Tag Archives: Creativity

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Technologies

South Ayrshire cook off

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Councillor Hywel Davies, Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder said: “These young people showed exceptional talent in the kitchen when they took part in the competition.

“South Ayrshire is known for great hospitality and wonderful places for residents and tourists to eat. Tourism plays a huge part in sustaining our local economy and ensuring we have outstanding people who can create new dishes, put a modern twist on traditional ones and cater for all tastes in future years is very important.

“The competition called for the students to use literacy and numeracy skills combined with their flair and talent for culinary creation.

“Cooking is a skill that will stay with these young people for life, whether they become professional caterers or enter another profession, the knowledge they have gained will be of great use to them.”

To read more click here.

CfE, Expressive Arts

2012: An exciting year for Creativity in Education

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Not only is 2012 Scotland’s Year of Creative Scotland, but it will also be the first year of the United Nations/UNESCO endorsed International Week of Arts Education – the fourth week of May.

Let your colleagues know about the Creativity Newsfeeds from the Creativity Portal to ensure they keep up to date with the news and opportunities that will develop around these two initiatives. You can find full details on them and links to subscribe on the following post here in the Education Scotland Learning Blog.

Happy New Year!

Health and wellbeing, Technologies

Kitchenary!

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Students with an eye for design have the chance to grab a prize – by producing a logo for a logo for Scotland’s National Food and Drink Conference.  The winning logo will be printed on shopping bags and promotional material for the March conference.  And the winning student will receive £300 – with £100 each for two runners-up. 

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

“Scotland produces some of the world’s finest food and drink and the National Food and Drink Conference is a great opporutnity to highlight what we have to offer.

“This competition is a great opporutnity for young people to get involved in something which directly links food and learning.  Food and health has such a central place in Health and Wellbeing within Curriculum for Excellence – which takes a much wider approach across the whole schoolf rom 3 to 18 years.

“Through this competition, students will have the chance to showcase their creativity whilst helping us showcase our world class larder”

Click here to read more.

Health and wellbeing, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central @ SSERC

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Lauren Boath, Development Officer (Sciences), attended the SSERC Physics Residential on Friday 2nd December. A fascinating insight into using physics in accident reconstruction from the Police, a hard hitting account of reconstruction of an accident in 2006 which claimed three lives. Lots of ideas for exploring applications of Physics with connections to health and wellbeing, and ethics. After an introduction to STEM Central, delegates had an opportunity to try out a kit which could be used within the technologies focussed learning journey from the Electric Car context. Once constructed, scope for open ended investigtion around relationship between battery voltage and motor speed, reversing direction of vehicle, design and aerodynamics.

Expressive Arts, Literacy, Literacy and English

New Video Resources for Scottish Theatre

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Visit the national drama teachers glow group

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Staffroom/Drama%20Teachers/default.aspx

and you will notice new tabs at the top of the glow group entitled ‘Video resources’.  Joe Gallacher from Replico Theatre has kindly offered to share these videos with practitioners who are interested in Scottish theatre.  The documentaries feature a variety of Scottish plays first produced at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty first and include interviews with some of Scotland’s leading playwrights, such as Nicola McCartney, Ann Marie Di Mambro, Sue Glover, Liz Lochhead, Stephen Greenhorn, David Harrower and David Greig.

CfE

Is It Creative? A five day online networking event on creativity in learning

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This week, Education Scotland is inviting Creative Learning Networks, Creativity Portal Partners and colleagues to join us in an online discussion around creativity and learning.

This is an ideal opportunity to:

Gain experience and confidence in using Glow Meet and other Glow tools and technologies

  • Engage in discussions and contribute to the ongoing national debate on creativity in learning
  • Network with colleagues from Creative Learning Networks and national creative organisations, ‘face to face’
  • Share creative learning experiences, practice and ideas with colleagues
  • Leave a valuable resource behind for teachers and educators to reference when thinking about the role of creativity in their work

We’d love to hear from you – we’ll be online from 09.45 to 11.30 each day at:
https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Creative%20Learning%20Scotland/Is%20It%20Creative/default.aspx

Monday 12 Dec – Glow Meet Reminder

An opportunity to remind yourself how to use Glow Meet or try it out for the first time. Practice uploading powerpoints, sharing your desktop and collaborating with colleagues using the shared whiteboard. Bring your questions, share your experiences.

