Title: Design and Build a Hovercraft in a Day
Acronym:
Country: United Kingdom
Download the case study (En)
Acronym:
Country: United Kingdom
Download the case study (En)
Target group(s):
Number of people directly concerned by the initiative: Between 20 and 100 people
Summary
The Design and Build a Hovercraft in a day project is a one day school event that is run with various schools throughout the UK. 70 students in teams of 10 work together to build a fully working hovercraft. At the end of the event, a nominated student races the hovercrafts in the 'Great Race'. More information available on the EDT website: http://www.eng.brad.ac.uk/05/aboutEDT/?page=events
- Pupils and school levels involved:
- General secondary education (11/12 to end of compulsory education or even beyond)
- Vocational or technical secondary schools
- Educational personnel:
Number of people directly concerned by the initiative: Between 20 and 100 people
Summary
The Design and Build a Hovercraft in a day project is a one day school event that is run with various schools throughout the UK. 70 students in teams of 10 work together to build a fully working hovercraft. At the end of the event, a nominated student races the hovercrafts in the 'Great Race'. More information available on the EDT website: http://www.eng.brad.ac.uk/05/aboutEDT/?page=events
Name of the organisation in charge: School of Engineering, Design and Technology, University of Bradford
Nature of the organisation: Formal education institution
Address: Richmond rd, Bradford, BD7 1DP
Email:
Website: http://www.eng.brad.ac.uk/
Telephone: 0044 1274234567
Fax:
Thematic(s):
Subject(s):
- Women and science
- Innovation in teaching and learning sciences at school
- Cooperation with research laboratories of the universities, with schools of engineering, with companies
- Students counselling and career counselling
Subject(s):
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Technology (mechanics, electricity, computing sciences, ...)
- Other: Engineering
Type: National
Cooperation with external organisations:
Management (investment) of the initiative: Managed by personal in activity
Financial issues:
Cooperation with external organisations:
- Project work of pupils
Management (investment) of the initiative: Managed by personal in activity
Financial issues:
- Self supported initiative
- Regional support
- National support
Impact of the initiative: National impact
Products, outcomes and results:
Products, outcomes and results:
- Organise special events, activities:
- Other: one day school event
- Awareness-raising for science (and technology):
- For science in general
- For research in general
- For science and research with girls
- For science and technology with disadvantaged groups
- For scientific / industrial heritage
- Acquisition of competencies of the knowledge society:
- Skills to research and treat information
- Problem-solving skills
- Skills for analysis and synthesis
- Presentation skills
- Team building and team management skills
Person interviewed: Joanne Crowther
General information
General information
What is the percentage of students in the schools studying science?
All
Describe briefly the initiative. What are its objectives? What are its main innovative issues?
The objective of the 'Design and Build a Hovercraft in a Day' is to allow students to take part in a fun activity based day with an aim to inspire and engage them into engineering, science, maths and technology. The initiative is a hands-on event, it allows students involved to actively take part in designing and building a hovercraft using math skills and everyday objects such as a 'leaf blower', foam board, tape and plastic. At the end of the day the students have the chance to race their hovercraft and compete for the grand prize.
Dimension of the initiativeIs your initiative, project, action or activity, a stand alone thing or is it part of a wider mechanism such as a network of pilot schools at regional, national, international or European level? If so, which one? If possible, provide a URL to get more information about the wider mechanism.
The initiative is generally a standalone activity. The project has received major funding from NATEC, which is the Northern Aerospace Technology Exploitation Centre who has recently been subsumed by Manchester University. With this funding, the project has been allowed to grow and become a part of a wider initiative to raise interest in engineering with girls. The project is also run outside of this funding area. For example, some Specialist Schools are able to take part in the project by using funds from the DfES as part of their Specialist School Status. Although the basic Hovercraft activity is the same, this is completely separate from the NATEC funded events. The project is also run with any other widening participation funding that is available. In this particular questionnaire, the focus is on Grange Technology College - a specialist technology school that has funding to organise these events.
Was a link made between the initiative and the school development plan?
No
Was the innovative action for science action part of a larger school strategy to promote innovation in school education in general?
Yes
Does the initiative result from new policy or legislation?
No
Promotion and diffusion of the initiativeDoes the ministry or one of its representatives organise sessions between all schools and teachers involved to exchange good practice? Do you have to inform other schools or teachers about your innovative activities so as to disseminate the innovation? If so, by which way(s)?
No
How was the project introduced to the whole school? Information meeting for all teachers? For science teachers? For parents?
How the project is introduced varies from school to school.
How were the outcomes of the innovative strategy disseminated within the own school?
To emphasise continuous learning possibilities, a teacher resource pack was commissioned in 2004 that was sponsored by Setpoint West Yorkshire. This is a comprehensive resource pack that gives about 30 hours of classroom learning. There are essays, questions, activities and further reading included in the handout.
ImpactIn which way has the introduction of the innovative approach had an impact on:
The place of science education in the curriculum
The Hovercraft events enthuse students in science and technology and make the general curriculum more relevant to their studies.
The collaboration / the use of laboratories in science subjects
n/a
The way in which science is approached, taught or learned
The Hovercraft event adds a new 'practical', fun dimension to the way that science is taught at school. It also promotes creativity and artistic devlopment in conjunction with science and technology.
