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Unlocking STEM Learning at Home: A Guide for UK Students
September 23, 2024
Nearly 3 million Britons work in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), accounting for around 32% of the UK’s entire economic output. With those figures set to rise, STEM students can look forward to abundant job prospects and generous salaries upon graduation.
To master such complex topics, most students will need to engage in extra study at home. From extra-curricular activities to STEM-friendly hardware and custom-built mobile apps, there are myriad ways young British learners can get ahead with STEM. This guide to home STEM learning in the UK covers everything you need to know.
Why Home STEM Learning Matters?
Average UK classrooms range from 26 pupils in primary school to 22 in secondary school. Although these figures aren't bad by global standards, there's still plenty of scope for children to get left behind. Fast-paced learning environments and insufficient one-on-one time can leave students struggling to keep up.
Studying STEM at home helps learners keep pace with their curriculum. By identifying knowledge gaps, you can create a targeted study plan with a tangible positive impact.
Home learning exposes students to STEM from an early age, while engaging, hands-on activities help nurture an interest in the field. This interest often evolves into a lifelong passion and a rewarding career.
Finally, home learning also provides a unique opportunity for quality parent-child bonding. Parents working in a STEM profession will find tutoring their children highly rewarding.
Getting Started with Home STEM Learning
A distraction-free environment is essential for STEM home learning success. Ideally, create a dedicated study space away from family members and flatmates. If no such place exists, set up or de-clutter a desk in the quietest corner of your home, whether that's a kitchen, living room, or bedroom. Ensure you've got ample lighting, comfortable seating, and plenty of fun STEM activities or games.
Routine is equally important. Rather than random ad-hoc lessons, set a weekly study schedule that works for both students and tutors. Tackle the most challenging topics first and allow plenty of time for breaks. A balance of solo study sessions and professional or parent tutoring will optimise results. When teaching your child, adopt the Positive Reinforcement approach, which rewards successes rather than punishing failures.
Review student report cards or speak to their teachers to identify areas that require improvement, and then seek out appropriate STEM learning resources. However, don't focus solely on complex topics. Include a few fun and easy activities to lighten the mental burden.
Practical, hands-on experiments improve engagement and provide a welcome break from dense, theoretical study.
Overcoming Challenges in Home STEM Learning
| Obstacle | Strategy |
|---|---|
| A loud or distracting study space | Move to a secluded part of the house, study at quieter times of the day, or use over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. Failing that, consider studying at a local library. |
| Difficulty concentrating | Incorporate regular breaks into your regime. Schedule short but frequent study sessions in the morning or at times when the student has more energy. |
| Difficult topics | Drop down a level and create a study plan with a slow-paced progression. Add extra solo studying sessions to review complex themes. |
| Out-dated technology | Invest in cutting-edge learning from home tech such as all-in-one printers, PCs, and peripherals. |
| Low engagement | Incorporate fun, practical activities between intense theoretical study. Relate STEM topics to real-world situations and look for study resources using gamification. |
| Insufficient study resources | Seek teacher recommendations and see our section on the best digital tools for STEM education. |
| STEM misconceptions and stereotypes | Promote positive STEM role models and highlight their achievements. Encourage STEM studies and provide ongoing support. |
| A lack of resources | Seek out free STEM home learning resources and purchase second-hand tech or discounted student laptops. Research scholarships in your school or area. |
Digital Tools and UK STEM Resources
Your STEM teacher may provide home learning resources and offer tailor-made recommendations. In addition, you’ll find several reputable STEM-learning resources online. We’ve put together a list of our favourites.
STEM Learning
As the UK’s largest STEM-specific education website, STEM Learning provides thousands of high-quality study resources for free. Its huge curated collection spans primary, secondary and post-16 STEM resources across a broad range of topics. Club activities provide neat ideas to keep learning fun, while its STEM career resources help students transition into the workforce.
BBC Bitesize
BBC Bitesize is a massive online learning resource that spans multiple subjects, including STEM. A smorgasbord of easy-to-use resources caters to child and adult learners, teachers, and job seekers. The collection focuses on fun, incorporating practical activities, quizzes, and games.
Royal Academy of Engineering
The London-based Royal Academy of Engineering provides free online STEM resources for university-aged students. Most activities have a fun, hands-on approach, making it a great option to improve engagement between arduous theoretical studies. Topics tend to err towards engineering—think aircraft design, sustainability, and robotics.
HP Reinvent Learning
HP Reinvent Learning is a collection of digital tools and online content designed to inspire educators and learners through the use of cutting-edge technology. Resources range from roundtable discussions to thought leader presentations and technology case studies. For educators, the HP classroom manager and HP School pack help monitor progress and minimise distractions.
Stump Cross Caverns
The UK’s favourite subterranean tourist attraction hosts numerous Key Stage 2 (year 3-6) STEM learning resources on its website. As you’d expect from a cave complex, most topics focus on geology, fossils, and natural history. Should the opportunity arise, the kids will love visiting the Stump Cross Caverns, which are located near Leeds.
EduFund UK
The non-profit EduFund helps state-funded schools improve engagement in key learning areas, including STEM. Its STEM resources page links to various free online resources and provides information on grants.
STEM educational apps
STEM Learning has published a comprehensive list of STEM educational apps for learners from KS1 to KS5. Most apps have a strong gamification component to keep students engaged. The list includes links to download the apps from the Google Play or App Store. Some are free.
Code.org®
Code.org® is an American educational non-profit providing free computer science learning resources for K-12 students located anywhere on Earth. The organisation endeavours to promote STEM to female students and children from minority or disadvantaged families.
Hands-on STEM Activities for Students in the UK
Interactive activities improve engagement by making learning more fun. We’ve compiled a list of fun hands-on experiments and activity ideas.
- Build a balloon car (30 mins): Air escaping from a balloon propels the car forward to create a moving vehicle.
- Build a wall marble run (1 hour): Make your own custom-built marble run from cardboard tubes and tape, or use a professionally manufactured set.
- Mirascope experiments (30 mins): Investigate the cool 3D optical illusions of the mirascope, a favourite tool among magicians.
- Launch a water rocket (30 mins): Pump up a water rocket to pressurise its air chamber and watch it propel itself into the air.
- Popsicle catapult (20 mins): Little kids will love flinging projectiles from their newly built, rubber band-powered popsicle catapult.
Science Buddies has hundreds of other STEM activity ideas for learners of all ages.
HP Solutions for Home STEM Learning
From PCs to printers, the right technology can drive a student’s STEM learning success—think of it as an investment in their future.
The HP ENVY x360
Ideal for future STEM professionals, the HP Envy x360 is a popular student laptop known for its speedy performance, lightweight design, and affordable price. A 360-degree rotatable screen lets students share their creations on the go. Some higher-end models include a dedicated GPU for animation and 3D design students.
HP Essentials All-In-One
University students and families living in cramped quarters will appreciate the space-saving design of the HP Essentials AIO desktop. This affordable, entry-level PC offers sufficient power for most STEM-related tasks. Users can upgrade to a more powerful unit as required.
HP ENVY Inspire Printer
The HP ENVY Inspire 7220e is a reliable, all-in-one printer with a built-in scanner and copier. Print high-quality colour images or text directly from your laptop or mobile device. Two-sided printing and a print speed of up to 15 pages per minute make it suitable for STEM students.
Summary
STEM is set to become increasingly important to the UK economy as technology advances. By studying STEM at home, students of all ages can master these complex topics and better position themselves for a successful career.
British students should draw on the online resources provided in this guide to fine-tune their STEM expertise. Remember to create a productive home learning environment and incorporate practical activities to enhance engagement and optimise educational outcomes.
