reflective logbook - final submission

STEM VIRTICALLY
INTEGRATED PROJECT
STEM Engagement Project with John Paul Academy
Kerrie Noble
Kerrie.noble.2013@strath.ac.uk
200948192

This reflective logbook details the activities processes undertaken
in relation to the STEM engagement activities conducted alongside
John Paul Academy as part of the initiative to improve awareness
of opportunities within STEM, and engineering in particular.
This project was conducted during the period of January to May
2014. The University of Strathclyde, in partnership with John Paul
Academy, wanted to improve STEM engagement between the
university and schools in the local area. The initiative saw
undergraduate university students developing and running a range
of activities aimed at students from S1 to S6 in the hope of
demonstrating and informing the students of opportunities available
throughout the range of STEM subject areas, with a particular
focus on engineering, and also helping to develop some of the
required skills and thought processes required for success in this
area.
The following sections of the logbook detail activities occurring
throughout the project, from planning and organisation to running
workshops, and includes reflection of key issues or learning points
occurring for the duration of the project.
INTRODUCTION
STEM Engagement Project with John Paul
Academy
1

The initial meeting between John Paul Academy and Strathclyde students was held on
Friday 7th
February 2014. The aim of this meeting was to introduce the students to the
school contact, Paul McGorry, outline the needs of the school, in terms of the activities they
required or would like the students to participate in, and also for the students to familiarize
themselves with the school environment.
This meeting is summarized in the following meeting minutes;
STEM Vertically Integrated Project
|MINUTES
Meeting date | time [Date | time] | Meeting location [Location]
Meeting called by Paul McGorry
Type of meeting Introduction
Facilitator Paul McGorry
Note taker Callum Watson
Timekeeper Callum Watson
Jenni Stones
Callum Watson
Kerrie Noble
David Packard
Paul McGorry
AGENDA TOPICS
Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Introduction | Presenter Paul McGorry
Discussion: Required timetables for school visits and interaction with pupils and staff.
DMEM students to look at their timetables to find a suitable day and time for
interaction.
Conclusion: Thursdays look like a good day for people, a time to be provided once discussed
with teachers.
Action items Person responsible Deadline
Produce a combined timetable for DMEM students All Friday 14th 2014
Finding a suitable time for meeting departmental staff Paul McGorry Friday 14th 2014
Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Activities Required | Presenter DMEM
Discussion: The list of suggested activities was presented to Paul by Kerrie. These are school
based projects to encourage STEM topics to be covered in class. The school
seems very well set up for homework clubs and supervised study groups, it was
decided not to follow this route because the school seems well provided for
these facilities
Conclusion: It was decided that the best use for the DMEM students in their visits, is to
present to the students, to inspire and encourage students in different
departments to take up STEM subjects.
Initial School Meeting
2

Set up a mailing list with a defined coordinator. Jenni Stones Friday 14th 2014
Time allotted | 30 minutes | Agenda topic Best Use of Visits | Presenter Paul McGorry
Discussion: It was accepted that the school was well set up with regards to school clubs and
teaching staff. It was discussed the proposal of presentations and discussions
with STEM outliers like PE, Business Management, Art to encourage students
to take up engineering subjects. Suggested methods of delivery included; Media
video presentation, year group assembly presentations, Guest speaker in
lectures, university visits, school trips, producing a compilation video.
Conclusion: It was decided that a list of applicable activities was to be rounded up of the
different activities to take place on each of the visits. It was required that this
plan be discussed with the teachers of different subjects.
Compose List of Suitable Activities DMEM On Going…
Arrange Liaison with Teachers Paul McGorry On Going…
The initial introduction for this meeting focused on discussing suitable times for meetings
and activities. It was decided the best way to proceed with this aspect of the project would
be to develop a shared timetable displaying all student availability. This would be forwarded
to the school, via Paul, to allow further meetings to be scheduled at suitable times for
everyone involved.
In relation to communication between students and the school, it was decided that one
person would be nominated as a point of contact. On this occasion it was felt that this would
keep communication simple, effective and would avoid confusion.
During this initial section of the first meeting the group also discussed the option of arranging
another meeting and involving other members of teaching staff from throughout several
departments of the school. This option arose as a result of discussing the experience and
the broad range of subjects which were covered as part of the degree course and therefore
illustrated the link between STEM and many other subjects, such as business and PE. This
emerged as a key idea which the school were keen to demonstrate as there is often no
apparent link between the key STEM subjects and the opportunities available to those
school students who study these subjects within other fields and careers.
3

Reflection
Shared Timetable
The shared timetable was an effective tool when trying to arrange meetings both with the
school and simply arranging meetings between the students working on the project. This
meant significantly less time was spent discussing the best time to hold a meeting every
time a meeting was required and the effort was concentrated on discussing what the
requirements or topics for the meeting were. In this project the shared timetable was
possibly introduced too late and therefore the first meeting did not benefit from this tool
and as a result the meeting was less structured and less thought was placed on the
meeting agenda which resulted in the meeting ending without agreements on key criteria,
such as a date and time for the next meeting.
Arranging the Next Meeting
At the end of the first meeting no exact agreement was reached as to the date for the next
meeting. It was decided that the school would check available dates and respond to the
students via email. This became a stumbling point in relation to arrangements for the
remainder of the project as it became clear that at busy points of the year teaching staff
so not necessarily respond via or use email on a regular basis, this is discussed further in
the last section of this reflection. Consequently the remaining meetings and activities
had to be organized via phone calls between the students and the school. This also had
associated difficulties.
Including Other Staff Members
This meeting provided a suggestion that including other staff members from across
different departments within the school may be beneficial. This did not occur throughout
the duration of this project and may have been mainly due to communication problems
encountered by the group.
Communication Channels
It was decided that one student within the group should act as the point of contact
between the school and the group and an agreement was made that all communication
should be dealt with via this 1 person. As the group began to struggle with
communication it became apparent that this may not have been the best option when
trying to maximize the communicative capability between the school and the students.
However, when communication problems were addressed this approach proved to be a
success as communication was clear, effective and was not duplicated due to having an
appointed communication channel.
Difficulties Encountered Before the Next Meeting
Several difficulties arose before the second meeting due to poor communication and the
lack of an agreed date and time for holding the next meeting. It became clear that there
were several key reasons for this;
• A busy time of year with regards to exam coursework submission within the
school
• Teaching staff are not as reliant on email as university students are
• When trying to obtain contact by phone it is hard to find a good time of the day to
get through, generally lunch and during school hours it was impossible to make
contact and phone calls relied on the teaching staff being available before and
after the official school start and finish times.
4