The in-service training of the science teachers
n/a
The interest of the pupils for science, the active involvement of children in learning science
Teachers not only noticed the re-gererated interest in these subjects, but a greater passion for science, technology and related careers. Students are more actively engaged in science and technology now that they have been involved in such practical activities.
The percentage of students in the schools studying science
In the case of Grange Technology College, the 'Design and Build a Hovercraft in Day' has had a positive effect on the numbers of young people studying science.
What are the main benefits or advantages from introducing this new approach to science teaching? What was the main obstacle?
There are many advantages to introducing this kind of approach. This initiative not only raises awareness of engineering careers, but inspires students to continue with Maths, Science and Technology education. In the case of Grange Technology College, where students predominantly come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and generally have low attainment, this kind of initiative is specifically important to allow students the opportunity to take part in such a hands-on event. There are no major obstacles as such, only that the organising of such an event takes a lot of time and preparation.
Which main approach is considered: a STS (science, technology, society) type or a discipline-oriented one?
Discipline Oriented
InnovationIn which way is the initiative contributing to innovation in science education?
It uses new pedagogical or didactical approaches. How?
This initiative uses a hands-on approach that puts the students in charge of their own design and construction of the hovercraft. Students are split into groups of 9 and after an introductory talk, assisted by older student mentors, pupils use their math skills to calculate the correct proportions of their hovercraft. This is all done with minimal adult intervention allowing students to take charge of their own teams. Each student in a group takes on one of 9 team roles such as 'Communication Manager', 'Test Engineer' or 'Creative Designer'. This allows students to develop the ability to work as a team and to be responsible for their own area of the development of the Hovercraft. Not only do the teams of students design and build a hovercraft in a day, the event culminates in the 'great race' where a nominated student from each group will get to ride the hovercraft they created in the race for the grand prize.
It makes special use of ICT. How?
No special use of ICT
It is built on co-operation with the local community: industry, research centre, university, science museums, European or national science associations etc. Explain!
The event is organised by the University of Bradford, School of Engineering, Design and Technology. Each event can have different links - depends on the funding provided.
It creates a new and attractive learning environment for the pupils. Explain!
This initiative creates a unique learning environment for the pupils. The layout of the venue changes throughout the day, and provides a large amount of space and resources for the students. All equipment and building resources for the hovercraft are provided, each group of students has a their own workstation where all needed kit and materials such as knives, paper, tape and equipment are available.
Project managementWho decided to implement this initiative? Why?
The project-idea was originally devised by Prof. Harry Marsh, Durham University. The University of Bradford's School of Engineering took the 'bare-bones' of this idea and have developed the initiative substantially over the last six years. The original aim was to raise awareness for girls in engineering and with major funding from NATEC, this initiative is now available nation-wide. In 2005, the project was run for the first time including boys in the events. This has been made possible with schools own funding for providing such initiatives, this is sometimes possible as part of their 'specialist school' status.
How does the team work? Distinction and repartition of roles? Existence of priority collective choices? How was the team made? Does the team work on other basis than voluntary work?
The event is mostly organised by Joanne Crowther (External Relations & Marketing Officer) and Jack Bradley (Admissions Tutor) from the School of Design, Engineering and Technology. They use this event partly as a recruitment exercise and to develop external relations with schools and colleges in England.
What are the investments in offices and human resources? What are the material resources mobilized/granted? (credits, rooms, time...) Resources mobilized to create the networks (who is member of and how?) Meetings? Dialogue time?
There is a relatively large investment in human resources and materials. The materials used are generally low cost as they are readily available and easily purchasable. Some kit can be re-used such as tools. Most of the other materials need to be re-stocked for each event.
What kind of collaborative work is set up? Existence of working sheets, Internet collaborative tools, documents, official texts sent to the persons? Who write them, send them? How everyone access to them? What is the degree of constraint of these items?
Informal communication in person or via email. In the case of NATEC funded events, Joanne has submitted a final evaluation report to Manchester University.
Investment of the administration and the school head Who has initiated this project? Does he/she delegate? Does he/she collaborate to the work (degree of effective participation)? Does he/she organize meetings? Does he/she promote the team work (timetable for instance)? Does he/she put forward the work inside and outside the school? Does he/she show interest for the action and persons (he/she do not take all the credit)?
The amount of organisation taken on by the school varies with each event. Usually the school or funding provider takes charge of most of the administration.
Which actors are mobilised around the project? Who works in the team? With whom does the team work (parents, communities, local educational institutions)? Who in the internal team does contact who outside? Why this person? What are the arguments? What are the strategies used? Who in the team belongs also to these external networks? Does an organised communication system exist in the school?
Method of contact varies according to aims and funding of each event. When collaborating with NATEC or Manchester University, contact was made through 'Aim Higher North West'. The school of Engineering, Design and Technology at Bradford also has a large database of school emails with over 210 teacher's email addresses from schools predominantly in the North of England. The events run in conjunction with 'national science week' are also advertised on the respective website. An article about the events is featured on the School of Engineering's website and regular newsletters that are also sent out to schools.
