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ASE 2025 Annual Conference
Attending this event?
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 for this year 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 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!
 

Sustainability climate change & environmental issues clear filter
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Friday, January 10
 

08:45 GMT

CLEAPSS: Sustainability in science education
Friday January 10, 2025 08:45 - 09:35 GMT
We pay lip-service to green chemistry in the UK by including just one of the 12 published reasons from the American Chemical Society, for adopting a green chemistry approach. There are at least 5 more that are applicable to school practical chemistry. In this talk for teachers, technicians, publishers, exam bodies and consultants, we will show, with live demonstrations and videos, some of the results of adopting “green” principles. The talk will also cover the latest developments in Hydrogen based fuels in schools.
Speakers
avatar for Matt Endean

Matt Endean

Deputy Director, CLEAPSS
BW

Bob Worley

CLEAPSS
Friday January 10, 2025 08:45 - 09:35 GMT
Physics B23

08:45 GMT

Why Geophysics matters
Friday January 10, 2025 08:45 - 09:35 GMT
As we move further into the 21st century, numerically literate Earth scientist will be needed more than ever to help to tackle our planet and society’s most pressing challenges, including the energy transition towards a low-carbon future, ensuring global food and water security, and understanding and mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and climate change. Geophysics provides exactly the needed skill set and is shortlisted by the UK Government as a profession in high demand, yet hardly known amongst science teachers.

This session explains what geophysics is: the application of physics  to study planet Earth, addressing volcanism, earthquakes, resources, space weather, climate and environmental challenges; and why Geophysics matters for a sustainable future.
Speakers
avatar for Jurgen Neuberg

Jurgen Neuberg

Professor, Leeds University
Professor J Neuberg is the Leader of the Geophysics program at the University of Leeds. He is chairman of the IAVCEI/IASPEI joint commission on Volcano Seismology and an equivalent group of the European Seismological Commission. Since 1997 he has been involved in the monitoring efforts... Read More →
Friday January 10, 2025 08:45 - 09:35 GMT
Chemistry LT X2 (with sink)

11:15 GMT

Grasping UNESCO Sustainability Competencies through Gaming
Friday January 10, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
Einstein once said that “without changing our pattern of thought, we will not be able to solve the problems we created with our current patterns of thought.” These words emphasise the role of climate education and educators in “equipping learners with the skills, attributes and competencies required to safeguard our [highly interconnected] social, environmental and economic wellbeing” as encapsulated in UNESCO’s definition of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Understanding complex global issues requires a new ‘way of thinking’ that consider the many interactions that occur within and across ecological, social and economic systems. Furthermore, people who score higher on ‘systems thinking’ are consistently more likely to be better informed of value issues like climate change as personally important and so take more effective action.
Climate Fresk, is a highly engaging, gamified workshop, based in information taken from the latest IPCC Assessment Report3. This workshop is designed to facilitate conversations among participants and challenge their assumptions in relation to the mechanisms of climate change.

Having featured recently as a very popular article in ASE's own Primary Science journal and used extensively in teacher training, CPD courses and partnership schools at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland’s National ITE establishment, this workshop will be of intense interest to ASE members as it illustrates how to help children and teachers exercise their anticipatory and systems thinking competencies through use of a fun gaming platform as they gain an understanding of emergent earth system behaviour, involving feedback loops and climate tipping points, and the potential impacts of this behaviour on highly interconnected ecological, social and economic systems.
Speakers
RC

Rob Collins

University of Strathclyde
Friday January 10, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
ESLC B01

11:15 GMT

Board games and tipping Points: exploring climate change in the primary cla
Friday January 10, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
In this session, the NUSTEM group at Northumbria University will introduce two practical resources for teaching climate change to upper primary pupils. The first resource, "Climate Change: It's in Our Hands," is an engaging board game developed in collaboration with young people from local schools in the Northeast. This game facilitates group work, collaboration, and critical thinking as children explore the complexities of climate change and the practice strategies needed to limit potential temperature rises. In this session, you'll learn how to play the game and access the free download.