Tuesday 13 Dec – Creative Learning Networks Exchange

Find out how a number of Creative Learning Coordinators are developing Creative Learning Networks in their local authorities:

  • Scottish Borders is using strategic approaches working across the local authority to develop its network
  • Dumfries & Galloway will discuss how they are approaching creativity in outdoor learning
  • Aberdeen will talk about engaging parents in their children’s creative learning through the Big Creative Picnic for families

Wednesday 14 Dec – Creative use of Technology for Learning

What is the difference between a blog and a wiki? How can you improve your Glow group? This is a chance to bring any questions you have about Glow and social media tools and also to get a few inspiring glimpses into emerging technologies. Find out more about the power of technology for learning and share ideas on how to use it creatively.

Thursday 15 Dec – Creative Learning Snapshots

Share a snapshot from your experiences of creative learning. Take just a couple of minutes to share a creative learning experience – it could be an example of something that worked really well, or something that didn’t; a significant moment, or a really great creative activity. Use images or videos, just talk, or get your fellow Glow Meeters going with a creative challenge. We’ll also have an open floor discussion – a chance to bring to the table any burning issues you’d like to discuss.

Friday 16 Dec – Glow Meet Creative Challenge!

Join us for a creative finale to the week. All you need is yourself, your webcam, plug in earphones/headphones and laptop. All will be revealed on the day – we’re fairly certain this hasn’t been attempted before!

Literacy, Literacy and English, Technologies

Driving Learning with Mario Kart

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Cross post from Consolarium Blog.

Derek Robertson (Consolarium Team) was contacted by Wilma Leaburn, a QIO from Renfrewshire and invited to a Mario Kart CPD evening at a school in Paisley. A number of teachers had taken this practice forward and a CPD session to share their experiences had been organised. The evening itself was a fantastic example of how creative teachers can be and how, when give the chance, their own idiosyncrasies can lead to wonderful learning experiences that meet the needs of their learners. At this event he met a teacher called Julie Paterson who invited me to Mario Kart open afternoon for parents and carers at her school, Bargarran PS in Erskine.

This series of posts will feature Derek’s observations at this event:

1/4 Driving Learning with Mario Kart: What’s in the box?

2/4 Driving Learning with Mario Kart: The buzz of learning

3/4 Driving learning with Mario Kart: The parents’ perspective

4/4 Driving Learning with Mario Kart: Healthy Eating and Grannie changes her mind

Mario Kart Leaderboards

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All

A Healthy Lunch packs a Healthy Punch

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Pupils at Auchinleck Academy are getting arty… and their talent is on display for all to see.

A group of third year pupils recently created a huge, colourful mural for the school dining hall as part of a health & wellbeing / art project.

“The mural has really helped to create a better environment for pupils who take packed lunches in Auchinleck Academy and has boosted the confidence of our art pupils who created the work”.

For more information click here

Literacy, Literacy and English, Modern Languages, Sciences, Social studies

Pandamonium!

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I am delighted to hear that the pandas are arriving in Scotland on Sunday. This is a mark of the growing friendship between Scotland and China. The pandas offer another exciting opportunity for schools, teachers and pupils to engage with China, its language and culture. The arrival also offers opportunities to stimulate learning right across Curriculum for Excellence, e.g. environment and cultural heritage, science, literacy and creativity. The Panda Blog provides ideas related to these examples. We have already had schools indicating their interest in finding out more about the pandas and Glow offers an excellent way to share information, resources and ideas for practice. The Panda Blog is a starting point and will lead to the further development of resources. We are looking forward to working with colleagues in the zoo to provide news and updates about the pandas to local authorities and schools.

Professor Kay Livingston, Education Scotland.

To visit the Panda Blog click here.

Click below to sign up for the Glow TV Events (glow log in required):

06/12/2001 – 2:30pm: Pandaphernalia

07/12/2011 – 10am: Panda facts with DWN Eds and Competition details

08/12/2011 – 02:00 pm: Pandamentary

Click below to view The Daily What News articles:

Giant Pandas Come to Scotland

Panda – monium

CfE, CLD, Early Years, Young people, children & families

The Creativity Portal Update: “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.”

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The Creativity Portal is now a little over a year old and users are visiting the Creativity Portal for its offer of creative partnerships, resources and inspiration, as well as engaging with the Creativity Portal Glow Group behind the scenes in new and exciting ways.

