Inspiring Young People in STEM: Feedback Tools for STEM Ambassadors from FutureLearn

This two-week, self-paced course will develop the way you collect and respond to feedback when volunteering with young people. It will cover: Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course has been created for anyone volunteering with young people in STEM. This includes STEM Ambassadors in the UK, youth volunteering group organisers, field trip educators, scout groups (and similar), outdoor pursuit centres, outreach from NGOs. You will need knowledge of STEM subjects or experience of working in a STEM environment. To get the most out of this course, learners should complete the associated three courses in this program beforehand: You can use the hashtag #FLSTEMInspiring to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

The need for gathering feedback, including relating to organisational objectives and corporate social responsibility.
Strategies and tools for immediate feedback during STEM activities with young people.
Strategies and tools for gathering feedback from others to inform self-reflection.
Using feedback to reflect on your own practice and modify if necessary for subsequent activities.
How feedback and reflection contribute to programme evaluation.

Reviews summary

Practical feedback tools for stem outreach

According to learners, this course is a highly practical and insightful resource for anyone involved in STEM outreach. Students consistently praise the actionable feedback tools and strategies that can be immediately implemented in their work with young people. Many found the content well-structured, clear, and concise, making complex topics accessible. The course is considered highly relevant to current STEM education practices and integrates well for those who have completed prior courses in the program. While some experienced learners found parts a bit introductory, the self-paced format and focus on key aspects like immediate feedback and self-reflection make it a valuable addition for most STEM Ambassadors.

Offers a solid base, but may be introductory.

"For experienced STEM educators, some parts might feel a bit introductory. I was hoping for more advanced techniques or case studies."

"Solid content, very relevant...some felt like common sense, but still good to have it structured. Overall, it provided a good foundation."

"As someone new to STEM outreach, this course provided a clear roadmap on how to effectively gather and use feedback."

The self-paced nature is convenient for busy schedules.

"The two-week pacing was flexible, though."

"The self-paced format worked well with my schedule."

"The course is self-paced, which is good, but sometimes I wished for more peer interaction on the forum."

Content is easy to follow and well-organized.

"The content was well-structured and easy to follow, making it a highly rewarding experience."

"This course provided a clear roadmap on how to effectively gather and use feedback."

"The content is clear and the objectives are met."

Directly applicable to STEM Ambassador roles.

"The information on evaluating programs based on feedback was exactly what I needed. It integrates well with the previous courses."

"Very relevant to current practices in STEM education."

"A well-designed course for STEM Ambassadors. It solidified my understanding of why feedback is crucial."

Offers concrete tools for immediate application.

"The feedback tools and strategies shared here are truly game-changers. The focus on immediate feedback during activities was particularly valuable."

"This course truly lives up to its name. It gave me practical 'feedback tools' that I could immediately implement in my work with school groups."

"The course provided actionable insights and strategies for effective feedback. It's concise, to the point, and highly applicable."

Some learners wished for more interactive elements.

"One minor point, it would be great to have more interactive elements, but overall, it's a strong offering."

"The course is self-paced, which is good, but sometimes I wished for more peer interaction on the forum."

Career center

Learners who complete Inspiring Young People in STEM: Feedback Tools for STEM Ambassadors will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers: