Move2Learn4Teachers is engaging with and learning from leading STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education providers, teachers, and children in order to co-design meaningful and useful teacher training and materials that draw from, and inform, Move2Learn research.
Move2Learn is a major UK-US Science Learning+ project investigating how interactive museum exhibits and informal learning (i.e. out of school) facilitation can be designed to improve children’s enjoyment, confidence and understanding in STEM from the earliest years (3-6 years).
The Centre for Research in Digital Education team, led by PI Dr Andrew Manches, is working with researchers from UCL Knowledge Lab in close partnership with two science centre organisations (Glasgow Science Centre and Science Museum Group), a leading STEM educator training provider (Scottish Schools Educational Research Centre), and Graphic Science, an experienced evaluation and STEM engagement consultancy. Ten teachers (UK) are working work with the team to co-design 4 project outputs.
Project outputs include a 90 minute teacher development session on embodied learning and gesture that will reach approximately 1000 teachers per year, a downloadable resource pack and short animation anticipated to reach over 1000 teachers in the first year and 40 commercially ready units of a charades based game.
The longer-term impact of this project will be greater confidence and ability of children from diverse backgrounds in STEM owing to teachers’ increased knowledge and confidence, in particular, the use of gestures to communicate STEM concepts. The project is timely, contributing to current and pressing Scottish, UK and global initiatives to empower children from all backgrounds through improved early STEM education.
Scottish Schools Educational Research Centre