The following section of this meeting aimed to address the type and number of activities
which would be held between the school and the university and which topics or activities
would be involved.
A list of pre-determined suggested activities was presented to Paul, these suggestions
included several ideas from homework and after-school clubs to parent and staff information
sessions surrounding opportunities available through studying and participating in STEM
related activities.
Through this discussion the group identified a strong provision of homework clubs and
supervised study groups within all of the school’s main STEM related subject areas and
therefore the school was keen for the university students to bring something a little different,
in terms of activities and information and provided many suggestions which would be of
interest to both students, staff and parents. These suggestions included;
• Producing a STEM information video which could be played on a loop through the
school’s IT infrastructure, highlighted as a particularly useful tool as the screens
constantly display useful school news within the canteen where the school students
have lunch and therefore this would provide a good access point where information
can be displayed for maximum impact.
• Preparing a STEM information stall for open evenings
• Preparing an information event for staff
• Preparing more imaginative and interactive lessons in the form of themed topics and
activities which could be run within a number of different subjects within the school
As the school seemed particularly keen to avoid having another school club as these were
well structured and supported already, it was decided to adapt the approach of running
themed activities and events which could inspire the school students to consider a careers in
STEM and provide relevant information for doing so, or running engaging activities which
directly coincided with the school curriculum.
Reflection
Range of Activities
The pre-prepared list of possible activities provided a wide range of possible options and
many of the school’s suggestions and preferred activity engagement options appeared on
this list. However, one option which was not widely covered on the list was the use of a
promotional video. The development of this type of resource could prove useful in
presentations as well as for specific use via the school’s IT network to help promote
STEM subjects. Combining the ideas provided on the pre-prepared list and the
suggestions obtained from the school during this meeting it is difficult to anticipate
activities which may lie out-with the range of activities currently listed.
Direction and Approach
In this instance the school seemed keen to take a more informative direction and
approach rather than concentrating on running practical activities. This appeared to
because this is a key area which tends to get overlooked but which has key significance
in the wider understanding of STEM-based studying and career opportunities and
prospects. Combining practical activities which help the student learning process within
the school curriculum were also vitally important, however generating a deeper
understanding of the opportunities presented by study within a STEM field is required by
5

The final part of this initial meeting between the school and the university decided the
approach which would be taken with regards to the activities and outlined the required next
steps for the project.
As previously identified, the school had well established homework and lunchtime STEM-
related clubs which were successful and required little to no input or help at this stage. At
this point it was decided to concentrate on developing resources for running activities as part
of the curriculum within several key areas and departments, such as PE, Business
Management, Art and Technology and Science as well as looking at the possibility of holding
year assemblies, university visits, guest speakers and producing compilation videos for use
across the school’s IT and audio-visual setup. This required the compilation of a more
defined and detailed list of possible activity options which could be successfully implemented
and run within the timescale given whilst also ensuring the key needs of the school were
thoroughly addressed.
Reflection
Range of Activity Options
The final range of activity options seemed to provide a good balance between the need
for practical activities which could be linked and run in conjunction with the school
curriculum, and also encompassed many subject areas to show the many opportunities
available, across many different fields, by studying STEM-based subjects, and
informative sessions covering ‘What is STEM?’ to university entry requirements and
careers prospects. The ability to provide this is great and allows for a fully informed
view of STEM to be given to the school students but the range of activities required for
this cannot be covered by 4 students and requires careful planning and thought to be
applied to which activities are provided to ensure a balance is kept.
Key Needs of the School
teaching staff, parents and pupils and this is a point which was perhaps underestimated
within this project and as a result the direction and approach maybe differed slightly
from the school’s preferred option.
Timing of Activities
The timing of activities became a major issue as the project progressed. The school
timetable between January and May becomes more focused on exams and coursework
submission as time progresses and as the project didn’t really commence until the start of
February with planning meetings, time for the activities and planning were severely
restricted. Part of the communication problems experienced also stemmed from the busy
time of the year with regards to external assessment and coursework submissions within
the school. This was also an issue with the university students at this time of the year as
the school were willing to hold events in May and June when the school schedule
reduced however this was unsuitable as the university year finishes in mid-May to allow
for marking before the final submission of marks. Some activity suggestions were also
eliminated as events such as parents evenings and open evenings normally happen in the
first school term and therefore meant that there were no up-coming school events where
parents’ information sessions could be incorporated easily.
6

The key needs of the school were in line with what was expected by the students
undertaking the project and therefore this did not come as a surprise. It was a positive
aspect that the school were also keen on involving several different school subjects and
even suggested having a STEM theme throughout the school for the week as a possible
activity. This only emerged as more detail was given about the courses each student
studied at Strathclyde and highlighted the importance of ensuring the member of staff in
charge of the project at the school knows enough information about what the students
study before furthering discussion about potential activities.
Arrangements for Next Steps
As previously highlighted several issues were encountered in relation organizing the next
meeting and the agenda to be covered. This mainly arose due to the lack of clarity which
was reached with regards to this issue at the end of the first meeting.
7

