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SEP’s key
aims:
| • |
Improving the effectiveness
of practical work in motivating students
and developing their understanding
of science. |
| • |
Providing opportunities
for teachers to update their knowledge
and skills. |
| • |
Increasing general
interest in science. |
| • |
Developing students’
appreciation of real scientific activity. |
To achieve these aims, we are developing
a range of experiments, physical resources
and a national training programme to:
| • |
improve the understanding
of key scientific concepts; |
| • |
establish diagnostic
methods and tests to assess knowledge
and understanding; |
| • |
develop data handling
techniques to widen the scope of experiments. |
Our views
on...
Teacher
support
Effective teachers must be able to respond
positively to new initiatives and curriculum
changes. We support teachers by:
| • |
providing innovative
resources and curriculum support packages,
including teaching sequences, classroom
approaches and case studies; |
| • |
updating their specialist
knowledge, and extending their knowledge
of science outside their specialist
area; |
| • |
providing opportunities
for their professional development
related to classroom practice. |
 
Science
education
The science curriculum must be relevant
to today's students if it is to motivate,
illustrate how science shapes the everyday
world, and offer intellectual challenges.
Science education should help students:
| • |
gain an understanding
of fundamental concepts in science
and current developments; |
| • |
appreciate different
methods of scientific enquiry, the
power of science and its limitations; |
| • |
develop an awareness
of career opportunities in science,
encouraging further study and specialisation
in science. |
We hope our resources support students in
developing understanding and enthusiasm
for science, as tomorrow’s citizens
and future scientists.
Practical
work
Practical
work gives students an insight into the
nature of scientific enquiry, and can encourage
them to explore the world around them. Effective
use of practical work creates an ideal environment
for ‘active’ learning, stimulating
and motivating students – this principle
is at the heart of our work.
Our funding
SEP was created and is
funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation,
to help achieve one of the charity’s
key aims of improving education across science.
By supporting science education the Gatsby
Charitable Foundation hopes to increase
the opportunities for students in employment;
encourage the transfer of cutting-edge research
from universities into education and industry;
and help create a technologically adept
workforce to support the UK economy and
its leading role in science. It is through
the support of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation
that SEP can offer high-quality resources
free to teachers. SEP does not have any
party political or cultural bias - our only
focus is on the encouragement and enhancement
of innovative, practical science education. |
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