Category Archives: Research and Strategy

Drama, Early Learning, Languages and Literacy, Music, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

What Fèisgoil can do for you

July 17, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

A chàirdean chòire,

Tha bileag co-cheangailte le fiosrachadh mu na seirbheisean a dh’fhaodadh Fèisgoil a thabhann dhuibh. Ma tha tuilleadh fiosrachaidh a dhìth oirbh, no nam bu mhiann leibh còmhradh mu phrògram no pròiseact, bhitheamaid gu math toilichte cluinntinn bhuaibh.

Attached is a leaflet outlining some of the services Fèisgoil can offer. We would be very happy to hear from you should you require further information, of if you would like to discuss a project or programme that we could deliver for you.

Fèisgoil Flyer

Fèisgoil can help deliver your objectives whether you are involved in 1+2 Language Learning and wish to include Gaelic, or whether you wish to enhance your GLPS provision. If you have measures to deliver within a Gaelic Language Plan or if you want to expand traditional music provision, we would be happy to discuss your requirements and the costs of bespoke delivery.

Leis gach deagh dhùrachd

Arthur Cormack

—

Arthur Cormack

Ceannard

Fèisean nan Gàidheal

Taigh a’ Mhill | Port Rìgh | An t-Eilean Sgitheanach | IV51 9BZ

Meall House | Portree | Isle of Skye | IV51 9BZ

http://www.feisean.org

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Developing the Young Workforce, Early Learning, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Creative Conversation – attainment and employability through the lens of creativity

June 9, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

Creative Conversations – an end of term Creative Conversation where, with a panel of previous creative catalysts, we’ll be thinking about raising attainment and employability through the lens of creativity.

Date for your diary:

The next Creative Conversation, titled ‘We Can Work it Out’, is part of a national event in partnership with Education Scotland and is included in the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas. It is on:

Tuesday 16^th June 4.30 – 5.30/5.45. Coffee and registration from 4pm and you can continue the conversation with Hywel, Paul, Andy, Alan, David and colleagues over wine and canapes from 5.45 – 6.30/7pm. The venue is the Prince Philip Building at Royal College of Surgeons.

You are invited to join us in conversation with Hywel Roberts, author of ‘Oops, Helping Children Learn Accidentally’, Paul Collard, CEO of Creativity, Culture and Education and Andy Gray, Head of Schools and Communities in Edinburgh. Facilitated by David Cameron who you probably already know!

This Creative Conversation will consider that key education priorities of raising attainment and employability need a creative approach, now more so than ever. The discussions will focus on the range of ideas and partnerships that are required to work out how we make a difference to key challenges that are not getting any easier. The Creative Conversation is part of a national event – a number of places have already been allocated to delegates so places are limited.

Hywel Roberts’ first Scotland gig was a Creative Conversation in Edinburgh in September where 100 people were simultaneously rolling in the aisles with laughter and inspired by his very practical and real ideas about ways to achieve better learning. In February, Hywel gave the keynote at the Edinburgh Early Years Conference and the evaluations were, to a person, extremely positive.

Paul Collard’s Creative Conversation in December was attended by nearly 100 people and was informative, inspiring and thought provoking. Drawing upon research and Paul’s experience over 30 years, we considered the idea that the future needs job creators not job seekers. We also considered what PISA tells us about loss of interest, depression among young people and cases where education can undermine wellbeing and competency. Paul also talked about the high functioning classroom and what this looks like in Scottish and international practice.

The welcome is from Alan Wait, Schools Group Manager in Midlothian Council.

As always this will be a very popular Creative Conversation. If you would like to come please get back to me directly. If you would like to bring a colleague, please tell me their name and job title. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. I’ll send full venue details and confirmation of your place on receipt of your email.

We look forward to seeing you on the 16^th June.

Linda

Creative Learning Network:

Education Scotland in partnership with Creative Scotland awarded City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian Councils funding to develop the Creative Learning Network.

