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Category: In class learning
Suitable ages: Primary and secondary
Description
A STEM incursion is where an outside organisation visits a school to deliver STEM education during school hours. Incursions can be a powerful way to inject energy and inspiration into STEM learning.
Incursions are short and often one-off. Their purpose is to generate excitement and interest, rather than directly improving student achievement in STEM. Examples include:
- Kids Unlimited runs STEM incursions for Victorian schools in coding, electrical engineering, science, and more.
- Fizzics Education runs science workshops in schools in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and ACT.
- Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy runs many STEM education experiences in partnering schools, including workshops and visits from industry personnel.
| Benefits | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Generate excitement and interest in STEM | Short duration makes it difficult to directly impact achievement, but can certainly impact engagement |
| Create inspiration around STEM careers | |
| Easier to implement than excursions |
Evidence
There is not enough clear evidence to draw a conclusion about the impact of this initiative type on student STEM engagement or achievement.
There is little robust evidence on the impact of STEM incursions on student engagement or achievement in STEM education. This does not mean that STEM incursions don’t work. It just means there is an opportunity for more research. If planning a STEM incursion, be sure to evaluate its success. More information can be found on the I want to evaluate a STEM initiative page.
Sources
- The 2016 Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) Annual Report states that 18% of students who participated in the QMEA program in 2016 entered engineering or a related field of study after leaving school. This is compared to 11% of students from non-QMEA schools. Incursions are a major part of the QMEA program, but there are also different types of STEM initiatives involved. The report can be found on the QMEA publications page.
Implementation
Incursions provide a STEM experience without the transport and logistical challenges of an excursion. They are often provided by private education companies who visit a school for a whole day or part of a day. Fees vary, but may be around $10 per student for a one or two-hour session. Incursions are sometimes delivered as part of a school-business STEM partnership.
Implementation tips:
- Time an incursion with the start of a related unit of learning. This boosts student enthusiasm for the unit.
- Link incursion content with a discussion of STEM careers to inspire students.
Industry involvement
Businesses in STEM-related fields are well placed to deliver STEM incursions to schools. For example, business employees might visit a partnering school to speak with students about STEM applications in the real world. It can be inspiring for students to meet a real-life professional in a STEM field of interest. Often a STEM incursion is one part of a broader school-industry partnership.
Case study: Kids Unlimited
Kids Unlimited is a Melbourne-based company that runs incursions and extracurricular activities, mostly in primary schools. They cover STEM topics including coding, electrical engineering, and science. Incursion leaders bring industry expertise and inject energy and passion to the classroom. Incursions incorporate hands-on learning, for example inviting students to take apart a computer to learn about its components. For maximum impact, incursions are often timed with the beginning of a related unit of classroom learning.