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About this website
The award winning IET Faraday (from the Institution of Engineering and Technology) will confound notions of science and engineering as unexciting through a simple but intriguing question: who are the real stars of sport? Exploring recent and innovative sports technology stories and the people behind them, the Faraday website will reveal how engineers, technologists and scientists are rapidly advancing sports performance.
Using a product theme, you’ll find background information on the technologies and fun and inspiring profiles of people that were integral to its development. The look of the website is intentionally rough around the edges, as though it’s an engineer’s notebook, crammed with scribbled thoughts, post-it notes and photos.
The polished and clinical approach to science can often be seen in textbooks, but invention isn’t just about being methodical and prescribed; there’s room for spontaneity and the all-important ‘Eureka’ moments. To bring this to life, the story of each product and the people behind are explored further in a series of fast-paced and engaging films that:
- Give a real insight into what it's like to be an engineer, technologist or scientist working at the cutting edge of sports technology
- Demonstrate applications of the science, engineering and technology learnt in the classroom
- Provide an inspiring launch pad for other learning activities
Take a journey through the product’s development: why it was invented, how it is made, how it is used to benefit the sport, the key science / technology employed and what it takes to be involved. There will also be further product films and downloadable resources available in the Teachers section.
Building on the films, the engineering-oriented and compulsive platform game shows that determination is not only vital, but rewarding. Players are encouraged to think about the effects of friction and aerodynamics whilst guiding a carbon fibre puck across a series of increasingly difficult tracks. Students can submit their scores and see how they measure up against other players.
We’ve got a great Faraday 08/09 competition for both schools and individuals. Challenge yourself and win.
Schools are also being invited to join in the Faraday 08/09 Engineering Challenge Days, to be held at local venues across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Looking for last year's Faraday 07/08 website?
About us
The IET Faraday is a schools resource from The Institution of Engineering and Technology. We aim to inspire students and help those who are trying to reach them, by producing interesting, interactive activities and events demonstrating the application of science, design and technology, engineering and maths.
The STEM agenda aims to encourage young people in schools to continue study in these subjects and pursue careers in this sector. We are aiming to provide materials for the STEM subjects, which are up-to-date, high quality and which inspire and challenge all learners - in addition to being valid, valuable resources for cross-curricular activity.
It’s not surprising our namesake is Michael Faraday. A man who defied his roots; who was the A-list celebrity of his time and who wanted to know why and how he could push technology forward.
We want to test the innovation, problem-solving and communication skills of our students so they can explore how science impacts the world around us.
We know that science, engineering and technology are amazing. So do you, but encouraging your students to realise this too can be challenging. It’s the stuff that drives, shapes, changes and makes sense of the world they live in. From making their iPOD work to shining light on black holes, it makes life easier and more challenging. Gives them what they need and what they never knew they needed until they saw it. Makes sense of things that don’t make sense.
So for the scientists, technologists and engineers of the future, the simply curious or those, like you, trying to excite curiosity in those around them, you can’t fail to be interested.
Take a look at our Faraday Teaching and Learning materials for use in science, design and technology, engineering and maths. There are also many highlighted opportunities to link to ICT, Enterprise and Citizenship. All the materials are based on this year’s theme, ‘Engineering in Sport’.
The materials are closely aligned to the STEM agenda, providing a structure for teachers in different departments to work collaboratively.
The materials have primarily been designed for KS3, GCSE and the Engineering Diploma and include an extensive range of support materials to fit all UK curricula.
The materials allow maximum flexibility and show clearly how to develop teaching materials within the new framework.
The materials provide an adaptable set of practical activities, based on experimenting, testing and developing, allowing students to apply knowledge and understanding in a meaningful way.
