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Hi As the person who lit this touch paper I feel I should respond. I can agree with what Richard is saying, maybe not his choice of words, but the sentiments. I am sure that the number of organisations is wide, but their breadth is not. I see no evidence of input from the people who are *in* the directory or from the teachers who are expected to *use* the directory. Like Richard, my queries began with private emails but I got no real answers. I have still not been told what assessment I am supposed to be doing, other than to go to Newcastle and listen to a seminar! I am in the interesting situation that my wife works on public sector value for money audit. Her views on the money spent on the various STEM websites are "interesting". I would also point out that the time to invite feedback was BEFORE the site went live with such a dire and clunky search algorithm. Sciencelive do it well. Why are you duplicating them less well at greater cost? STEMdirectories require people to fit a category to sign in to leave a comment. Hence they do not and will not bother. A county STEM coordinator - who wished to independently evaluate my work did not fit a box. She could not leave a review. I regularly ask teachers to put on reviews. The last one commented "that may take some time" I am not on a salary - if I am not up to scratch I earn nothing. My weekly audience is up to 3000 children, teachers and families. I KNOW what inspires them by the look on their faces and the comments I get. If the powers that be want to really help foot soldiers like me, (and without us there will be no directory worth having) then the best thing they can do at the moment is to make it clear to schools that budgets for science outreach are safe and they can still have events. I am sure there are people on this forum who have the contacts to do that little concrete thing. I look forward to it. Have a good weekend. Ian Do Science Ltd 37 Upper Brownhill Road, Southampton, SO16 5NG +44 (0) 23 8077 2341 [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> *www.doscience.co.uk* <http://www.doscience.co.uk> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. It is intended for the personal attention of the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail is unauthorised. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by replying to this e-mail and delete the e-mail from your computer. While Do Science Ltd has taken every reasonable precaution to ensure no viruses are present in this email, the company cannot accept liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this e-mail or attachments. You should carry out your own virus checks before opening any attachment. Nicola Hannam wrote: > > Dear Richard > > > > As indicated on the website, a wide range of organisations have been > involved in the directories and I am sure that the team would be open > to constructive and polite feedback. The "About Us" section includes > an email address if you wish to get in touch with them: > http://www.stemdirectories.org.uk/about_us/who_has_created_the_stem_directories.cfm > > > Best wishes > Nicola > > **Nicola Hannam** > Director, Education & Skills > www.futuremorph.org <http://www.futuremorph.org> > > *The Science Council*** | 32-36 Loman Street | London | SE1 0EH** > > **Tel:** 020 7922 7889** | Email:** [log in to unmask] > <file:///C:[log in to unmask]> > > **Website:** www.sciencecouncil.org <http://www.sciencecouncil.org/> | > www.charteredscientist.org <http://www.charteredscientist.org> > > > > > > *This email is intended only for the person(s) named as the > recipient(s). The contents are confidential. > If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please notify us > as soon as possible and delete it. Any use by you of its content is > prohibited. Any views expressed in this message are those of the > individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to > be the views of the Science Council.** * > > WARNING: Although the Science Council has taken reasonable precautions > to ensure no viruses are present in this email, the Science Council > cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the > use of this email or attachments.* *** > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *From:* psci-com: on public engagement with science > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Richard Ellam > *Sent:* 24 June 2010 17:26 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: [PSCI-COM] FW: [PSCI-COM] STEM directory evaluation > > > > HI Ian. Terri, and all > > > > Another point abut the STEM Directories which needs to be clarified is > how decisions about the directories (like this latest idiocy about > evaluation) are made. Whatever steering committee or junta is in > charge of the STEM directories seems to be made up of people who live > in various ivory towers and who have no real idea of what the people > at the front line actually want. And there seems to be no way that > the front line can really communicate with these mandarins. > > > > It also seems that the people in charge have no real idea about what > they are doing or how to do it - hence the truly dreadful printed > versions of the STEM directories which could serve as examples of how > to make something as boring and unexciting as possible on any graphic > design course! > > > > Its a shame that the STEM directories project seems to have been so > messed up by having the wrong people with the wrong skills running it > - if there had been more open communication with stakeholders at an > early stage in the process then the mistakes might have been