Creative Conversations are opportunities for colleagues interested in creativity and education across all sectors to come together and engage in high quality professional dialogue. Each Creative Conversation has a creative catalyst and the conversation is facilitated by (the real) David Cameron. There is always opportunity to continue the discussion over a glass of wine in an informal setting. Each Creative Conversation is in an interesting venue and over 2014/15 will take place across the 3 local authority areas. Previous Creative Conversations have included well known figures such as Tim Brighouse, Keir Bloomer, Frank Crawford, Laurie O’Donnell, Hywel Roberts, Paul Collard, Nicola Morgan, Eric Booth, Heather Reid and many others. Conversations are always about creativity and have covered technology, funding, self evaluation and preparing for inspection (creatively!), science and art, flipped learning and much more. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is just about art – it’s about creativity in the widest sense.

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Early Learning, Mathematics and Numeracy, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Tackling Serious Education Challenges through Creative Thinking – Showcase

June 8, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

You are invited to attend

The Creative Change Exhibition: Finale for the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas

We asked Scotland’s educators to bring their most complex challenges to the table, to find a Creative Catalyst who matched their needs, and develop their creative thinking together. Armed with new perspectives, fresh approaches, and unusual influences we hope to demonstrate that common education hurdles can be negotiated in innovative and inspiring ways through creative change – using curiosity, open mindedness, imagination and problem solving to influence the world around them and affect truly transformative change.

Come see, hear and experience how they got on. Some projects may not have worked, some may have raised more questions than they answered, but all have changed the way schools, nurseries and educators think.

The nine projects, which addressed a range of themes across primary, secondary and early learning will be showcased as part of the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas on 19^th June in Stirling. Visit the website for a full programme, directions and to book your place:

http://events.collegedevelopmentnetwork.ac.uk/events/show/5200

The exhibition will be of interest to everyone involved in learning and teaching. It features:

Educational Challenges of all shapes and sizes

In the classroom

Generating ‘Willing’ Mathematicians, Teaching Fractions, Understanding and Supporting Dyscalculia

Across a whole school

Bullyproofing the School, Creating a Sustainable Creative Learning Hub, ‘The One That Never Got Started’

And the biggest challenges of all

Developing Resilience and Positive Attitudes to Change, Increasing Pupil and Parent Voice, Breaking the Cycle of Parental (non) Involvement

From Educators across Scotland

Angus – Forfar Academy

East Dunbartonshire – East Dunbartonshire Education Support Team, Oxgang Primary and Westerton Primary

Edinburgh – Dalry Primary

Glasgow – Kings Park Secondary, Knightswood Secondary and Wyndford Nursery

Working with Creative Catalysts from education, business and the arts

Scott Sherwood of Live Think Design, graphic facilitator Clare Mills, Paul Gorman of Hidden Giants, Sarah Derrick of Dundee Contemporary Arts, Lucinda Geoghegan of National Youth Choir of Scotland, Susan Hay of Ripple Arts, and Patrick Boxall of Create and Connect

If you are unable to come along but would like to be kept informed about our Creative Change work then please do get in touch to be put on our mailing list.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Stephen Bullock – Development Officer, Creativity

Julia Fenby – Education Officer, Creativity

Karen Lawson – Curator of Dangerous Ideas

Drama, Languages and Literacy, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Modern Language Learning Events at Edinburgh International Film Festival

June 8, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

Edinburgh International Film Festival takes place 17-28 June, with over 150 feature films from 36 countries. With such an international outlook the Festival has much to interest teachers of Modern Languages and offers two special events:

European Children’s Film Catalogue – Presentation and Screening for Teachers

Thursday 18 June, Cineworld Fountain Park, 3.45pm-5.45pm plus reception / Free

A number of European partners, including Creative Scotland have created a catalogue of European films for children, with accompanying educational materials, which will be accessible across the whole of Europe. This initiative heralds the development of a new educational distribution system (Wrap! Distribution), designed to improve the reach to young audiences. Seven films, in a variety of languages, have been procured (through Creative Scotland and Scottish Film Education) for this first year of the catalogue. These films will form the basis of a series of schools screenings, with accompanying education resources being made available to all schools.

At this event for teachers, film educators and literacy practitioners there will be a short presentation on the film catalogue, including clips, followed by a screening of German comedy Max Minsky and Me. Followed by reception.

Scott Donaldson of Creative Scotland will also present an introduction to the Film Education Framework for Europe, which has been developed by film educators from 20 European countries.

