ASE 2025 Annual Conference

This session will explore how plant contexts can enrich the teaching of microscopy. It will discuss the challenges students face when learning microscopy and suggest ways in which these can be overcome. The starting point will be about relating what we see under a microscope to the ‘everyday’ world around us, followed by looking beyond the power of the naked eye. It will discuss the development of students’ understanding of both microscopy procedures (e.g. staining) and interpretation of what we see under the microscope (e.g. a 3-D optical slice).
You’ll see plants in a new light and leave with concrete ideas to use in your teaching.

BERG: This is an interactive session exploring how to use generative AI (especially Microsoft Copilot) to prepare and teach the biology curriculum from 14-18. It requires no specialist prior experiences. The session will use ideas from Pedagogy AI, an approach that explores how students might use generative AI productively in their biology lessons.

A laptop with access to Microsoft Copilot (https://copilot.microsoft.com) will be a useful pre-requisite for the course.

Pedagogy AI is introduced at https://www.neilingram.co.uk/pedagogy-ai/ and https://www.ai-in-education.co.uk/resources/pedagogy-ai and

This session introduces curriculum-linked nuclear physics resources for GCSE and A-level physics (and Scottish and international equivalents), including cutting-edge research and real-world applications. Try out practical activities suitable for use with or without nuclear sources.

A free loan scheme is available to all UK schools to access the equipment demonstrated.

Find out more at bindingblocks.org.uk.

Educators are invited to attend a captivating and insightful talk that explores the sophisticated mechanisms of CENTURY’s AI capabilities, driven by cutting-edge algorithms and informed by the latest research in machine learning.

Understand how CENTURY’s AI uses vast datasets to gain deep insights into each student’s learning journey, by identifying patterns in performance, preferences and challenges.

The talk offers educators valuable insights into how CENTURY is using machine learning to transform education. Attendees will discover how the platform reduces teacher workload by dynamically adjusting recommendations to cater to the individual needs of every learner, enhancing engagement, comprehension and achievement.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see how CENTURY has been the driving force over the last nine years in the use of artificial intelligence to revolutionise education.

In 2023/24 the British Science Association were tasked by UKRI to 'convene' the sector around the topic of 'engaging underrepresented young people in STEM'. Over the course of the year we ran focus groups, discussion sessions and round tables on the topic, including listening to the lived experiences of young people and teachers.

This session will look at the recommendations from the last round table, and will include a panel discussion, with contributors from the STEM engagement community as well as academia and schools.

There is no question that a strong, evidence-informed and solutions-focused approach to teaching about climate change is vital to our young people. We have moved on from the "is it happening?" and "what causes it?" stages of our pedagogy, and are now developing and improving our understanding of the best ways to teach a range of diverse and complex impacts, and to explore and suggest solutions in a politicised, dynamic and complex world and education landscape. With many options and programmes available, how do you navigate the best resources for your teaching and your students?  

In this session, we'll explore the ways in which we can draw inspiration from a multi-disciplinary climate science, to improve our teaching of science. Presenting a range of tools, visualisations and simulations - including a short demonstration workshop - this session will inspire you to explore different sources and resources, and take away plenty of ideas and examples to include in training and teaching.

Experience of teaching A level chemistry in a large sixth form college, involving students with a wide range of previous experience and attainment, has led to the identification of several threshold concepts which students must work hard to understand.  

New teaching sequences that help students overcome their misconceptions in chemistry and make better progress in the course have been developed. A strong emphasis on scale has been successful, and to date has been applied to topics such as bonding and structure, rates of reaction, equilibrium, polymers and biochemistry. Ideas, strategies, and resources which can be applied to classroom teaching will be presented.

Interesting misconceptions which relate back to science learning in earlier key stages, such as electricity, temperature and chemical bonding, will also be discussed.

Our Place on Earth is a Wonderseekers (the charity behind Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium) programme, with objectives to build partnerships to broaden our organisational expertise and credibility, expand and diversify our science engagement work to engage children with the natural sciences and local natural heritage, develop essential science enquiry skills and build awareness of local conservation.  These objectives will be achieved by developing engaging, inclusive learning experiences and resources, on-site and in communities, to create equitable opportunities for children, especially those from underserved communities. Further, the output of this programme is to facilitate children's voice and be a better learning organisation, by developing equitable co-working practices with children, scientists and other practitioners. This will allow us to deliver a relevant, relatable project and inform future developments and social change.

