The Power of Light

In this project, we will engage upper primary school children (prioritising schools that meet the profile of STFC's Wonder Initiative target audience) with research taking place at the Diamond facility. The Diamond facility houses a synchrotron which is used to conduct research in a variety of applied fields of science and technology. Through this project with Diamond, we will bring into classrooms how light can be used to help investigate the world around us, address real-world problems and inform our thinking about Big Questions.

The National Curriculum for Key Stage 2 science states that children should develop their understanding of what it means to "work scientifically". As part of this, students need "the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future" (DfE, 2015). This means that students need to be able to make connections between the science topics they cover and the work of scientists in real-world contexts. However, students in areas of deprivation with low science capital are less likely to have access to science engagement activities (for example, visits to science museums and participating in STEM workshops) that help them make these connections. Additionally, primary teachers may vary in their confidence in teaching about 'working scientifically', particularly when fielding questions that may be beyond their specialisms. To improve conversations about science and promote the value of STEM skills and careers to a wider audience, this project aims to support a dialogue between primary science teachers and scientists to ensure the wonder and interest of 'working scientifically' is accessible to all students.

The Epistemic Insight initiative has a wealth of experience in connecting National Curriculum science topics, the "uses and implications of science" in the real world and the Big Questions on which science informs our thinking. In our research on primary science education, our findings indicate that Big Questions have the capacity to provoke curiosity and wonder in children from diverse scientific and non-scientific backgrounds (Billingsley, Abedin & Nassaji, 2020). Therefore, this project will bring together our expertise with the cutting-edge work taking place at Diamond to develop three zines that thematically connect three key areas of research with KS2 science topics. Zines use an appealing combination of text and images to create a concise comic-like narrative format (four sides of A4) to generate enthusiasm about a particular area of interest. The zines will be an inclusive and accessible resources for primary students.

The zines will:
1. Develop students' curiosity through showing how science can inform our thinking about Big Questions and real-world problems.
2. Build students' understanding of what it is to "work scientifically" through real-life stories of research happening at Diamond.
3. Show how scientists work in dialogue with other disciplines to address real-world problems.

In addition to these primary aims, the graphic narrative format of the zines will create opportunities for classroom discussions around the following key priority areas for STEM engagement:

- Represent diversity of gender, ethnicity and religion within the scientific community.
- Dispel misperceptions about what science looks like in practice.
- Inspire students with how science is making exciting discoveries that improve our lives.

Zines will be supported by teachers' guides designed to promote classroom discussion on what it means to work scientifically and will include a relevant hands-on activity to be done in the classroom or at home.

The zines and accompanying resources will be co-created through a series of workshops bringing together our educational research team with Diamond scientists, science public engagement professionals, STEM ambassadors and primary teachers.

1) Dissemination within and to our Faculty This will include research seminars for staff and trainee teachers about the research and copies of instruments.

2) Dissemination to educators, teachers and schools A project report will be sent to participating schools, which can be included in school reporting/SEFs/SDPs. We will offer the zines, lesson plans and survey formats to our existing partner schools to extend the reach. This will include an invitation to come to the final showcase and exhibition. We will also share through ITE/TeachMeet/CPD sessions and conferences.

3) Dissemination via our own and other website blogs, social media and our newsletter Our newsletter is read by more than 400 recipients mostly in teaching and education.

4) Dissemination to STEM Professionals and Curriculum Writers Including articles in professional magazines including Primary Science and a special edition of School Science Review (Association for Science Education) edited by Prof Billingsley.

5) Dissemination to academic networks A research paper submitted and if accepted, presented at BERA (the British Educational Research Association) annual conference.

6) Dissemination to science community Diamond will disseminate the resources directly to its mailing list of 350 teachers. They will also disseminate information about the project via their social media accounts totalling 16000 followers. Science-related learned societies (e.g. Royal Society) will be informed of the findings.

7) Dissemination via research papers Papers submitted to academic journals will report on relevant findings. This will include policy advice and development of further engagement strategies.

8) Dissemination online Zines will be published in a full colour format for distribution in schools as well as available as an open access virtual resource via websites of schools, Diamond, STFC and affiliated partners.

9) Dissemination to undergraduate community, academics and faculties at CCCU Outreach event will reach 180 students including primary ITE students who will be given links to resources.