Applications are sought from suitably qualified persons be part of a DPSM/ESERO team of facilitators who work on a part-time basis to deliver teacher CPD workshops and support the development of STEM teaching and learning in schools. The CPD is typically delivered in schools and consists of three 2-hour CPD workshops for the whole staff over the school year (typically one per term).  Workshops generally take place immediately after school. Remuneration and travel rates are based on the Department of Education and Skills tutor rates.

Facilitators are expected to have:

• A third level qualification in a STEM subject and/or education.
• A proven interest in and knowledge of STEM.
• Prior Experience in the field of STEM Education/Public Engagement.
• Previous experience of providing teacher CPD in the area of STEM Education would be an advantage.

Applications can be completed online and submitted by Tuesday 31st May 2022.

Each school to complete the whole-school DPSM/ESERO CPD in the 2021/2022 academic year will receive a €100 voucher for a STEM Education experience at a participating SFI Discover Centre of their choice (limited to one voucher per school).

The SFI Discover Centres offer accredited workshops and outreach programmes for primary schools on a range of themes encompassing Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Space. The network of Centres supports schools in engaging in science education outside of the classroom in a curriculum relevant and inquiry-based way and provides opportunities to meet scientists and engineers from a range of disciplines. Centres include the Zoo, national parks, interpretive centres, observatories and aquariums. Schools can gain credit towards their Science Foundation Ireland Discover Science and Maths Awards by visiting a Centre.

The Discover Centres Participating in this STEM Education Voucher scheme include:

Airfield Estate (Dublin)
Armagh Planetarium (Armagh)
Ballyhoura Outdoor Classroom (Limerick)
Birr Castle Demesne (Offaly)
Bog of Allen Nature Centre (Kildare)
Brigit's Garden (Galway)
Castlecomer Discovery Park (Kilkenny)
Cloncannon Biofarm (Tipperary)
Crag Cave (Kerry)
Ardagh Heritage and Creativity Centre (Longford)
Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium (Kerry)
Dublin Zoo (Dublin)       
EPIC (Dublin)
Fota Wildlife (Cork)
Galway Atlanaquaria (Galway)
Global Action Plan GLAS Community Garden (Dublin)
Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School (Dublin)
Kippure Estate and National Park (Wicklow)
Lismore Heritage Centre (Waterford) 
National Reptile Zoo (Kilkenny)
Old Cork Waterworks Experience (Cork)
Rediscovery Centre (Dublin)
SeaLife Aquarium Bray (Wicklow)
Shannon Aviation Museum (Clare)
W5 (Clare)

Once your school completes the third DPSM CPD workshop, you will be sent the SFI STEM Education Voucher application form to complete. Here you will be able to select your chosen Discover Centre from the list above. You will receive your voucher from Science Foundation Ireland within one week. Your voucher will include contact details from your chosen Discover Centre that you should use to arrange your visit / workshop and redeem your voucher.

For a full list of the terms and conditions for this scheme click here.

Places will be allocated on first come first served basis to schools who can commit to the full requirements.

Please fill in the registration form and we will contact successful schools to arrange the date of the first workshop date. We will assign one of our trained DPSM facilitators to your school. Dates for workshops 2 and 3 can be arranged directly with your assigned facilitator.

Resources and Support available at the CPD Sessions

• Hands-on school-based workshops (3 x 2 hours which are done as part of your planning day or your Croke Park hours).
• Professional development and support for effective and engaging Science teaching. Dedicated websites, such as this one and www.esero.ie, providing access to hundreds of science activities and classroom ideas.
• Explanations of how these activities link to the curriculum and skills.
• Access to a network of Discover Centres offering approved Science and Maths tours to schools.
• The school must participate in the Science Foundation Ireland Discover Science & Maths Awards to see how they can apply the learning.
• Teachers should be prepared to apply what they are learning from each session and report back at subsequent CPD workshops.
• Teachers will be asked to provide feedback and may be asked to participate in focus groups as part of our ongoing evaluation process.

The DPSM programme facilitates CPD in primary science by providing teachers with a Framework and planning tool for teaching. This is achieved through inquiry-based learning and using resources and classroom activity packs which can also be used by parents and students.

This high impact CPD from DPSM/ESERO can help your school to:

• Build teacher confidence and subject knowledge to effectively teach science through inquiry
• Ignite pupils’ spirit of inquiry through high quality science teaching
• Create a buzz about science throughout the whole school
• Understand the relevance of and be able to use different topics, including Space, as a cross curricular theme in your planning and teaching.

Our workshops have been optimised for participation across digital platforms whilst maintaining a high-quality, interactive learning experience. Workshops can be carried out completely online or using a blended approach, depending on the needs of your school. .

DPSM partners with the European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO) and space themes are incorporated throughout the workshops. Three unique topics are explored and applied across each workshop to further your confidence in using our tried and tested methods to teach any subject.

*Source: Evaluation of the impact of DPSM/ESERO CPD Programme (with the assistance of St. Patrick’s College, DCU and the National STEM Centre, UK) shows that this CPD is having a positive impact on teachers’ practice and confidence in teaching Science.

Transform science teaching in your school!