This session will discuss the findings from the development phase of the programme, highlighting the activities undertaken, the lessons learned from those sessions, including how we have worked with an artist and scientists in developing the activities for children. The findings from our study into the voices and concerns of children about the environment, will be shared with the audience, as well as an outline of how we have made the activities accessible to a diverse range of needs. The focus of this session will be on accessibility and how to provide opportunities to capture children’s voice and provide them with a sense of agency about the environment, tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. We feel that it is important to highlight to children that climate change is on their doorstep and is something they can tangibly get involved with - creating a network of opportunities within the local community (e.g. citizen science, experience days with researchers and in-house school trip activities). The programme also entails the design of an exhibition space that will function as an accessible learning space too.

Attendants of the sessions will be able to engage with some of the activities that were carried out during the development phase of the programme, including learning about soil, sound in nature, light pollution, sustainable farming and the conservation of endangered species. Following a short presentation and activity period, there will be time dedicated to Q&A to discuss matters such as SEND provision, what accessibility means to you and us, how strive to provide as equitable an experience as possible and what we are doing to open the floor to children’s voice.

The Daffodil DNA Project continues to grow organically as schools wish to bring cutting-edge science into the classroom. This session will share the project journey, the impacts on students, teachers and scientists, and the scientific outputs achieved by these collaborations.

A talk showcasing a series of new and old Biology practicals, and discussion about how to ensure they work and how to get the best out of them in lessons

During a practical activity students will be developing their substantive, disciplinary and procedural knowledge. When deciding on the purpose of a practical activity teachers need to consider all three of these areas of knowledge and how they develop over time. The Deconstructed Practical is a strategy for identifying and isolating the knowledge needed for, and developed during, a practical activity. This session outlines the strategy and supports delegates in putting the theory into practice.

By the end of this session delegates will have a better understanding of the importance of purpose in practical work and a strategy for developing disciplinary and procedural knowledge over time.

In an era of diminishing teacher autonomy (OECD 2016; Worth and Van den Brande 2020), many teachers find they are unable to enact change in their practice. In our presentation, we will model some professional learning experiences that we believe can empower teachers to refine their practice.

Our session has two aims. There is a growing body of professional resources that seeks to support children to think scientifically. Firstly, we will model how to introduce a professional resource through an analysis of children's work as illustrations of aspects of Dr. Murphy's Thinking Scientifically Matrix. This matrix articulates a progression in children's thinking in primary science.
Secondly, building on Dr. Serret’s research expertise in enabling pedagogical transformation, we will share some effective approaches that help to communicate evidence-informed pedagogy across a community of practitioners.

Through this, our presentation considers how to introduce pedagogical initiatives (e.g. A Thinking Scientifically Matrix) that allows teachers to integrate this within their existing practice but also encourages them to make small, significant shifts in how they assess, teach and plan in primary science.

In this session you will:
•Have the opportunity to engage in first-hand experiences of applying a pedagogical tool (thinking scientifically matrix) to children’s work.
•Identify how teachers might adapt their planning and teaching when integrating new pedagogy within their existing practice.
•Think about the potential that different professional learning experiences can offer in enabling teachers to enact change in their practice.

Using surprising science to aid discussion and experimentation supports scientific thinking.  In this practical workshop participants carry out activities which seem surprising.  We will discuss how they work and how to use them in the classroom. Most of the activities will use materials easy to source so they are straightforward to replicate in the classroom.

Whilst there is plenty of existing research on microscale chemistry and its benefits, much of this focusses on logistics of how and the why. Currently, no research exists on what pupils actually think of it. This led us to a pupil-voice research project on practical work on the microscale.
Students have performed the same practical both full-scale and microscale, and have discussed their views on the process: how easy it is, how useful it is, whether it aids their understanding, and most importantly, whether they prefer it! Both qualitative and quantitative data has been collected using focus groups, lesson observations and % positive response surveys.

This session aims to:
Provide the background of the research project
Discuss early findings of the students' perspectives
Suggest how to make the most out of microscale practical work in your lab

This session relates to the book on Microscale Chemistry sold by ASE/Millgate House

Join us on this hands-on workshop where we will unlock the secrets of Sickle Cell Disease. We will explore the genetics of sickle cell disease and genetic testing. Extend the narrative by becoming medical geneticists conducting newborn screenings for SCD to determine disease inheritance and susceptibility. We can wrap up with modern therapies now available for SCD.