After clearly identifying the specific STEM needs of the school a list of appropriate activities
was compiled using some of the generic suggestions from the available class list and the
specific ideas provided by the school from the initial meeting. The age group and a rough
estimation of the length of time required for each activity were also identified and these are
shown in the list below;
Activity Ideas
Age
Group
Length of time for
activity
Target
date for
running
activity
Materials
Required
Person In
Charge
Presentation on DMEM
courses - showing what
the department does
and progression of
projects and what is
achievable after
graduation, smaller
companies which have
emerged from the
department
1st
year to
5th
year
1 hour (could
possibly be split
into 2, one
presentation for
students showing
fun side of the
course, and one
aimed at students
and parents at and
information
session, or split
into 1st years to
3rd years and 4th
and 5th years
PowerPoint
slides,
departmental
marketing
material,
Prezi, past
projects,
prototypes, Jenni
Egg Design Activity
(linked with product
design activity)
1st
year to
3rd
year 2 - 3 hours
cotton wool,
string, plastic
bags, elastic
bands,
rubber, eggs,
cello tape,
scissors, David
Edible Cars -
Competition
1st
year to
3rd
year 2 - 3 hours
lots of food, a
ramp
Product Design Activity -
Concept generation,
selection and building
(link it with the egg
design activity)
1st
year to
5th
year 2 - 3 hours
paper, post-
its, pens, David
Information session for
parents (open evening)
parent
s of
1st
year to
5th
year 1 hour
PowerPoint
slides,
departmental
marketing
material,
Prezi, past
projects,
prototypes,
Developing a List of Activities
8

Activity Ideas
Age
Group
Length of time for
activity
Target
date for
running
activity
Materials
Required
Person In
Charge
Information session for
teachers
all
teache
rs 1 hour
PowerPoint
slides,
departmental
marketing
material,
Prezi, past
projects,
prototypes,
Rapid Prototyping
Presentation and
demonstration
4th
year to
6th
year 2 hours
presentation
slides,
examples of
rapid
prototyping
objects,
makerbot, Callum
University Visit - tie this
in with the rapid
prototyping
presentation and
demonstration
4th
year to
6th
year
half day visit to
department
studio
booking,
Duncan,
David
Cunningham,
more
activities for
duration of
visit, visit
M308, Lego
mind storm
activity, Dino,
Barrie, Kerrie
Each of the listed activities are described in more detail in the following paragraphs;
Presentation on DMEM – The aim of a DMEM presentation was to present information on
fields of engineering which are less prominent than the main engineering disciplines, such as
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The idea of having two versions of this presentation
also emerged, with one aimed at showing younger pupils the fun and innovative aspects of
the courses offered by DMEM through an interactive presentation, showcasing student
projects and assignments completed within the department. The other version would be
aimed at older students and parents and would involve outlining the key skills obtained
through taking a course at DMEM, the success achieved by past and present students and
also providing important information such as subjects and grades required to gain a place on
one of the courses.
Egg Design Activity – The aim of this activity was to develop the thought process required for
several engineering disciplines through the completion of one problem solving activity. The
activity needed to be simple and achievable within a small amount of time and should be
linked with engineering through information provided within a presentation to help the
students identify the key principals, skills and approach required for a majority of STEM-
based careers. The activity which provided most of the required learning outcomes was the
9

egg design activity, where participants have to design a tower which can hold an egg 1m
above the ground. This activity would be age appropriate for the younger students from
years 1 and 2.
Edible Cars – An interactive activity, similar to the egg design activity discussed above, was
also identified. This differed from the egg design activity as it used unexpected materials for
construction of a car to be raced down a slope upon completion. This was included in the
list as it actively encouraged innovation and creativity as well as introducing an element of
competition which would appeal to the students completing the activity.
Product Design-based Activity – As the students taking part in this project are all students
within DMEM, and their strengths lie in the use of the design process to produce innovative
engineering product solutions, one activity suggested revolved around constructing a
workshop to teach the students how to use this process to develop an idea into a ‘real life’
product through the use of brainstorming, sketching and prototyping. The main aim behind
this workshop was to illustrate the skills required to become a design engineer and also
illustrate what a design engineer does in a practical and interactive manner. This is an
activity which could be adapted for use with every year within the school setting.
Parents Info Session – This activity would be provided in the form of an information stall
setup at one of the school’s open evenings to help provide parents with detailed information
on the requirements and opportunities available through studying STEM subjects and
illustrating successes within the field using former Strathclyde engineering students as
examples. This would also provide the opportunity to allay some misconceptions
surrounding the role of engineers and the potential for progression and earnings within a
career as an engineer in an industrial setting.
Teachers’ Info Session – The teachers’ info session was suggested for similar reasons to
the parents’ info session. It is recognized that careers information surrounding STEM
subjects is lacking and knowledge about progression and opportunities available through
studying in this area are not widely known by students, parents or teaching staff. Therefore,
to try and address this area the idea of running an information session addressing issues
such as key skills required, subjects required for admission to university, types of careers
available through studying STEM, funding available for students to study STEM and the
number of STEM university courses available was developed to cater for specific teaching
staff requirements to address knowledge gaps in relation to STEM careers and courses
available for students.
Rapid Prototyping Presentation and Demonstration – Rapid prototyping is one of the key
developing technologies within the STEM field and is widely covered on the news. The idea
of developing this activity for students was to introduce them to some of the key
technological developments within STEM so they can gain knowledge and skills which will
be beneficial should they progress to studying in a STEM field or within a career in a STEM-
related field. This also exposes the students to the high-tech aspects of STEM and
illustrates the exciting opportunities available to them.
University Visit – The university visit was suggested as a way of introducing older students,
in 4th
or 5th
year, to the opportunities and the wide range of STEM-related courses available
to them and outline some of the key entry requirements to allow them to make an informed
choice with regards to school subject selection and an informed decision with regards to
their plans after school. To ensure the impact was maximized it was decided that this
activity should encompass a visit to numerous departments within the engineering faculty to
showcase the variety of courses available and illustrate the different skills and disciplines
within engineering in general. It was also hoped that this type of visit would inspire and
10

