STAAR Programme
Case Study

How Tablet Academy  delivered range of learner focused practical workshops designed to broaden and enrich the curriculum, reward students, challenge the gifted and talented, or engage difficult groups.

ABOUT THE CLIENT

The RAF Museum (Cosford) is a Royal Air Force Museum located in the West Midlands, adjacent to the RAF Station in Cosford. Given its proximity to RAF Cosford, it is one of the few Museums which can make use of an operational runway for events such as the annual RAF Cosford Air Show, the only RAF Airshow in the UK. As an educational venue, the museum welcomes thousands of school children each year, and in addition to having exhibit tours also runs several education workshops. 

With a strong commitment to supporting educationNorthrop Grumman is a global technology company specialising in the aerospace and defence sectorEspecially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subject areas. 


"We have been working with Tablet Academy for several years and this relationship is now an integral part of our Education solutions. We have various strategic projects such as teacher training and peer learning running alongside our core education hardware solutions (www.HPforEducation.com). The evangelism events they run for us focus on particular themes such as gamification or simply, as agnostic educators with a passion to enable better learning, lending their support to our valued customers."

Kenneth Fyfe, Mid-Market & Education Sales Manager , HP

THEIR CHALLENGES

RAF Museums, the charity responsible for managing the two UK RAF Museums, were approached by Northrop Grumman who had the desire to sponsor a pilot event that would benefit school children aged 14-15 with a strong interest in the STEM subjects, particularly engineering. The event aims are to give participating students real-life practical experiences of STEM and demonstrate how STEM relates to a career in the aerospace sector.
After several collaborative brainstorming sessions, the sponsor, together with all partners, drew up a wish list to consider when developing the programme:

1. The pilot event be held in the summer of 2017

2. The event be residential and delivered over 5 Days

3. Places are limited to 20 students and participants should be selected from across the UK

4. Equality and diversity be paramount when selecting students

5. The programme should have a focus on advanced topics from the aerospace sector

6. A requirement for hands-on, real-world sessions using live equipment and tools

7. Daily challenges are set in the form of Operational Missions that student teams should review, analysis and, where possible, execute them to a successful outcome.

8. Delivery venues would be the RAF Museum, the Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering, and the Nr 1 Radio School; the latter two both situated ‘inside the wire’ at RAF Cosford

9. How to accommodate, cater, chaperone, and support 20 young students under the age of 16 on an operational defence training station

Why did they have this problem? 

There is a growing global demand for young engineers, technologists, and scientists. One aim of the programme is to demonstrate to young people of all backgrounds, genders, and abilities, that opportunities exist in the aerospace sector that is as diverse as they are. Northrup Grumman has a similar programme running in the USA as a Space Camp and wanted to create something different to support education in the UK. 

OUR SOLUTION

Having a wealth of experience of creating and delivering STEM-related student enrichment days, we had a clear idea of what students may be expecting in the participation of such a programme. We agreed from day one that we would take a fully cooperating approach in developing the programme and in discussions concerning the logistics and security of having 20 young people ‘working’ on a fully operational RAF Station. In developing the curriculum, we involved experts from all four parties: Northrop Grumman, Learning Division of RAF Museum (Cosford), Instructors from the Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering and Nr 1 Radio School, and Tablet Academy. 

When looking at delivery and logistics, given that students would live and work on an operational base we worked closely with the RAF Police and other RAF logistics and security teams, all with the full support of the Station Commander at the time, Group Captain Mark Hunt. 

The solution was an extensive 5-day programme beginning with congratulating and welcoming the students to the programme, giving them a security briefing and introducing the relevant staff. This was followed by a range of practical sessions over the subsequent 4 days and concluding on the final day in a graduation ceremony on the final day where student teams present their solution to a particular mission to an audience of instructors, chaperones, parents, and special guests from the sponsor and other partners. 
ImageImageImage
Image

RESULTS

Image
95% Teachers upskilled in Teams
Image
Introduced computational thinking and coding to School
Image
Digital School Champion
Image
95% Teachers upskilled in Teams
Image
Introduced computational thinking and coding to School
Image
Digital School Champion

Did your solution solve the client’s stated problem or accomplish their objective(s)?

What benefits did your client see because of your work immediately?

Increased employee productivity? A better system, platform or software solution? These can be soft results.

What benefits should your client see because of our work over time?

Finally, would your client agree that you solved their problem or helped them achieve their intended goal?