The second resource, "Tipping Points", focuses on climatic changes in the Antarctic's sea ice through two planned lessons and accompanying resources. These lessons provide a comprehensive exploration of the scientific and environmental impacts of these changes and the scientists working on them. During this session, you'll learn how to effectively use these resources in your classroom.

Attendees will have the opportunity to practice using these resources, engage in discussions about implementation strategies, and leave with practical tools to enrich their teaching. This session aims to provide teachers with the skills and materials they to enhance their approach to climate change education.
Speakers
avatar for Joe Shimwell

Joe Shimwell

Outreach Specialist, NUSTEM
Friday January 10, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
ESLC B05

11:15 GMT

Technicians: Sensational Seaweed
Friday January 10, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
Seaweed is known in Scotland as a super food but it has many other uses. In this session we will be using seaweed to demonstrate different photosynthesis rates, and show how you can achieve quantitative results to show the function of photosynthesis. Seaweed also has an important role in fighting climate change with its ability to help reduce animal produced methane. We will also demonstrate how to produce an Egeria Tower. A
n extremely visual representation of photosynthesis at work. Arguably the most important biological process known to man.
Speakers
ML

Margaret Louis

Senior Technician, SSERC
AP

Alan Purves

Education Officer: Technicians, SSERC
Friday January 10, 2025 11:15 - 12:05 GMT
Chemistry LT X2 (with sink)

12:15 GMT

CLEAPSS: The rise of microscale chemistry
Friday January 10, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
A look at the latest developments in the rising area of chemistry education; Microscale chemistry
Speakers
avatar for Magda Polec

Magda Polec

Chemistry Advisor, CLEAPSS
BW

Bob Worley

CLEAPSS
Friday January 10, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
ESLC C01

12:15 GMT

Making Climate Action Plans impactful
Friday January 10, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
We all need Climate Action Plans and Sustainability Leads but how do we make them impactful to deliver the scale of change needed at the pace that's needed? This presentation will describe the journey we are undertaking at Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge. A summary of our thinking behind the journey can be read in an article entitled 'The role of the education sector in shaping a sustainable future' in the Journal of Biological Education here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00219266.2024.2288418.

This presentation will cover:
•Developing a culture for sustainability in an organisation
•How to reduce your institution's carbon footprint
•Ways to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum
•Enhancing careers education
•Developing a voice to push for change.

Whether you are in initial teacher education, an early career teacher, an experienced teacher, someone with management responsibilities or in an organisation supporting the education sector you can be part of driving this agenda forward. There are a vast number of organisations supporting the education sector to move forward with sustainability and this can be daunting at times. This talk aims to give you concrete ideas for taking back to your organisation to help drive the change needed at the pace that's needed.
Speakers
avatar for Chris Graham

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 →
Friday January 10, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
Pope LT C15

12:15 GMT

Coding for climate action - empowering students to tackle environmental challenges through computer science
Friday January 10, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
Coding for Climate Action is an innovative cross-curricular program that empowers KS2 and KS3 students to explore climate change issues and design solutions using code and micro:bit inventions. Developed in partnership with Digitall, this comprehensive curriculum provides ready-to-use lesson plans, student journals, slide decks, and other resources to seamlessly integrate computer science into science and sustainability education.

The program is built around an anchoring phenomenon - the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters worldwide. Students are challenged to create early warning systems and other digital solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Through this real-world, relevant context, they develop key computational thinking skills like coding, data analysis, and problem-solving, while also cultivating creativity and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Aligned to the national curriculum, the Coding for Climate Action materials include detailed lesson plans, student activity journals, exemplars, and comprehensive curriculum maps. Designed as a plug-and-play unit, the resources make it easy for teachers to swap these engaging climate-focused lessons into their existing schemes of work.