Creativity News Feeds

Nearly 700 partnership opportunities and examples of creativity in the curriculum have already been shared through the Creativity Blog – many of which are free for teachers and community learning groups.

That’s more than four pieces of inspiration and creative opportunities each school day.

You can receive the Creativity Blog in the way that suits you best:

You can also subscribe to specialist Creativity Feeds such as Creativity and Literacy, Creativity and Sciences, Creativity and Heritage, Creativity and Drama, Creativity and Dance, Creativity and Music, Creativity and Art & Design, Creativity and ASL, Creativity and Early Years, Creativity and CLD and Creativity and Social Studies.

Creativity Portal website

Nearly 15000 unique users have visited the Creativity Portal already making use of:

  • 74 quality assured creative partners responding to and investing in Curriculum for Excellence
  • 29 quality assured case studies of creative partnerships in action across all ages and areas of the curriculum
  • easy access to 106 creative resources, learning and teaching tools and sources of inspiration
  • listings of 32 national Glow Groups with creativity at their heart to inform your teaching

Creativity Portal Glow Group

Various associated Glow Groups and tools have been developed alongside the public facing Creativity Portal to engage educationalists, teachers and youth workers in sharing, discussion and celebration of creativity’s role in teaching and learning.

Creativity Forum – a national forum for all Glow users to contribute to the debate and seek answers

Creativity Archive – a national repository of creative projects and lessons that any Glow user can add to, ensuring that all our creative learning is shared and no learning is ever lost

Creativity online newspaper – a simple newspaper style newsfeed giving you at-a-glance news from across Scotland in creative learning

Glow TV’s Creativity Channel – featuring an increasing number of creative Glow Meets with authors, theatre directors, artists and creative partners

This is an exciting phase for the Creativity Portal and with changes happening all the time your feedback is as powerful as ever. You can access the Creativity Portal Evaluation tool here – http://glo.li/mrNuJE, leave a comment on the Creativity Forum – http://glo.li/ieF6fA, or email me direct on stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk

If you have any questions or suggestions then please do not hesitate to ask. You can also find resources to help you promote and share the Creativity Portal’s resources with colleagues in the Creativity Portal Glow Group.

Expressive Arts, Technologies

Animation in the classroom

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Model animation or stop motion animation is a great classroom activity that engages students of all ages and abilities and can support many curriculum areas.

This resource has been designed for teachers to use as a planning aid for an animation project in the classroom or/and as a printable teaching PDF resource. Each section will explain simple approaches to creating a short animated film.

To find out more click here.

To view examples of Animation in Action click here.

CfE, Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies, Young people, children & families

Creativity in the Classroom – a call out to share what works

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Consider yourself creative?

The Creativity Portal is looking for examples of simple, short creative exercises that teachers and youth workers like yourself have used in the classroom and youth group settings.

It could be:

  • A creative chemistry experiment
  • The school’s fastest paper aeroplane contest
  • The imaginative alphabet
  • A 30 second dramatic warm-up

We would love to hear what’s worked for you. Get a mention on the national Creativity Portal and an invitation to future creative CPD. A wee bit of text is all it takes.

Add to the Creativity Archive here within Glow.

Or email Stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk

Expressive Arts, Literacy and English, Mathematics, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Technologies

Curriculum Update at Glow Key Contacts

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Today I went along to the Glow Key Contacts Meeting to give an update about new resources from the Curriculm Team  at Education Scotland. 

You will find the presentation I used here. (Glow log in required)

The resources I highlighted included:

Education Scotland’s Learning Blog

Chalkface Blog

STEM Central

Marks on the Landscape

Early Years, Languages, Literacy, Literacy and English

The latest Early Years Glow meet

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Our Glow meet, “Towards the Vision: Developing Literacy in the Early Years” was a great success.

Join in the interesting discussions here.

Grant Gillies, Literacy Development Officer at Education Scotland spoke about Bloom’s Higher Order Thinking fans. Find out about the Kilmalcolm case study here:

http://caledonianblogs.net/nilfs/2010/02/25/questioning-kilmacolms-innovative-blooming-blooms-approach/

Find Bloom’s Higher Order Thinking fans here:

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Literacy%20and%20English/AAA%20Hidden%20Pages/CL%20-%20Resources.aspx

Literacy, Literacy and English, Technologies

Moving Image Education

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Moving Image Education (MIE) is fast becoming an integral part of 21st century literacy and modern teaching practice. Using moving image texts as a source in addition to the written word has been proved to vastly increase wider literacy skills, confidence, engagement and fun in the classroom.