spotted > and corrected instead of being endlessly perpetuated. > > > > In frustration at a good idea badly done > > > > Richard. > > > > > > Richard Ellam > > L M Interactive > > Science Shows and Hands-On Stuff > > [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > > > > > > > On 24 Jun 2010, at 16:29, Ian B Dunne wrote: > > > > Good afternoon Terri, > > Thank you for your comment. I stand corrected on the nomenclature. > > However if you look at the following links > http://www.stemdirectories.org.uk/about_us/why_have_the_stem_directories_been_created.cfm > http://www.stemnet.org.uk/about_us/stemnet_programmes.cfm > http://www.stemchallenges.net/about-stem-challenges/ > http://www.stemclubs.net/about-stem-clubs/ > or > http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/subjects/science/science_teaching_resources/ > http://www.teachers.tv/subjects/secondary/science > http://www.byteachers.org.uk/sites.htm#science > http://www.show.me.uk/places/places.html > http://www.showsforschools.co.uk/ > http://www.schoolscience.co.uk/ > http://www.sciencelive.net/ > it is pretty clear how a woodlouse like me got confused in a forest of > acronyms. > > Whenever I visit schools (around 100 times a year) I ask teachers how > and where they find resources and presenters. I consistently get the > same response for presenters - > http://www.sciencelive.net/advanced-search.asp or Google. > > So my question remains. > Why are significant resources out of the rapidly shrinking education > budget being spent duplicating what is already working well? > And how do we as presenters evaluate which of the myriad national > websites will have the greatest impact in encouraging reluctant > teachers to engage with science? > > I look forward to being convinced > > All the best > > Ian > > Do Science Ltd > 37 Upper Brownhill Road, Southampton, SO16 5NG > +44 (0) 23 8077 2341 [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > *www.doscience.co.uk* <http://www.doscience.co.uk> > > This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. It is intended for > the personal attention of the addressee only. > If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, > distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail is unauthorised. > If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify > the sender by replying to this e-mail and delete the e-mail from your > computer. > While Do Science Ltd has taken every reasonable precaution to ensure > no viruses are present in this email, the company cannot accept > liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this e-mail > or attachments. > You should carry out your own virus checks before opening any attachment. > > > > Terri Telford wrote: > > Hi all, > > > > I'd like to take this opportunity to correct Ian -- they are called > the STEM Directories, not STEMNET Directories. You can read more about > the organisations behind the directories here > http://www.stemdirectories.org.uk/about_us/who_has_created_the_stem_directories.cfm > > > > > As an aside, STEMNET has completed a number of evaluations, including > a current evaluation with the National Foundation for Educational > Research, and has just been involved in an audit by the National Audit > Office. > > > > Cheers > > Terri > > > > Terri Telford > > Head of Communications and Public Affairs > > > > Main Tel: 020 3206 0450 > > Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > Website: www.stemnet.org.uk > > > > STEMNET, 2nd Floor, Weston House, 246 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EX > > Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network > > Registered in the UK No. 3236201 ; Registered as a Charity No. 1058056 > > This email message (and attachments) may contain information that is > confidential to STEMNET and/or the intended recipient. If you are not > the intended recipient you cannot use, distribute or copy the message > or attachments. In such a case, please notify the sender by return > email immediately and erase all copies of the message and attachments. > Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message and > attachments that do not relate to the official business of STEMNET are > neither given nor endorsed by it. > > STEMNET has made every effort to ensure that any attachments to this > email have been swept for viruses. However, STEMNET cannot accept > liability for any damage sustained as a result of a virus and would > advise the intended recipient to carry out a virus check before > opening any attachment. > > > > > > *From:* psci-com: on public engagement with science > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Ian B Dunne > *Sent:* 23 June 2010 17:36 > *To:* [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > *Subject:* [PSCI-COM] StemNet directory evaluation > > > > Hi > > There has been a bit of discussion on this forum and others of the > StemNet directory wanting organisations to evaluate their programs or > they will not be included on the directory at some time in the future. > > In these financially straightened times I was just wondering what > evaluation StemNet does of itself, > and, or, what would peoples' evaluation of StemNet directories be > under the standard appraisal categories of > value for money > effectiveness > quantifiable outcomes ? > > > All the best > > Ian > > -- > > Do Science Ltd > 37 Upper Brownhill Road, Southampton, SO16 5NG > +44 (0) 23 8077 2341 [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > *www.doscience.co.uk* <http://www.doscience.co.uk> > > This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. 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