Welcome

Helen Harden

Association Chair 2022/23

I am delighted to welcome you to the 2023 Association for Science Education (ASE) Annual Conference. I share the excitement of so many of you in attending our first in-person Conference since January 2020. I am also thrilled that for the first time some sessions from the Conference will be live-streamed, allowing even more people to share the experience.

As you browse this programme you will be spoilt for choice with the range of opportunities presented so I thought it might help to reflect for a moment on what you hope to get out of the Conference.

The Annual Conference is primarily an opportunity for high quality subjectspecific CPD. There is something for everyone, from attending a presentation from a teacher sharing their own practice to hands-on workshops run by organisations such as CLEAPSS and SAPS.

You may want to use the opportunity to get up to date with the latest news from the Awarding Bodies, attend some Keynotes or join in with some vigorous discussion at a panel session. We are all aware that we are not living in the easiest times, and it may be that Annual Conference will provide you with some space to think, reflect and talk to colleagues from around the country. Sharing experiences, ideas and advice is an aspect of Conference that takes a little courage at first but brings immeasurable rewards. ASE’s Annual Conference is a truly friendly Conference, so please do take the plunge and get involved!

Some years ago, when I filled in a feedback card at the ASE stand, I described the Conference as a “spa for the mind”. Attending the Frontier Science lectures had reinvigorated my fascination for learning science. Talking to the students at the Schools’ Exhibition about their projects reminded me of why I originally went into teaching.

I cannot write this without thanking all those who have made this Conference possible, including our dedicated HQ staff and Honorary Conference Secretary, the presenters, exhibitors and all our ASE member committee members and volunteers. We are keen to encourage even more of our members to get involved. Please do consider submitting your own proposal to present at next year’s Annual Conference or, if this seems too big a step, maybe you could start by presenting at a regional TeachMeet.

Finally, I would like to express our collective gratitude to everyone who has contributed to ensure that despite the pandemic, two online Annual Conferences were able to take place and that we are all able to enjoy the 2023 event in person.

Welcome...

Chris Harrison

Honorary Conference Secretary 2022/23

As the months slip by, my excitement and longing for meeting up at ASEConf2023 grows rapidly. After two successful annual conferences online due to Covid, I cannot wait to meet with science enthusiasts far and wide for the professional learning extravaganza that we have planned at Sheffield Hallam University in January 2023.

ASE would like to thank the Vice Chancellor Chris Husbands and the SHU Conference team for being so supportive, understanding and helpful in our preparation and attempts to get back to safe ‘face-to-face’ conferencing again. This January, there are over 300 talks around sustainability, diversity, curriculum, assessment, professional journeys, research-informed practice and global science. So, you can seek new knowledge, discuss how these new ideas have worked in practice or ask expert and informed colleagues for support in taking practical ideas forward. We have a large exhibition supported by over 80 organisations where you can find out more about science teaching resources, publications, support agencies and projects. There’s also the ever popular Schools Exhibition on Friday morning, followed by Primary Swap Shop Pops Up in the afternoon.

In our increasing push to look out to science learning and teaching internationally, we have incorporated the international sessions across the three days, rather than condensing them into one day, and renamed this important theme, Global Science. On Friday 6th January, we have pulled together a number of sessions specifically for new science teachers in our Early Career Teachers day and another set for science technicians on the Technicians day. While both these groups will find sessions suitable for them across the three days, we felt that having these two ONE DAY conferences within the main conference will provide tailored professional learning opportunities for them. Our thanks to the Royal Society of Chemistry for sponsoring the ECT Conference and to Philip Harris for sponsoring the Technicians Conference.

We will also be providing a slice of conference, with a number of live streaming events each day, for those of you unable to travel to Sheffield this January. I am so looking forward to meeting as many people as possible at ASEConf2023 and getting my yearly dose of professional learning and camaraderie.

Do say Hi if you see me at Conference and let me know what you have enjoyed and want more of in coming years!