Author: George Milliken

digital pencil case webinar 11 may 4pm

11 May 16:00, Developing Your Learners’ Digital ‘Pencil Case’

This professional learning will help teachers identify the Learning with Digital skills and knowledge of functional apps that learners will use to access, undertake and evidence learning. Having the skills and confidence to use these apps regularly will empower learners to apply this learning across other curricular areas.

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Digital Learner diagram (landscape)

 

Attendees will get an overview of the revised digital literacy planning support and its themes and focusing on the Learning with Digital theme. They will identify the digital literacy skills, and the corresponding apps, that they will require learners to use across the school year.

As a result teachers will have a clear picture of the skills they will require learners to have, examples of planning and resources for teaching these skills and then be able to embed these across the curriculum.

15 December 15:45, Private and Personal Information with Maddie is Online

As part of this free online session, Maria Bell from Mesomorphic will offer an overview of the 5th and final theme of our new series of “Maddie is Online: ethics of online safety and security” on “Private and Personal Information”. We are going to review Series 5 ‘Maddie is Online’ toolkit, pp. 65-79. The toolkit for series 4 can be found here. You can also download it as PDF. Please have the toolkit open for the session.

The concepts that will be explored include ethical considerations regarding:

  • The benefits and the potential risks of sharing personal information online addressing ethical considerations.
  • Collecting and/or sharing data about users with or without their knowledge or awareness.
  • Protecting passwords. The benefits of two factor and biometric authentication.
  • Choices and strategies to control the personal data that online services hold. Whose responsibility is it?
  • What to do if your passwords get hacked. Educating ourselves and others.

We have created two imaginative stories for that theme and one of them is titled ‘Dinner for three’. The other story is attached below.

Michael was issued with a school dinner card that needs to be topped up with money online. One day a friend of Michael asks for the card because they have forgotten their own lunch and have no money with them to buy lunch at school. Michael is happy to share his card and give his pin access number.

A few days later, however, the friend returns to Michael to say that the card was lost. Michael and his friend discuss the importance of keeping personal information private. Was it right for Michael to give his card and pin? Or should he had just ignored that his friend was hungry and offered no help? Was there anything that Michael or his friend could have done to protect their personal information or keep their personal information private?

Join us for this session to discuss what would be best for Michael and his friend, thinking about the ethics of online safety!

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About the work

“Maddie is Online: a creative learning path to ethics of online safety and security for young people” is a project funded by the Scottish Government and supported by Digital Xtra Fund.

Our purpose is to engage schools with the concepts of an Ethical Digital Nation:

“Growing as an ethical digital nation and developing trust in the way we use data and apply digital technology is a collective responsibility” (Scottish Government Ethical Digital Nation).

Why focus on ethics?

Children and young people can benefit from a greater exposure to online ideas, opportunities for learning, creativity and connectivity, but there are also causes for concern, abound in modern discussions of data ethics: they are equally vulnerable to the pitfalls and harms that can befall anyone, who is unfamiliar with safeguarding their own rights.

You can also find other previous projects via the ‘Maddie is Online’ bookshelf.

12 December 16:00, **COMPETITION** Me, Myself and AI: How does artificial intelligence impact your life **COMPETITION**

The Scottish AI Alliance have recently launched their first-ever competition for schools and are looking for schools to take part!

The Scottish AI Alliance is a partnership between The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data science & AI, and The Scottish Government. They are tasked with the delivery of Scotland’s AI Strategy.

Scotland’s future lies with children and young people and they believe it is fundamental to include their voices in creating a better awareness of what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is and shaping AI’s future in Scotland.

It is in this spirit that they have launched ‘Me, Myself & AI’ – a competition where children and young people are challenged to investigate how AI impacts their lives and share their findings for a chance to win prizes for their class. Any output from the investigation, as long as it can be displayed on a screen, will be considered by the panel of judges. The grand prize is a class visit from their competition partners, The National Robotarium!

With competition categories for P5-P7, S1-S4, and S4+, they would love to see submissions from across the year groups and across subjects. They are happy to talk to teachers to explore how we can best support their taking part but have also prepared a Teacher Pack with background information on what AI is, how it is used and how to investigate further.

