Meet the Team
The Connected Falkirk programme is being developed and supported by a team of Falkirk educators, all of whom have a track record of embedding digital technologies to support and improve learning. They aren’t IT specialists – they are creative teachers with experience of successful digital pedagogy in a school.
Stuart Lennie
After appearing as a child model on the front page of a major Sunday magazine, glamour and stardom awaited me. Unfortunately, the genes kicked in, reality hit hard, and as you’ll see from the profile picture, that was never going to be a career option.
When I visit schools, most people seem to think I’m a Computing teacher, but I’m actually a Technical teacher to trade.
After graduating from Glasgow University, I spent some time teaching in an inner-city London school, before returning home to teach in Paisley. From there, I moved to Falkirk as an ICT Development Officer, then ICT Programme Manager, and now proud to lead this great team as Connected Falkirk Manager.
I went to Stirling University on a part-time basis four years ago, and graduated with my Masters degree few years ago. Doing that, whilst supporting a young family, was by far the most challenging thing I have ever done, but I am glad I did it. Having said that, both of my children pointed out that they had graduated from nursery, and I shouldn’t see myself as anything special.
I’m passionate about the use of technology to support learning. It shouldn’t be about the shiny new technology, it should be about the technology supporting good teaching.
We are all on this journey together, so I look forward to working with you and your learners!
Lauren McKechnie
As a child, it was always clear I would become a teacher at some stage. Although this is a bit of a cliché, my poor little sister will definitely attest to this and tell you of all the times I sat her down to teach her cool things I’d learnt on evenings, weekends and even holidays. What I was actually going to teach, whether I wanted to do primary or secondary and where I wanted to settle was another matter and I definitely flip-flopped a lot over the years.
After employing the decisive method of flipping a coin, I moved from Dunoon to St Andrews to study molecular biology and biochemistry. Then deciding that I was keen to teach my own subject, I went on to do a PGDE in biology and science teaching at the University of Glasgow. From here, I braved ticking the box and ended up living on a farm in rural Stranraer before finally settling in Falkirk for the last eight years.
Loving a challenge, I then decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Professional Practice whilst working full-time, with COVID hitting Scotland just as I was preparing to complete my dissertation project – perfect timing! I was thrilled to officially graduate recently in 2022, even if it was two years delayed.
Since my probation year, I’ve always been interested in using digital technology within my classroom and even based my dissertation on using online quizzing platforms to enhance confidence and attainment by helping teachers easily embed retrieval practice into their teaching. I love utilising a range of tools within my lessons and the benefits I’ve seen to both pupils and teachers from embracing digital technology have been so positive.
Outside of teaching biology and supporting others with digital learning, I organise the Scottish Newman Trust holiday every summer which provides respite care in the form of week-long summer holidays for children with additional and complex needs. I also love travelling, going to gigs and I’m an avid fantasy reader.
I currently hold both Apple Professional Learning Specialist and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE) status alongside being a Google Level 1 Educator, Canva Education Creator and University of Stirling Associate Fellow as part of the Stirling Centre for Research into Curriculum Making (SCRCM). In my current role as Education Support Officer for the Connected Falkirk Team I support teachers and learners from across Falkirk to transform their classrooms and learning using technology. I also project manage the authority’s Connected Learning programme, coordinating our virtual senior phase subject offering and lead and support on STEM learning across all of our education establishments.
Kerry Abercrombie
After coming to the stark realisation that there was little prosperity in a career as a magician’s assistant, I returned to university to study English, Film & Media and Professional Education. I thought I’d become an English teacher with a bit of Media on the side but over the course of my career I have become predominantly a Media teacher who also teaches English. An important distinction, I’m sure you’ll agree!
As a film graduate (with a short student radio career behind me) the use of digital technology has always been an important part of my personal and professional interests. From the early days of my teaching career I have been using iPads and other devices in class, as well as various softwares and online platforms, to enhance learning experiences for young people. Whether it’s using Scribus and Glow Blogs to run a school newspaper or using Garageband and the Podcast app to help pupils create and publish their Film Club podcast, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of digital tools both in and out of the classroom. I strongly believe that digital literacy is important for our young people, as are the essential skills for life and work that are practiced through the use of digital tools. Creativity, collaboration, critical thinking – to name but a few!
In 2022 I completed my Masters in Education Leadership at the University of Stirling with a final project taking a sociomaterialist look at creativity and digital devices in the primary school setting. Being the black sheep Secondary teacher in a family of Early Years practitioners I have a particular interest in the journey from 3-18 and I am proud to work with our littlest learners when it comes to learning with and through digital technologies.
Outside the realm of Falkirk Council I am an education ambassador for film education charity Into Film. I am both a bookworm and bibliophile with more than slightly geeky tendencies (level ten half-elf bard, thank you very much) who loves to travel and experience new cultures.
I currently hold Apple Professional Learning Specialist and Apple Distinguished Educator status as well as being an Apple Teacher, an MIE, a Quizizz School Champion and I am part of many other digital programs for teachers. I was part of the initial Connected Falkirk Sprint Team and I am delighted to continue to be part of Connected Falkirk in my new role as Curriculum Development Officer – Digital Learning for Falkirk Council. As a Falkirk lass born and bred it is my absolute privilege to continue working with pupils and educators on this exciting transformational digital learning journey.
Laurie Lee Moodie
Laurie Lee is our Systems Support for Connected Falkirk. She is the friendly face you’ll see in and around schools picking up and dropping off devices.
Previous Team Members
2020-2022
