Why should you be involved in the Directories?
Seven good reasons to register now...
An effective and easy route to meeting your needs
A mechanism that gets information and advice about schemes and activities to schools and colleges in a way that meets their needs will, almost certainly, also be meeting the needs of funders and providers. Matching the scale and variety of what is on offer with the no less varied needs of schools and colleges does however create significant challenges.
There is currently no single source to which schools and colleges can refer. This means that the task of finding an appropriate initiative to meet particular needs is both time-consuming and, frankly off-putting for teachers and lecturers.
The exception to this is The Royal Academy of Engineering's Shape the Future directory, launched initially in 2007, which brings together information about initiatives in technology and engineering. This is an important model and, we are delighted that the Academy is bringing both their expertise and past experience of creating an engineering and technology directory to the whole project, and helping us replicate this for science and mathematics.
Reach your target audience
The Directories will be a primary tool used in direct (face-to-face) and indirect contact by organisations holding regional STEMPOINT contracts with teachers and lecturers in schools and colleges across the UK. By appearing in the Directories, you will have a greater exposure to the audience you need to reach.
In addition, a targeted promotional campaign using amongst others, teachernet (the Department for Children, Schools and Families direct communication with all teachers), Teachers TV, the Times Educational Supplement, will be rolled out beginning in the autumn of 2008.
It's free
There is no charge to appear in the Directories, merely a commitment of time for you to enter your details into the the online database.
Build your reputation
By appearing alongside other national, well-regarded schemes or activities, your own activity benefits from association with them AND the backing of all the key players in the STEM community and of Government.
Learn from your peers
Even the best activities can benefit from the experience and understanding of other providers in the field. The STEM Directories project will enable all providers to discuss and share best practice - what works and what doesn't work - as well as to begin understanding the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of activities with teachers, lecturers and students.
Understand better your audience
We'll be conducting regular teacher/lecturer focus groups so that we can obtain, first-hand, important information about what teachers need and what they find most useful from enrichment and enhancement activities. As a contributor to the Directories, you'll receive feedback from this research.