Author: Eva Wilkinson

May 2, 2023

The Digital ELC Practitioner Toolkit – Anytime/Anywhere CLPL

The ELC Practitioner Toolkit provides an introduction to digital collaboration and communication, including support on the tools available and approaches to consider. It is a flexible ‘anytime, anywhere’ pathway allowing you to tailor your learning to your needs. There are also links to further professional learning pathways and our live webinars.

Self-directed professional learning can be included towards SSSC Continuous professional learning records for registration.

The Digital ELC Practitioner Toolkit – Anytime/Anywhere CLPL (pre recorded)

Supporting early level learners to digitally document their learning

A guided demo session to support early level learners to digitally document their learning

Create interactive, accessible learning stories with Microsoft Sway

Introducing QR codes to access learning

Productivity Suites

Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace are the two most commonly used platforms across Scotland that allow easier and more effective communication and collaboration between ELC staff teams. These platforms allow you to plan learning, update colleagues and attend events, at cluster, local and national levels. With more ELC practitioners working at different times throughout the day, making the most of these time saving tools can really help to improve workflow and decrease workload.

Find out more about Microsoft Office on our YouTube Microsoft Office Playlist . Please also see the Microsoft Learn Educator Centre.

Find out more about Google Workspace on our YouTube Google Workspace Playlist. Please also see Google for Education.

If your setting/LA are Apple device users, you can find out more about Apple here on our YouTube Apple Playlist. Please also see the Apple Education Community.

If your setting/LA are Glow users, you can find out more about Glow here, on Glow Connect.

Spotlight sessions: Improving my own Digital Literacy Skills (live webinars)

Spotlight on ELC: Practitioner Online Collaboration.

Spotlight on ELC: Making Data Visible.

All Spotlight on ELC Sessions (Live Webinars).

Back to ELC home page

April 24, 2023

16 May 19:00, ELC Practitioner Play Along, with Barefoot Computing #CSscot23

Be part of #CSscot23 by joining the Education Scotland Digital Team in a short 30 minute evening ‘Play Along’ session and be introduced to the concepts and approaches of Computational Thinking with Barefoot Computing, through fun, interactive activities.

We use Computational thinking strategies in our everyday lives and may not even realise it! Computational thinking is about learning to solve problems, with or without a computer. These problem-solving skills not only support the computing science curriculum but also play a part in many other areas of the curriculum and our lives, from PE to storytelling, maths and baking! Join us to find out more.

This session is suitable for all practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings.

Please have a pen and paper and small piece of playdough/plasticine to hand, to take part in the hands-on activities.

Barefoot resources for early level learners can be accessed here. For more information about Barefoot please watch this short video.

April 24, 2023

15 May 19:00, ELC Practitioner Code Along, with Scratch Jnr #CSscot23

Celebrate #CSscot23 with the Education Scotland Digital Team, by joining a short 30 minute evening ‘Code Along’ session to explore the free online block-based coding app Scratch Jnr.

Scratch Jnr provides an introduction for early level learners to experiment with programming their own interactive stories and games through block-based coding, with endless opportunity to problem solve and express themselves creatively.

This session is suitable for all practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings.

Please download the app prior to the session and ‘Code Along’ with us.

The app be downloaded here. For more information about Scratch Jnr, please click here.

If possible, it would be more beneficial to join the session on one device so you can watch the demo and ‘code along’ with us on another device that has the Scratch Jnr app downloaded at the same time.

April 20, 2023

Supporting Cyber Resilience & Internet Safety Learning at early level.

Effective use of digital technologies offers an engaging experience for babies and young children. It can address barriers to learning and improve access for children with additional support needs. Applications (apps), tablets, digital cameras, measuring equipment, video calls and voice chats are readily available. Children thrive when they ask, imagine, plan, create and interact with the world around them. (Realising the Ambition: Being Me 2020)

When we use the internet we either consume, create or communicate. Each of these actions have different opportunities and challenges.

Within the early level curriculum in Scotland, children are supported to assess and manage risk and understand the impact of risk-taking behaviour in all aspects of play and learning; this includes the safe and secure explorations of digital technology – Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety.

Through story books, songs, animations and play, children are introduced to developmentally appropriate scenarios, encouraging critical thinking and decision-making. This empowers children to recognise when and where to find help and about the importance of device security.

I can explore, play and communicate using digital technologies safely and securely. TCH 0-03

Online CLPL

The 2 part professional learning programme is for ELC sector practitioners based in ELC settings and practitioners working with early level learners in a school/afterschool/home setting IN SCOTLAND.

Each session is 60 minutes in duration. Sessions will be recorded.

Session 1 – Consume

23rd Feb 2026 3.30pm

Part 1 sign up

Session 2 – Create & Communicate

24th Feb 2026 3.30pm

Part 2 sign up

April 18, 2023

Tech for helping the planet. Tech She Can assembly recording.

Access an exciting Earth Day assembly recording from Tech She Can and explore how creative technology is solving problems and inventing useful tools to help the planet.

During this session recording, children will explore the role technology plays in helping us to protect our planet and fight climate change. They are also crucially introduced to a variety of green careers within tech that they could potentially pursue in the future.

You can access a recording from the session on 18.04.23 here.

This assembly is aimed at Second level learners but could still be enjoyed by younger and older learners with teacher support. There will be an open-ended and adaptable challenge activity at the end of the session.

Find out more about Tech Che Can with this link: TechSheCan website and you can also explore a variety of short animated lessons here Animated lessons – TechSheCan.

April 18, 2023

This is early level Digital CLPL

Welcome to the This is early level Digital range and spotlight sessions of CLPL.

