Topic/Area: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths
Date released: 2015
Type of Best Practices
STEM Teacher Training.
Partners / network
Dublin City University, Accenture, AIB, Alexion, Bank of Ireland, Ericsson, Gas Networks, Ervia - Irish Water, EY, Fidelity International, Fidelity Investment, GE, HPE, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, PWC, SSE Airtricity, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Xilinx
Description of the methods/ approach
The STEM Teacher Internship programme aims to help young teachers educate future students about career paths in Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths.
This is based on research that has found that teachers are key influencers of students’ subject choices, second only to parents.
Through the internships ‘pre-service’ or ‘newly graduated’ STEM teachers will gain hands-on experience of the many careers and opportunities available within STEM industries directly in the companies in the sector.
Purpose/Aim
It is intended that this approach will help them to encourage participation by their own students, particularly female students, in STEM subjects.
The programme provides opportunities for DCU ‘s primary and post-primary concurrent and consecutive teacher education programmes, including BSc Science Education, BSc Physical Education with Biology/Mathematics, B.Ed (Primary), Professional Masters in Education (PME) primary and post-primary.
Evaluation (results) of its effectiveness (if applicable)
“The importance of developing teachers’ STEM competences cannot be emphasised enough, especially as teacher quality, not funding, is the determinant factor among conditions that support the performance of the world’s best education systems.” - Deirdre Butler, Professor, DCU Institute
“I think the STEM internship is a huge opportunity for teachers, it gives us the chance to understand the wide variety of careers that subjects like science and maths offer.
It has also highlighted to me skills that I can pass on in the classroom which can be of benefit to students who wish to pursue these careers.” - Julie Robinson, BSc in Science Education
57+ DCU STEM teachers with a 12-week experience in 20 of Ireland’s leading companies.
Overview of the lessons learned which are relevant to the project
The impact of this programme is such that it extends and deepens teachers' competences and knowledge of STEM and enhances the teaching and learning of STEM in their classrooms/schools."
Additional notes
Paula Neary, Managing Director and STEM Sponsor, Accenture in Ireland said, “we have been conducting research into girls’ participation in STEM since 2013. Our most recent report highlights the challenges that continue to exist in equipping teachers with the knowledge to inform younger females of the opportunities presented by a STEM career. As Ireland continues to position itself as the epicentre of the world’s digital economy, we need to future proof the talent pipeline, so that half the population isn’t excluded from the opportunities that STEM presents and to this end, industry has an important role to play.”