excite the students by showing them some of the facilities available and showcasing some of
the main activities associated with different fields of engineering.
Reflection
Presentation on DMEM
The initial suggestion of providing a presentation primarily focused on the DMEM
courses was too narrow in focus and therefore would not have provided a significant
insight into opportunities available within STEM and therefore this activity was
rebranded as an Introduction to Engineering presentation. Engineering is only one area
associated with STEM however this is the area the students involved in the project had
the most knowledge about and this is perhaps a shortcoming of this activity. However
considering the amount of time provided for running this type of information session it is
unachievable to try and incorporate all STEM areas within one talk. One point which
emerged from this project was the willingness of teaching staff to concentrate on a more
science-based approach, this was particularly apparent through the suggestion which
emerged to develop innovative, interactive lesson plans, this was suggested within the
particular context of science and physics specifically. Students should try and link their
knowledge base with other areas of STEM to demonstrate how different STEM areas are
dependent on each other.
Egg Design Activity
The egg design activity is a widely used design activity which has been run in many
contexts for a long period of time, however taking this simple activity and adapting it in
several ways to showcase the different skills required within different disciplines of
engineering seemed to work well. The resources for the activity are readily available and
setting the focus of the activity on the process of design engineering has proven that the
idea of adaptation is possible, there is potential for adapting this activity to suitably
illustrate key skills required for other engineering disciplines.
Edible Cars
This activity idea was taken from a STEM website which specialized in providing a
database of possible STEM-related activities. This activity seemed like an interesting
and interactive activity with the use of sweets which would automatically gain interest
with the school students. However, it was felt that this type of activity was aimed at
younger students with less knowledge in STEM areas and with less experience as it was
understood that the school pupils had previously taken part in competitions which
involved building their own race car and this activity seemed to be less complex and
provide less learning outcomes and skills in comparison so it was eliminated.
Product Design-based Activity
As previously mentioned this activity idea was combined with the egg design activity so
provide both practical construction and design experience with the more theoretical
approach required within a specific engineering discipline. This seemed to provide more
learning and improved the achievable impact available for the school students by
combining two ideas and running them as one activity.
Parents’ Info Session
The parents’ information session was aimed at parents of senior students in the school
and outlining requirements for STEM-related university courses. This would have been
one of the key activity choices for the group if the timing of the activities had been more
appropriate in terms of the school schedule. As all opening evenings and parents’ nights
11

had been held for the senior school students at the point of the beginning of this project
this activity became impossible to organize and run as it was not plausible to organize a
night specifically to give a 1 hour presentation with this information.
Teachers’ Info Session
Similarly to the parents’ information session the teachers’ information session was
disregarded before much thought was placed in planning such an event as experience up
to this point in the project had suggested that the time of year in which the project was
running was a busy period of time for school staff with regards to external assessments
and coursework submissions and therefore it meant organizing a presentation where most
of the relevant staff could be in attendance was difficult.
Rapid Prototyping Presentation and Demonstration
The rapid prototyping demonstration appeared to be a popular activity before
confirmation was sought from the school. It appeared to be a front runner for selection
in relation to the opportunities and learning outcomes it presented for the school students.
It provided the opportunity to take a topic which is regularly appearing in news articles
and is becoming more widely known and demonstrating its use and its purpose by
placing the technology in the context of STEM courses and careers. It also provided the
practical elements which were important when deciding on activities as DMEM have
numerous facilities which can illustrate the processes associated with rapid prototyping
and this ultimately linked well with the final activity suggestion.
University Visit
It was clear that through our own experiences in relation to choosing university courses,
the most influential element which appeared to affect our choice of course and place of
study was the visit to the university which was completed before submitting our final
choices through UCAS. As the group had deemed this to be very influential it was
decided that this should be a priority for an activity as this has the potential to make a
large impact on the school students.
Generally the process of developing a list of suitable activities was initially easy,
however ideas for activities became harder to generate and therefore the list was stopped
after the contents which are listed here. This significantly reduced the options which we
could provide the school and limited the opportunities for the group and the school
students in relation to the impact being made by the project.
12

The second meeting between John Paul Academy and Strathclyde students was held on
Friday 7th
March 2014. The aim of this meeting was to review the developed list of possible
activities and ensure the projects selected by the students were applicable in relation to the
outlined age groups and also to ensure the activities met the school requirements, as
outlined in the initial meeting. At the end of this meeting the aim was to have selected the
activities which were to take place and also have agreed on dates on which the events
would be held.
This meeting is summarized in the following meeting minutes;
STEM Vertically Integrated Project
|MINUTES
Meeting date | time 7/3/2014 9:35 AM | Meeting location John Paul Academy
Meeting called by Paul McGorry
Type of meeting Identification of Tasks
and Planning
Facilitator Paul McGorry
Note taker Kerrie Noble
Timekeeper Callum Watson
Jenni Stones
Callum Watson
Kerrie Noble
David Packard
Paul McGorry
Cheryl Smith
AGENDA TOPICS
Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Introduction | Presenter Paul McGorry
Discussion: Follow-up from last meeting and review of information sent via email between
meeting 1 (07/02/14) ad meeting 2 (07/03/14).
Conclusion: Very happy with the suggested activities and keen to go ahead with organizing
and running the highlighted activities. The remainder of the meeting was used to identify
appropriate year groups and dates for running each activity.
Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Planning of Activity 1 – Engineering Info Session
| Presenter DMEM
Discussion: The suggested activity to run an information session on engineering was
discussed. This would be a presentation which would be held at the school.
The possibility of holding this activity for S3 and S4 was discussed. It is
feasibly possible to hold the session for S4 as they no longer have study leave,
however it was decided this information session may be more beneficial to some
S2 students to ensure they are clear on the subject requirements related to
gaining a place on an engineering course. This is the same with S3.
The session would take the form of a 1 hour presentation and cover topics including;
university engineering courses and their entrance requirements and course
School Meeting 2 – Activity Selection
13

