Technician Conference RB606 / L01

We warmly invite you to join us at George Stephenson High School for a day of professional development for science technicians working in the North East region. There will be a range of activities and workshop sessions throughout the day, delivered by a variety of school technician presenters and experienced consultants, as well as the opportunity to share ideas with colleagues from other schools.

The varied programme includes workshops from CLEAPSS, IoP, Newcastle University and Northumbria University as well as a range of sessions for both new and experience technicians, covering a broad spectrum of specialisms.

Workshops on offer during the conference are:

New Technicians: An introduction to the role
Suitable for new or inexperienced technicians and also lone technicians who may not have had a thorough induction.

Senior Technicians: Evaluating and Developing your Technician Service
We will look at various aspects of managing a technician service with a focus on identifying potential improvements and sharing strategies for moving forward. Suitable for current or prospective senior technicians and also lone technicians.

Scary Physics
Many technicians and teachers are anxious about using certain pieces of apparatus, for example those to do with Radioactivity and High Voltage. This is often contributed to by a degree of not understanding the topic. We'll be looking at and using radioactive sources, transformers, the Van de Graaf generator and Cathode Ray tubes to remove the mystery and lower levels of anxiety.

DNA Fingerprinting

A Chemistry Trail /Chemistry Smells
‘A Chemistry Trail’ – will engage everyone in school with some everyday chemistry – be they pupils, teachers or visitors
‘Chemistry Smells’ – linking everyday items to the molecules that give them smells and their structures using molymod kits.

Crime Investigation – Pollen and Honey Forensics
Find out how to make prepared slides of honey, which you can take away with you, to use in school.  Solve a crime ‘mystery’ by examining and identifying the pollen in the honey, using microscope skills. Find out how pollen analysis can be linked to food security, crime scene investigations and archaeology and therefore to science learning in your own school.

Potty about Potometers and All Things Plants
Discover a range of simple practicals to enthuse young people about transport in plants, including a chance to become an expert in assembling a very simple, but effective working potometer, a notoriously tricky practical! If you wish bring your favourite plant practical idea to this session and we will have a plant practical ideas swap.

STEM Club Success
Advice on setting up a STEM club in your school, availability of funding streams, projects to get involved in and ideas for hands-on activities to inspire and engage students and keep them coming back week after week. 

Don’t buy it – Make it!
Have a go at making some science equipment and take away ideas for future DIY projects.

Basic Microscope Maintenance
Learn how to care for and repair your microscopes.

From ADHD to Vision Impairment
How best to support learners with additional needs in science.