Category Archives: BtC5

Assessment, BtC5, CfE, Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Moderation, Primary, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Supporting Learners, Technologies

Online learning spaces – the Learning Experience space

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This is the second post in a series which describes some of our work on ‘content-free’ templates for educators and learners to use in CfE  learning.

learnex_logo3This space is on Glow O365, so it is best to log into Glow (eg on the Learning Spaces Community) before you explore the links below

What’s the thinking behind the Learning Experience space?

This space helps learners and educators co-create a learning experience starting from a bundle of Experiences and Outcomes.

It follows closely the approached offered by the NAR flowchart. In fact, there is a behind the scenes planner which may reduce some of the workload associated with some other methods of planning learning.

Nar flowchart

​​What does it do?

For the learner, they can be involved in devising learning intentions and success criteria, talking about their learning, showcasing learning and getting support when needed.

For the teacher, it makes the planning and delivery of a BGE learning experience a wee bit easier.

How do I get it?

The Learning Space template is on Glow O365 and is available to any member of staff from their school site. See How to create a Learning Experience Space for more details

Summary of support available

See also Online learning spaces – the Class Space

Assessment, BtC5, CfE, Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Literacy, Literacy and English, Mathematics, Moderation, Modern Languages, NAR, Outdoor Learning, Profiles, Profiling, Religious and Moral Education, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Supporting Learners, Technologies

Taking a closer look at the National Assessment Resource: A professional learning resource

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Education Scotland have recently developed this professional learning resource.  It provides an opportunity to reflect on effective practice in learning, teaching and assessment, drawing on the work published on the National Assessment Resource (NAR).  It also provides a structured look at the NAR flow chart as a tool for planning effective learning, teaching, moderation and assessment.

The resource can be used by individual practitioners keen to reflect and improve on their assessment practice as well as pairs, groups of practitioners, associated school groups (ASGs) or clusters working collegiately to reflect on and improve practice.

It is available to download from the Education Scotland website and welcome section on NAR.  There will be a Glow meet on Wednesday the 13th of February at 8:20am and Thursday the 14th at 4:15pm to explore the resource further.

Assessment, BtC5, CfE, Expressive Arts, Moderation, NAR, Profiles, Profiling, Sciences

Assessment Professional Learning Community on Glow

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The assessment team at Education Scotland are developing a professional learning community on Glow, in collaboration with practitioners across Scotland.

There are a number of opportunities in our Learn area, including a suite of Glow meets from January to March 2013:

Date           Time                 Title

24.1.13      3:45 – 4:10    What is NAR?
29.1.13      8:20 – 8:45   The Moderation Process
31.1.13      3:45 – 4:10    The Moderation Process
06.2.13      8:20 – 8:45    Making Good Assessment Decisions
07.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    Making Good Assessment Decisions
13.2.13      8:20– 8:45     NAR professional learning resource
14.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    NAR professional learning resource
20.2.13      8:20 – 8:45    Profiling
21.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    Profiling
6.3.13        8:20 – 8:45    Glow to support assessment
7.3.13        3:45 – 4:10    Glow to support assessment

In the Share area, we continue to add a number of key power points which staff can use to explore the ideas in Building the Curriculum 5, including the ’10 key assessment messages’ and ‘What is NAR?’
You can always get help in our Support area and in the Change area you can add an intention of what you are going to do to improve assessment in the classroom, the wider school community, across the local authority or inter-authority.

I hope you will take the time to sign up and spread the word! And of course you are more than welcome to join us for the Glow meets and watch any you missed here: http://bit.ly/Teondr

Assessment, BtC5, Moderation

Moderation Innovation Summit 31.8.12

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As part of Education Scotland’s on-going commitment to moderation, practitioners from across the country gathered in Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline for an Innovation Summit. The focus was on celebrating and sharing the good practice of the participants, all of whom had developed moderation projects of differing sizes which have now been successfully exemplified on the National Assessment Resource.

A highlight of the day was the presentation by Douglas Brown and Chris Morris from Glasgow who gave an excellent insight into how they worked with five other Glasgow secondary schools to develop a moderation CPD resource for use in departments. It was clear that their bright spot of good practice was extending across the city. There was high demand for the ‘little white book’ of moderation they had produced.

Sheila Quigley PTC at West Calder High School, who is recently seconded from her role to join the assessment team shared how her cluster took one Health and Well-being E&O and moderated the evidence of learning, looking closely at progression. The richness of the evidence gathered was inspiring.

Another highlight of the day was the Marketplace where the moderation projects were on display, facilitating a buzz of professional dialogue. George Sinclair, previously Head of Service in Moray and now Senior Education Officer and National Coordinator for Assessment, QA, and Moderation rounded the event up in the Marketplace. Having given a very clear and concise presentation on moderation earlier in the day, George left the participants inspired to build on the projects and embed the moderation good practice between classrooms, schools, clusters, local authorities and beyond.

All presentations from the day have been uploaded onto the Glow assessment section in the ‘events’ tab, where there are many good presentations and resources at your disposal.

Assessment, BtC5, CfE, CLD, MCMC/16+LC, Senior Phase, Young people, children & families

Get to Know the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Scotland Seminar

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Wednesday 14 November 2012

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is holding a seminar on Wednesday 14 November from 5pm to 7pm at their offices at Rosebery House in Edinburgh. The aim of this seminar is to:

  • Provide an overview of the charities structure and work;
  • List current partner organisations that are delivering DofE;
  • Provide an overview of the DofE programme and it’s uses in different settings;
  • Look at how the DofE is delivering on local and national outcomes;
  • Look at opportunities to deliver the DofE as a licensed organisation.

This FREE event is aimed at anyone with an interest in delivering the DofE whether that be a practitioner, manager or volunteer.