Research suggests that teaching which is tightly focussed on achieving success in A-level Biology examinations might not be helping students transition to university life. Although most students achieve this successfully, a significant minority (maybe up to 30%) struggle and some leave University. This session explores the possible reasons why and proposes a pedagogy designed to support students interested in studying life sciences and medicine at university, based on the series of Oxford University Press Biology primer books.

Rich contexts, taken from children’s literature, can be used to give pupils a purpose for scientific learning. Stories promote emotive responses - leading to children being more invested in their learning. By using drama conventions, children become real scientists; help well-known characters and understand the breadth of STEM careers available. In a post-lockdown world, this re-builds resilience, problem-solving, collaboration and metacognition.

In Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man, local farmers are outraged by a giant metal man destroying their livelihoods and are desperate for help. As electrical engineers, can pupils learn the substantive and disciplinary knowledge required to stop him in his tracks?

Delegates will step in to fictional contexts and solve problems as working scientists. During the workshop, they will learn how to carefully select age-appropriate texts for purpose and build a progressive sequence of substantive and disciplinary knowledge for a range of topics across the primary science curriculum. There will also be opportunities to consider wider, meaningful curriculum links and outdoor learning opportunities.

“I now understand that planning a practical lesson is nothing like planning an English lesson”. This revelatory quote comes from a Science Ninja Leader on our Science Ninja’s research project. Observing practical lessons, looking at pupil work and talking to teachers has shed light on many practical activities where the teachers recognised that their practical lessons did not support their intended learning. During this session we will share examples of pupil outcomes from some of these lessons.

Finding out what the teachers wanted from the activities and working with them to plan better lessons has provided us with a deep understanding of the kinds of support primary teachers need. In juxtaposition to the poor pupil outcomes shared, we will showcase activities we’ve since produced; explaining how we’ve incorporated the knowledge gained, through our research, so that they support teachers, in the ways we now know they need, to plan effective hands-on learning experiences.

Aimed at practicing secondary school chemistry teachers, this talk will highlight innovative AI tools and techniques that can save time in a busy teacher’s chemistry classroom. Participants will leave equipped with actionable insights and strategies to integrate AI into their teaching practices, ultimately enabling them to spend more time on impactful teaching. This includes exploring lesson planning and the possibility of automating tasks such as marking. Real-life examples of AI applications that have successfully enhanced classroom management and student engagement will be shared, using examples for GCSE and A-level chemistry. Some examples of successes and failures will be shared so that practices can be used in their own classrooms immediately.

In England, the government framework for initial teacher education is based on educational research from around the world. In this session we will explore:

• how the research identified in the framework influences initial teacher education
• what other research influences initial teacher education, positively and negatively
• what research we would like to see carried out about initial teacher education

ASE Teacher Developers Committee and Research Committee will jointly curate and host this session.

British Science Week happens every year in March in the UK. This session will look at top tips and support available for you to engage all young people in your school with STEM- with a focus on inclusion, and EDI. We will hear about funded opportunities and free resources as well as hear from teachers from the British Science Association's 'Engage' network on how they've used the week to kick-start STEM engagement in their schools, especially with children from more underrepresented backgrounds.

This workshop on the Nature of Science, given the ‘green tick’ on the ASE’s accreditation scheme addresses questions like ‘Why did I really go into teaching? What future do I want for my students? How can I help them get there?’   Cathy Priest passionately taught secondary school science for 20 years, her students excelled in their exams and loved science, but she rarely got a chance to think about these questions. She now works in teacher training at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, aiming to help busy teachers find ways to reach beyond day-to-day curriculum requirements, and inspire their students about the deeper, wider, and more wonderful reaches of science. She aims to equip teachers to help their students develop the scientific literacy to thrive in a world filled with complex, interdisciplinary questions and issues.

The workshop delves into topics including the underlying curiosity and creativity of the scientific endeavour, and aspects like the history and philosophy of science. Here’s why it is so exciting to help students better understand this and other aspects of the nature of science.

