Projects

STEM in ACTION’s vision is to become a recognized non-profit leader in the provision of services and innovative solutions for the teaching and learning of Science and Technology.

STEM in ACTION offers Physical Science support to Grade 10 – 12 learners as well as their educators. It aims to promote and develop critical Mathematics and Physical Science skills within this focus group, to ultimately increase the number of learners qualifying to enter degrees studies in Science and Technology in the Eastern Cape.

This holistic Science education support programme, uses hands-on Science experiments with a constructivist’s approach, as a teaching tool to support the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) of the Department of Education. This approach is further blended with a strong e-learning component, using data-logging equipment with electronic sensors, as well as appropriate simulations to most effectively promote the enthusiastic teaching and learning of the Sciences. The promotion of the subject is further enhanced by offering learners, and their educators, career exploration opportunities with regards to Science and Engineering career pathways in South Africa.

Examples of our education support projects are listed overleaf

Selected Learner Project (SLP)

STEM in ACTION partners with learners, educators and parents to holistically and adequately prepare selected learners from schools within the Metro, to enter studies in Engineering. Grade 9 learners, with an average of at least 60%, are invited to apply for SLP.

Selected Schools Project (SSP)

STEM in ACTION partners with functioning yet marginalised schools, to promote effective teaching and learning of Physical Science. Learners, as well as their educators, participate in laboratory sessions at NMU Missionvale campus.

Getting Ahead in Technology & Engineering (GATE)

Learners, from STEM in ACTION’s SSP, achieving an average of at least 45% in Maths and Science, are selected to participate in the GATE project. This complete Physical Science solution is presented on a weekly basis and includes academic support, Study Toolbox and Career Exploration.

Career Exploration

Learners with the aptitude for Science and Technology are equipped to make informed decisions regarding Science and Engineering career pathways. This is facilitated by interest profiling, further partnering with NMU departments, industry, site visits and career shadow exposure within these fields.

Educator Development

To further support STEM in ACTION’s vision of providing innovative solutions to Science education, educator development workshops expose educators to various resources; teaching, learning, assessment strategies and laboratory skills. These can be employed to confidently and enthusiastically introduce and teach various topics in Physical Science & Life Sciences education.

University of the Free State Collaboration

Nelson Mandela University is one of the six universities which form part of the UFS Collaboration. This collaboration sees the introduction of Family Math (Gr 3 Math Educator-Learner and Parent initiative) and Key Concepts in Science to our school communities in the Metro. The latter project involves Gr 8 and 9 educators participating in quarterly training at our STEM in ACTION Centre to support the teaching of the Science component of Natural Science.

Boost Series

A message from the STEM in ACTION Team

Grade 12’s, welcome to STEM in ACTION’s Physical Science Boost Series. This product was conceptualised together with your educators, during our Physical Science Community of Practice online sessions in 2020. It serves to support you and your Physical Science educators in preparing you for your Matric Physical Science NSC examination. You will recognise our laboratories and team, as we bring the STEM in ACTION laboratories into your classroom and highlight all the topics in your Grade 12 Physical Science curriculum, according to the Examination Guidelines. Have fun, go for it and realise that we believe in you and know that you can do it!

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