The fourth and final Royal Society ‘state of the nation’ report considers the ‘pool’ of the UK’s 16–19 year old students taking mainstream science and mathematics combinations suitable for entry to higher education. It makes three major points about these students.

• The size of this ‘pool’ is critical to...

This Mathematics Matters case study looks at the serious problem of coastal erosion. Much of the UK’s coastline is undergoing erosion, placing homes, businesses and other important coastal sites at risk. Mathematical modelling can enable us to understand both the short and long term processes that lead to erosion,...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Identify factors that can increase the pressure of a fluid.
• Explain why the pressure of a fluid is a scalar quantity that is equal in all directions.         
• Explain the...

This Problem Solving with Industry module was devised by the Centre for Science Education in collaboration with local health promotion groups. In this module the problem is to design an effective campaign or a piece of...

On December 15th 2015 European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake launched on the six month Principia mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Principia was named after Isaac Newton’s Naturalis Principia Mathematica, describing the principal laws of motion and gravity.

The education and inspiration of...

This report, edited by Wynne Harlen in 2009, sets out the principles that should underpin the science education of all students throughout their schooling. It argues that students should be helped to develop ‘big ideas’ of science and about science that will enable them to understand the scientific aspects of the...

This Catalyst article looks at 3D printing, a new technology which is rapidly finding applications. Although probably too slow for mass production it is useful for producing prototypes and tailor-made items. In a 3D printer, layers of polymer beads are printed one on top of the other. Heat melts the polymer beads...

A Catalyst article about the human gut and the many microbes it hosts, mainly bacteria. Probiotics are live bacterial ingredients or supplements designed to multiply in the colon and have an impact on health. A prebiotic is a carbohydrate that is not digestible by humans. The article examines the role they play,...

Problem Solving with Industry originally consisted of 30 short problem-solving exercises devised by the Centre for Science Education Sheffield Hallam University in collaboration with a range of industries. A selection of these units were updated and revised to match the...

A Catalyst article describing how process chemists work in the pharmaceutical industry, devising methods of making new drugs. Process chemists are a link in the chain from an initial idea to a new drug making it to the market. It generally takes at least 10 years from an idea by a medicinal chemist to a new...

Produced by The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), this set of activities allows students to investigate the properties of polymers in relation to the design requirements for a sleeping bag.

Students carry out an investigation of the design and manufacture of sleeping bags as a product...

This collection of STEM education reports explores professional development across the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects). The reports include:

A recommended code of governance for schools: a flexible framework for strategic planning

Space for technicians?

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The videos in this collection from Teachers TV are aimed at secondary school science teachers. They contain advice and guidance on pedagogy, lesson planning, organising science in and out of the classroom and other areas of teaching and learning. They are useful to both newly qualified and experienced teachers....