How SSERC has dealt with the pandemic and what we have been doing to try to help.
The STEM Ambassadors programme
Did you know that there are thousands of volunteers across Scotland ready to help bring STEM subjects to life?
Simple Physics practical work that can be done at home – but is no less thought-provoking than anything carried out in a fully kitted-out laboratory.
Professional Learning at SSERC
Life has changed for everyone in this time of COVID-19 and so it is that life at SSERC has changed too. The SSERC team (mostly working from home) have been busy reconfiguring courses so that they can be delivered online via ZOOM, or Adobe Connect, as ‘SSERC_meets’, or through self-study components, or face-to-face at SSERC where social distancing guidelines permit. the programme for our courses can be found here
SSERC professional Learning Programme
Did you do any cooking or baking today? Did you drive a car, pay for something at the shops or take a selfie? How about painting your nails, watching TV or lighting a candle? STEM is all around us – and sometimes we don’t even realise it.
Health and Safety
It is likely that enhanced hygiene measures will be with us for some time to come. Your employer will have risk-assessed your school situation and put in place a policy. Health and safety law says that you must follow your employer’s guidance and nothing in the following article should lead you to think, “I don’t need to do that because it’s not part of SSERC’s guidance.” Rather, what we’re saying is that if your employer tells you to do X, this is how you might comply in a practical setting.
The COVID-19 situation has brought the issue of carrying out practical work in and around the home to the fore. It is important that this be done safely – we offer some guidance.
Many schools have, sensibly enough, bulk bought hand sanitisers to save money. It is important to remember though that any alcohol-based ones are flammablle liquids and need to be stored as such.
In the latter part of 2019, SSERC tried out what for the organisation was a new type of professional learning – the self-study course. While we remain committed to face-to-face learning this approach does have its benefits.