Modern Languages Screening – Spanish

Tuesday 23 June 10am, Cineworld Fountain Park / £3 per pupil, teachers free

Uk premiere of Mexican feature film A Separate Wind, about a brother and sister forced to travel across country. Suitable for pupils from S4-S6.

To book for any of these events, or for further information please contact Jenny Leask or Amy MacKinnon at education@cmi-scotland.co.uk or on 0131 228 6382. For more information about the films go to http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/learning/events-for-schools

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Early Learning, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Creative Exchange: How do we nourish and develop every child’s innate creativity?

May 22, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

Tuesday 26 May 16.30 – 18.30 FREE

at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

Aimed at teachers and educators of all subject areas, ages and abilities

delivered in partnership with the Arts & Creative Learning team, City of Edinburgh Council

Due to the popularity of previous sessions, we are offering another opportunity for educators to share ideas with each other. Do you have a burning question about creativity that you’d like to explore with like-minded colleagues? Or want to hear how other educators are developing creativity in the classroom? Whether you work with nursery, primary or secondary age groups, come along and share solutions as well as problems.

You are invited for 10-15 minutes to either:

present an idea, project or activity which you have found develops the creativity of learners, or

to raise a question/ bring a challenge you face in promoting creative teaching and learning. Seek solutions from the other participants.

Please book by 22^nd May. Contact education@nationalgalleries.org for a booking form

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Early Learning, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Failing in Education: a conversation

April 27, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

A one day event exploring risk and failure within the education system

Failing is an essential part of learning but does our education system provide authentic learning environments that thrive on risk, experimentation and failure?

West Lothian Creative Learning Network and Hidden Giants invite you to spend a day exploring failure and how it manifests within our education system. The day will bring together examples of prototype learning conceived by creative practitioners, teachers and classes from across West Lothian. We will also hear from education specialist ‘The Real’ David Cameron.

The event will take place at Howden Park Centre, Livingston on Friday 12^th June.

The event will start with registration from 9.00am will run from 9.30am until 2.30pm, lunch will be provided. This event is open to anyone who has an interest in today’s education system. Please see more information below and to book your FREE ticket please use the link below to go to Brown Paper Tickets:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1557056

Over the last 8 months West Lothian CLN and Hidden Giants have collaborated with the James Young High cluster to explore risk and failure within learning and teaching. The schools have established dangerous partnerships with 4 creative practitioners to unsettle comfort zones, intensify risk taking behaviour, and disrupt the norm.

The four groups have created experiments exploring risk within their context: a nursery, P3 class, P6 class and the CDT department in the secondary. Through these experiments the schools explored their own ‘risk thresholds’ and are ready to share them.

If you’ve ever failed in education or feel that education is failing then we invite you to join us at Howden Park Centre on Friday 12th June. It might fail, in fact, if it doesn’t, we’ll be disappointed.

West Lothian CLN and Hidden Giants

The event is part of the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas http://www.collegedevelopmentnetwork.ac.uk/fodi/festival-of-dangerous-ideas and is supported by Education Scotland and Creative Scotland.

If you would like any more information please do not hesitate to get in touch, my contact details are below. We look forward to seeing you there.

Regards

Fiona

Fiona Macfarlane

Arts Officer (Learning)

West Lothian Council

Community Arts

Howden Park Centre

Howden

Livingston

EH54 6AE

Tel :01506 773873

Email: fiona.macfarlane2@westlothian.gov.uk

www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk

www.linlithgowburghhalls.co.uk

Research and Strategy

Character, Culture and Values international conference

April 22, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

Character, Culture and Values is an international conference hosted by Character Scotland and partners in University of Glasgow on 15th and 16th June 2015. It will be the first event of its kind in Scotland, designed to explore the continuing global shift towards character and values-based education and to examine what this could mean for us in Scotland.

The event has been curated by the charity’s Executive Officer, Gary Walsh, with the support of an advisory group involving Education Scotland, GTCS, SQA, Improvement Service/COSLA, Scottish Youth Parliament, Keep Scotland Beautiful, CBI Scotland, Investors in People, University of Glasgow and the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtue in University of Birmingham. Keynote speakers include Dr Avis Glaze, Prof Marvin Berkowitz, the Bishopbriggs Community Ambassadors and social entrepreneur Josh Littlejohn. There are many other speakers taking part in the programme of seminars and workshops.

