ASE 2025 Scotland Region Conference: Full Schedule

ASE is delighted to offer its’ Scotland regional Annual Conference for 2025, with something suitable for primary and secondary science educators, technicians and probationers! Tickets are now open for booking.
Prices start from £20 for ASE members. Come along and gain some excellent professional learning opportunities and talk with exhibitors about their latest resources and initiatives. We look forward to welcoming you. For queries please email conferences@ase.org.uk

09:00 BST

Registration, welcome with tea/coffee and exhibition

Saturday May 31, 2025 09:00 - 09:40 BST

The Street

Saturday May 31, 2025 09:00 - 09:40 BST
The Street

All

Audience EYFS, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, Technicians, N5

09:45 BST

Keynote: Towards a future-orientated 3-18 sciences curriculum

Saturday May 31, 2025 09:45 - 10:25 BST

Lecture Theatre

Education Scotland is leading the process to review and update Scotland's 3-18 Sciences Curriculum. In this opening address, Ian Menzies, Senior Education Officer for Science and STEM at Education Scotland, will provide an overview of the national Curriculum Improvement Cycle process that is underway and will outline the early developments and thinking from the practitioner-led Collaboration and Core Groups that are supporting this exciting process of change

Speakers

Ian Menzies

Senior Education Officer (Sciences, STEM, Learning for Sustainability and Outdoor Learning), Education Scotland

Saturday May 31, 2025 09:45 - 10:25 BST
Lecture Theatre

All

Audience S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, EYFS, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, BGE, Technicians

10:30 BST

Science on stage, practical teaching ideas from across Europe

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30 - 11:25 BST

SF004

Over the last 25 years, hundreds of teachers from across Europe have shared teaching ideas at the Science on Stage conference and its Physics on Stage predecessor. In this session, past UK delegates will share some of their favourite practical activities - ones that they have brought home and use in their own classrooms. The session’s activities are aimed at BGE across the Sciences, but Science on Stage also includes content for younger learners.

Speakers

Tim Browett

Physics Coach, Institute of Physics Scotland

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30 - 11:25 BST
SF004

All

Audience EYFS, P1, P2, S1, S2, S3, S4, BGE, practical science, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, Technicians

10:30 BST

Microscale as a tool of inclusion

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30 - 11:25 BST

SF005

We often go big on chemistry demonstration to inspire and create that wow factor, but what about thinking micro? By scaling down to small quantities and basic tools we open up channels for experiential learning, some of which can be repeated and reflected in day to day activities. Come learn about the epiphany of opportunity in microscale stumbled upon by a problem-solving technician and a very tired new recruit that improved my teaching practice, engaged learners, and saved a few pennies along the way.

Speakers

Cassaundra Abousamak

Chemistry Teacher, Nairn Academy

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30 - 11:25 BST
SF005 SF005

Secondary

Audience BGE, N5, Inclusion, Chemistry, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, Technicians

10:30 BST

Smart carts and sparkvue

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30 - 11:25 BST

SF007

Smart carts combine motion, force and acceleration sensors. They make excellent tools for investigating much more than just motion. This session will explore smart cart experiments. Participants should bring a device so they can try the experiments out for themselves.

Speakers

Robert MacGregor

Physics Teacher, St Leonards School

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30 - 11:25 BST
SF007

Secondary

Audience Physics, Practical science, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, Technicians

11:30 BST

Cognitive science; the learning brain and how to harness it

Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30 - 12:25 BST

SF018

You say to them, “I really need you to prepare properly for this test so you don’t have your confidence knocked down again.” Their parents say, “You just need to work harder! Now get to your room and revise!” But their brain is saying, “I just don’t know what that means or how to do it!”

Pupils of all ages, stages and abilities find it really hard to organise and plan revision, or even know what successful revision looks like. There is a very good reason for this and in this session will teach you how to teach them about their learning brain; focussing on the structures of the learning brain, executive function and the importance of retrieval practice.

Speakers

Lara Carnegie

Physics Teacher, Robert Gordon's College

Lydia Willetts

Biology Teacher, Robert Gordons College, Aberdeen

Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30 - 12:25 BST
SF018

All

Audience P1, P2, S1, S2, S3, S4, BGE, Inclusion, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7

11:30 BST

Toys can engage learners and promote learning

Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30 - 12:25 BST

SF003

A cheap toy is used to investigate energy transfers and look at velocity time and displacement time graphs using Tracker to analyse a video of the toy jumping.