content, interests and activities which could be useful in order to make
applications stand out when applying to courses, funding opportunities for places
on engineering courses, past student projects and prototypes and job and career
prospects in different engineering sectors. The presentation will be given to a
mixture of different classes from science to technology.
We will aim to run this session in early May or possibly earlier in April.
Conclusion: Jenni will begin to organize specific content for the presentation and the school
will consult their school calendar to decide on the most suitable date for running
this information session
Develop a presentation covering a basic introduction
to engineering and opportunities available.
Jenni Stones Friday 28th
March
2014
Decide on a suitable date for running the information
session
Paul McGorry Wednesday 12th
March 2014
Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Planning of Activity 2 – Egg Design Activity |
Presenter DMEM
Discussion: The activity was discussed with focus on the number of students and who
would receive the most benefit from this session. It was decided that around 40
students would be a suitable number to deal with for this type of practical
activity and this would be offered to keen students from S1 and S2. A decision
was made that this session should be held as a 2 hour session to take place in the
afternoon.
DMEM should select the activities to take place and provide the appropriate resources
required. It was also discussed that DMEM should run a mock activity session
to iron-out any issues which may arise and also to gauge the time needed to
decide whether the activity will require 1 or 2 afternoon sessions running for 2
hours each.
It was also discussed that the most suitable time for running this activity would be early
May but a date still needs to be arranged to ensure a hall can be accessed during
this time period as SQA exams are taking place within the school.
Conclusion: Appropriate activities will be selected and a mock run of the activity session
will be held to ensure enough time is assigned for the students to complete the
task to satisfactory levels. A specific date for running the activity session needs
to be selected, this is probably going to be a date in early May.
Select appropriate activities for the session, develop a
running order and identify resources required.
David Packard Friday 4th
April
2014
Select appropriate date for running activity session Paul McGorry Wednesday 12th
March 2014
Run a mock activity session within the department to
iron-out issues and decide on the required time frame
for activities.
David Packard Friday 11th
April
2014
14

Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Planning of Activity 3 and 4 – Rapid Prototyping
Presentation and University Visit| Presenter DMEM
Discussion: It was decided that the rapid prototyping presentation and activity session and
the university visit could take place on the same day at the university. The
students involved within these activities would be Higher, Int 2 and NAT 5
students as this would tie-in well with product design and design and
manufacture exams taking place in May.
It was discussed that the general running order for this activity would involve running the
rapid prototyping session in the morning and incorporating information about
engineering and visits to other engineering departments in the afternoon,
hopefully providing inspiration and focus for students about to sit exams.
A possible date for holding this event was suggested as the 25th
April and would be best run
as an all-day event to optimize the benefit gained by the school. The event
would last for the same time period as the school day, i.e. from 8.45/9am to
3pm. The idea of having a break in the middle of the day and the possibility for
the need to organize lunch etc. was also raised.
Conclusion: A rapid prototyping activity session will be organized and a schedule for the
day will be developed. Organizing departmental visits across the faculty will
need to take place and the date for the event will need confirmation from the
school with regards to their timetable and student availability.
Organize and develop an appropriate rapid
prototyping workshop event.
Callum Watson Friday 28th
March
2014
Develop schedule for university visit and organize
departmental visits.
Kerrie Noble Friday 28th
March
2014
Confirm event date Paul McGorry Wednesday 12th
March 2014
Time allotted | 15 minutes | Agenda topic Conclusion| Presenter DMEM
Discussion: A recap of all discussions and decisions made during the meeting took place to
confirm students involved for each activity, possible dates and content required.
It was agreed that confirmation on dates for all activities would be received by
Wednesday 12th
March 2014.
Conclusion: Paul will email confirmed dates for all activities by Wednesday 12th
March.
Confirm activity dates Paul McGorry Wednesday 12th
March 2014
The introduction to this meeting refers to the list of developed activities, outlined in the
previous section of the logbook, where each student signed-up to take charge of an activity.
This was communicated to the school via email in early February. This part of the meeting
highlighted the school’s satisfaction and willingness to proceed with the suggested activities.
The school generally thought these fitted well with the school curriculum being covered for
15

the outlined year groups at that particular time and also, some activities could be used as a
revision session before external exams in May.
The second part of this meeting concentrated on planning an Engineering information
session for students who were about to make critical subject choices, S3 and S4. This
activity had originally been planned as a DMEM information session however it was decided
that this was not a wide-ranging overview of engineering opportunities which are available
and therefore would not meet some of the school’s criteria or requirements with regards to
demonstrating and enhancing knowledge about STEM study and career options.
The group decided that this session would last for an hour and cover topics including;
• University engineering courses and their entrance requirements
• Course content
• Interests and activities (non-academic) which would be good for university
applications
• Funding opportunities for places on engineering courses
• Past student projects, prototypes and successes
• Career prospects and progression across different engineering sectors
Due to school commitments, exam timetables and Easter holidays it was decided that it
would be beneficial if this activity was to run for an afternoon in early May.
Reflection
Communication of Activity Selection
After an initially busy time period within the school in relation to coursework and
preparation for external examinations, communication between the group and the school
via email became more regular and effective and resulted in the school being aware of
the activity options before commencing this decisive meeting. The led to a brief but
effective selection of activities with key decisions about the age group, number of
students attending and the date for the activity being made during the meeting which
reduced the pressure on communication after the meeting. Having other key staff
members’ responsible teaching in other STEM subjects present at the meeting was also
beneficial.
Timing of Activities
Again the timing of the activities proved to be problematic. Many date suggestions
tended to be towards the end of May or June and this was not suitable from the
perspective of the group due to university deadlines and protocol with regards to final
mark submissions for students.
16

