Creative Science with Schools Creative Science with Schools
BACKGROUND
PROJECT INFO
Low-levels of science literacy in microbiology and infectious disease control has fuelled the spread of misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic. This area of education, which is critical for the future of disease control, is largely omitted from the UK curriculum until Key Stage 4 (age 14 – 16 years).
Building on our pilot study in 2021, this project forms the second iteration of action research in schools. This study seeks to evidence the effectiveness of a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) approach to learning and teaching in science.
Year
2022 – 2023
AIM
Through partnership with the Batley Multi Academy Trust, we aim to co-produce art-science educational resources with schools and evidence the challenges, tensions, and opportunities for STEAM approaches to broaden the science curriculum at Key Stages 2 and 3 (age 8 – 13 years).
OBJECTIVES
- To evidence the effectiveness of our participatory design approach.
- To engage community partners and local educational leaders with the schools’ activities.
- To build trust with local community and educational leaders and strengthen mutual understanding of regional priorities for research, science education and communication.
GALLERY
The Imaginarium exhibition showcases creative responses produced by years 4, 5, 7 and 8 at Batley Grammar School, Field Lane J I and N School, Upper Batley High School, and Batley Girls’ High School.
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
TALKS, WORKSHOPS, AND FESTIVALS
OUR TEAM
- Dr Briony Thomas, Programme Director and Arts Lead
- Dr Morgan Herod, Science Lead
- Samantha Vickers, CEO Batley Multi Academy Trust
- Dr Indira Banner, Education
- Dr Shamaila Anwar, Science History
- Mishel Fox, Content Manager
- Kacper Dobras, Industrial Design
- George Jackson-Mills, Engineering Design
- Ahlam Abumughli, Graphic Design
- Vineet Atwal, Engineering
- Siza Dube, Communications
- Michelle Hendry, Assistant Head: Quality of Education
- Hazel Saxelby, Design Technology
- Alison Calvert, Faculty Leader of Science
- David Cooper, Head Teacher
- Charlotte Smith, Year 4 Teacher
- Jane Jackson, Head of Primary
- Gary Kibble, Headteacher
- Sobia Din, Year 5 Teacher
- Hilary Towers-Islam, Headteacher
- Gary Kibble, Headteacher
- Shabana Karim, Art
- Jean-Marie Jullienne, Science
- Terri Halliday, Science Technician
- Louise Ferrar, Head of Department: Creatives
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This project is supported by the Batley Multi Academy Trust, the University of Leeds Faculty of Biological Sciences Impact and Innovation Fund, and the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.