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Department of Mathematics

Researching STEM (899S5)

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Researching STEM

Module 899S5

Module details for 2025/26.

15 credits

FHEQ Level 6

Module Outline

This module is offered to MPS and Life Science students and aims to develop the skills and understanding required for explaining scientific concepts to a range of audiences, with a particular focus on school aged pupils (11-18). Students taking this module must first take the Spring Term module, 899S4 Communicating STEM.
The module will involve time in an educational institution carrying out a minor research project based on an aspect of science communication. Students will consider an area of interest, relating to communicating STEM, and carry out some literature-based research. They will then design and carry out a small research project. This is likely to be based on a small number of class observations in a chosen school.

Full Module Description

This module is offered to MPS and Life Science students and aims to develop the skills and understanding required for explaining scientific concepts to a range of audiences, with a particular focus on school aged pupils (11-18).
The module will involve time in an educational institution carrying out a minor research project based on an aspect of science communication. Students will consider an area of interest, relating to communicating STEM, and carry out some literature-based research. They will then design and carry out a small research project. This is likely to be based on a small number of class observations in a chosen school.

Module learning outcomes

Apply knowledge and understanding of how concepts in a STEM subject can be communicated to a specific audience.

Use primary sources of educational research to inform a coherent and detailed literature review on an aspect of communicating STEM.

Plan a small-scale research project to evaluate aspects of a key learning theory relating to communicating STEM.

Analyse and evaluate evidence obtained from a small-scale research project to describe and comment upon findings in relation to existing literature

TypeTimingWeighting
Dissertation (3000 words)Semester 2 Assessment Week 1 Thu 16:00100.00%
Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

TermMethodDurationWeek pattern
Spring SemesterSeminar2 hours11111111111

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Mrs Fi Branagh

Assess convenor
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Mrs Susan d'Espagnac

Assess convenor
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The University reserves the right to make changes to the contents or methods of delivery of, or to discontinue, merge or combine modules, if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University. If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the University reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the University withdraws or discontinues a module, it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative module.