nature of science and mathematics? Curriculum design? Management? This talk suggests some directions for dialogue across the disciplines and for effective collaboration.

Mary Ratcliffe is Associate Director of the National Science Learning Centre.

Workshop 1: A skills framework for STEM projects

Angela Hall & Cris Edgell, Nuffield Foundation Curriculum Programme

Nuffield 'STEM Futures' is an interdisciplinary project which challenges pupils to engage with a new vision for life in the 21st century. By using closed loop thinking pupils reconsider their relationship with materials, energy and natural systems. The activities are designed to promote specific skills which pupils then use to plan and carry out a project of their choice. In this workshop science and maths teachers were invited to work together to consider what a good STEM project would look like and what skills would need be needed for pupils to carry it out effectively.

Video: Introduction to the Workshop (27 minutes)

[Recommended viewing if you have a fast network connection: A higher resolution version of this video is accessible via this link]

Video: Final discussion (18 minutes)

Workshop 2: Working with risk and decision-making scenarios in the classroom
David Pratt, Ralph Levinson, Phillip Kent, Cristina Yogui, and Ramesh Kapadia
TURS project, Institute of Education, University of London

Talk about risk is everywhere in our daily domestic and working lives. However, the essential nature of risk is still a matter of debate. Risk is an element of both the science and mathematics national curricula, a reflection of its perceived significance for society. In our project, we have been investigating how mathematics and science teachers make sense of risk, how the concept figures in their teaching, and what new possibilities exist for teaching where a cross-curricular and technology-enhanced approach is taken. We know that risk is a difficult topic and that the detailed questions about what and how to teach remain largely unanswered. We present a decision-making scenario which explores the different dimensions of risk and points towards some guiding principles for a pedagogy of risk that will be useful for the classroom.

Download Powerpoint as PDF (2.8 MBytes)

Video: Introduction to the Workshop (28 minutes)

For videos of the remainder of Workshop 2 on risk, go to this link.

Workshop 3: Ideas session
Led by Bryony Black (NCETM) & Mark Langley (National Science Learning Centre)

The aim of this concluding session is for everyone to discuss the ideas presented in the earlier sessions, to discuss personal experiences of cross-subject collaboration (including STEM activity) in schools, and to plan out a small development project that can be carried out during the next several weeks or months.