STEM Teaching: Teaching Science Beyond The Boundaries

Gain an introduction to interdisciplinary science

On this three-week course, you’ll deepen your understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of science and its importance in human decision-making.

This knowledge will give you more confidence in communicating to your students the role of science in society, and equipping them with the skills necessary to make evidence-informed decisions.

You’ll start by gaining an introduction to interdisciplinary science teaching as you explore resources and practical strategies that support working with other disciplines. By the end, you’ll have the tools to help ensure the next generation of scientists is more aware of what the sciences can – and cannot – do.

Unpack useful teaching strategies

You’ll discuss what successful interdisciplinary teaching looks like and how barriers, which prevent it, can be overcome.

With this understanding, you’ll delve into practices and teaching strategies that will help you implement this approach.

Learn to embed interdisciplinary teaching into your curriculum

You’ll then gain an insight into how interdisciplinary teaching can be successfully embedded into your own practice.

By evaluating the research project ‘science beyond the boundaries’, you’ll see interdisciplinary teaching in action to understand the learning outcomes and teaching units you can use in your classroom.

Learn from science education specialists at the University of York

The team from the University of York are specialists in science education research and practice. You’ll be guided throughout from experts in the field, to ensure you finish the course with the knowledge and confidence to start teaching interdisciplinary science.

This course is designed for science teachers who are interested in broadening their curriculum and learning to teach complex and controversial issues in science.

It will be particularly useful for secondary science teachers, post-16 science teachers, and teachers of general studies.

This course is designed for science teachers who are interested in broadening their curriculum and learning to teach complex and controversial issues in science.

It will be particularly useful for secondary science teachers, post-16 science teachers, and teachers of general studies.

• Reflect on the nature of science, its place in society and on how we form rational decisions on big societal questions.
• Explain the role of interdisciplinary teaching in equipping young people with skills necessary to make evidence-informed decisions.
• Discuss what successful interdisciplinary teaching looks like and how barriers, which prevent it, can be overcome.
• Describe how interdisciplinary teaching could be successfully embedded into your own practice or school.
• Apply resources and approaches from the research project ‘Science Beyond the Boundaries’ to explore a big societal question, or questions, through an interdisciplinary approach with your own learners.