A solution for developing STEM skills - Rashpal Chana

There’s no doubt that the UK needs STEM skills – and OCR believes there are even more opportunities to create closer links between education and careers, and to engage students in exciting projects that help them recognise the prospects that STEM can offer, whatever route they follow.

The OCR STEM project is not a qualification, but a programme of study designed to:-

• Promote greater awareness of STEM careers and progression pathways in students
• Provide a structured transition from key stage 3 to key stage 4
• Map all content to OCR STEM qualifications enabling easy integration into GCSE and vocational schemes of work.

Based around real world challenges the project based learning approach engages, excites and encourages students in the STEM Subjects. As the students’ progress through the projects, they will be empowered to:-

• Develop as inquisitive and independent students
• Understand and use research skills 
• Be inspired by new areas and/or methods of study
• Identify how different subjects and topics can be used to investigate a problem 
• Identify how different subjects and topics can be used to generate and evaluate potential solutions
• Use their learning experiences to support their personal aspirations for further study and career development 
• Develop, where appropriate, as e-confident students and apply appropriate technologies in their studies.

The OCR STEM project supports the experiential learning process and provides the opportunity for students to plan and review their learning.

We already have over 175 registered schools, many of whom are using the resources to deliver year 9 Science.

There will be 12 projects (modules), aimed specifically for use with year 9 students. Five of these are freely available now. Each project will take between 10-12 hours of delivery time; teachers can start with which ever module they like, and choose which ever activities they want within each module. There is further guidance on this in the “Delivery Methods section”.

All of the teaching resources are provided by OCR or signposted from other tried and tested sources.

Try our STEM project with your students 

For access to the exciting challenges it provides for students from year 9 and above, you’ll need to register your centre. Once registered, you’ll receive a username and password via email.

There’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the resource, how to register your students, how students upload their work, and a summary of all the projects. You can view any work uploaded by students providing they have access to the Internet.

About the author

Rasphal Chana - Subject Specialist - STEM Science

Rashpal has over 25 years’ teaching and management experience, mainly in Further Education. This includes teaching biology from GCSE to first year degree level and a range of service related subjects including Catering Science, Hairdressing Science and Holistic Therapy. He has also taught IGCSE and IB in Spain. Rashpal has also led a number of Government-led projects designed to raise standards in teaching and learning and has been involved in teacher training in the UK and overseas for the past 10 years.

In 2006, Rashpal attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, in recognition for his services to the British Scientific Community. He is a Fellow of the Society of Biology.