About the Earth Science Education Unit (ESEU)

What is the ESEU?

ESEU is based in Education in the School of Criminology, Education, Sociology and Social Work at Keele University and is a provider of INSET (in-service education and training) in Earth science to UK teachers.

Short (up to two-hour) modular workshops, built around the Earth science content of the English, Welsh and Scottish National Curricula, are delivered within schools by a nationwide team of 41 centrally-trained ESEU facilitators. These workshops are activity-based, stress the importance of enquiry in science and address pedagogical issues as well as subject content. They have been based on materials and strategies developed initially, and supported by, the Earth Science Teachers' Association (ESTA). Workshops for Scotland have been developed in collaboration with the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum (SESEF).

In 2002, ESEU successfully secured funding from UKOOA (UK Offshore Operators Association), the representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry, a five year programme of INSET delivery, research and development. The programme was designed, and continues, to improve teachers' skills and understanding in teaching core Earth science topics.

In 2007, ESEU also successfully secured funding from Oil and Gas UK (which now incorporates UKOOA) a further five year programme of INSET.

Workshops are provided singly or as a half-day or full-day of complementary modules. ESEU facilitators take a set of equipment with them and schools are asked only to provide standard laboratory equipment and to photocopy worksheets etc. Schools are also asked to cover facilitator travelling expenses, but workshops are otherwise free of charge.

ESEU are providing high quality teacher CPD in an important neglected area of the curriculum that has been greatly welcomed by the teachers involved.

ESEU news archive