The target audience includes those with an interest in education, youth and community work, policy, research, business and enterprise. Registration for the event comes at a grant-subsidised fee of £90 for full registration or £50 for day registration. Topics for discussion include: how and if we should design education to be more about character attributes and values; how to involve and empower children, young people, parents and communities in character and values development; how education and youth work can collaborate on character education; the relationship between ‘soft’ skills, attitudes and attributes for work and enterprise; and an exploration of possibilities with regard to the assessment and recognition of character attributes and values.

The ambition of the conference organisers is to have representation at the event from as many Local Authority areas in Scotland as possible and they would therefore very much appreciate your support in sharing details of the event. Please encourage your colleagues to attend by forwarding this email along with the attached brochure, directing them to www.character.scot/conference for further details and online registration. Any questions can be directed to gary.walsh@character-scotland.org.uk.

Colleges, Research and Strategy

Office Surfing – experimenting and exchanging workplaces

March 27, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

Office Surfing

The Dangerous Idea …

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in a very different environment from your usual workplace? Would you like to try it out and become an office surfer? Would you like your organisation to Host and office surf? Would you like to meet people from other professions and sectors? What? … Spend some time in a different work environment, doing your work or work as a host, welcoming a surfer to experience your working environment.

Why? …

Two reasons (among many!):

To become more aware of the physical work environment, and the effect it has on your work. Does your workplace help you to be creative? How is the new environment different? What about it is helpful? Any ideas you could take back and implement in your own workplace?
To meet new people and have interesting conversations. The random coffee scheme that was organised by Education Scotland has put hundreds of people together for interesting conversations, and ideas have grown out of it.

Benefits?

As a Surfer you get:

the chance to see what working in a different environment feels like, and how it suits – or doesn’t – your work and your style
to benchmark your own work-space against the one you are visiting, and against best practice, and come away with ideas for improvement.

As a Host you get:

feedback on your work environment from a fresh pairs of eyes, based on rigorous research rather than just personal preference

You both get and interesting and unexpected connection.

The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas gets:

stories, photos and videos from surfers and hosts about their experiences
the assessment of what makes a creative environment
lots of great learning to share

Results of the office surf will be shown at the Emporium Finale in an exhibition of creative change. This will take place on Friday 19 June 2015 view programme and book online. If this sounds like a Dangerous Idea that you would like to be a part of, please contact Dawn Brooks dawn.brooks@cdn.ac.uk for more information on how to take part. Any responses should be in by Thursday 30 April 2015.

Community Learning and Development, Early Learning, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Creative Conversation – Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire

March 17, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

Forth Valley Creative Learning’s second Creative

Conversation for 2015 is happening tomorrow, Wednesday 18th March,

4.30pm – 6.30pm.

There are still a few places remaining if you would like to come along

or if any staff are interested in attending.

Design Thinking – Solving Problems and Challenges using Creative

Approaches

Led by Dr Scott Sherwood – Live Think Design

Makers Gallery and Bistro, Alloa, Clackmannanshire

www.themakersvillage.com

Wednesday 18th March 2015

4.30pm – 6.30pm

Doors open at 4pm for refreshments and registration and time after for

networking and refreshments until 7pm

All welcome.

After February’s sold out conversation exploring De Bono’s lateral

thinking theories we continue our focus on creative problem solving.

We are looking forward to welcoming Dr Scott Sherwood who will lead a

participative and engaging 2 hour workshop sharing some tools and

exercises you can use to consider new thinking about existing issues in

school, community or work.

This session will introduce design thinking, a rigorous creative

process that enables individuals and organisations to identify and

articulate the challenges they face, while also enabling them to create

feasible and viable solutions. Using design thinking tools and

methodologies, individuals and organisations are able to develop empathy

for the people they are designing for (i.e. pupils, students, teachers,

lecturers, staff etc), challenge their own assumptions and understand

their underlying motivations.

Dr Scott Sherwood is a widely published academic and has led

organisational change initiatives, including the innovation programme in

the Technology Strategy Board’s £24 million Future City Demonstrator.

