Polymer Study Tour 2010 residential course for teachers
Sadly the annual residential course for teachers at Edinburgh Napier University, scheduled for June, had to be cancelled this year, a reflection of belt-tightening in the public sector. Although the bulk of the cost is provided by sponsorship (including SPRA) some schools had difficulty in finding the £150 fees from their CPD budgets which have shrunk to £30 per teacher per year in some cases. The impending introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence may have been another factor. However SPRA sponsored two student teachers from Glasgow University to attend the equivalent event at London Metropolitan University instead.
The following report was submitted by Vincent Bruce, one of the final year student teachers and an SPRA student member
In late June, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to attend the 2010 Polymer Study Tour, held at London Metropolitan University. These three and a half day residential courses provide teachers with case studies for use in contextual teaching of science and design and technology. Delegates meet in an informal environment to exchange views and ideas on teaching, and develop useful skills and knowledge
The courses educate teachers on the science, technology and applications of polymers (both plastics and rubbers), and promote the knowledge of polymers and plastics and their importance to the quality of everyday life, enhancing the image of plastics and the plastics industry in the eyes of future consumers. Of particular importance with regards to elements of A Curriculum for Excellence, a session is devoted to discussing the environmental aspects of the plastics industry, and countering some commonly-held misconceptions.
The first day of the course was a general introduction to plastics, covering in some depth the history and development of the field. A lecture was also given by David Oxley from the Worshipful Company of Horners, the main sponsor of the Polymer Study Tour. The Horners is one of London's venerable livery companies, or trade organisations. Formed in 1284, the company has evolved through the years from its origins representing horn and leather workers to the modern plastics industry, and Mr Oxley is a past Master of the Company. At the conclusion of the day, a bottle-rocket car race was held as an ice-breaker for the delegates, whereupon the author and his team gave a fine display of ambition over ability !
Day two took the group to the university's polymer laboratories, where the delegates were given hands on experience in the various forms of plastics manufacturing. The centre has the full range of facilities for small-scale and one-off plastics moulding, including a range of injection moulders, extruders, heat presses and formers. Lecturers and technical staff were on hand to demonstrate the operation of the various pieces of equipment and answer a barrage of questions from the delegates. Samples and test pieces were made freely available for the delegates to take away for use in the classroom.
The third day of the tour was largely occupied with field visits to local companies concerned with plastics processing. Our first stop was at a firm which mass-produces milk bottles for the dairy industry. In the afternoon the group was taken across London to a company which manufactures high-density foams for industrial use. Taken together, the visits provided an effective context to the theory of the previous two days, and the opportunity to quiz some of the specialists and technical personnel involved in the industry. The formal course meal was later held in the opulent surroundings of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining's headquarters in the Mall district of London.
The final day of the tour concentrated on bringing the knowledge we had acquired over the tour into the classroom. The morning session, which was arguably aimed more at science teaching, demonstrated a number of techniques and apparatus for testing and identifying types of polymers, from destructive tests such as impact and tensile strengths, to sophisticated FTIR machines.
The final session was conducted by the British Plastics Federation, who produce a range of resource packs aimed at both Science and D&T lessons. The practicals took place in the London Met's science centre, in the aptly-named Superlab, and included a number of practical activities and experiments which could be easily and economically replicated in the school workshop or science lab.
As an industry sponsored event, the tour is very candid regarding its objectives of promoting and improving the image of polymer and plastics science. Overall, the course serves as a very effective counterpoint to the preponderance of negative media portrayals.
In these times of shrinking CPD budgets, this course represents unparalleled value for money. With most of the costs being met by the sponsors, the fee for each delegate is, at time of writing, £150. This includes all accommodation, meals and course materials. In previous years a session has also been held in Edinburgh, but lower delegate numbers this year resulted in the three events being reduced to two. Please pass this information on to your colleagues in Science departments, and with sufficient interest it may be that an Edinburgh event can again be held next year.
Thanks go to Colin Hindle of Edinburgh Napier University, Dr Brian Canavan of Glasgow University, the tour sponsors and the staff and faculty of London Metropolitan University. A particular mention to Alison Green and Dr Michael O'Brien for their efforts in hosting and organising the event.
Vincent Bruce
