A new initiative being led by Subsea UK is aiming to create an educational link between industry and pupils in the classroom.
Education chiefs have been working with the industry body to create a unique resource which could capture the interest and imagination of primary pupils in science subjects.
It includes the Subsea Channel which offers pupils the chance to visualise some of the work done in a number of ways in the North Sea.
Energy Voice spoke to some of the youngsters involved in the initiative about what they had learnt.
Watch the video below.
The programme is aligned with the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) and allows Subsea UK to work with schools to update them on information which can be taught in the classroom.
Angela McLean, a teacher at Westpark Primary School in Aberdeen, helped to establish the lesson plans in school.
She said: “After using the Subsea Channel package in the classroom I was impressed at how well all of the resources fitted together and really stimulated pupils’ imaginations.
“What really helps is the in-depth technical background information that is included for each topic. The lesson plans are easy to follow and are mapped to the experiences and outcomes within the Curriculum for Excellence.
“They also include learning intentions and success criteria so teachers can just pick them up and teach them. The films are extremely well made and the voiceover not only gives children information but it asks them questions which can be picked up later for discussion.”
Subsea UK hopes to add to the programmes on the Subsea Channel and also work with English and Welsh teachers to develop the lesson plans and teaching support aligned to the National Curriculum
in England and Wales further strengthening the partnership between industry and education.
Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK, said: “Some time ago Subsea UK looked at how we could engage with school children and primary children in particular and there’s been many ways of sending resources and information out to schools.
“But this time we thought we would try something different and what we’ve really done is gone to the teachers, to the education and science departments and ask what they need to teach science
In the classroom.
“We looked at how we can link the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) to some of the resources we can give to them.
“How we’ve done that in collaboration with the school teachers and the science department is to link the CfE to the learning outcomes they’re trying to achieve and then look at how we can get
some of those parts of our industry and the subsea industry across visually and then complement that with teaching resources that teachers have developed with us looking at the packs.
“These series of five underwater teaching packs for the schools and it was called Subsea Channel, it trialled out in one of the schools.
“So far the feedback has been absolutely fantastic, the teachers have something they can use immediately, they don’t have to go and do the research. The teaching packs are there, the visual materials to show – so it’s really exciting and stimulating for the children and engages them.”
Watch the interview with Neil below.
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