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The Headstart range of CPD Courses for Teachers began at Loughborough (Systems Engineering) where participants worked on a project with current undergraduates, learned how Systems Engineers impact on every aspect of daily life, and found out how a degree in Systems Engineering could benefit their current Year 12/S5 students, during the period they are making subject and university choices.
The second course - at UCL - is described below.
Designed for teachers of mathematics, science or careers, Headstart's Biochemical Engineering CPD Course at UCL provided delegates with an intellectually stimulating mix of hands-on projects, an insight into how new technology is taught at university, and what universities seek during the admissions process. Lively debate continued over lunch, where delegates met current students and post-graduates to discuss their programme of learning - in this case, about bio-chemical engineering.
Arriving in London to attend the first of this series of CPD courses for teachers, Chris Sillitoe from Portsmouth College knew he was going to participate in something of use to his portfolio of development, but hadn't expected the day to contain relevant elements for his teaching at school:- "The opportunity to meet with academics and students to discuss issues in an informal setting was very important."
During their day at UCL, teachers from across the UK worked with UCL biochemical engineers to discuss the challenges involved when designing processes for new therapeutic products, saw large fermenters in a £25M bioprocessing facility, and invented processes for new medicines during their hands-on session. All relevant to their job, but also useful in their portfolio of continuous professional development.
Dr Suzanne Farid, Lecturer at UCL and Director of the Headstart Biochemical Engineering course said:- "We were all very pleased with the teachers' feedback and enthused by their interest in biochemical engineering - the day showed how important it is for us to have dialogue with teachers in their specialist area, and to show what we look for in their students."
Feedback from delegates included the following:-
"I was thoroughly informed about the complexity of issues in biotech processes"
"Very relevant - I teach this option module in the current A-level programme"
"Much material to take back to interested students"
"Excellent! Intense day - consequently, much learned"
"I'm more enthusiastic about the subject and can put it across better"
"Has certainly raised my awareness"
"Admissions talk on career was very useful - to see how it is put across now"
"I very much enjoyed the activity based nature of the day - it helped so much more to see the multifactorial nature of the problems associated with these projects"
If you are a secondary-school teacher with access to Year 12 / S5 students who are interested in mathematics and/or science and would like to know more about these CPD Courses for Teachers, then email:- cpd@headstartcourses.org.uk |
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