Young people today face many deep and important questions, such as those about identity and meaning; humanity’s response to issues like food security, the climate crisis and natural disasters; and the ethical considerations of different technological developments. Helping students to appreciate the nature and role of science including its power but also its limits and therefore the need for other perspectives to approach society’s big questions with wisdom, knowledge, curiosity and confidence is something that science teachers can do to help prepare young people for using their science well beyond the world of exams. This is helpful whether they are going to become brilliant scientists and thought-leaders, or simply citizens able to thrive in a complex, science and technology-filled society.

We do know however, that exams, syllabuses and inspections are important, so the workshop addresses the OFQUAL requirements ‘to appreciate the power and limitations of science; the ethical considerations which may arise from science; the everyday and technological applications of science; and the personal, social, economic and environmental implications of science”. Furthermore, an aspect of CPD identified by Ofsted in their recent science review: ‘Evidence suggests that CPD should align with the curriculum and include teachers learning about the nature of science and its methods. So, it supports teachers to help their students to develop scientific literacy, critical thinking and an understanding of how science can interact with other subjects to offer holistic solutions to world problems and big questions.

In summary, delegates will be supported in understanding that students come to their science lessons with different experiences and personal beliefs that should be considered when planning and delivering science lessons.  It enables them to explore through an interactive presentation, the power and limits of science to answer, 'Big Questions' and the value of other perspectives and it will also support science teachers in reviewing and considering strategies and resources which help students learn about the nature of science.

If you’re keen to identify the benefits and opportunities of taking an engineering-approach in your primary classroom, the Engineering in Primary School Stakeholder Group (EiPs) are the people to meet. A cross-sector group working to improve awareness and quality of provision through the mainstream and enrichment curriculum.

This is a one-stop shop for all you need to know about engineering education opportunities for 5-11 year olds.

Science outside the primary classroom: Supporting teacher trainees' skills in effective outdoor teaching and learning.

This project aimed to enhance the confidence, learning and teaching of students in ITT by understanding the benefits that outside learning opportunities provide schools and children. The research team analysed the responses of a confidence audit before/after a training intervention took place.

Working alongside Teach Outdoors Ltd, which aims to encourage educators to utilise their outside spaces and natural areas sustainably and effectively to teach the curriculum, we designed and piloted a blended training course for students working with school age children as part of their degree.

This gave students at Northampton University an opportunity to explore how an outdoor environment can be utilised to support child development and used as an active learning tool.

This session will allow delegates to explore the resources used and reflect on their own practice in teaching science outside the classroom.

Our project assesses the ability of Generative AI in two key areas.
1. How well does Generative AI construct evidence based scientific text compared to humans? Our assessment includes the impact of different of AI tools, length of prose and few-shot prompting.
2. How well can AI grade and provide feedback against a set of criteria when compared to human assessors. This includes an evaluation of the ability of AI to assess its own product.

This session explores how to implement the Institute of Physics' Top Tips for Inclusive Science Teaching in the classroom.   The focus will be on the themes of:

•Creating an inclusive classroom culture
•Making the learning relevant
•Building numeracy and literacy for science

The aim of the tips is to make sure all students feel included in science lessons and have what they need to thrive.
Examples will be physics based but the workshop is suitable for ALL teachers of science, including those early in their careers!

CREST Superstar activities have been well evaluated and respected for over 15 years, but time, resources and confidence are often barriers to teachers doing these impactful projects with their classes. Funded by the NCR foundation, the BSA sought to overcome these barriers by providing a holistic response through an 'everything' kit box.

This session will look at the activities, the kit provided and the feedback from teachers who have used the boxes so far. You'll have a chance to play, as well as find out how you might be able to get your hands on a (possibly free!) box for your school.

In this workshop, participants will explore the innovative capabilities of state-of-the-art motorized structure kits and systems. Throughout this hands-on workshop, gain comprehensive insights into constructing and controlling the Motorized Crane, Motorized Structure System, and StructureBOT using advanced stepper and servo motors.
Participants will delve into building and programming these dynamic structures, discovering how to effectively demonstrate real-world engineering principles through engaging interactive projects and challenges.

There is also an opportunity for discussion and collaboration to explore how to align these tools most effectively with educational objectives and enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

This workshop will empower participants to use these innovative tools to bring the excitement of real-world engineering principles into the classroom, fostering a dynamic and hands-on learning environment.

