Author: George Milliken

Additional Teaching Qualification in Computing Studies CPD Award

Additional Teaching Qualification in Computing Studies CPD Award

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, Computer Systems will be delivered over 14 weeks and the semester will start Week beginning 29th August 2022 with an online induction, with the course commencing week beginning 5th September 2022.

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 HERE 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

 

Gordon.macpherson.ic@uhi.ac.uk

Introduction to Cyber Security for Teachers

Introduction to Cyber Security for Teachers – Funded places available!

The CPD award Introduction to Cyber Security, jointly funded by Education Scotland, 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 29th August 2022 with an online induction with the course commencing week beginning 5th September 2022.

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:

Gordon.macpherson.ic@uhi.ac.uk

Save the Pacific Northwest tree octopus activity

Welcome

We want to alert you to our very important activity this week: we want the learners of Scotland to help us save the Pacific Northwest tree octopus!

 
This website has lots of great info about the octopus and ways for you to help it:

Octopus website

 

Once you’ve read a bit more about the octopus – have a think about how you could use your digital literacy skills to find out more about it and use this info to create some posters, slides and websites to raise awareness of the octopus’ plight and help save it!

tree octopus

Let’s get started!

Wait a minute, though… tree octopus?

Before you go making any resources we want you to check some things:

  • Who created the page and wrote the information?
  • Does it have pictures or video that show you the tree octopus?
  • Are there links to other sites about the octopus?

     

  • See inside the page

What next?

Hopefully, you spotted the clues that the tree octopus isn’t real pretty quickly and pointed this out to your teacher!

We think that by learning some of the skills used to make the fake info on this website, you’ll be better prepared to spot other info like this and know how to check it for accuracy.

We want you to create your own fake animal awareness campaign. You’ll need to think of an animal and then imagine it living in a biome, or habitat, that isn’t it’s natural home… like a mountain-dwelling narwhal or Arctic elephant!
Then you’ll need some facts that sound believable, even though they’re not true – so things like what your imaginary animal eats, where it sleeps and how big it is.

Finally, you’ll create some online content, maybe using slides, websites, blogs or even a video.

You can share these with us on twitter: @DigiLearnScot

Activity 1 – fact finding and note making

  • Use your web browser to find out three (or more) facts about an animal
  • Then pick a biome it wouldn’t normally live in and find out three facts about that place and how animals normally survive there
  • Make notes of this info as you go – it’ll come in handy later

 

teachers might want to use some of these ideas to expand upon the features of fake news and unreliable sources:
Digital Media Literacy: The Blur Between Facts and Opinions in the Media (gcfglobal.org)

Digital Media Literacy: What is Fake News? (gcfglobal.org)

Activity 2 – photo manipulation

The photos on the octopus site were faked and so are many other photos online and in newspapers and magazines too. 
Read this page to find out more about manipulated photos

You don’t need fancy software to edit photos, here are some tips:
PowerPoint – remove background
Keynote – instant alpha

  • Start with a background photo of the place your imaginary animal is going to live – add it to your app
  • Then add the photo of your animal
  • Now, use either the remove background in PowerPoint or instant alpha in Keynote, for example, to cut out any background on your animal picture
  • It should now look like your animal lives in the place you have as the background

Here’s my mountain-dwelling narwhal from earlier:

Activity 3 – making fake news

You now have an imaginary animal, some facts about it and a photo proving its existence – now all you need to do is put it together and share it with the world to convince them of it’s existence!

You could have a look at these:
https://www.beano.com/games/random-animal-mash-up 
https://switchzoo.com/newzoo/zoo.htm 

There are lots of great tools for creating and sharing content online, here are just some of them:
Sway

Glow blogs

Slides

Sites

We can’t wait to see your fake news imaginary animals on twitter!

ALL CREDIT FOR THE OCTOPUS CONTENT TO THE SITE’S OWNER: Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus (zapatopi.net)

Teacher Leadership Enquiry Posters about digital assessment and feedback

TLP enquiry posters for assessment and feedback

These posts have been selected from the PLL TLP as they focus on assessment, feedback and tracking. You can view the original images on the TLP flickr site by clicking on them. All credit to the post authors.

Interested in participating in the PLL Teacher Leader Programme?

Find out more

Teacher Leadership Enquiry Posters about digital learning

TLP enquiry posters for learning

Teacher Leadership Enquiry Posters about digital teaching

TLP enquiry posters for teaching

These posts have been selected from the PLL TLP as they focus on teacher knowledge and skills (pedagogy). You can view the original images on the TLP flickr site by clicking on them. All credit to the post authors.

Interested in participating in the PLL Teacher Leader Programme?

Find out more

Teacher Leadership Enquiry Posters about digital planning

TLP enquiry posters for planning

These posts have been selected from the PLL TLP as they focus on planning, device/platform provision and family engagement. You can view the original images on the TLP flickr site by clicking on them. All credit to the post authors.

Interested in participating in the PLL Teacher Leader Programme?

Find out more

planning and resourcing learning clpl

This is Digital CLPL programme: planning and resourcing learning

Reading and watching

This episode of CLPL focuses on the elements to consider when planning and resourcing lessons with digital. 

  • How does digital make learning more accessible
  • Using the SAMR model to make learning more relevant and engaging
  • How dual coding resources and learning content can make learning more effective

Accessibility

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) states that:

  • A child with a disability has the right to live a full and decent life with dignity and, as far
    as possible, independence and to play an active part in the community. (Article 23)
  • Every child has the right to an education. (Article 28)
  • Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. (Article 29)

 

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SAMR

SAMR (substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition) was developed by Dr R. Puentedura, following research into how the use of digital technology was transforming classroom-based teaching and learning (JISC, 2022)

The SAMR Model: Effective Technology Integration in Classrooms

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Dual coding

Dual Coding is an excellent strategy that learners can employ to aid learning and revision, however, practitioners can employ the same strategy when developing materials for learners.

dual coding

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Discussion points

To enable more effective and meaningful discussions during the webinar, please consider your thoughts on these points beforehand:

  • Is it worth the time to make learning more accessible or engaging?
  • How long do you typically spend looking for resources online? Is it time well spent?
  • What skills do your learners need to access digital tools, such as accessibility ones?

delivering learning clpl

This is Digital CLPL programme: delivering learning

Reading and watching

This episode of CLPL focuses on the elements to consider when designing and delivering lessons with digital. 

Creativity

These documents are central to embedding creativity in Scottish edcuation:

And this is internationally-recognised:

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HOTS

Digital should enhance the learning (this may require new modes as explored in episode 2 with SAMR) and central to that is digital’s power to make learning more personalised to the individual learner and enabling them to make realistic products that can be shared with a relevant audience.

Blooms Taxonomy Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching

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Discussion points

To enable more effective and meaningful discussions during the webinar, please consider your thoughts on these points beforehand:

  • How can we be more creative in the class?
  • How does this affect our learners?
  • How can digital support our learners be more independent?

Using flipped learning approaches can develop learners skills, knowledge and confidence – enabling them to make more informed decisions over how they learn. The use of digital platforms can also enable learners with particular learning needs or preferences, particularly around literacy.

Digital platforms make it easier to share instructions, content (such as videos), and activities with learners – complementing, or even replacing, existing paper-based systems, such as jotters and worksheets. Using digital platforms for learning enable us to create video tutorials that can be viewed by learners before attending lessons, allowing them to start with prior knowledge, and also to revisit any ideas they were unclear about, at a later time.

Flipped Learning – DigiLearn (glowscotland.org.uk)

learner at computer