Andri Christodoulou

Meet the Scientist: The Value of Short Interactions Between Scientists and Students

Students have been reported to have stereotypical views of scientists as middle-aged white men in lab coats. We argue that a way to provide students with a more realistic view of scientists and their work is to provide them with the opportunity to interact with scientists during short, discussion-based sessions. For that reason, 20 scientists from 8 professional areas were asked to share their experiences of becoming and being a scientist, in short sessions with groups of 7–8 students. The student sample consisted of 223 students between 13 and 15 years. Student and scientist questionnaires were used before and after the sessions to assess students’ views of scientists and their work, and scientists’ experiences of interacting with students. The pre-session questionnaires revealed that students considered scientists as ‘boring’ and ‘nerdy’ whereas after the sessions students focused extensively on how ‘normal’ the scientists appeared to be. The face-to-face interactions with scientists allowed students to view scientists as approachable and normal people, and to begin to understand the range of scientific areas and careers that exist. Scientists viewed the scientist–student interactions as a vehicle for science communication. Implications discussed include the need for future training courses to focus on developing science communicators’ questioning and interaction skills for effective interactions with students.

Engaging teenagers in improving their health behaviours and increasing their interest in science (Evaluation of LifeLab Southampton): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundLifestyle and health behaviours are strongly linked to non-communicable disease risk, but modifying them is challenging. There is an increasing recognition that adolescence is an important time for lifestyle and health behaviours to become embedded. Improving these behaviours in adolescents is important not only for their own health but also for that of their future children. LifeLab Southampton has been developed as a purpose-built classroom and laboratory in University Hospital Southampton. Secondary school students visit LifeLab to learn how childhood, adolescent and parental nutrition influences health, understand the impact of their lifestyle on their cardiovascular and metabolic health, and to inspire them with the excitement of research and future career possibilities in science. The LifeLab visit is part of a programme of work linked to the English National Curriculum. Pilot work has indicated that attitudes towards health can be changed by such LifeLab sessions.Methods/DesignA cluster randomised controlled trial is being conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the LifeLab intervention, the primary outcome being a measurement of the change in nutrition, health and lifestyle literacy from before to after the LifeLab intervention.The LifeLab intervention comprises professional development for the teachers involved; preparatory lessons for the school students, delivered in school; a hands-on practical day at LifeLab, including a ‘Meet the Scientist’ session; post-visit lessons delivered in school; and the opportunity to participate in the annual LifeLab Schools’ Conference. This study aims to recruit approximately 2,500 secondary school students aged 13 to 14 years from 32 schools (the clusters) from Southampton and neighbouring areas. Participating schools will be randomised to control or intervention groups. The intervention will be run over two academic school years, with baseline questionnaire data collected from students at participating schools at the start of the academic year and follow- up questionnaire data collected approximately 12 months later.Trial registrationEvaluation of LifeLab is a cluster randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN71951436, registered 25 March 2015), funded by the British Heart Foundation (PG/14/33/30827).

Building teachers’ research literacy: integrating practice and research

Abstract Supporting early career teacher (ECT) research literacy is essential in promoting research-integrated professional practice, however it remains an area in much need of development. This article discusses the importance and process of developing ECTs’ research literacy, through establishing strong collaborative links between universities and practising teachers in schools. It is located within an English policy and educational context in which the role of higher education and schools in teacher education has been substantially altered in recent times. Two programmes, the NQT and Beyond and Developing Resilience in Learning and Teaching, are used to illustrate how ECTs can actively engage in and with research as they enter the teaching profession, and thus develop their research literacy. The design principles of these projects are used to demonstrate the potential of how a research-informed pedagogical framework based on the Personal Learning Styles Pedagogy, aspects of self-regulation and resilience, can facilitate research-informed learning and teaching. In supporting ECTs’ research literacy, universities, in collaboration with schools, play an important role in supporting the sustainability of research and in enabling teachers to connect their own practice with the broader body of research knowledge. Teacher and pupil ownership of research is crucial in developing research-integrated learning.

Engaging in and with research to improve STEM education

The demand for students to continue studying STEM subjects at post-16 and higher education levels remains high. Since the curriculum reforms in Science and Mathematics across phases in England were initiated in 2014, uncertainty remains on the impact that these reforms will have on students and teachers as the reforms continue to be implemented with the new GCSE curriculum for Mathematics starting to be implemented in 2015 and in 2016 for Science subjects. Although there seems to be a slight increase in Mathematics uptake in 2015, students choosing to study science subjects has decreased; most importantly, the gender gap in those choosing to study science and mathematics post-16 is still evident, with more boys choosing to study Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics than girls since 2010 (DfE 2016). At the same time, research into students’ attitudes and aspirations towards STEM careers indicate that interest in STEM careers is decreasing. Even if students enjoy science activities, they are likely not to consider it as a possible career pathway (DeWitt, Archer, and Osborne 2014; Banerjee 2017). These issues are influencing both genders, but more so girls in mathematics and science subject areas. These important and current issues in STEM education are explored using different research approaches in the studies by Cropp, Bedford, and Rigby (this issue). The three studies in STEM subjects provide an illustration of how teachers can engage in and with research in order to make sense of their own teaching practices and their students’ learning processes within their respective subject areas and school contexts. The three authors report on interventions based on strategies they have designed and implemented in their own teaching practices in order to help their students overcome challenges with studying science and mathematics, and that can increase their students’ interest and motivation in these subjects. Cropp utilises an exploratory qualitative approach to investigate how a peer tutoring strategy can support Year 10 students with mathematical anxiety, focusing specifically on female students, who have been reported to experience higher levels of mathematical anxiety than male students, and who as a consequence perform worse in maths (Devine et al. 2012; Carey et al. 2016; Hill et al. 2016). Cropp explores the students’ experiences of providing and receiving peer support to overcome this barrier for learning mathematics. Students that took part either as mentors or mentees in this intervention reported positive views and experiences, and lower mathematical anxiety,