Whether you're looking to inject more climate education into your computing curriculum or bring computational skills into your science lessons, this session will equip you with the tools and strategies to empower your students as the next generation of climate leaders and digital innovators. Join us to explore how Coding for Climate Action can ignite students' passion for addressing environmental challenges through computer science.
Speakers
VT

Vojtech Tichavsky

Amazon Future Engineers
Sponsors
avatar for Amazon in the Community

Amazon in the Community

Amazon is here to make a difference in the world, in a way unique to Amazon. With a culture built around solving “impossible” problems, we take a different, more hands-on approach to what is traditionally known as corporate philanthropy. We know that money is important, but we... Read More →
Friday January 10, 2025 12:15 - 13:05 GMT
ESLC B04

14:15 GMT

AQA: Teaching Climate Change and Sustainability in GCSE science
Friday January 10, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
In this session we will dive into the AQA science specifications and their newly published resource to discuss how current specifications can support students learning on sustainability and the environment. What more could be done to enhance these important topics across the sciences by adopting a more integrated approach?
Speakers
avatar for Natalie Vlachakis

Natalie Vlachakis

Science Curriculum Manager, AQA
Natalie joined AQA in 2021 as a Curriculum Support Manager in Science. She has a BSc and PhD in biochemistry, and a PGCE in secondary science. Before joining AQA, Natalie was Head of Biology at an Oxfordshire school teaching mostly A-level Biology. Her current role involves talking... Read More →
Sponsors
avatar for AQA

AQA

Since 1903, we’ve been rewarding achievement by designing and delivering fair and inclusive assessment. We do this because we believe that quality assessment is an essential ingredient for a good education. We’re the most chosen exam board in England and we set and mark the papers... Read More →
Friday January 10, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
ESLC B07

14:15 GMT

Nature-based enrichment of the secondary curriculum: A biology and physics focus
Friday January 10, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
School grounds will almost all have a variety of habitats and microclimates – even if just unkempt vegetation, a tree or two, asphalt and all-weather sports “grass”. These can be the starting point for helping students to discover how our urban spaces can be developed to influence resilience climate change, even if first learning is to suggest what not to do! For the future, school grounds will play a very significant role in schools’ Climate Action Plans.
The Coop Manchester Academy, 11-16, has been a pilot school for the National Education Nature Park (NENP). This session will look at the progress made with the steps that they have taken with their outside space and the impact that this is having within the formal curriculum across the sciences for instance in fieldwork, and in a multitude of ways outside it. Richard (STEM lead and Science Technician) and Aimee (physics and science teacher) will have very practical advice about what the simplest steps can be to “greening” your grounds, the connections that offer support and developing change in your school.

School grounds are a haven for STEM in action – from engineering to ecology. Melissa will discuss how observations in hot weather can inspire learning in sometimes dull-to-teach areas of physics, bringing Science Capital to lessons, showing the difference that planning and planting for nature and climate can make. Infra-red images, and also low-cost infra-red thermometers, will show how the thermal picture of your school can be revealed – even though much of this can be found from simple experience on a hot day. This will link with teaching about e.g. latent heat – making very important biology connections with transpiration, specific heat capacity and materials, the e/m spectrum and the greenhouse effect. Resources for lessons on the NENP website will be referenced.

Delegate outcomes:
Awareness of
•how your school grounds, whatever their current state, can be a resource for learning
•links with specific parts of GCSE (and KS3) sciences
•material available on NENP website for connecting with 11-16 teaching in the sciences
•using infra-red thermometers and images – enlivening thermal physics and adding cross curricular dimensions
•steps to improve your school grounds for nature
•careers relevance in fields such as construction, landscape architecture, civil engineering, materials and urban design, as well as routes via ecology
•potential enhanced engagement of students in STEM climate relevant action and connections
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Lord

Melissa Lord

Independent consultant (previously physics teacher and HoScience), Ogden Trust
After a career in physics teaching, I work on a consultancy basis for the Ogden Trust "making physics matter" - as Regional Rep in the NW, and also occasionally with the PTI supporting physics and science teachers. Physics is about the joy of understanding the universe at all of its... Read More →
AH

Aimee Hopper

Physics and Science teacher, Turton High School
RS

Richard Simpson

STEM Lead and Science Technician, Coop Academy Manchester
Friday January 10, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
Chemistry lab B5

14:15 GMT

Is there time and space for climate change in the curriculum?
Friday January 10, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
This workshop will share the outcomes from two research projects investigating climate change education across the sector.

