1 July 2021
ASP staff were able to deliver the second remote training course for science technicians now that the Partnership Lab is back to its proper use and no longer a bubble classroom. Twelve technicians joined the session organised through the Oxfordshire Science Learning Partnership. ASP Coordinator Jeremy Thomas, an experienced physics teacher, was able to set up and demonstrate six of the core practicals that are compulsory for A-level students to carry out. This was particularly useful for technicians with no specialist physics training or with limited resources in small departments. The workshop was delivered remotely via the ASP’s relatively new video camera and radio microphone system, purchased with the winnings from the FLUOR Engineering Challenge which was won by pupils in the Primary Science Club last year. Science Ambassadors who run the club decided that purchasing high quality recording and broadcasting equipment was a great use of the prize money, allowing them to deliver remote science workshops as well as other ASP activities where filming is useful.
The workshop was also useful for trainee physics teacher, Sarah Stringer, just ending her first year at Abingdon and for the two Ogden Trust funded physics graduates that have joined the Physics Department for a few weeks to explore physics teaching as a career option. All three assisted with the workshop whilst physics technician, Mark Spooner, provided the apparatus and his usual unique and invaluable advice on how to set up each practical.
Jackie Merrett, Senior Science Technician at Oxford Spires Academy and Lead Administrator for the Science Learning Partnership commented ‘A huge thank you to Jeremy for supporting our SLP training, all the technicians picked up great tips and felt more confident about setting up these practicals in future.’