The third section of this second meeting between the university students and the school
centered on discussion surrounding the planning of activity 2, a design-based activity which
would teach the students about the design process and how to take an initial idea and
develop it into a functioning product.
It was decided that as this was a very practical activity, the number of students which could
partake in this activity was 40 due to staff/student ratios required. The need for school staff
to be present throughout also changed the decision to run this activity over 2 afternoons. It
was decided that it would be more suitable if this activity was completed in one 2 hour slot
with keen students from S1 and S2.
This activity was aimed at younger students as it was felt it provided a good introduction to
the idea and philosophy behind many engineering degree courses and therefore effectively
demonstrated the skills required for engineering. However, as the DMEM students had
never pitched this type of lesson to this age group there were concerns over level of difficulty
and whether certain elements would be successful in this context. To avoid difficulty and to
ensure the activity workshop would be successful it was decided a practice run-through with
other DMEM students would take place so mistakes or issues could be resolved before
completing this activity with the school. This also meant a delayed start to when the activity
may be able to run. Again due to the school exams and the requirement to have a practice
run of this activity the running date was set in May.
The fourth section of this meeting concentrated discussion on activities 3 and 4. It was
decided that impact could be maximized if these activities were combined into a 1 day visit to
the university. This would provide insight into the course available within the engineering
faculty, the facilities available at the university, provide an insight into course content and
skills required as well as providing the students with a new STEM-based skill which they can
develop and learn from in relation to their school exams. For this reason these activities
were offered to the more senior students in the school.
The main day would involve a rapid prototyping workshop in the morning and a tour of
various engineering departments in the afternoon, therefore hopefully providing the students
with some inspiration and goals before their school exams. The timescale would be
consistent with a normal school day and would take place on the 25th
April. This activity
would also of course rely heavily on cross-faculty participation and organization of the
workshop.
Reflection
The Activity
The activity seemed to achieve one of the schools’ main aims of being involved in the
project; to illustrate the numerous different STEM study options available and highlight a
STEM area which is alien to the students as it is not a subject option within school.
Once the presentation focus had changed to cover engineering in general, rather than
focusing on the area of engineering which the group were primarily involved in, this
activity became suitable for use within key age groups within the school where subject
choices could be key and this activity would be delivered at the correct time to help with
these choices.
Activity Content
The content listed within the description provided in the meeting minutes covered several
key aspects which the group thought were important to illustrate in relation to helping
students make the correct subject choices. This was the primary aim of running this
activity and through the listed content it appears to be well placed to achieve this aim.
Activity Timing
Activity timing was once again an issue. The school would have ideally like to run this
activity towards the end of May to link better with the timing of subject choices however,
with strict deadlines for coursework and mark submission within the university this was
not an option.
17

The meeting ended with a final recap of all discussions which had taken place and an
agreement of a date when the initial plan for the university visit would be forwarded to the
school.
18

An initial schedule was developed outlining the plan of activities for the duration of the visit to
the university by John Paul Academy students. The original idea was to introduce the
students to DMEM and showcase the courses on offer as the students attending were S5/6
students studying Product Design Higher and therefore had skills and interests linked with
the core program offered at DMEM.
One of the key activities offered was a rapid prototyping/CAD development workshop as this
had a significant link to their fourth-coming exams and was beneficial in teaching the
students new skills in relation to CAD but also acted as a revision period with a good
overview of various manufacturing techniques also being provided. To also ensure that
students were able to appreciate the different applications and fields of engineering,
departmental visits to EEE, MAE and NA were also included to illustrate how their skills and
interest in product design, manufacturing and problem solving could also be utilized within
these engineering fields. The initial schedule development is shown below;
Time Activity
10am Arrival
10.30am Introduction from Alex Duffy
11am Move to DM308 CAD Lab
11.15am Short introduction to CAD design
11.30am Start of CAD challenge
12.30pm Finish CAD challenge
12.45pm Break for lunch
1.45pm Talk from DMEM Students
Organization of the University Visit
19

Time Activity
2pm Talk from EEE, MAE & NA
2.30pm Presentation of CAD winner
3pm Home Time!
A change was made to the initial plan upon review. It was decided that the talk from DMEM
students should be removed as this could be repetitive with regards to the DMEM
presentation given at the beginning of the day. Also, as the visit was being arranged by
DMEM students it was felt that conversation about DMEM courses and life at Strathclyde
within the engineering faculty would occur naturally between the school students and the
facilitators as the day progressed. Therefore this section was removed and more time was
allocated for other departmental visits, providing each department with 15 minutes to provide
a brief overview and description of their engineering field and a brief tour of departmental
facilities.
Time Activity
10am Arrival
10.30am Introduction from Alex Duffy
11am Move to DM308 CAD Lab
11.15am Short introduction to CAD design
11.30am Start of CAD challenge
20

Time Activity
1.45pm Visit to EEE, MAE & NA
2.30pm Presentation of CAD winner
3pm Home Time!
After contacting other departments to make arrangements for the visit, a longer period of
time for departmental visits was requested. One department suggested that 15 minutes for
a visit was not long enough to provide a brief overview and a tour of facilities so this aspect
of the schedule was changed to reflect this. The number of department visits was reduced
to 2 and each department was allocated a 30 minute time slot where they could present a
brief overview of the department and a tour. This is reflected in the finalized schedule for the
day which is outlined below;
Time Activity Description
9.30am Arrival
Students will arrive at the
University and make their
way to the James Weir
building where they will be
met in the foyer by Kerrie
Noble and Callum Watson.
10am Introduction from DMEM
There will be an
introduction to the
Department of Design,
Manufacture and
Engineering Management by
the department’s school’s
liaison team.
10.30am Move to DM308 CAD Lab
The group will move to
DM308, the Digit Design
and Manufacture Studio, for
a brief introduction to rapid
prototyping and CAD design
challenge.
10.45am Short introduction to CAD
design
Callum will provide a brief
introduction to CAD Design.
21

Time Activity Description
11am Start of CAD challenge
Callum will introduce the
CAD challenge.
Callum and Kerrie will
facilitate the CAD design
challenge which will last for
1 hour 30mins.
The students will break for
lunch for 30 minutes. They
will be taken to a room
where they will be free to
eat lunch. Please ensure all
students bring a pre-
prepared meal.
1.15pm Visit to EEE
The group will be escorted
to the EEE department
where Dr. Graeme West will
provide a short presentation
and tour of the EEE
department.
1.45pm Visit to MAE
The students will be
escorted to the MAE
department where some
senior students will provide
a departmental overview and
tour of facilities.
2.15pm Presentation of CAD
Winner
The students will return to
DMEM where the winner of
the CAD challenge will be
announced and a short
presentation will be made.
2.30pm Home Time!
Students will leave
Strathclyde to return to
school for the end of the
school day.
The schedule shown above was finalized and approved by the school and the university visit
was held on Friday 25th
April.
Reflection
The Activity
The idea of the university visit was to maximize the impact which could be achieved in
relation to showing the students available options to them for continuing their study
within STEM fields while also providing them with some appropriate skills which links
to many of the courses provided throughout STEM subjects. For this reason it was
22

