‘Students ….don't see the everyday relevance or value of maths’ (nationalnumeracy.co.uk). To counter this, the STEM report (2016) recommended that STEM-related careers be promoted at second-level as a way of enhancing student engagement across all STEM subjects. Career Mathways, is a novel initiative, funded by Science Foundation Ireland, which addresses this action point. We will collaborate with well-known, high-profile Irish personalities and professionals by inviting them to become STEM Ambassadors, to make STEM, and mathematics in particular, more visible and fascinating to students as mathematics underpins all STEM subjects. As part of this project we will create a Transition Year (TY) teaching and learning package which comprises of:
- Videos and posters of our celebrities and professionals informing us how mathematics underpins and enhances their everyday lives and careers;
- Stimulating and informative teaching and learning guides;
- Innovative student booklets which provide opportunities to practice STEM-related, problem-based tasks and demonstrate the relevance and usefulness of mathematics;
- Thought-provoking competition to put students’ new knowledge into practice.
This novel approach to STEM education at TY will be piloted in nine schools to support and empower students, parents, teachers, and career guidance counsellors to engage with mathematics by emphasising its prominence in a variety of careers and highlight how it pervades every aspect of our lives. The Career Mathway teams will be recruiting interested schools in May 2018.
For more information contact: Niamh.omeara@ul.ie