Speakers

Catherine Dunn

Education Officer, SSERC

Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30 - 12:25 BST
SF003

Secondary

Audience Physics, Practical science, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, N5, Technicians

12:30 BST

Sandwich lunch with tea and coffee available

Saturday May 31, 2025 12:30 - 13:40 BST

The Street

Saturday May 31, 2025 12:30 - 13:40 BST
The Street

All

Audience EYFS, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, Technicians, N5

13:45 BST

Inclusive practical work in science

Saturday May 31, 2025 13:45 - 14:40 BST

SF005

This session will consider approaches to enhancing the accessibility of practical work at BGE, illustrated by three commonly used activities. Participants will have the opportunity to evaluate minor adaptations to these activities and consider how these approaches could be applied in their own practice.

Speakers

Jane Essex

Senior Lecturer in Chemistry Education, University of Strathclyde

I am a staunch advocate of science education for everyone, so always good to talk to about inclusion in all its guises. Other hobbies/ obsessions are practical science and science in everyday and heritage contexts.

Saturday May 31, 2025 13:45 - 14:40 BST
SF005 SF005

All

Audience practical science, S1, S2, S3, S4, BGE, Inclusion

13:45 BST

Help! It's physics!

Saturday May 31, 2025 13:45 - 14:40 BST

SF003

Why is it that practical physics can often cause technicians to panic? This practical based session will look at the Physics elements of the SSERC Local Authority Resources from a technician’s perspective. We will look at the Thermal Imaging Camera, Vernier SpectroVis Plus and fibre optic probe, Vernier LabQuest 2 with various sensors and Cloud Chamber whilst discussing options for support (given the opening question) within physics.

Speakers

Caroline Butler

Science Technician

Neil Duddy

Science Technician, Belmont Academy, Ayr

Ghislaine Duncan

Science Technician, Dumfries and Galloway Council

Saturday May 31, 2025 13:45 - 14:40 BST
SF003

Secondary

Audience Physics, Practical science, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, Technicians

13:45 BST

Modelling in a science classroom

Saturday May 31, 2025 13:45 - 14:40 BST

SF007

A focus on how to use live modelling to teach different aspects of the curriculum. Session would focus on practical ways to do this, for both teaching staff modelling a process and for pupils modelling it themselves (playdoh, stop motion etc). Would show examples from my classroom and how I utilise my iPad to teach.

Speakers

Mattie Downie

Biology Teacher, Oldmachar Academy

Saturday May 31, 2025 13:45 - 14:40 BST
SF007

Secondary

Audience practical science, S1, S2, S3, S4, Biology

14:45 BST

British sign language (BSL) STEM glossary - a tool for introducing concepts in science

Saturday May 31, 2025 14:45 - 15:40 BST

SF020

This workshop introduces the University of Edinburgh’s British Sign Language (BSL) STEM Glossary, a comprehensive resource supporting deaf learners across science subjects. Participants will explore how to integrate BSL signs for scientific terms into their teaching practice, making science education more inclusive. The session covers practical implementation strategies for primary through secondary levels, highlighting how the glossary enhances conceptual understanding and engagement for all.

Speakers

Audrey Cameron

Chancellor's Fellow, University of Edinburgh

I hold the position of University of Edinburgh Chancellor's Fellow, where my focus lies at the intersection of science education and British Sign Language research and as a Chemistry tutor on the PGDE Secondary Education (Chemistry/ General Science) course. I also manage the Scottish... Read More →

Saturday May 31, 2025 14:45 - 15:40 BST
SF020

All

Audience P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, S1, S2, S3, S4, Inclusion

14:45 BST

Practical physics for BGE

Saturday May 31, 2025 14:45 - 15:40 BST

SF010

This session will introduce a host of activities, covering each of the Physics areas of the BGE Science curriculum. Each practical activity will address second or third level content using typical lab equipment or everyday items.

Speakers

Tim Browett

Physics Coach, Institute of Physics Scotland

Saturday May 31, 2025 14:45 - 15:40 BST
SF010

Secondary

Audience S3, S4, BGE, S1, Physics, S2, P1, S5, S6, Technicians