decided to combine two activities and try to run these within one day. This was the set
timescale for a particular reason which is addressed later.
The Content
The content is in-keeping with the schools’ requirements to broaden the knowledge of
STEM opportunities throughout the age groups within the school and it does this by
covering both theoretical knowledge, practical skills and relevant information for
furthering their skills and knowledge in relation to a particular area.
The Timescale
The timescale for the project was a clear issue, ideally it would have been more
beneficial to run these two distinct activities across different days at the university and
increase the number of students and age groups involved, however, the well documented
timing issues meant that to achieve both of these activities they had to be combined and
held on the same day and therefore a smaller number of students were able to attend and
the departmental visits included in the itinerary were significantly reduced, therefore
reducing the range of engineering courses being shown to the students. This was a clear
disadvantage of running these activities as a combined event.
Communication with Other Departments
Communicating with other departments within the faculty proved to be difficult and
some were unsure about the aim or objective of this type of activity and did not see the
benefit of including a departmental visit. Also identifying the correct departmental
contacts was an issue and slowed communication and organization significantly.
Unfortunately die to the timing of the event some departments were unable to participate
due to exams. Communication proved to be difficult and provided a challenge however,
the outcome of the activity seemed to make this challenge worthwhile in the end. The
benefit the students gained from the activity, shown in the following logbook section,
out-weighed the difficulty encountered in organizing the event.
23

The university visit took place on Friday 25th
April 2014. This section of the logbook details
the events which took place as part of this activity and include reflections on the successes,
failures and difficulties arising throughout the day.
DMEM Introduction
The visit to the university began with an
introduction to DMEM. This
introduction outlined the courses the
department offered and helped to
explain what Product Design
Engineering was through relating the
discipline to relevant products and
famous faces which are clearly
recognizable to this age group. The
presentation also outlined the
possibilities available through an
opportunity to study within DMEM by
illustrating and explaining previous
student successes and showing how
versatile the degree can be by outlining the various employment options taken up by past
and present students.
The University Visit
Reflection
The Presentation
The presentation was a necessary activity organized within the events during the day and
proved to be an informative session which addressed some key issues such as
explanations of what design engineering is and placed this in an understandable context.
In a way this provided information from other activities which were presented to other
year groups within the school and ensured this information was provided to a larger
student base.
Presentation Content
The content of the presentation was representative of the requirements of this year group
and covered the required information which would be expected for students wishing to
pursue study in this area.
The Students
The students appeared to be quiet at this point of the day. Although attempts were made
to make the atmosphere friendly and relaxed the students seemed unresponsive. This
may be due to the presence of teaching staff or a strange environment however
something could have been used to ensure the students felt more comfortable and able to
ask questions.
24

Rapid Prototyping Workshop
The workshop was developed
assuming the students had basic
knowledge and use of a CAD system
and had a little experience of previous
3D modelling using a similar system.
Each student was tasked to work
through the available tutorials for
proEngineer software to learn basic
skills ranging from basic modelling to
the creation of more complex
geometric shapes, therefore becoming
familiar with the software’s user
interface. A 30 minute time slot was
set aside for this task and DMEM
students circulated and supervised to
provide useful information and help with regards to the software and the tutorials being used
for this exercise.
Upon completion of the initial
tutorial/learning section of the
workshop, the students were given a
challenge. The challenge involved use
of the design process, combined with
the use of 3D modelling using the
proEngineer software they had been
using. The task brief was to design a
3D shape using brainstorming and
sketching and then recreate this
creation using the 3D parametric
modelling software. In a simple manner
this encapsulated the essence of what
the courses within DMEM teach and
provided the students with this
experience while also being relevant and providing extra skills which are relevant in relation
to their Product Design Higher course. The results from this task are shown below;
One student had been designing and
building a chair as part of their Product
Design Higher course and adapted the
design for this challenge. The seat
started as a simple LEGO block which
had sections removed to create the
seat and the arm rests. The image to
the right shows a rendered image of the
resulting 3D model produced by the
student using the proEngineer software.
25

Another student also took inspiration
from a LEGO block and recreated the
shape using 3D modelling. The student
managed to accurately reflect the shape
by filleting all edges of the block and
shelling the bottom face to achieve the
hollow which allows the blocks to fit
together to allow the user to create any
structure.
The third output from this challenge was
a spherical shape with cylindrical inputs
and outputs. This output was achieved
as a result of a random generation of
shapes so the user could explore more
of the features offered by the software
which they were using. This resulted in
the user learning how to use the
revolve, cut and shell tools which were
not previously covered within the
tutorials attempted.
The fourth student created their own
wheel and spoke design. This included
the use of precise and complex
modelling processes to create the star
effect within the center of the wheel.
The student also had to learn about
converting this type of shape into
manufacturable specifications,
including use of tolerances and use of
appropriate sizing.
Finally, another student modelling a
marker pen which was being used
within the room at the time of the
challenge. To create this shape the
user had to learn how to extrude a
shape from a curved surface and also
how to utilize the engrave functionality
available within the software interface.
The image to the right illustrates the
result achieved by the student.
At the end of the challenge each of the models were taken and suitably adapted so a 3D-
printed model of the shapes could be produced and forwarded to the school to allow the
26