Education Scotland is working in partnership with Creative Scotland to make moving image education more accessible and active within Glow.

We now have a Moving Image Education National Glow Group which is steadily being populated with information, resources and CPD opportunities. Work is also underway to engage with Glow users across Scotland and encourage them to participate in interesting and relevant topics of discussion through the group’s Glow Forum. We look forward to seeing you on Glow.

Sciences, Technologies

Science competition on YouTube

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The YouTube Space Lab http://www.youtube.com/spacelab?feature=etp-gs-space is an open competition inviting young people aged 14-18 to come up with an idea for a science experiment in space. Participants don’t actually have to do the experiment, they make a short video to describe and explain the idea, and then upload their video entry to the YouTube online service. Here their work will be evaluated by the judges and viewed by an international audience of millions.

The deadline for entries is 7th December, so we can still get Scottish students involved. What an opportunity to demonstrate their scientific knowledge, ICT and communication skills.

http://ltsblogs.org.uk/globalcitizenship/2011/11/17/international-science-competition-with-youtube/

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Young people, children & families

Scottish Ballet launches Glow Group

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Today we are excited to be launching our Scottish Ballet Glow Group. The Education Team here at Scottish Ballet have been busily preparing and creating new schools resources and we can’t wait for our Sleeping Beauty ones to be uploaded onto Glow for you all to use in the coming months.

Here are just a few of the ways we’ll be using Glow to get you thinking about ballet soon.

• Brand New Sleeping Beauty Primary School Resources
• A specially devised Sleeping Beauty Workshop for teachers to use in the classroom
• 2 short films – one CPD film for teachers about teaching dance in the classroom and another for pupils about what to expect when you go to the theatre
• Live Sleeping Beauty Webcast from backstage at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on Thursday 12th January 2012 time??

Why not send us a message using the forum to tell us what you think of our page and what you’d like to see on it. Or you could ask us that ballet question you’ve been dying to know the answer to. Don’t forget to follow the links to our Connect page for lots more exciting games and resources…look out for our Dancer of the Month Interviews coming soon.

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Creative%20Learning%20Scotland/Arts%20Organisations/Scottish%20Ballet/default.aspx

Literacy, Technologies

Purple Mash

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Purple Mash brings you a selection of online creativity tools to support and inspire young children.

The following resources from Purple Mash are available through Glow.

2Publish

2Publish is a program which allows pupils to create simple layouts using text and drawings. A selection of templates, word banks and images are available to use.

2Design & Make

Design and make 3D models. Select from a range of templates or create your own design. As you work watch the changes take effect on a 3D preview of your model. Customise your model with the painting tools then print it out to fold and stick it together to complete your model.

2AnimateLite

Get started with simple frame animation to develop an understanding of sequences and processes. Use the ‘onion skinning’ facility to ensure smooth transition from one frame to another when you play your film.

You can access Purple Mash by clicking here. (Glow login required)

You can also add a Purple Mash webpart to your Glow Group by:

– clicking on Modify Shared Page

– Add Webpart

– Search, type Purple Mash

– Click Virtual Server Gallery

– Drag and drop the webpart or select the relevant area on Add to

Expressive Arts

Invitation to Drama teachers – SDTN event

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Introduction to Scottish Drama Training Network by Professor Maggie Kinloch,
SDTN Chair and Vice-Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

This special event on Thursday 3rd November will welcome those who teach Drama in Schools to the Scottish Drama Training Network.

The event will take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 18.00-20.30.
This event will provide an excellent opportunity to learn more about SDTN and also to participate in a special Panel discussion on Equality, Disability and Inclusivity. Companies represented will include Birds of Paradise and Solar Bear. The event will offer an opportunity for Drama tutors and practitioners to meet and network at the end of the session with some refreshments.
Further details from www.sdtn.org
RSVP by email to SDTN Director, Alison Forsyth on alison@sdtn.org

For direct link follow:

http://sdtn.org/news/view/49/sdtn-special-event-thu-3-nov-2011

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB

Expressive Arts

World of Work Wednesdays is Back!!

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Yes it is back! The popular fortnightly event that focuses on career opportunities for young people across Scotland returns to Glow TV after a break.