This workshops is open to head teachers, teachers, SLA’s, education

officers, early year’s educators, lecturers (FE and HE), students,

arts development officers, CLD officers, youth workers, community

workers etc. This workshop would also be of interest to creative

practitioners working in a learning / community context. All welcome.

If you would like to join us please book free tickets via:

www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1299170

Forth Valley Creative Learning is a collaboration between Education in

Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire, creating together opportunities

to explore creativity and creative learning.

Kind Regards

Clare

Clare Hoare

Senior Practitioner (Creative Learning)

Education

Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils

Teith House

Kerse Road

Stirling

FK7 7QA

Mon – Wed: Tel: 01786 274000 (Tolbooth)

Thurs – Fri: Tel: 01786 233226 (Teith House)

Mobile: 07876 877004

Email: hoarec@stirling.gov.uk

The aims of the Creative Learning programme and Forth Valley Creative

Learning are to support, increase and enhance participation in a wide

range of cultural and creative learning activities both within and out

of schools through the development and support of imaginative projects,

programmes and activities in collaboration with schools, creative

practitioners, local and national arts organisations and other partners

such as Creative Scotland and Education Scotland.

Forth Valley Creative Learning network is open to anyone with an

interest in creative learning for children and young people. In

partnership with Falkirk Council Education we host a number of talks and

professional development opportunities during the year. If you would

like to find out more or join our mailing list please email

creativelearning@stirling.gov.uk

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Early Learning, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

BBC: Get Creative asks What is the Future of Education?

February 6, 2015 S. Bullock Leave a comment

BBC Get Creative: What’s the future of education?

Get Creative is a new, public-facing, year long campaign led by the BBC

together with many other partners. It aims to raise the profile of arts,

culture and creativity, to highlight their central place in all our

lives and to celebrate where they happen all over the nation.

Get Creative will be launched through a series of events and debates

all over the UK – some of which will be picked up and covered by the

BBC on their TV or radio channels. Over the next year lots of different

activities, programmes, events and art works will be part of the Get

Creative Programme.

We think that the launch is a great opportunity to ensure that young

people and learning have a profile in this process right from the start,

so the CLA wants to ask all our members and supporters a question:

‘What is the future of education?’

We will be holding an event in the launch week of 23 February at which

will we ask young people to work with artists and teachers to think

through and present their ideas on the future of education. We’ll

collate and publish them, and ensure that the political teams and

education leads in all the political parties who are writing the

manifestos for the General Election are aware of them.

We want to showcase the fantastic power of cultural learning to inspire

creativity and innovation.

We’d love you to be a part of this process too.

How to get involved:

1.Hold your own event or debate in the launch week where you discuss

the future of education.

2.Come up with suggestions, manifesto pledges and ideas for education

over the next 20 years. Be as visionary and as innovative as you’d

like.

3.Hold your event or debate in whatever format you’d like –

workshops, meetings, a panel debate, a chat over coffee and cake, a

twilight session, an online discussion, a festival, or a performance.

You can make this discussion a part of an existing event or programme

something new, it’s up to you.

4.Invite anyone you’d like to be part of it – young people,

teachers, artists, colleagues, policy makers, arts learning partners,

parents.

5.Let us know you’re having it – email

lizzie@culturallearningalliance.org.uk with the details of your event

and we’ll tell the BBC team that are covering the launch and we’ll

send you the branding pack and further information about the scheme.

6.Record your findings and your ideas. Let us know your top five

suggestions for the future of education – you can send us videos,

podcasts and artworks (with the right permissions), but put your ideas

on paper too. We’ll include them in the dossier to send to policy

makers.

What is Get Creative?

Get Creative is a major celebration of the nation’s culture and

creativity. Led by the BBC and What Next? in collaboration with a huge

range of arts, cultural and voluntary organisations, everyone is invited

to get involved and share their creative talents.

How Get Creative came about?

Get Creative, led by the BBC and What Next?, came about as a result of

the Warwick Commission on the future of cultural value, and

collaboration with Voluntary Arts, Culture24, 64 Million Artists, Fun

Palaces, Cultural Learning Alliance and Arts Council England.

News, opportunities, research and strategy relating to creative teaching and learning in Scotland