Launchpad Outreach

What is it?

Launchpad is a learning outreach programme run by the Science Museum with between sixteen to twenty-four schools involved each year. The project involves learning science through ‘hands on’ application of scientific methods which involve each school building something from a set of materials. The website supports each student and every school in documenting their progress, feeding back on any problems or issues they have encountered and providing an archive from which to present to a wider audience.

What is the need?

The need is entirely driven by the project. Each school is required to document what they are building as part of being involved. The key from a design perspective was making the service as easy to interact with as possible and mirror offline processes of development and documentation as much as possible. Moderation is also kept to a minimum so as to encourage ownership and participation amongst students.

Who is it for?

Seven hundred and fifty Key Stage Three students across twenty five schools in the UK.

What is the benefit?

Encourage participation in the project through dialogue with the Science Museum Outreach team and feedback on their work-to-date. But it is also hoped that the site offers students the chance to engage in different aspects of a science project, for some to become observers and documenters of the process as well as ‘makers’.