Analysing the work of the National STEM Centre

Posted on Friday 12 March 2010

A £170,000 Government contract to evaluate the National STEM Centre has been awarded to the University’s Department of Educational Studies.

The £5m National STEM Centre opened last year and houses a collection of curriculum resources to help school teachers and lecturers engage young people in those subjects.

Our research will provide the best possible picture of how the Centre is being used

Professor Judith Bennett

Over the next three years University researchers will track how educators learn about the Centre, access its resources and use those materials to improve their lessons.

Professor Judith Bennett, Head of the Department of Educational Studies, said: “The National STEM Centre represents a significant investment in school education so it is important that its performance is closely monitored.

“Our research will provide the best possible picture of how the Centre is being used and will be an important tool that helps guide its future development.”

The National STEM Centre is funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Department for Children Schools and Families.  It is housed in an extension to the National Science Learning Centre on the University campus.

The Centre’s resource collections are already available to people visiting in person and in future will also be accessible online.