Fun FREE activities for the whole family.
Category Archives: Creative Learning
Creativity Portal – has it made an impact?
The Creativity Portal is now 3 years old and we would love to hear from anyone who has used it – has it challenged your idea of creativity? Have you found it useful? Did it lead you to any inspiring resources, research or contacts?
If you have ever visited the Creativity Portal please take the time to answer a 5-minute questionnaire that will allow us to build a picture of what impact the Creativity Portal has made and give direction to its development in the future. Your responses will be invaluable in taking Education Scotland’s support of creative teaching and creative learning forward.
To access the questionnaire click the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/creativityportal2014
Your responses will form a vital piece of evidence for an independent evaluation of the Creativity Portal, led by Consilium Research and Consultancy, which will be published on the Creativity Portal in April/May.
Make Things Do Stuff
Make Things Do Stuff is a campaign to inspire young people aged between 13 and 18 to make things in the digital world. It aims to help them to look beyond being a consumer and instead to create things, understand why things happen and to take ownership of it for themselves.
The campaign offers support, advice, resources and tools that are ideal for use in schools and at home, whether it’s a lesson, after-school club or competition. There’s something for everyone, whatever level they (or you) are at – and it’s all designed to nurture understanding and enjoyment through practical experience.
Adapted from a special digital making event for Teachers in Scotland, these videos show a range of different step-by-step digital activities for computing/other secondary school teachers.
MAKLab
MAKLab is Scotland’s first open access digital fabrication studio. The video covers how to create a 3D model of an object of your choice in 3D software and shows how the physical object can be then printed on a 3D printer. The process of creating a 3D object is a memorable and meaningful learning experience.
Suitable for: Secondary teachers of all subjects at all levels, particularly CDT, Art and Computing.
Processing Tutorial with Chris Martin
Processing is an open source programing language, community and development environment. In this session you will learn how to rapidly demonstrate computational principles with striking interactive visual output. This will be hands on, fun and you will make something interesting.
Suitable for: Teachers of National 4 / National 5 Computing
LiveCode Tutorial with Elanor Buchanan and Neil Roger
Livecode is an easy to learn, open source, high level language for creating programs and mobile apps for a variety of platforms including Windows, iOS and Android. The LiveCode introductory session will take you through creating a short interactive side scrolling hot air balloon game. Working with text, simple animation and using sound to create moving background images to give the illusion of movement, controlling an on-screen element, and detecting collisions to collect bonus points or end the game when you collide with negative elements.
Suitable for: Teachers of National 4 / National 5 / Higher Computing
App Inventor with Jeremy Scott
We have to provide students with an experience of Computing Science that’s not only accessible and exciting, but real world. What better way to do this than tapping into the mobile revolution? This workshop will provide an overview of the RSE/BCS Computing Science exemplification project and focus on how teachers might use “I Love My Smartphone” to introduce mobile app development in the classroom.
Suitable for: Teachers of National 4 Computing
Colin Maxwell Animation Tutorial
Vectorian Giotto is a powerful and free animation tool for creating 2D animations and interactive presentations. In this session you will explore the features of the tool whilst making short animations for science, literacy and foreign language, and discuss how the software can be applied to different curriculum areas. Animation is not just for art or computing classrooms, it can be an engaging medium across the curriculum.
Suitable for: Secondary teachers of all subjects at all levels.
Webmaker and Video Editing tools with Doug Belshaw from Mozilla
The Web is the world’s largest free public resource. Do you feel confident in teaching your students about how to read, write and participate on the Web? In this session, Doug Belshaw from the Mozilla Foundation (the people behind the Firefox web browser) will introduce some free Webmaker tools that you can use in your teaching. You will also learn how to use Popcorn, a free and open video editing tool. You can make videos to educate your pupils or get your pupils creating campaign videos or short films to revise a topic.
Suitable for: Secondary teachers of all subjects at all levels.
Creative Maths! with Rob Eastaway
For some of us maths is not our favourite subject, we don’t find Compare Bears and plastic sorting sets particularly motivational! In this workshop Rob, will look at innovative tools for making learning Maths stimulating and achievable for children and young people, improving numeracy in and outside of the classroom. With examples of games, puzzles, curiosities and mathematical “magic”, these workshops are about enriching teachers’ own view of maths, as well as offering numerous ideas that can be transferred straight to the classroom. Rob will also address some strategies for getting parents on board, including tips on maths activities that parents can incorporate into their busy lives.
Listen to the reviews!
“Many thanks for an excellent and inspirational morning. Our group of headteachers went away with a renewed passion for maths.” Primary maths consultant, Hampshire.
“The best maths course I’ve ever been on- a breath of fresh air” Secondary maths teacher, Bromley
Venue: Edinburgh
Duration: Half-day
Duration: Half-day
Book now to avail yourself of our early bird discount!