 

You can register & find the Teacher Pack using this link: https://www.scottishai.com/schools-competition

Or get in contact with them via aialliance@thedatalab.com

The competition is open until Friday 24 February. We hope you have fun investigating, and can’t wait to see the creative responses to “How does AI impact your life?”

Scottish AI Alliance (@Scottish_AI) / Twitter

Additional Teaching Qualification in Computing Studies CPD Award (2023) at University of Highlands and Islands

The course is designed to allow you to teach computing within secondary schools as it has the required numbers of credits stated by the GTCS. The programme is designed to be a roll on roll off programme as each of the units are separate although designed to encompass what is involved in the computing curriculum by the end of the course.

The module, Web Design and Development will be delivered over 14 weeks and the semester will start week beginning 23rd January 2023 with an online induction and initial lecture.

The courses are open to any teachers with the relevant entry qualifications (degree and existing teaching qualification) who have an interest in computing or cyber security.

There is normally a weekly lecture and support session that lasts for approx. an hour, or more if required, with further e mail support available. The sessions are certainly beneficial as they allow you to ask questions there and then. However, the course is designed to be taught when is convenient for all the students and all lectures and tutorial session are recorded for viewing at your leisure.

There is only one module delivered each semester with no time off required during the school day. The lectures are recorded for students unable to attend in person. All activity is carried out online the majority of which happens asynchronously. The modules have a notional 200 hours per module over the semester. It would depend on your previous experience on whether you needed all that time. If you were able to set aside a day at the weekend or a couple of evenings for study, you would not be far off what is required for achieving the award.

To gain accreditation with the GTCS you need to teach a certain number of hours in computing, and you would need to discuss that with your local head teacher, as we only provide the academic requirement. This equates to 0.42 teaching or 100 teaching days.

The price is £215 per module, and this can be paid on a module-by-module basis. As the modules are 20 credits each if you were to do two in an academic year you may be eligible for SAAS funding. It is suggested contacting SAAS directly if you are planning to start next semester and confirm whether you would be eligible for funding.

 

You can apply through the university web site located using this link or searching for the Additional Teaching Qualification in Computing Studies CPD award at https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/ under courses.

Please get in touch if you have any further questions with this email: Gordon.macpherson.ic@uhi.ac.uk

Introduction to Cyber Security for Teachers (2023) at University of the Highlands and Islands – Funded places available

The CPD award Introduction to Cyber Security was created for ALL primary and secondary teachers and designed to give background knowledge and understanding related to teaching basic cybersecurity and configuring an environment suitable for cybersecurity education.

The module allows you to get a basic practical understanding of cybersecurity and cyber resilience and the relationship between these two areas of security. This will enable you to have the awareness and confidence to support pupils and create practical activities and content. The module content is levelled at SCQF 7 however is appropriate for teachers delivering to BOTH primary and secondary pupils.

The module will be delivered over 14 weeks and the semester will start week beginning 23rd January 2023 with an online induction and initial lecture.

With the support of Education Scotland, we have funding for teachers to enrol on the module. The usual cost of the module would be £215. It is recommended you apply as soon as possible as the funding will be allocated on date of application.

The courses are open to any teacher with the relevant entry qualifications (degree and existing teaching qualification) who have an interest in computing or cyber security.

There is normally a weekly lecture and support session that lasts for approx. an hour, or more if required, with further e mail support available. The sessions are certainly beneficial as they allow you to ask questions there and then.

However, the course is designed to be taught when is convenient for all the students and all lectures and tutorial session are recorded for viewing at your leisure.

No time off will be required during the school day. The lectures are recorded for students unable to attend in person. All activity is carried out online the majority of which happens asynchronously. The modules have a notional 200 hours per module over the semester. It would depend on your previous experience on whether you needed all that time. If you were able to set aside a day at the weekend or a couple of evenings for study, you would not be far off what is required for achieving the award.

