ASE 2025 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

The ASE is delighted to be hosting its Annual Conference, generously sponsored by AQA, at the University of Nottingham from 9th to 11th January 2025. International sessions are incorporated throughout the event’s 3 days and we will have a great exhibition with lots of exclusive Conference offers. Post-16 focus-day and for those involved in leading and delivering professional development, the Teacher Developers’ Group programme is Thursday. Friday is the dedicated Technicians day, kindly sponsored by Philip Harris, and Early Career Teacher day. Sessions for both Primary and 11-19 are threaded throughout all 3 days with a focus on Research on Saturday.

Book your tickets now at https://ase2025AnnConf.eventbrite.co.uk - and remember, if you are an ASE member you will benefit from hugely discounted prices! Check out our membership here - it’s free for Early Career Teachers and only £25 for Technicians!

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08:45 GMT

BERG: Developing microscopy skills: a plant-rich approach

Thursday January 9, 2025 08:45 - 09:35 GMT

Pope A34

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.

Speakers

Chris Graham

Sustainability Lead and Teacher of Biology, Hills Road Sixth Form College / SAPS

I am the Sustainability Lead and a Biology teacher at Hills Road Sixth Form College as well as the visiting teacher at Science and Plants for Schools (SAPS).I have 20 years experience in education and have been leading biology departments for most of that time although I recently... Read More →

Thursday January 9, 2025 08:45 - 09:35 GMT
Pope A34

11-19

Theme Research
Key Stage / Audience Type ECTs, Teacher Developers, 11-14, Global, Industry, Post-16, 14-16, Selected by Research Group

09:45 GMT

BERG: The Daffodil DNA Project (BERG)

Thursday January 9, 2025 09:45 - 10:35 GMT

Pope A34

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.

Speakers

Jon Hale

Assistant Head (Assessment and Reporting), Beaulieu Convent School, Jersey

Liz Lakin

Senior Lecturer (Teaching and Scholarship), University of Dundee

Thursday January 9, 2025 09:45 - 10:35 GMT
Pope A34

11-19

Theme Research
Key Stage / Audience Type ECTs, Teacher Developers, FE/Skills, Global, Industry, Post-16, 14-16, ITEs, Selected by Research Group
Twitter feed @DaffDNA

11:15 GMT

BERG: Engaging and challenging high-achieving biology students

Thursday January 9, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT

Pope A34

This session will equip attendees with the tools needed to effectively challenge high-ability A-level biology students. Strategies to improve learning and increase engagement will be discussed and illustrated with specific examples. Approaches covered will include higher-order questioning techniques, enrichment activities, project-based learning and the use of AI tools.

Speakers

Aaron Bridges

Head of Science, Eton College

Thursday January 9, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
Pope A34

Post-16

Theme Curriculum and New Teaching Approaches
Key Stage / Audience Type Global, Post-16

12:15 GMT

BERG: Fostering pupils interest in science at higher education & beyond

Thursday January 9, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT

Pope A34

The session will present details of a successful University of East Anglia (UEA) science outreach widening participation project called Bringing Scientists To You. This innovative programme, for students in Year 8 and Year 9, involves UEA academics and PhD students delivering hands-on practical workshops in school classrooms. These link to a diversity of science subjects available at Higher Education (HE) and careers, involving topics and concepts that are familiar to the students from their current studies and relatable real world examples.

This talk will include details of the content used for demonstrating Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Environmental Science, Computing and Mathematics in practical workshops. The programme is run at three host schools/colleges across Norfolk, over four days. The session will reveal how UEA delivers the workshops to around 400 students from up to 22 local schools each year whose pupils are from the most underrepresented groups in HE. It will be discussed how this project is part of a number that pupils can receive throughout their education journey with UEA and how it aims to build their science capital. Feedback from the programme and how it can be built upon will be shared.

While the talk will focus on the conference theme of practicals in a classroom, some of the other themes will be incorporated such as how professional journeys that students might take are communicated through the use of role models, the research that has taken place on the project to establish success and how sustainability, climate change and environmental issues are linked into some of the sessions.

Participating delegates, whether they are linked to schools or university, will be able to use the information and format presented, to produce a similar project of their own.

Speakers

Carl Harrington

Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences and Widening Participation Academic Lead (Science), University of East Anglia

George Witty

Lecturer in the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics and Widening Participation Academic Lead (Science), University of East Anglia

Thursday January 9, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
Pope A34

11-19

Theme Practical Work
Key Stage / Audience Type ECTs, Teacher Developers, 11-14, Global, 14-16

14:15 GMT

BERG: Does AI write good science, and does it know whether it can? Evaluating the ability of Generative AI to write and evaluate scientific text

Thursday January 9, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT

Pope A34

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.

Speakers

Nigel Francis

Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University

Andrew Shore

Reader, Cardiff University

Thursday January 9, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
Pope A34

11-19

Theme Using AI to deliver the science curriculum
Key Stage / Audience Type Global, ECTs, Industry, Teacher Developers, 11-14, 14-16, Post-16, FE/Skills, ITEs

15:45 GMT

BERG: Microscopes as science capital: challenges and opportunities

Thursday January 9, 2025 15:45 - 16:35 GMT

Pope A34

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.

Speakers

Andy Chandler-Grevatt

Senior Lecturer in Science Education, University of Brighton

Past ASE 11-19 Chair (2021-2022) and current Chair of Surrey and Sussex Region Curriculum Editor for Oxford University Press Smart Activate Senior Lecturer in Science Education, University of Brighton (ITE tutor) CSciTeach Talk to me about: assessment without testing, teacher... Read More →

Thursday January 9, 2025 15:45 - 16:35 GMT
Pope A34

11-19

Theme Practical Work
Key Stage / Audience Type ECTs, Teacher Developers, 11-14, Global, Industry, Post-16, 14-16, Technicians, ITEs, Advisors/Consultants
Twitter feed @Grevster73