The benefits to students of carrying out authentic research are well documented and far-reaching, from developing skills sought after by employers, growing science capital and helping to address the UK STEM skills gap to increasing confidence and enhancing classroom learning. The Institute for Research in Schools and our partners strongly believe that research in schools has the potential to transform lives – and the educational landscape.
The Institute for Research in Schools(IRIS) asked secondary students who took part in IRIS research projects if they would recommend the experience to their peers. An outstanding 32 out of 41 said they would.
When prompted with ‘why’, here’s what they had to say…
‘Yes, they should definitely do it! The experience is enjoyable, and I have learnt many useful life skills. This experience is an amazing opportunity and provides you with useful ideas and links for the future.’
‘Yes! I learnt so much, had so much fun and am so proud of the work I produced.'
‘Yes, because we were able to lead an individual project, but also learn about alternative areas we had not considered previously.’
‘Definitely! It is a fantastic opportunity to develop scientific skills and understand more about the research process by taking part in a project with real life implications. The opportunity to present at the IRIS conference was also very exciting!’
‘I would say that they should because it provides good experience of a more independent form of research, similar to that of university work. I also liked hearing the keynote speakers and it was a nice way do discover more about chemistry.’
‘I would say they should definitely do it because I benefited so much from just one project. I learnt how to make a research poster and also how to present scientific data to an audience. Definitely would recommend to anyone interested in sciences.’
‘I would try to convince them to do one. It was a great experience and got to do something that you are passionate about. You get to learn a lot of your projects and a lot of people's projects.’
STEM Learning and IRIS have worked together to provide a course that will explore the impact of student-led research and how it creates opportunities for students. We’ll take you through the process of carrying out authentic scientific research from the conception of an idea, right through to presenting at conference.