Impact case study database

The NSO is a web-based resource set up by LJMU to exploit the educational and engagement potential of the Liverpool Telescope (LT) [Source 1]. The target audiences are pupils in UK and Irish schools of ages 8 to 18 and their teachers, and independent learners internationally, using involvement in astronomical research as a way to increase engagement with and enthusiasm for STEM subjects.

The NSO has three overlapping components: a system to allow pupils and teachers to make their own observations alongside researchers on the LT (10% of the time of the LT is allocated to the NSO); a range of projects that they can take part in, many of which have a strong research element; and a wide selection of support materials for those teaching astronomy or wanting to use astronomy and space science to support the teaching of other subjects, especially STEM. In addition, the Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI) offers face-to-face support, work-placements and a wide range of talks, workshops and other events (e.g. in the 2017/18 academic year, NSO staff delivered over 500 hours of school activities and teacher CPD to a total of 4,000 pupils and teachers). This combination gives the maximum scope not just to motivate teachers and improve curriculum teaching, but to inspire pupils of all abilities, who can work inside or outside the curriculum at their own pace and in areas that particularly attract and interest them. All NSO activities are developed and evaluated using a bespoke Evaluation Framework based on a set of Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) that emphasise attitudes to STEM and careers, as well as knowledge.

Oversight of the NSO is provided by the NSO Board, whose broad range of educational, astronomical, commercial and management experience from external organisations is supported by the ARI.

The NSO has developed against a background of international concern over a growing STEM skills shortage (e.g. the UK Government White Paper Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future). We therefore focus on using astronomy as a motivator for engagement with a variety of STEM subjects through both skills development and inspiration. This has allowed us to deliver significant research-driven impact in 5 key ways.

Impact 1 — Supporting teachers to deliver world-class STEM education to a generation of children: Since 2014 the NSO has supported more than 3,000 registered UK and Irish teachers, reaching around 20% of all UK secondary schools and 6% of primary schools, with a further 2,000 registered independent learners. In the same period over 100,000 sets of observations have been requested (averaging over 1,400 per month since 2014). Together with use by non-registered schools and the public, this leads to about 3,000,000 webpages served each year (many from the UK, but with growing usage internationally) [Source 2]. As a free resource, we can ensure that registered schools cover a very broad demographic and age-range, with a significant uptake by schools from lower socio-economic areas [Source 3].

Impact 2 — Inspiring a generation of children to study STEM subjects: To achieve a positive impact on aspirations of pupils, their confidence must be boosted (through learning and skills development) and they need to be inspired. We therefore commissioned an independent evaluation of the NSO carried out between 2019 and 2020 by Hope-Stone Research [Source 4]. This used a blend of targeted questionnaires and in-depth case studies to examine the effect of the NSO on both learning and attitudes to STEM education and careers, as well as to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the NSO (to inform future developments). The online questionnaire was completed by over 50 schools (including 160 individual students) and a further 140 independent users (including international schools). The case studies involved lesson observations, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews in 12 schools, most with repeat visits to assess progress and development. The schools were targeted to cover the broad geographic, demographic and age coverage of the NSO.

The evaluation demonstrated significant learning and emotional impacts of the NSO on school students and teachers. For example, it concluded that the NSO had a strong positive impact on attitudes to STEM with 61% of students reporting that they “feel more interested in STEM” (0% were less interested). This impact continued outside school with 83% of secondary students using the NSO website outside lessons, and 75% sharing what they did with friends and/or family (“Really nice, me and my Dad, bonding time because I don’t see him that much.” – secondary student). Use of the NSO also increases student confidence with, for example, 71% saying they felt “more able to share skills and knowledge with others” with one secondary student saying “I now feel more equipped for more complicated topics” and another “The NSO was like an open door. It didn’t hold us back, made us feel like we were smart enough”. A number of students made it clear that using the NSO had made them rethink their potential career (e.g. “I am thinking in future I could be part of the science industry, even though science I didn't really like. But now I do because astronomy interests me”). This combination of inspiration and confidence boost across a range of ages is a testament to the important, ongoing impact of the NSO.