The first research project includes 14 case studies to find out how school leaders are tackling the Department for Education’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy in primary and secondary schools, colleges and at Multi-Academy Trust and local authority level.

The aims of research project two were: to explore teacher confidence in teaching aspects of climate change; and to gain an understanding of primary teachers ’needs to support effective climate change teaching and learning in different curriculum subjects.

Findings from both research projects will be summarised and themes drawn out. There will be an opportunity for participants to discuss and reflect on project outcomes and take away potential ideas to develop in their own schools and settings, as well as professional development providers.

Delegates will have:
•a greater understanding of how education settings are tackling the Department for Education’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy.
•insights into teachers ’confidence and understanding in teaching aspects of climate change and highlight issues of climate anxiety if any.
•considered the challenges of and explored some practical solutions to teaching climate change and sustainability (with a focus on primary subject leaders).
Speakers
avatar for Lee Jowett CSciTeach

Lee Jowett CSciTeach

Climate Change and Sustainability Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University Research and Knowledge Exchange Centre
avatar for Joelle Halliday

Joelle Halliday

Senior Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University
Joelle designs, leads, and researches teacher professional development activity. She is Co-Director of the Wipro STEM Teacher Fellow and Teacher Mentor Programmes. The programmes aim to increase young people's enjoyment, attainment, and progression in the STEM subjects by supporting... Read More →
Friday January 10, 2025 14:15 - 15:05 GMT
Physics C30

15:45 GMT

Evidence-based climate change teaching materials
Friday January 10, 2025 15:45 - 16:35 GMT
The session aims to support secondary school science teachers in the delivery of climate change education through evidence-based teaching materials. The climate change teaching materials were developed through a rigorous and robust scientific process based on the latest climate change evidence.

Every day, a vast quantity of research on climate change is produced. However, the majority of this research is directed primarily towards academic and scientific audiences, leaving a gap in its accessibility to the general public and, crucially, teachers. The specialised focus of current approaches means that the dissemination of climate change research, especially within the social sciences, is as rapid as needed; however, it does not succeed in enabling wider communities to gain an understanding, thus negatively impacting climate action.

Compounding the problem, there exists misinformation or ‘fake evidence’ about climate change that further prevents public understanding. The vast body of rigorous climate change research, combined with its complexity, means that this globally significant topic can be challenging to understand and decipher for those outside the scientific community.

It is imperative that all teachers are informed and kept up to date with the latest verified evidence on climate change to ensure that future generations are equipped with accurate knowledge and are empowered to act. To assist secondary school science teachers in teaching climate change, a set of evidence-based materials was created, incorporating the most recent evidence on climate change.
Speakers
IB

Indira Banner

Lecturer in science education, Leeds University
SM

Syafiq Mat Noor

Lecturer in Climate Change Education, University of Leeds
Friday January 10, 2025 15:45 - 16:35 GMT
ESLC B05

15:45 GMT

Effective approaches to climate education within the classroom and beyond
Friday January 10, 2025 15:45 - 16:35 GMT
Effective science education needs to reach beyond the classroom – climate and ecological education is vital knowledge that is essential in the real world and can unite entire school communities. Current approaches to climate education fall short of equipping our pupils with the skills they need for their futures, leaving them helpless and hopeless in the face of the climate crisis.

In this interactive session, SOS-UK and Teach the Teacher young people will share solutions to this issue, explore intergenerational approaches, curriculum tracked changes, and ideas into how we facilitate two-way learning between students and teachers, school staff, and even how that knowledge is shared with families back at home too. Breaking climate education out of its silo empowers our young people to make real change, while feeling supported by the educators around them.
Speakers
AP

Amy Padfield

Senior Project Manager - Education, Students Organising for Sustainability UK
Friday January 10, 2025 15:45 - 16:35 GMT
Physics C30
 

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