Jennie bullock conf_10

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P P HYSICS HYSICS O O UTREACH UTREACH G G ROUP ROUP Dr Lynn Moran Presenters: Jennie Bullock & David Miller

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Transcript of Jennie bullock conf_10

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PPHYSICS HYSICS OOUTREACH UTREACH GGROUPROUP

Dr Lynn MoranPresenters: Jennie Bullock & David Miller

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What is the Physics Outreach Group?What is the Physics Outreach Group?

• Background (Set up to encourage students to be more interested in science and physics in particular)

• Aims• Method – How it is run• What we do• Benefits/Difficulties for– Department– Schools– Students

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What is the Physics Outreach Group?What is the Physics Outreach Group?

• Group of students & graduates

• Supported by 1 academic

• Design & develop workshops & presentations

• Deliver these in schools & on campus

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BackgroundBackground

• BSc projects in schools

• Requests from schools for follow-up activities

• Requests from Educational Opportunities

• Golden Handshake for new Physics Teachers

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How we got started?How we got started?

Before 2009• Recruit volunteers on an ad-hoc basis

Summer 2009• Regular group of volunteers emerges

New Academic Year• Group set up– Posters & e-mail

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AimsAims

• Quality outreach to schools

• Skills development for students

• Develop a resource for the department– Experienced students– Tested materials & workshops

• Long-term: to increase the uptake of Physics

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Weekly ActivitiesWeekly Activities

• Meet twice weekly usually lunch time– Discuss new ideas & plans– Create new workshops– Participate in communications workshops– Practice in front of an audience

• Non-credit bearing

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What We Do – On CampusWhat We Do – On Campus

Educational Opportunities - Taster sessions- Science Olympics

AS-level taster days/work exp/Nuffield students

Science Week events in conjunction with the SchoolsLab in the Chemistry Department

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What We Do – In SchoolsWhat We Do – In Schools

Yr7-10: Photons in the Classroom

AS-level:

Festivals:

The Electromagnetic

Spectrum

National Schools

Observatory

What can you do with a Physics Degree?

Why Science?

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Design & DevelopmentDesign & Development

• Principles of good practice

• Findings from commissioned research– Science is boring– Science is difficult– Science is irrelevant in their lives– No jobs in physics– What is Physics?

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Tackling the IssuesTackling the Issues

• Science is stimulating & fun(props & interactivity)

• Science is challenging & important(new technologies & improving the quality of life)

• Science is all around in every part of their lives

• There is a huge variety of jobs available to those with a degree in physics

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Tackling the ImageTackling the Image

• Pairs of students

• Build a relationship over 3 visits

• Each design a section of the workshop

• Slick design of slides

• Good quality props

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Example (Displays - 3D)Example (Displays - 3D)

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Example (Displays - 3D)Example (Displays - 3D)

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Evaluation of 3DEvaluation of 3D

• Theory of 3D images was well received

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SchoolsSchools

• Target schools with low record of university attendance

• Grammar & independent schools tend to approach us

Workshop AstroEM

SpectrumScience is Cool AS-level

Number of Classes

20 7 15 9

Visits Per Class 3 3 1 1Average Class Size

30 25 30 15

Total Students 600 175 450 133

October 2009 – June 2010:

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EvaluationEvaluation

• A-level: Increased number of students continuing from AS physics to A2 from 68% to 80%

• 97% of evaluation forms from Electromagnetic Spectrum Workshop gave positive feedback

“Most interesting physics lesson ever. Brilliant!”

“Really enjoyed the session, changed my view on Physics”

“It was made fun and enjoyable. Physics is a fun thing to me now”

“It showed us how exciting physics can be”

“We couldn’t live without physics!”

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Benefits to the DepartmentBenefits to the Department

• Can offer a range of outreach activities

• Can agree to more requests for University visits

• Potential recruitment – some evidence

• Resource

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Benefits to the SchoolsBenefits to the Schools

• Trained students can visit the classes more than once

• Students are closer in age, particularly relevant for GCSE & AS-level students

• Teachers better prepared to use National Schools Observatory software

• More on offer both on and off campus

• Resources available online

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Benefits to the StudentsBenefits to the Students

• Increased confidence

• Experience (for CV/PGCE application)

• Opportunity to see if they would enjoy teaching

• More enthusiasm for subject

• Difficulty: time pressure on students

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Member & GraduatesMember & Graduates

Final year students • 2 first choice of PhD place• 5 first choice of PGCE place

Members Total Male Female IntYr 1 2 1 1 1Yr 2 5 3 2 1Yr 3 5 3 2 1

Yr 3 (of 4) 1 0 1 Yr 4 2 1 1

Graduates 3 2 1

Graduates:• 2 first choice PGCE place

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Dr Lynn Moran nominated by students and received:Careers and Employability Award: ‘Outstanding Contribution to Employability’

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Future PlansFuture Plans

Revision Residential (Easter)

Master Classes (Summer)

Ogden Trust sponsored residentialOgden Trust Science Officer for Physics & Chemistry (Dr Shane Lo Fan)SchoolsLab in Chemistry (Dr Helen Aspinall)Science Enhancement Programme

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Activity GroupActivity Group

• New Activity Group recognised by the Guild of Students

• Freshers’ Week events in the Department along with PhySoc and AstroSoc/Freshers Fair

• Bid for funding for science communications events/social events

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The Physics Outreach Group are:The Physics Outreach Group are: