Sustainability
From the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study describes how Hull and Stockton Riverside Colleges used the topic of sustainable development to improve aspects of STEM careers guidance. Hull College The project encouraged a greater holistic awareness in lecturers of the diverse skills and technologies essential…
STEM Careers Information, Advice and Guidance
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this document describes a project to improve STEM careers information, advice and guidance in the Post-16 sector. Detailed case studies from this project can be seen in the corresponding collection Progression Through STEM. The case studies describe work done by…
Employer Engagement: Teaching and Learning
From the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this document summarises their Exploring Improvements in Teaching and Learning Through Employer Engagement project. It looked at developing links between institutions and employers in the Post-16 sector. The outcomes of the project can be seen in the series of case studies that…
Harnessing Technology: Teaching and Learning
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this document describes the background and key learning points from the Harnessing Technology project. This resulted in a series of case studies that illustrate the use of technology to advance teaching and learning in the Post-16 sector. This document briefly describes…
STEM Cell - Progression in STEM
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks how a team of Oldham Sixth Form College science students supported Year 10 students in a local secondary school. The aims were to encourage the college's students to enhance their STEM knowledge while also developing additional employability…
Promoting Vocational Science
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at how Wirral Metropolitan College looked at progression through STEM. The idea for this project was connected with the college’s desire to raise aspirations towards careers within the science industry. The focus of the project was on facilitating…
Placement at a Materials Testing Laboratory
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and technology transfer and employer engagement. This case study describes the placement of a lecturer in material sciences who engaged in an industrial secondment through the New Engineering Foundation (NEF). The placement…
Improving Progression in STEM
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at a collaborative project with seven providers from the Learning and Skills Sector working with STEMNET in the North West of England. The study describes how providers were identified who were interested in embedding enrichment and enhancement…
STEM Learning Through Space
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of enrichment and innovation in STEM. It describes how Leeds City College's STAR Centre enables learners of all ages to engage with STEM subjects through the context of space. The centre provides a unique learning environment…
Using VLE in Science Learning
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. It describes the steps being taken by Hull College Science department staff to develop web-based resources in a virtual learning environment (VLE). The science staff have undertaken a substantial amount…
Progression Through STEM
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of progression, new jobs and careers in STEM. North Lindsey College has been developing a suite of activities to encourage local young people to choose STEM subjects, and reminding them of the opportunities that are going to be…
Best Practice in Dental Nursing Through KTT
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) and employer engagement. It focuses on building upon Sheffield City College's knowledge and technology transfer practices to improve the delivery of the dental nursing apprenticeship.…
Using Technology in Science
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. The aim of this case study was to implement new technologies into teaching and learning in order to create greater engagement in science lessons. This could then have a positive effect on retention and achievement…
Using USB Technologies to Promote Active Learning in STEM
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. Petroc is a further education college in the South West of England. This case study describes how the college tackled the professional development of science staff in the area of teaching technology. This included:…
Developing a STEM Enrichment Programme
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of enrichment and enhancement in STEM, employer engagement and knowledge and technology transfer. By the National Marine Aquarium, the study demonstrates the potential for informal learning institutions to create significant STEM…
Embedding Sustainability Through STEM
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and technology transfer, enrichment and enhancement in STEM and employer engagement. It describes a project at Petroc, a large further education college in Devon. Sustainable development education covers a range of…
Using Technology to Improve A Level Performance
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. The aim of the project was to inform how technology can help to improve A level results and value added scores at Mid Kent College. It also set out to provide information towards a strategy for further collaborative…
Embedding Science into Construction
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of curriculum development. From the Isle of Wight College, it shows how the explicit embedding of science into a vocational qualification helps to develop an appreciation of the role of science in construction. The brickwork team, in…
Engaging Girls in Physics
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of equality and diversity. It describes how Sussex Downs College looked at: • The cultural and social reasons which influence why girls choose not to study physics. • Whether the teaching and learning activities in the physics…
Enabling STEM Teachers to Make Better Use of the VLE
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. It describes how Highbury College moved the use of their virtual learning environment (VLE) from being mostly a document repository to a vehicle for interactive teaching, learning and assessment. A programme…
Enhancing Student Skills Within Biology Investigations
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of innovation in STEM and harnessing technology. It describes how the biology team at Bexhill College used a differentiated ‘Focus Question’ approach to practical investigations. Students were made more aware of the ‘How…
Investigating a Crime Scene
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. Learners on a BTEC level two diploma in applied science course at Mid Kent College Medway carried out a crime scene investigation as part of their ‘Investigating a crime scene’ unit by Edexcel. Students…
Smoothing Progression Into STEM from KS4 to KS5
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of progression through STEM. From the College of Richard Collyer, it looks at disparities between students coming into AS level science subjects from different partner schools and between students who have taken double or triple science…
Supporting Male Learners Using Technology
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of harnessing technology and, equality and diversity. From Sussex Downs College, the study describes how research into engaging male learners was used to investigate why more males than females achieved below their minimum expected grade.…
Active Learning Using Popular Technologies
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. It describes how Sussex Downs College set out to show students how to use more innovative features of technology to support collaborative and active learning. To begin with, this involved teaching staff how to…
Development of Industry-led Specialist Training Modules
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of knowledge and technology transfer. Written by Pera, it describes how research organisations, industry players and educational institutions worked together to create a suite of short technical courses. By listening to industry and…
Maintenance at POYO - 'The POrt is YOurs'
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of knowledge and technology transfer. The study offers an example of how Newcastle College, became involved in a European Union funded project that involved four countries. Involvement in the project provided exposure for staff and students…
Enhancing Attainment in Applied Science
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of equality and diversity. The study focuses around a class of students on a level three applied science course at Redcar and Cleveland College. The class had twelve students in total, with eight of them identified as needing additional…
Improving Learning at A Level Chemistry
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the themes of curriculum development and progression through STEM. Written by New College Durham, it details the strategies that were implemented over a two year period to improve student engagement and achievement at A level chemistry. The course…
Developing STEM in the Community
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of enrichment and enhancement in STEM. From Newcastle College, it describes an outreach project bringing local community organisations together with teaching staff. By demystifying simple health tests (e.g. blood pressure monitoring)…
Assessment for Learning (AfL) in A2 Biology
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the themes of progression through STEM and assessment for learning in A2 biology. By SRC Bede Sixth Form College, it describes how the following were investigated: • Learners’ perceptions of the effectiveness of comment-only marking by…
Strategies to Improve Success in Access to HE
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of progression through STEM. From East Durham College, it highlights the strategies put in place to increase retention rates and success rates on the ‘Access to HE’ programme. This involved the development of a pre-Access course…