Published in 2009 by LSIS, this research project was carried out by Amersham and Wycombe College. The project looked to see how science class cover by non-science subject teachers could be improved. Students satisfaction was assessed at the start of the project and again after trialling the cover material. This...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this report describes research by Paston College. The project was to develop materials to support effective revision in AS level biology study leave. Also to assess the impact of these materials on students' perceptions of study leave and on their exam performance.

The Wellcome Trust commissioned the research reported here with two aims: to develop a greater understanding of science teacher retention; and to test whether there is any link between subject specific CPD delivered by the National STEM Learning Network and likelihood to stay in the profession.

The research...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this report describes a project carried out by St Helens College. The project's aim was to improve the teaching and learning methods used in theory sessions across the STEM subject areas. The vehicle for improvement was in planning, embedding and applying differentiated learning methods...

A Catalyst article about in vitro fertilisation. About one in six couples gets help from specialists because they cannot conceive. One possibility is to use in vitro fertilisation (IVF). ‘In vitro’ means ‘in glass’ and refers to the fact that fertilisation takes place in a laboratory dish or test tube, hence the...

This Catalyst article describes how the human body is affected by low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes. The article looks at the dangers that await the unwary traveller and explains how, if people understand their bodies, they can avoid the worst problems of life at high altitudes.

This article is from...

This Catalyst article explains how in nature, bioamplification causes substances to become more concentrated as they move from eater to eaten along a food chain. This sequence occurs in relation to the concentration of pesticides like DDT along a food chain, and causes problems for those animals, like birds of prey...

In an article published in 2014 in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, researchers studied whether online collaborative learning was more effective than in-person collaborative learning in middle school science classes in relation to students’ understanding of science concepts.

In the study...

inGenious was a multi-stakeholder initiative in STEM education launched by European Schoolnet and the European Roundtable of Industrialists (ERT) with an aim of increasing the links between science education and careers. This €8 million European programme in STEM education involved more than 40 partner...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service, these materials help to demonstrate effective practice. By Dereham Sixth Form College, this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and transfer technology and progression in STEM. This project aimed to look at a way of encouraging continuation of STEM...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this report describes action research performed by Hartlepool Sixth Form College. The project was about establishing the reasons why students opt to take up science at A level and to encourage their progression into a science subject at A level from the college's partner schools....

A Catalyst article describing how the VISTA telescope, which is located in Chile, works. It detects infrared radiation - electromagnetic radiation beyond the red end of the spectrum. This has two great benefits:

*The telescope can detect radiation from distant stars which are otherwise hidden behind clouds...

A Catalyst article investigating chromosomes. In particular, the article looks at genes and explains how the chromosomes and genes a human inherits from their parents can cause problems such as sickle-cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review...

A Catalyst article explaining how much of the food that humans consume comes from systems in which large numbers of plants or animals are grown under closely controlled conditions, designed to maximise production. When they grow plants as crops farmers intervene in various ways to optimise growth, so that the food...

This report looks at the very separated relationship of science and technology subjects in secondary schools at the time. It tries to identify reasons why there was very limited use of cross-curricular activities and makes recommendations to encourage better relationships, collaboration and cooperation between...