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Centre

Centre for Effective Learning in Science (CELS)

Unit(s) of assessment: Education

School: School of Science and Technology

Overview

CELS is one of 74 HEFCE-funded Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). It is the only one dealing with the traditional ‘core’ sciences of chemistry, biosciences and physics, as well as the emerging interdisciplinary sciences such as forensic and sports science.

In recent years, science has faced a national challenge through:

  • an increasingly diverse range of students
  • the growth in interdisciplinary courses and a relative decline in pure science numbers
  • a poor image of science amongst school children.

The Centre seeks to address these issues by researching and developing new teaching methods and resources for HE, and by encouraging the next generation of scientists through outreach.

Aims

The Centre for Effective Learning in Science (CELS) aims to create a new image for the subject within the Higher Education and schools communities as:

  • Relevant - using best practice in educational research to design better ways of teaching science.
  • Accessible - increasing the number of science students and supporting the learning of local science students.
  • Achievable - providing a significant new national resource base for science teaching.

Based on our excellent record in teaching science within Higher Education, and the University’s nationally recognised widening participation activities, we have created a centre to develop and trial new approaches to the teaching and presentation of science within both communities.

Contact

Dr Karen Moss
Director of CELS
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 8063

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