Contact: Sarah Hayden at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, phone: 0131 343 0920  e-mail

BtC5, CfE, CLD, Early Years, Responsibility of All

Skills in Practice

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Education Scotland has recently published a practical guide to support the development of the key messages surrounding Building the Curriculum 4: Skills for Learning, Life and Work. It will provide teachers and other practitioners with support to help them ensure that skills development is an integral part of learning throughout the Broad General Education stage of Curriculum for Excellence.

 

Highlights include:

  • Examples of innovative practice from a variety of educational establishments
  • Short film clips providing practitioner, employer, parent and learner perspectives on skills
  • Downloadable CPD activities to support practitioners to reflect and develop their practice
  • A focus on developing thinking skills with activities and film insights with Keir Bloomer (Chair of the Higher Order Skills Excellence Group)
  • Activities exploring planning and progression in skills through the Experiences and Outcomes
  • Links to a range of GLOW resources including Watch Again GLOW Meets

 

Find the Skills in Practice resource here on the Education Scotland website:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/s/skillsinpractice/introduction.asp?strReferringChannel=educationscotland&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-615801-64

Assessment, BtC5, Moderation, Profiles, Profiling

EA Assessment Forum

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Education Authority Assessment Coordinators gathered yesterday for the EA Assessment Forum in the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow.  A range of presentations and workshops generated discussion, as the experience and insight of Assessment Coordinators from across the country was shared.  Presentations from the event can be found on the National Assessment Glow Group.

BtC5, CfE, CLD, Young people, children & families

Dynamic Youth Awards now credit rated on the SCQF by SQA

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 Dynamic Youth Awards provide a peer-assessed approach to recognising non-formal learning for young people aged 10 – 14.

The Awards recognise young people’s involvement in any activity that they choose to participate in, and have included helping out at youth groups, peer education initiatives, buddying schemes and community arts projects.

Dynamic Youth Awards are now credit rated on the SCQF at Level 3, which is comparable to Foundation Standard Grade or the new Access 3 Qualification. Dynamic Youth Awards range from a One Star Award to a Five Star Award. Each of these star ratings have different amounts of credit points attached to them, to allow recognition of the amount of learning required of the young person to achieve each award.For more information about Dynamic Youth Awards credit points, click here. 

The additional currency that SCQF credit rating brings will also support the use of Dynamic Youth Awards to recognise, profile and report on achievement, delivering a key priority of Curriculum for Excellence.

Steven Greig, Youth Scotland Youth Work Manager said:

“Young people have gained Dynamic Youth Awards for their involvement in a range of fantastic projects that support their learning. The fact that the Awards are now SCQF credit rated by SQA adds currency to the high standard of delivery from Award Group Workers, as well as paying testament to the achievements of young people themselves. We are delighted that young people will now be able to see directly how their Dynamic Youth Awards compare with more formal qualifications, such as those gained at school.”

Shanagh, a young person from Perth and Kinross Youth Council said:

“At last! After doing so many of these awards myself, it’s great to see they are getting the formal recognition that young people deserve.”

The process of credit rating the Awards has involved an ongoing partnership between Youth Scotland, SQA and the Award Groups currently delivering the Awards. Youth Scotland is also grateful to Craig Green, Information and Learning Services Manager at John Wheatley College, for his partnership support in developing the Award’s learning outcomes.

Assessment, BtC5, Moderation, NAR, Profiling, Religious and Moral Education, Religious Education in Roman Catholic schools, RME

Planning for Learning, Teaching and Assessment in RME

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A new resource has been developed to support practitioners in planning for effective learning, teaching and assessment in RME. This resource takes you through the process of unpacking the Es and Os to gathering evidence. There are tasks for staff to undertake and help develop your thinking. There is also an interactive powerpoint presentation and templates for you to use. The resource can be found by clicking here.

Assessment, BtC5, NAR, Profiling

New Case Studies Published on NAR

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Education Scotland has worked with a range of establishments to publish new case studies on the National Assessment Resource (NAR). These case studies focus on the process of recognising achievement, profiling and reporting.

All of Scotland’s local authorities were involved in developing these materials, which reflect the local flexibility that schools and local authorities have in developing their processes, in line with the guidance provided by Building the Curriculum 5. The materials cover the early years, primary, secondary and ASN sectors and all have been through a national quality assurance and moderation process.

Support materials are available to help practitioners find their way around NAR and include videos of teachers and headteachers talking about their experiences of NAR, step-by-step video guides on how to get the most from using NAR, and a downloadable User manual and poster.

On NAR, and on the Education Scotland website, you will find information on assessment, quality assurance and moderation, all of which are integral to planning learning and teaching.

You can access these new case studies by focus by selecting ‘Aspects of Assessment’ under ‘Browse’ within NAR. You will need to login to NAR with your Glow login or through SQA Connect.

Assessment, BtC5, CfE, CLD, Moderation, NAR, National Qualifications, Profiles, Profiling, Senior Phase, Young people, children & families

Award in Volunteering Skills

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The Award in Volunteering Skills at SCQF Levels 3, 4 and 5 provides formal recognition of volunteering activity. Through participation in volunteering activities, candidates will develop a range of skills and personal development experiences which will help to prepare them for responsibility, further education and employment.

Candidates learn about the context of volunteering; plan a volunteering placement; review and reflect on their own skills and volunteering experience; and complete an investigative project.

More information is available here.

Assessment, BtC5, Moderation

Falkirk Council – Agreeing Standards INSET

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Falkirk Council have uploaded moderation CPD material from a recent INSET to the National Assessment Glow Group.  The Primary and Secondary material contains a short introductory interview with Carol Paton, Curriculum Support Officer at Falkirk Council: http://glo.li/uMUqCX