students to see the whole process, from initial sketch, to 3D virtual model and finally having
a physical 3D model produced using 3D printing technology.
Overview of Manufacturing Processes
As part of the visit, it was established
that this group of students were
studying Product Design Higher
courses and were required to learn
about different manufacturing
techniques for the fourth-coming
examinations. To help provide some
revision for this element of their course
the students were also taken on a tour
of DMEM facilities where the different
manufacturing processes associated
with each piece of equipment was
explained in detail by a member of
technician staff. This element of the
visit also helped to link the design and
rapid prototyping challenge the
Reflection
The Activity
The use of official software tutorials has benefits with regards to the reduced need to
develop our own tutorial sheets however the tutorial sheets used were older versions
which differed from the version of the software used. The software used for this activity
is also being slowly removed from use by the department so it may have been more
beneficial if the newer 3D modelling software had been used, however this is the
software the students facilitating the activity felt more comfortable with using. There
were also too many tutorial sheets to cover in the time allotted for the activity.
Activity Content
The activity content was challenging, which created a real benefit for the students and
they were assured of leaving with a newly developed skill as an outcome from the event.
There was too much content for the time assigned for the activity which meant the
overall time given to the creation of a shape was minimal and resulted in the activity
being cut short in order to ensure the students got lunch before arriving for the
departmental visits in the afternoon.
The Students
Unlike previous assumptions it became clear that the students had no experience in using
any 3D modelling software before this activity. This therefore meant that the pre-
requisite knowledge we thought the students may have left the students feeling the task
was maybe unachievable for their level of experience. Some students in particular had
low confidence in their abilities and tending to assume they were unable to complete the
task, this required some more supervision in relation to these students and was not
something which had been anticipated with regards to the assigned time for the task or
the number of student facilitators which were available.
27

students had completed with the possible processes they could use to help produce their
developed shapes.
The students were shown the various types of 3D printer used within the department such as
fused deposition modelling, selective laser sintering and laminated object manufacturing.
For all of the processes used the students were shown
examples of products produced using those additive
manufacturing processes and the materials used. This
helped the students to complete and map the
manufacturing process to different materials and
capabilities with regards to the types of shape
produced and generated learning about the
requirements and functionality of various
manufacturing processes.
After a brief tour and guide to additive
manufacture the students were also
shown the manufacturing and
prototyping laboratory and a selection
of student projects which were
produced using a wide variety of
manufacturing processes. At this
stage the use of multiple
manufacturing techniques to produce
one product was highlighted and the student projects were used to demonstrate the need for
this approach to manufacturing by highlighting different components within one design and
comparing the requirements, shape, complexity and joining methods for each component
and illustrating how this affects and determines the manufacturing process used.
Reflection
The Activity
The activity seemed to be well received by the students as this was a particular area of
interest due to this being a key topic covered in their product design higher exam. The
activity was also able to show the progression and differences between school-based
product design and similar courses undertaken at the next level of study. The students
appeared to learn significantly from this activity.
Activity Content
The activity content was aimed at the correct level for the age group of the students
involved and therefore gained more interest and participation as the students’ attention
was maintained. Showing examples of work produce via different manufacturing
processes and relating the information back to their own experience and work helped to
make this activity successful.
28

Departmental Visit to EEE
After lunch the students were taken on a visit to the department of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering where they were taken through a brief presentation outlining a definition of
electrical and electronic engineering, course requirements, course content, careers
prospects, career progression and average earnings as an electrical and electronic
engineer.
After the presentation the students were taken on a brief tour of facilities available within the
department and introduced to some famous electrical and electronic engineers.
Departmental Visit to MAE
The final part of the university visit
involved a visit to the Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering Department.
The students were introduced to this
engineering discipline as they toured
the laboratory facilities. The
combination of the description and
definition of mechanical engineering
alongside the tour allowed for an
effective link between the
engineering field, the university
course and the industrial possibilities
within mechanical engineering.
During the tour the group were able
to see some of the main course
aspects such as the car dissection
laboratory and the model aircraft being built for a student competition.
Reflection
The Presentation
The presentation was informative but was too long in terms of timescale in relation to
other activities completed during the day and therefore the attention of the students was
lost during the presentation, this problem may also be related to the content provided
within the presentation.
The presentation content seemed to be aimed at older students and those with a specific
interest in electrical and electronic engineering instead of providing an overview of the
discipline for students who had little understanding of what was involved in EEE. The
visit to the department was beneficial due to introducing the students to another new
STEM-related area and ensuring they understand what EEE involves. The tour of
facilities was more beneficial in introducing this topic as the ability to link the facilities
with more common products the students were familiar with seemed to help the student
understanding.
29

The tour ended with a visit to the University of Strathclyde Motorsport workshop where the
students were able to see the formula student car. This part of the visit also included a
detailed description about the competition, past Strathclyde successes, highlighted former
students who have progressed to working in formula 1 and therefore showcased some high
profile opportunities associated with mechanical engineering and illustrated that such
success is possible through studying STEM subjects at school.
Reflection
The Presentation
The presentation took a more practical approach by introducing mechanical engineering
and what it mainly focused on while touring the facilities to allow the discipline to be
introduced while looking at projects and explaining elements of the course which the
students found familiar. On request from other departments the time given to each
departmental visit was 30 minutes however MAE did not require this full time and
therefore resulted in the visit ending earlier than anticipated.
The content was aimed well at this age group and provided a basic introduction to the
discipline area. It also highlighted key products which the students could associated with
real life, such as the association with formula 1. On reflection it was discussed that this
type of introduction and presentation would also be beneficial to younger age groups of
students.
30

This reflective logbook has outlined all activities undertaken as part
of the STEM Engagement Project between John Paul Academy
and the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, during 2014.
This project was conducted during the period of January to May
2014. The University of Strathclyde, in partnership with John Paul
Academy, wanted to improve STEM engagement between the
university and schools in the local area. The initiative saw
undergraduate university students developing and running a range
of activities aimed at students from S1 to S6 in the hope of
demonstrating and informing the students of opportunities available
throughout the range of STEM subject areas, with a particular
focus on engineering, and also helping to develop some of the
required skills and thought processes required for success in this
area.
The logbook has also outlined some key successes and difficulties
in relation to the activities conducted through the reflection detailed
at each stage of the project. The difficulties identified at this stage
will be considered further, with detailed suggestions for addressing
these issues, included in a separate project report.
Conclusion
STEM Engagement Project with John Paul
Academy
31

reflective logbook - final submission

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (18)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to reflective logbook - final submission

Similar to reflective logbook - final submission (20)

More from Kerrie Noble

More from Kerrie Noble (20)

reflective logbook - final submission