Category: Leadership

Digital Evidencing of Self-Evaluation in Tweedbank Primary School ELC.

Tweedbank Primary ELC was one of the first ELC settings to be awarded with the new DSAS Digital Learning Through Play Award in ELC, earlier this year. In this blog post, Early Years Officer Amy Simpson shares a practice highlight on the whole team approach to digitally evidencing key identified areas for improvement, at Tweedbank Primary ELC.

 

Our aim is to ensure self-evaluation is an ongoing, enjoyable and collaborative process.

Previously, we used a physical floorbook to document our self-evaluation, using HGIOELC and Care Inspectorates Quality Framework.

We used this alongside our Nursery Improvement Plan to focus on key areas of development.

To improve this model, we created a Padlet space to allow all staff to to input into self-evaluation evidence into key identified areas of improvement.

This is done in real-time and allows for staff to upload in the moment, and reflect collaboratively at protected self-evaluation time.

From moderating this approach, the quality of input has improved massively with the different media options available and staff being able to upload not only text (like a physical book), but photos, videos, voice notes… and even GIFs!

Our next steps for improvement are to include pupil and parent voice within this evidence to reflect the full settings input.

Padlet example

Each member of staff can access the Padlet via a shortcut on their iPads and add evidence below each identified area for improvement on an ongoing basis. As highlighted by Amy, the Padlet updates in real time, making the contributions of others instantly visible and the quality of evidence has improved with the variety of media formats available.

This blog post was submitted by Amy Simpson, Early Years Officer, Tweedbank Primary School ELC, Scottish Borders, November 2024.

Amy and the ELC Team at Tweedbank can be contacted at gw19simpsonamy@glow.sch.uk   /  TweedbankPS@scotborders.gov.uk

 

Scottish Borders Council Context.

Inspire Learning is SBC’s Digital Learning Transformation Programme and has to date delivered an Apple iPad to every teacher, ELC practitioner and every P4 to S6 pupil across all Borders schools, as well as class sets of shared iPads for the use of every P1 to P3 pupil and Early Years. The programme continues to support teachers in the best use of the technology in the classroom and is committed to achieving a uniquely high digital skills and education baseline for all Borders teachers through an extensive, bespoke package of professional learning and development.

Practitioners in SBC access Padlet via the free single sign on version in Glow. Your organisation or local authority may not use Padlet and instead use an alternative tool.  Please remember to check with your organisation or local authority digital lead before exploring new apps and platforms to ensure GDPR compliance. 

 

School leader holding laptop

Developing Your Digital Strategy (part of Evolving Digital Thinking)

If the dates offered here are unsuitable, get in touch and request another and we’ll see what we can do to accommodate view EDT sessions with this link.

An in-person workshop designed to help your setting develop and improve its use of digital.

This half-day workshop can be delivered to a cluster of schools or a local authority.

Attendees will:

  • define their aim
  • create a short vision statement
  • plan a strategy to evaluate, develop and measure the improvement of digital skills across their school

This strategy will align with the Digital Schools Award (Scotland) (DSAS) and the newly-created Digital Educator Award (Scotland) (DEAS) and is ideal for schools who have DSAS and want to refresh their approaches or for schools aiming to get the award.

Attendees will leave with solid plans, targets and ongoing support from the Education Scotland digital skill team.

Sign up with this link. https://forms.office.com/e/AFQwY6Ux5N 

iPad showing a cool leader qualities

05 December 16:00, The Future of Digital in Scottish Education with Maureen McKenna, former Executive Director of Education, Glasgow City Council

Education Scotland are hosting 3 highlight sessions focusing on ‘The Future of Digital in Scottish Education’.  Each of these sessions will include an input from a key figure in Scottish Education followed by a short question and answer session.

Sign up for THIS SESSION with Maureen McKenna using this link to Evenbrite

If you would like to ask a question at any of these sessions, please complete the registration form using this link Registration Form

(If you have any issues using the form, please contact kirsty.mcfaul@educationscotland.gov.scot)

The Future of Digital in Scottish Education with Professor Ken Muir, the University of the West of Scotland

Education Scotland recently hosted three highlight sessions focusing on ‘The Future of Digital in Scottish Education’. In this video Professor Ken Muir, The University of the West of Scotland, explores:

  • the generational shift and the increasing use of digital amongst young people
  • the skills and technologies of the future and what this means for learning and work
  • the Scottish curriculum
  • noteworthy innovative projects
  • future developments, such as AI

 

You can view Professor Ken Muir’s slides with this link Slides for digital presentation.pptx (dropbox.com)

 

YOU CAN NOW LISTEN TO AN AUDIO ONLY VERSION OF THE CALL

YouTube player

The Future of Digital in Scottish Education with Ollie Bray, Strategic Director Education Scotland

Education Scotland recently hosted three highlight sessions focusing on ‘The Future of Digital in Scottish Education’. In this video Ollie Bray, strategic director at Education Scotland, explores:

  • the future
  • ‘shiny’ v appropriate
  • COVID
  • technology in learning
  • building strong digital communities
  • practical pedagogies
  • our digital landscape

YOU CAN NOW LISTEN TO AN AUDIO ONLY VERSION OF THE CALL

YouTube player

Digital Thinking

The programme is structured to support digital leaders at all levels to reflect on current and emerging practice and consider the nature and purpose of digital learning and teaching. Participants will be encouraged to examine and discuss the themes of

  • developing self regulated digital learners
  • opportunities for curriculum change and flexibility
  • enhancing a digitally enabled learning environment

The programme is primarily facilitated online. There will be series of online presentations, discussions and readings, along with problem finding activities around each theme. Groups of participants will collectively use their knowledge to identify potential solutions and ideas to address these issues.

The collective outputs from the sessions will be shared nationally.

This programme may be of particular interest to groups of participants from the same setting, for example school working groups.  Individual participants are welcome to invite colleagues to particular sessions that may be of interest.

This is not a programme based on digital skills development, but the application and use of digital skills to enhance learning and teaching.  As such, this programme is best suited to practitioners and leaders who are confident users of learning technologies or have an understanding of how technology can support/enhance learning and learning environments.

There will be a short information session about the programme on 26th August at 4pm.

Register for the information session on 26th August 2021, 4pm

 

 

Term 1: Developing self regulated digital learners

Dates: 30 August 2021 – 4th October 2021, weekly meetings

 

Term 2: Exploring curriculum and flexibility 

Dates: 25th October 2021 – 29th November, weekly meetings

 

Term 3: Enhancing a digitally enabled learning environment

Dates: 24th January 2022 – 24th March 2022, weekly meetings