Visits by teachers to world-renowned scientific institutes can bring biology to life in the classroom.

Teachers who went to the Roslin Institute for a day returned with renewed enthusiasm for their subject, according to Kath Crawford of the Scottish Schools Equipment Research Centre.

They also went back to school, armed with examples of how science in the classroom links to real-life research. This included a piece of work developed by teachers and institute staff on the use of animals in scientific research.

“Teachers were revived and reinvigorated and able to relate what they did in the classroom to the sort of research that goes on in Roslin,” Mrs Crawford said at last weekend’s annual conference of the Association for Science Education Scotland.

Visits to the Roslin Institute, near Edinburgh, were part of annual summer schools organised for biology teachers, which have now been replaced by a two-part residential course, held during the school year.

T Kath Crawford, 01383 626070.