Our dedicated Chair Trio invite you to drop-in to the “Chair-Chat” sessions on one of the days of Annual Conference 2025. 

Got a question? Ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes? Ever thought about getting involved in Committee activities? Are you wanting to know more about Professional Registration or writing an article in one of the ASE journals? First time attending our flagship Conference?

We look forward to hearing your questions and will endeavour to answer them or point you in a selection of possible right directions!

Are microscopes overlooked and undervalued in school science? In this session Andy will present four years of data from trainee science teachers on out of school experiences of using microscopes and the challenges of and opportunities for using microscopes in the classroom. Then, Andy will present the argument that microscopes are a gateway instrument to increasing Science Capital and lifelong engagement in STEM activities, as a hobby or as a career. Therefore, early positive informal and formal experiences of using a light microscope at home and at school should be optimised to improve engagement with STEM and uptake of STEM careers.
This will be followed by small group discussion of key questions and an opportunity to critique and develop these ideas.

Outcomes for delegates include engagement with new research data on the challenges and opportunities of using microscopes in secondary school and at home, considering the evidence within the frame of Science Capital, and contributing to discussion on experiences, perspective and solutions. Andy hopes that delegates will be able to engage in lively and thought-provoking conversation that could lead to real changes in practice.

Step into the role of a crime scene investigator and explore potential clues left behind at the murder scene of Dr. Ward, such as hair, fingerprints, and DNA.
Can you use these pieces of evidence to help solve the mystery and identify the culprit? Join us for an engaging session where we will analyse evidence and conduct gel electrophoresis to find out WHODUNNIT!

Studies into the teaching practices of expert Biology Teachers is an under explored area of research. The aim of this session is to provide new insights into the classroom practices of expert biology teachers, in moments where they are supporting students in grasping the big ideas. The session draws on the work powerful knowledge, the nature of science and the idea of biological "know-how" knowledge to describe approach to exploring and describing the powerful teaching practices of expert Biology teachers. Importantly, the study explores inter-disciplinary moments in a biology classroom where concepts from chemistry, mathematics and physics are incorporate by an expert biology teacher and made to respond to a big idea in biology.  As a result, the session provides new insights into how we understand the work of expert Biology teachers. Concluding with a series of recommendations for the development of professional knowledge of biology teachers, with implications for the other sciences too.

Quantum technologies are developing much faster than the classroom curriculum evolves. How can we bring quantum ideas into the secondary school classroom and still deliver our required curriculum content? How can a laser pointer and a prism demonstrate quantum effects?

The new, free resource book from the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics provides hands-on activities for your students that will do just that.

This workshop will show some of the fun and simple activities in the Quantum Technology resource and you will see how easily they can be used in your own classroom, and how strongly they connect cutting edge physics with the standard high school curriculum. Waves and superposition, charged particle beams, light, diffraction, refraction, interference, dispersion, lens optics: all parts of the curriculum addressed by these resources, with connections to quantum effects illustrated whilst still highlighting the classical curriculum content.

Diffraction patterns can be interpreted as ‘probability maps’ and this has a direct connection to the quantum world – could dice be used to develop a diffraction pattern? The quantum tunnelling that can produce these probability maps has uses in electron microscopy, but comparing with optical microscopes, including issues with resolving power can take us through optics ideas that our students need to understand. You will try this yourself in this workshop, including making the links to wavelength and the Rayleigh criterion using cheap LEDs and pencils.

If you like the workshop, we can even turn the round of applause at the end into a laser!

Join a dynamic Fireside Chat hosted by VITTA Education, discussing the evolving post-16 technical education landscape. The esteemed panel, comprising education providers, industry links, organisations, and regulatory bodies, will gather to discuss the introduction of Alternative Academic Qualifications (AAQs) and the continuous evolution of T Levels for Health and Science.

This engaging discussion aims to explore the transformative potential of these reforms in shaping the landscape of technical education. Panellists will share their insights on how AAQs and T Levels align with industry demands, foster skills development, and prepare students for successful careers in diverse sectors. We invite educators to participate in this interactive session, where they'll have the opportunity to engage directly with our panellists, share their perspectives, and gain valuable insights into the future of post-16 technical education.

Together, let's shape the future of education and empower the workforce of tomorrow.