 

You can apply for the course with this link: https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/courses/cpd-award-introduction-to-cyber-security/
Please get in touch if you have any further questions using this email: Gordon.macpherson.ic@uhi.ac.uk

The CPD Award in Computing Studies for Teachers (2023) at The University of the Highlands and Islands

The CPD award in Computing Studies for teachers was created for primary teachers and secondary teachers for 1st and 2nd year pupils to give the confidence and skills to teach computing to pupils. More than 50% of our current cohort are primary school teachers. The course is open to any teacher with the relevant entry qualifications (degree and existing teaching qualification) who have an interest in computing or cyber security.

There is normally a weekly lecture and support session that lasts for approx. an hour, or more if required, with further e mail support available. The sessions are certainly beneficial as they allow you to ask questions there and then.

However, the course is designed to be taught when is convenient for all the students and all lectures and tutorial session are recorded for viewing at your leisure.

There is only one module delivered each semester with no time off required during the school day. The lectures are recorded for students unable to attend in person. All activity is carried out online the majority of which happens asynchronously. The modules have a notional 200 hours per module over the semester. It would depend on your previous experience on whether you needed all that time. If you were able to set aside a day at the weekend or a couple of evenings for study, you would not be far off what is required for achieving the award.

The course will be starting either week beginning 23rd January 2023 or 4th September 2023 dependant on applications, with the next module being the Database and Computer Systems module which will be delivered over 14 weeks.

You can apply to join the course with this link or searching for the Computing Studies for Teachers CPD award at https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/ under courses.

The price is £215 per module, and this can be paid on a module-by-module basis. As the modules are 20 credits each if you were to do two in an academic year you may be eligible for SAAS funding. It is suggested contacting SAAS directly if you are planning to start next semester and confirm whether you would be eligible for funding.

The course does not carry any GTCS accreditation.

The programme leader, Gordon Macpherson, can be contacted on email with this link: gordon.macpherson.ic@uhi.ac.uk

Digital Xtra Fund – find out more webinar recording

YouTube player

 

The core objective of Digital Xtra Fund is to inspire young people to learn digital technologies skills through high quality, exciting extracurricular activities, thus expanding the talent pipeline of young people who study technology related disciplines and ultimately pursue a career in digital technologies.

Watch this webinar with the team from Digital Xtra Fund to know why there is a Digital Xtra Fund, get some insights about the application process and how to apply. Find out what can you use the funding for, and more importantly what can and cannot be funded.

 

 

 

Digital Xtra Fund

The goal of Digital Xtra Fund is for every young person in Scotland to have access to innovative and digitally creative activities regardless of their gender, background, or where they live. Through supported initiatives, the Fund aims to inspire young people to understand and create with technology, not simply use it. Schools and educational organisations positively engaging young people in tech can apply for up to £5,000 to support an extracurricular activity which focusses on digital tech, especially initiatives that also provide opportunities for young people to informally engage with industry and learn more about how digital skills and tech are relevant in the ‘real-world’.

Find out more about Digital Xtra Fund with this link: https://www.digitalxtrafund.scot/

Since its inception in 2016, Digital Xtra Fund has awarded £875,000 in grants to 137 exciting and meaningful extracurricular computing and digital technologies initiatives across Scotland. This funding has helped grant recipients engage nearly 45,000 young people in tech. For the current academic year, Digital Xtra Fund has recently awarded 35 grants to schools and educational organisations which are projected to engage another 7,500 young people (including 3,800 girls and young women) and show them the breadth of opportunities these skills can provide.
View the 20/21 impact report with this link: https://www.digitalxtrafund.scot/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Digital-Xtra-Fund-2020.21-Impact-Report.pdf

Applications for next round of grant awards (Round VIII) will open in January 2023 for activities delivered during the 2023/24 academic year. However, now is the perfect time to think about what you would do with the funding and who you could work with to better engage more young people!

Find out more about the latest recipients and their projects using this link: Digital Xtra Fund awards 35 grants to drive digital skills.

Please follow Digital Xtra Fund on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for future updates.

Quick Links for Digital Xtra Fund

Digital Xtra Fund website

20/21 impact report

Round VII (2022/2023) initiatives supported by Digital Xtra Fund