This CLPL is for all ELC practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings in Scotland.

The examples of practice included in the session content will be ELC focused, however this session is for all practitioners working at early level across a variety of settings.

A Glow login is NOT required to join the sessions.

This is early level Digital ( a four-part programme and currently a RIC offer, please speak to your local authority digital lead to note your interest).

Spotlight on early level Digital: Transitions.

Spotlight on early level Digital: Outdoor Digital

This is early level CRIS (a three-part programme)

April 18, 2023

Spotlight on early level Digital: Outdoor Play

Join us with Mairi Ferris from Thrive Outdoors – Inspiring Scotland in this 60-minute online session, to explore how digital technology can be used effectively at early level to creatively support interactions, experiences and spaces within our outdoor environments. This webinar is for practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings in Scotland.

The session will include creative examples from practice, centered around Curriculum for Excellence early level Digital Literacy Experiences and Outcomes, to illustrate what learning with and through digital technology outdoors may look like across a variety of settings.

Creativity is about much more than expressive arts, it is the ability to wonder about things, to see them or use them differently. Creativity is vital for all learning. Think about the creativity involved in the everyday problems we face. Consider the pace of change in our world and how we need to ensure our children are equipped with the right skills for their future. The foundations are built from the child’s earliest years. Creativity is crucial within science, technology, engineering and mathematical learning (STEM). It is also essential to language and literacy development. Realising the ambition: Being Me (page 24)

We will also refer to National self-evaluation framework, How Good is Our Early Learning and Childcare Quality Indictor 3.3 Developing creativity and skills for life and learning (including digital skills), to help us identify strengths in the ways we are currently working and areas where we could do more to improve outcomes for children and their families.

We welcome you to familiarise yourself with Curriculum for Excellence early level Digital Literacy Experiences and Outcomes prior to joining us.

The examples of practice included in the session content will be ELC focused, however this session is for all practitioners working at early level across a variety of settings.

Glow login NOT required.

This session will be repeated five times throughout the year 23/24 with morning and twilight options.

April 18, 2023

Spotlight on early level Digital: Transition

Join us in this 60-minute online session to explore how digital technology can be used effectively at early level to support horizontal and vertical transitions within our ELC settings. This webinar is for all ELC practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings in Scotland.

Strong collaboration between practitioners, teachers and partners is also important in designing a continuous curriculum experience for babies and children as they journey from one phase of their education and care to another. Realising the ambition: Being Me (page 52).

How can we strengthen practitioner collaboration? What digital technology do we have access to that can help?

This session will focus on practical use of digital technology to capture the all-important child’s voice, ensuring transitions are meaningful to the child, supporting their social, emotional and mental wellbeing, and we will also focus on how digital technology can support the 5 Cs structure when intentionally planning your transition programme (child centered, communication, consistency, collaboration, culture). Realising the ambition: Being Me (page 96).

Part of the session will document examples of practice from current practitioners of where they are creatively using digital technology to support transitions within their settings.

We welcome you to familiarise yourself with How Good is Our ELC, Quality Indicator 2.6: Transitions (page 35) and Realising the ambition: Being Me Section 8: Transitions matter to me (page 89).

The examples of practice included in the session content will be ELC focused, however this session is for all practitioners working at early level across a variety of settings.

Glow login NOT required.

This session will be repeated five times throughout the year 23/24 with morning and twilight options.

Sign up via Eventbrite here.

April 18, 2023

This is Early Level Digital programme webinars

This four part programme is currently delivered as a RIC offer. Please note your interest to your local authority digital lead.

This CLPL programme is for all ELC practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings in Scotland.

In this four-part professional learning programme, explore and play along with us (the Digital Team at Education Scotland), to extend your knowledge of how early level learners can effectively learn with and through technology, linking to current guidance and policy (Realising the Ambition, Curriculum for Excellence, How Good Is Our Early Learning and Childcare).

In the first session, we explore examples of effective use of digital technology and the creative ways in which practitioners are harnessing digital technology to support intentional and responsive planning at the early level.

In session two, the programme will focus on Curriculum for Excellence early level Digital Literacy experiences and outcomes in more detail. You will be invited to look inwards at your own knowledge and skills and/or learning provision in your setting, to identify what is currently working well and where there is room for improvement.

In session three, the programme will focus on Curriculum for Excellence early level Computing Science experiences and outcomes in more detail, and we will ‘play a long’ together, exploring unplugged computational thinking and online computing science resources for early level learners. Again, in this session you will be invited to look inwards at your own knowledge and skills and/or learning provision in your setting, to identify what is currently working well and where there is room for improvement.

The fourth session will allow practitioners to share their journey and the impact this course is having on their professional learning and also on children’s experiences. Participants will be asked to share very a brief* presentation/video/sketch note/blog post, demonstrating how they have developed their effective use of digital technologies in their setting.

*A couple of minutes, guidance on structure will be provided.

The examples of practice included in the session content will be ELC focused, however this session is for all practitioners working at early level across a variety of settings.

This four part programme is currently delivered as a RIC offer. Please note your interest to your local authority digital lead.

March 7, 2023

21 March 4pm, An Introduction to Digital Citizenship with Common Sense Education webinar

An introduction to Digital Citizenship for Early Learning and Childcare and Primary Practitioners with Common Sense Education.

Prepare your learners for success as digital learners, leaders and citizens. In this 30 minute webinar, you’ll learn the six core concepts on digital citizenship and how you can integrate common sense’s progressive scheme of work into your classroom/playroom.

This webinar is suitable for Teachers, ELC Practitioners including Childminders and Caregivers for early to second level learners.

All resources shared are available for free from commonsense.org/education