We’ve put together some top tips to help you with the bp Ultimate STEM Challenge.
Taken from teachers who have previously taken part and feedback from the judges of previous years, these tips will help give you the jump on the competition!
Here are what the judges are looking for in a top submission:
Scientific methodology
The depth of the science used in the submissions is very important, judges want to see the process and how teams have gone about designing and modifying their experiments. Students should focus on the systematic way of thinking through the hypothesis, going through the methodology ensuring that any variables are calculated and adjusted, analysing the results and seeing how they can take their research further.
Previous entrants said their students had been meticulous in their taking of results and found it very rewarding as well as helping boost their scores in the challenge. Another teacher said their team had reviewed what they had done and explored how they could place their results in a real-world context. Other contestants had looked at research that already existed and used it to design their own experiments and expand upon what had already been found.
Creative thinking
Be imaginative. The judges want the students to think outside of the box and come up with innovative ideas and research, the teams that are the most original tend to do the best.
Practicals can be designed creatively around new ideas and discovering fresh outcomes or you can take existing research and use it in different ways. One of the previous teams had been bold enough to challenge research that already existed. They tested out the research found their results differed and then took their analysis and experimentation further to see if they were correct. The team had the confidence to contest the original results with their own data, which really impressed the judges.
More frequently, submissions are showcasing a combination of practicals with computer modelling and analytics. This method means that teams are able to visualise the experiment, develop forecasts and predictions, review the data collected, and create other scenarios and modifications all very rapidly. This culmination of practical and computer based activity reflects how research is undertaken in the real world and the judges would like to see more of this in the submissions they receive for the Challenge.
Communication of ideas
Getting ideas across in a simple way is really important. You only have a small slot to impress the judges so you have to make sure that all the fantastic work your team has done doesn’t get lost in translation. Try getting your students to explain their ideas as simply as possible, maybe even talking to others who haven’t been involved and seeing if they understand what is trying to be conveyed.
Presentation
Don’t go overboard on the PowerPoint presentation! The judges will want clear, concise slides that easily convey what your team has done. Graphs and charts will help with any data you have to display but make sure it doesn’t get lost with lots of bright colours and Word Art.
Once you’re happy with your presentation slides, remember to rehearse. It’s easy to get jumbled up on stage and lose your flow, so be sure your team practices enough times so that everything is slick and smooth. Why not show your presentation to the rest of the school? It’s a great way to practice in front of an audience as well as shouting about the excellent work your team has done!
Now you have the insider knowledge from the judges and what they want, it’s time to get stuck in and enjoy all the amazing work you and your team will do. Good luck!