Support for colleges
LSIS STEM Support focuses on STEM across the FE and skills sector. Through a network of regional STEM Advisers, LSIS STEM Support offers practitioners and managers access to resources, funding, CPD events and peer support that is tailored to the unique needs of the sector, encompassing AS/A levels, vocational teaching, apprenticeships, business training and lifelong learning in all settings from colleges to work-based learning.
Teaching and learning resources
LSIS STEM Support is part of the wider activity LSIS delivers across teaching and learning to enhance practitioner subject knowledge and give managers the tools to develop a whole-organisation strategy to continuing professional development (CPD). A full range of the LSIS teaching and learning resources can be explored on their Excellence Gateway.
The LSIS collection in the National STEM Centre eLibrary brings together all the STEM-focused resources that have been created by practitioners and the leading organisations involved in LSIS STEM Support: the NCETM, National Science Learning Centre and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
The free resources are grouped in sections:
- Reports, Research and Tools: Drawing on research to offer guidance on enhancing STEM teaching and learning.
- Action Research Projects: Undertaken by practitioners, these projects used small grants to tackle a particular issue in STEM teaching and learning.
- Improving Teaching and Learning in Science: Providing interactive and lively theory sessions for science lessons.
- Engineering: Supporting active learning in Engineering.
- Mathematics: Each of these 'Mathematical Moments' considers a particular topic and offers suggestions for learner activities.
- Effective Practice Case Studies: Drawing on successful practitioner activity, these case offer ideas to tackling issues specific to STEM in the FE and skills sector.
Regional support
A network of regional STEM Advisers provides local support for STEM teaching and learning across the FE sector. Each STEM Adviser is based within an FE college so has first-hand experience of many of the issues facing providers. To support practitioners, Advisers run CPD events, offer access to grants and share effective practice and resources through face-to-face and online communities. They also link with other STEM organisations to offer practitioners easy access to a wider support network. For more details, explore the ‘STEM in your region’ sections in the left-hand menu or contact your local STEM Adviser:
Yorkshire & Humber - Ken Fielding, North Lindsey College: ken.fielding@northlindsey.ac.uk
East of England - Elaine Cornwell, College of West Anglia: ecornwell@col-westanglia.ac.uk
East Midlands - Janet Ruffoni & Paul Hubbard, Loughborough College: janet.ruffoni@loucoll.ac.uk & paul.hubbard@loucoll.ac.uk
West Midlands - Jon Alderson, Birmingham Metropolitan College: jon.alderson@bmetc.ac.uk
London - Dave Martin, City and Islington College: dave.martin@candi.ac.uk
South West - Cerian Ayres, Petroc: cerian.ayres@petroc.ac.uk
North East - Neil Godfrey & Stephen Hill, Redcar & Cleveland College: ngodfrey@hartlepoole.ac.uk & shill@cleveland.ac.uk
South East - Tim Sorenson, Sussex Downs College: tim.sorensen@sussexdowns.ac.uk
North West - Heather Aspinwall, Wirral Met College: heather.aspinwall@wmc.ac.uk
National Director - Helen Roberts: h.roberts@slcs.ac.uk
Online community
The ‘FE in STEM’ group is a free online community within the National STEM Centre. The group is facilitated both by practitioners and subject specialists from the partner organisations in LSIS STEM Support. It is open to anyone involved in STEM teaching and learning in FE to ask questions, try out ideas, share experiences and tackle issues. For online support join FE in STEM