This WoWW event focuses on Working in the Theatre. Have you ever wondered what it is like being part of the magic of the theatre? How does a production begin and who is involved in bringing it to life on the stage?

Why not join assistant directors and associate artists in the Glow TV Studio and find out more?

Sign up and join us in Glow TV on Wednesday 2nd November at the usual time 2pm.

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing

Forest Pitch – Meet the artist in a Glowing Thursday!

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Glowing Thursday 10th November 2011

Forest Pitch – football strip design competition!

Meet the artist!

Join us on 10th November at 11am on Glow TV!

An opportunity to meet Scottish artist Craig Coulthard, creator of the highly innovative art project Forest Pitch. Funded by Creative Scotland and part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Forest Pitch will culminate in two football matches between amateur players who have recently taken up British citizenship.  At the Scottish Learning Festival in September this year Craig launched a football strip design competition for primary age children to come up with exciting and innovative designs for the football strips that the players will wear.

As an arts project, Forest Pitch encourages debate about national identity, citizenship, the natural world, sustainability and participation in sport.

If you have already signed up for the competition or are thinking about doing so, then join us for this exciting Glowing Thursday to find out more and get some artist’s tips and advice.

Find out more about the competition, sign up and download the design brief and support materials here

And don’t forget – taking part in this competition is a great way of demonstrating a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values and joining the London 2012 Get Set Network.  Do this before 16th December and qualify for FREE tickets for the Olympics! Find out more >>

Early Years

Need some Friday inspiration?

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Myra and Diane from the Early Years team attended  TEACHMEET  at the University of Strathclyde on Wednesday evening. Very inspiring!

We learned about a number of interesting ideas including:

  • 7 things you didn’t know about wikipedia by Ollie Bray
  • Great places to find images by Andrew James
  • User Twitter to enhance CPD by Morven Skinnider
  • Using QR codes by David Muir
  • Digital literacy and moving image education by Jane Thomson
  • The Scottish Book Trust fabulous website by Chris Leslie

Lots of ideas there suitable for Early Years – start exploring!

Click here to find out more about the presentations.

Expressive Arts, Technologies

How to …

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As part of the Scottish Learning Festival 2011, Molecules in Motion worked closely with Gavinburn Primary School to produce this series of short How To films. Click below to view the videos on Vimeo.
 
 
 
  
 
 
Sciences

Developing Resources to support AH Physics

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I mentioned before that we are progressing development of resources to support AH Physics. Whilst discussing ideas with a teacher from the West Coast, he mentioned a valuable resource available on the National STEM Centre website  : a series of films demonstrating various practical work in Physics including a demonstration of wave motion using masking tape, jelly babies and wooden skewers. I am reliably informed by the adventurous Scottish science community that it works well for AH and also to amuse your own children on a wet weekend. Don’t forget that for Higher Sciences, revised or traditional, you can find lots of resources on the Education Scotland NQ Higher Sciences site.

Expressive Arts, Literacy, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All, Technologies

New Media Literacy Resource

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Screening Shorts is a major new online resource to help and show teachers how to use moving image education in the classroom.
Log in using your glow password to access over 30 short films with teaching resources and helpful advice as to how to use moving image in the classroom. The films are copyright free and can be downloaded for editing/mash ups. The shorts are suitable for all curricular areas and age ranges.

 Link: http://www.screeningshorts.org.uk/

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All, Sciences

#SLF11 Marks on the Landscape – Creativity and Sciences

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The Marks on the Landscape web resource which focuses on inspiring creativity across the curriculum was launched at the #SLF11. Charles Jencks, Landscape Architect & Designer of the Fife Earth Project, is interested in human life and frequently uses ideas from biology, such as DNA and cells, as an inspiration for his landforms, gardens and sculptures.

You’ll find on the resource: opportunities to use Marks on the Landscape to inspire creativity in science; and a design challenge which extends the scientific theme encouraging learners at fourth level to study different types of enzymes and consider their qualities, shapes and functions to design a brainteaser puzzle.

Expressive Arts, Literacy, Technologies

Marks on the Landscape – Technologies

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The Marks on the Landscape web resource which focuses on inspiring creativity across the curriculum was launched today at the Scottish Learning Festival.

To view how this resource can be used in relation to Technologies click here.