Delegate Cost: £99.00
Discounts available:
Discounted rate: non-member individuals and small organisations (incl early bird discount) £81.00
Discounted rate: member statutory and large voluntary organisations (incl early bird discount) £81.00
Discounted rate: member individuals and small organisations (incl early bird discount) £68.00
Also:
- Book three delegate places and the 3rd delegate is entitled to 20% off
- Book five delegate places, and the 5th gets a place for half price
- To book more than seven delegates, call 0131 222 2410 and ask for Noelle.
About Rob Eastaway – Rob has written and co-authored 11 books, including the bestselling two part book collection Maths for Mums and Dads. He is the Director of Maths Inspiration, a national programme of theatre-based lecture shows for older teenagers. He regularly appears on BBC radio to comment on topical issues related to maths and maths education. He is a former President of the Mathematical Association and has a degree in Engineering and Management Science from the University of Cambridge. He has three young children.
Who should attend: . This event is for teaching staff, early years practitioners, and others involved in education children and young people; as well as parents and carers.
CLD Creative Conversation – how can partnerships support Post 16 transitions
Education Scotland’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) Policy and Improvement team are working in partnership with the CLD sector and wider stakeholders to deliver a series of short ‘Creative Conversations’ on key areas of current policy reform which have an impact on CLD partners.
This conversation will focus on how partnerships support Post-16 transitions and Opportunities for All. It will also consider how 16+ reform impacts on this area of work. Participants will range from community learning and development, schools, colleges and third sector organisations. The format for the day will maximise opportunities for cross-sector discussion building on the work currently being developed to ensure successful transitions.
The format of the session will be ‘thought pieces’ of 10-15 minutes, followed by facilitated discussion considering:
•How can we collectively ensure we share and understand best practice locally
and nationally?
•What makes for best practice in ensuring successful transitions post 16?
•Ways forward from here?
The event is free to attend and takes place on Friday 21 March from 10.30am until 3pm at Kilwinning College campus. To book your place please email Fraser MacKay.
Further details about the event can be found on the Education Scotland website.
STEM e-bulletin March 2014
| Welcome to the e-bulletin for sciences, technologies, engineering and maths (STEM). Sign up to receive it directly. |
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Sciences Technologies Numeracy and mathematics Did you know? Video Inspiration We’ve got loads more news to share! See our STEM blog for the latest updates. |
FREE TALK – CREATIVE RESILIENCE – How culture enables young people to thrive on change
In response to popular demand after Paul’s successful Creative Conversation ‘How do we capture and measure creativity?’ for Forth Valley Creative Learning last year, we are very excited that Paul is able to open our 2014 programme of Creative Conversations.
Young people today are confronted with a tough, complex and deeply challenging environment in which to grow up. Some thrive on it, some find coping strategies, others are destroyed by it. What we know is that those young people who manage most effectively in this environment have the capacity to understand where they are coming from and to imagine different futures. In this conversation, we will explore the role that culture and creativity plays in developing this form of resilience. We will look at the combination of skills that underpins resilience, and the places where these can be learnt. Most of all we see whether the creative and cultural programmes can make a significant difference to the outcomes of young people here.
If you would like to join us please book free tickets via:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/575922
For further information contact: creativelearning@stirling.gov.uk
Are you mad about music? Are you 14-21?
Scottish Opera needs you!
Call for Connect Chorus auditions
We are looking for talented young singers to audition for our 2014/15 youth opera programme, Scottish Opera Connect, and we thought this might be of interest to you.
Connect is made up of two strands, Connect Chorus and Connect Orchestra, and is a unique programme which gives aspiring singers and musicians the chance to develop their knowledge, technique and skills with the help of Scotland’s top opera professionals. Unfortunately we don’t have any vacancies for Connect Orchestra at present so we’re just recruiting for Connect Chorus.
Interested in signing up? Application Deadline – Monday 16 December 2013
To become a member of Connect Chorus you must be aged between 14 and 21 years old, have some performance experience and be able to read music. Entry is by audition for our Summer Gateway Course (Tue 29 Jul to Sun 3 Aug 2014). This intensive, six-day programme explores opera through practical workshops and seminars and ends in a short performance for your family and friends. Upon completion of our Gateway week, the final Connect Chorus selections for 2014/15 will be made.
Simply download the application form and email your completed form toiona.jack@scottishopera.org.uk
Download the Connect Chorus application form
For full information about Connect, download the Connect flyer
Edinburgh, Creative Conversation with Don Ledingham
Creative Conversations are Edinburgh’s now well established strategic response to developing the Creative Learning Network for the City. They feature as a case study in the recently published 3-18 Curriculum Impact project Creativity Across Learning. This successful approach has been picked up by colleauges in other local authorities and Education Scotland. You help make them the success they are and your invitation to the next Creative Conversation on Creative Leadership is attached.
Creative Conversation Invitation – Don Ledingham – download the pdf invite
23rd International Children’s Painting Competition
The International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is an international contest, with regional and overall winners, for young people aged 6 to 14 organised by one of the United Nations agencies. It invites children to produce a painting on the theme of ‘Food Waste’ and saving the planet. The Think.Eat.Save website is designed to help inform their thinking around supply, waste and food security issues
For more information click here.