Impact 3 — Shaping science education at a national level: As part of a national overhaul of all GCSE teaching and assessment, NSO Director Newsam was asked to advise on the practical work for the GCSE in Astronomy (2015-present, approximately 1,700 students per year). As a result, this was redesigned to encourage students to use robotic telescopes [Sources 5, 6]. This has opened up the GCSE to schools in deprived areas who cannot afford telescopes, and urban schools where it was previously impossible due to both light pollution (“The students I work with are SEN [Special Educational Needs] from an inner city, most of the time the only object they can see is the moon.” – teacher) and the significant challenges of safely gathering students for night work (“The fact that they can go online and do observations makes it possible in a school like this to run GCSE Astronomy” – teacher).

Impact 4 — Giving a generation of children first-hand experience of cutting-edge scientific research from the comfort of their own schools and homes: As is clearly highlighted by the evaluation and feedback, the links with research are invaluable for achieving the impact (“They are learning how data is collected in a real scientific community” - primary teacher. “This is about doing what astronomers do and I think that’s absolutely brilliant” - secondary teacher). We have, therefore, an ongoing programme of developing research-led projects that are open to anyone and pupil-focussed (using an Inquiry-Based Education approach), but which derive from and support LJMU research. Examples of recently developed projects include research into the Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of stellar clusters [Ref3], a statistical exploration of exoplanet discoveries [Ref2], and light-curves of supernovae [Ref4].

This direct participation in research activity (doing, not just passively learning about) is key to increasing a sense of agency, belonging and inclusion with STEM. This was shown by the ASPIRES project to be a significant part of improving the “Science Capital” of students – a way of understanding why some children pursue science, while others do not (e.g. ASPIRES 2: Archer, Moote, MacLeod, Francis & DeWitt, 2020).

Importantly, as well as involving pupils in research, these projects provide a stimulating context for skills development in data analysis including handling multiple data sources, plotting, and error analysis – all important, transferrable skills in any STEM field. As these skills are developed, students also gain confidence in their abilities, further enhancing their Science Capital.

Impact 5 — Widening the reach of STEM education: If the STEM skills shortage is to be solved, the skewed demographic of students studying STEM subject must be addressed (e.g. in 2019 only 23% of A-level physics entries were female with imbalances also seen across socio-economic and ethnic groups). The impact of the NSO, however, is seen across demographics, with teachers commenting in particular on “the NSOs value in helping students who learn in different ways who might otherwise disengage from STEM”. This was seen in both lessons and extra-curricular activities with a particularly beneficial impact on otherwise disinterested pupils (“I really found that this helped re-engage disengaged pupils who were having a lot of problems in school. … It was transformational for some.” - teacher) and those underrepresented in STEM careers (“A normally quiet and subdued girl has been hugely inspired by the NSO... The NSO has been a big part of building her confidence. Now there is 50/50 female/male split in the enrichment club which is great.” – teacher).

It is also crucial that this reach is across age groups as well as demographics. Attitudes and even prejudices to STEM subjects are known to crystalize at a young age, so the participation of primary schools is important. Targeted development of resources aimed at younger age groups has led to registrations by primary school teachers increasing six-fold since 2017 [Source 3].

The NSO is also supporting international educational and economic development. A pilot project working with Thailand in 2017/18 (funded by the Newton Fund) allowed the NSO and LT to deliver educational support for a Thai version of the NSO project [Source 7, Ref 7], already reaching approximately 1,000 Thai teachers. This pilot is now being extended in Thailand and to other ODA Recipient countries, including Kenya and Indonesia

In summary, the NSO is large-scale, world-leading, research-led project that, to quote a teacher from North Wales “…gives teachers a powerful platform from which to proceed with inspiring students in science through astronomy”.