There are two Design Challenges that have been created for third level Technologies Outcomes:

Design a Computer Game

Design a Logo

Expressive Arts

Glowing Thursdays – Behind the Scenes at the Citizen’s Theatre

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Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a National Theatre, who does what and how is the whole production put together?

Why not join us for a sneak preview behind the scenes of National Theatre of Scotland’s seminal production of “Men Should Weep.”

Join the directors, cast and crew members of the Men Should Weep company live from the citizens theatre. A tour of the set led by assistant director Phil McCormack will be followed by discussion with the director and some of the main cast who will reveal their approaches and the many processes adopted to make the show.

You will also have the opportunity to ask your own questions and find out what really goes on behind the scenes.

Register for Glow TV and then sign up and join us on Thursday 22nd from 2-3pm for this exciting event.

Assessment, Literacy, Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central – new contexts on the way

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Development Officers for Sciences and Technologies, along with the team at ES, are working on a new context which will soon be added to the STEM Central resource. The Bioengineering context will feature learning journeys for sciences and technologies, based on third and fourth level E&Os, including learning, teaching and assessment ideas. Stop by STEM Central for quality assured resources, bringing relevant, engaging and exciting Scottish contexts into the classroom.

Expressive Arts, Religious and Moral Education, Religious Education in Roman Catholic schools, RME

David Mach Exhibit

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Just to remind you that the David Mach exhibit is still on at the City Art Centre in Edinburgh. This exhibit uses the King James bible as inspiration and David has used sculpture and collage to convey his interpretations of classic biblical stories.

A Design challenge for both Art and Design and RME is being developed with kind permission from David himself – so look out for this in future as a way of linking together two subjects.

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Social studies, Young people, children & families

The Creativity Portal Update: “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.”

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The Creativity Portal is now eleven months old and is playing its part in promoting creativity across learning and teaching. Users are visiting the Creativity Portal for its offer of creative partnerships, resources and inspiration, as well as engaging with the Creativity Portal Glow Group behind the scenes in new and exciting ways. Here are a few of the successes so far.

  • Nearly 12000 unique users have visited the Creativity Portal already, well over a thousand a month.
  • Users have viewed nearly 50,000 pages.
  • 100% of users surveyed say that they will be recommending the Creativity Portal to others.
  • Nearly 500 partnership opportunities and examples of good practice have already been shared through the Creativity Blog – many of which are free for teachers and community groups. Many of these are being re-tweeted and shared with an even wider audience through the @CreativPortal Twitter feed and Facebook page. A direct feed by email is now available (including special feeds relating to individual subject areas including Literacy, Dance and Heritage) and will be rolled out this academic year.
  • New creative partners are joining the Creativity Portal all the time, with Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Eden Court Theatre and Dance House amongst the most recent. By using the search tools users can find extremely local and relevant resources, Glow Groups, Creative Partners and opportunities all in the one place – and stumble across plenty of inspiration they didn’t know they were looking for.
  • 92% of users say that the Creativity Portal will make their search for Creative Partnerships easier, quicker or more successful.
  • Many of these partners are going on to develop their own Glow Groups, offering more for schools and community groups than ever before and embedding the use of Glow into their core activities. There are already 32 creative Glow Groups and communities listed on the Creativity Portal with more developing each week.

Various associated Glow Groups and tools have been developed alongside the public facing Creativity Portal including a Creativity Forum, Creativity Archive of projects and lessons, Creativity Portal online newspaper, listing of Creative Glow Meets and Glow TV’s Creativity Channel.

The Creativity Portal and Creative Learning Networks (CLNs) recently held a week long online discussion around creativity and the Glow Group is still open for business – Is It Creative?. Glow Meets and the Creativity Forum were used to engage CLN and creative organisation staff building a model for future use of Glow Meet technology. For almost all users it was the first time they had used web conferencing technology and the learning curve was impressive. The use of Glow Meet by the creative partners and CLNs will no doubt prove to be a major asset over the next year in their delivery of tailored CPD and creative experiences for young people.

This is an exciting phase for the Creativity Portal and with changes happening all the time your feedback is as powerful as ever. You can access the Creativity Portal Evaluation tool here – http://glo.li/mrNuJE, leave a comment on the Creativity Forum – http://glo.li/ieF6fA, or email me direct on stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk

If you have any questions or suggestions then please do not hesitate to ask. You can also find resources to help you promote and share the Creativity Portal’s resources with colleagues in the Creativity Portal Glow Group.