Collaborative education projects

Assessing ethics in secondary science

In 2008 the Council convened a seminar for key stakeholders to discuss the assessment of ethics in the secondary science curriculum. A report based on the seminar, written by Professor Michael Reiss, was published by the Nuffield Foundation in 2010.

Download the report Assessing Ethics in Secondary Science

Ecsite-UK

Workshops on premature babies

In 2005 and early 2006, the Council worked with Ecsite-UK, the UK Network of Science Centres and Museums, to develop and run workshops for young people on the issues surrounding the treatment of premature babies.

The Working Party on critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine provided advice on the content of the workshop materials and individual members took part as guest speakers.

A total of 659 people aged 14–19 were involved in six debates in schools and science centres around the country between October 2005 and March 2006.

Download a summary of the discussions.

Workshops on vaccinations

With input from the Council's Working Party on public health, Ecsite-UK ran workshops during summer 2006 on the ethical issues surrounding vaccinations. A total of 503 people aged 14-19 during took part in debates about vaccinations in schools and four science centres around the country between April and September 2006. The outputs were submitted to the Council during its consultation on the ethics of public health.

Download a summary of the discussions.

The resources for both workshops can be downloaded at: http://www.scizmic.net/

Y Touring Theatre Company

Y Touring, the Central YMCA’s national touring theatre company, produces plays for young people that explore the issues of health, sex education and science ethics.

Every breath 

The Council advised on the content of a play about the use of animals in medical research, Every Breath, in autumn 2005. The play won an award at the Edinburgh Festival 2006. A podcast of the play is now available to download at: http://www.everybreathpodcast.org.uk

Further information and teacher resources related to the play can be downloaded at: http://www.ytouring.org.uk/productions/archive/index.html

Pig in the middle

Y Touring produced the play Pig in the middle, which addresses the issues raised by xenotransplantation, in partnership with the Council in 1997. The play was updated in 2005.

Sweet as you are

The Council was one of the advisers to Y Touring in the production of Sweet as you are, a play discussing genetically modified crops. Sweet as you are made its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it was awarded a 'Fringe First' prize. Performances also took place in London, at the British Association Science Festival in Sheffield, Cambridge Science Week, and at the Association of Science Educators meeting in January 2000.