Tag Archives: Skills for Learning Life and Work

CfE, Health and wellbeing, Mathematics, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Technologies

Remember, remember the 6th of November!! SEWeb Glow Meet

October 14, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Scotland’s Environment – Glow Meet

11am – 12pm, Wednesday 6^th November 2013

Calling all citizen scientists!!!

Trying to change, protect and improve your local environment for the better? Collecting information to contribute to our knowledge of the natural environment? Ready to share your research, data and ideas with us?

Scotland’s environment is world-famous and draws tourists and visitors from across the globe. It needs to be protected but many of the challenges facing our environment are complex, and can only be solved in partnership; a partnership which involves children, young people and adults working together as citizen scientists.

This Glow meet will explain how you can get involved and to better understand, care for and improve Scotland’s environment. We want to hear about:

All the ways you have been collecting, measuring, observing and recording information about your local environment
Your views and ideas on what needs to change to improve our environment and what role you are playing making it happen.

You will be able to question and share you information and ideas with our panel of experts and the school which most impresses the judges will win a superb prize!

The session will be led by:

Debbie Bassett, Head of the Biodiversity Team in Scottish Natural Heritage
Martin Marsden, Head of Environmental Quality in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Nick Wright, Scottish Wildife Trust

Visit http://bit.ly/SEWeb to register and join the Glow meet on the day.

Further links:

Scotland’s Environment website http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/

Scottish environment youth discussion http://bit.ly/19dnExK

Competition details :http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/get_involved/young_people/youth_discussion.aspx

CfE, Sciences

Sciences Conversation Day 2

October 11, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Delegates attending our second conversation day at Bishopbriggs Academy identified four priority themes for the sciences:

Equity in education – science for all
The importance of planning across school clusters
Career long professional learning and support for practitioners
Partnerships

Education Scotland is keen to hear your views regarding the second priority which addressed the importance of planning across school clusters.

Delegates saw cluster working as being important for a number of reasons:

It is a key way of ensuring primary and secondary colleagues can learn from each other, and also build an understanding of learning and expectations for learners in each sector
It provides opportunities to support the professional development of practitioners
Issue of priorities – will clusters have science on their list of subjects to cover?
Pressures of resource and time to establish and continue effective clusters. Teacher cover can be an issue, despite local authorities provide funds to pay
Need to give teachers adequate time for professional learning. Could an allocation be offered for a ‘block’ of cover for science?
Stronger cluster work could help address lack of consistency in primary experiences across a local authority – benefits for secondary in terms of ensuring good pupil progression.

Primary and primary/secondary transition should be seen as a priority for cluster working:

STEM needs to be on school improvement plans
Will see benefits for learners once they reach secondary school in terms of seamless transition/progression
We need to avoid the fresh start approach in secondary schools – a greater focus on transition and progression is required
More time is required for secondary teachers teaching S1 secondary classes to work with primary counterparts
How can we encourage schools to use exemplification, and build on what is already being done?
Pressures of asking primary schools to take on development of all subjects
Signposting of support needed – what’s the best use of school funds and time?
Important to ensure smooth transitions, not just from primary to secondary, but also beyond school education into HE/FE or work.

Education Scotland is keen to hear your views. Click on the title of this blog post to leave a comment.

Assessment, CfE, Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

Resource Guide for the Sciences

October 7, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Following on from the STEM programme of events at the Scottish Learning Festival Education Scotland has produced a resource guide for the sciences.

The guide provides links to useful websites, relevant documentation, on line resources and methods of communicating about the sciences.

For example:

access the updated 3-18 sciences impact report

visit STEM Central to explore a wide variety of activities and learning experiences

keep up to date with STEM news through our twitter feed

To access and download a copy of the science resource guide click Education Scotland Sciences Resource Guide

Assessment, CfE, Early Years, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Technologies

Sciences 3-18 curriculum impact report 2013 update

October 4, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

This week Education Scotland published an update of the 3-18 Sciences Impact Report. The updated report evaluates current practice, supplements the good practice exemplars, reports on progress made regarding aspects of development in the 2012 report and highlights important areas for discussion and further development.

The evidence presented in this report tells us that children and young people are developing a range of knowledge, understanding and skills in the sciences and achievement is strong and improving.

The report is intended to continue to help practitioners reflect on how well they are developing these capacities, how much more needs to be done and act as a hub for ongoing professional dialogue and development.

There is a summary of the report written specifically for children and young people and, in response to practitioner feedback, there is now a separate document outlining the examples of good practice.

Education Scotland is keen to hear your views about the report and its findings. Visit the Talk with us blog http://bit.ly/GCHeZw to share your thoughts on how best we can improve sciences education for all learners in Scotland.

To download the report and associated documentation visit: The Sciences 3-18

CfE, Early Years, Sciences

A Cross Sector Approach to Science

October 4, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

For the past 3 years the 16 schools in Perth High School Local Management Group (LMG) have been working collaboratively to develop learning and teaching in science. The aim of their partnership working has been to:

Support primary/secondary transition
Provide a progressive, cohesive science experience for all learners
Build staff partnerships and understanding across primary and secondary
Build staff confidence in teaching science
Promote science as being exciting and fun
Promote interdisciplinary learning
Support eco work and careers education.

A comprehensive science programme has now been produced comprising of rich tasks from Early to Second Level as well as a skills progression framework, a science glossary and teachers’ guide. The science programme that has been produced also incorporates a number of the learning journeys from STEM Central.

Each rich task suggests a range of activities that teachers can choose from to enable their pupils to learn about science through active learning and practical hands on experiences.

Perth and Kinross Local Management Group report positive benefits from the collaboration including the development of leadership capacity and growth in confidence amongst practitioners with regards to the sciences.

Learners have reported enjoying science, seeing its relevance to their everyday lives and felt they had a better understanding of their strengths and next steps in science.

All resources can be downloaded from Glow. See folder entitled A Cross Sector Approach to Science PHS LMG in the national Sciences Glow Group http://bit.ly/17ACPk8

Some of the work undertaken by the cluster has also been awarded a Quality Mark for moderation and can be downloaded from the Education Scotland NAR

http://bit.ly/1bDFU3M

CfE, Sciences

Generation Science Schools Programme 2014

October 2, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Edinburgh International Festival is an educational charity. Each year it delivers one of Europe’s largest science festivals, a primary school education programme and a variety of international projects.

A key part is Generation Science.

Generation Science shows tour all over Scotland bringing educational and entertaining performances and hands on activities to the classroom.

Shows are constantly developed to meet the needs of teachers in line with the Curriculum for Excellence, with the aim of helping to improve the teaching of Science in Scottish primary schools and support teachers in delivering the curriculum. Schools can be supported thorugh science weeks, transition projects or individual science days.

This year Generation Science are presenting two revised versions of the popular Fizz, Boom, Bang workshop so it can be enjoyed by younger pupils and older pupils alike, as well as introducing the Space Base show as a brand new edition to the programme.

You can find further information on these activities alongside some Generation Science favourites like Little Giants and Body Builders, in the schools programme brochure.

Click on the link below to view and download the Generation Science Schools Programme 2014 brochure: http://bit.ly/17rfYYj

CfE, National Qualifications

RHET/ Clydesdale Bank National 5 Business Management Project

October 1, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

As a Curriculum for Excellence reaches 4th year in secondary education, RHET, working with schools, wishes to contribute to the real life scenarios that students will be working with for the new National 5 in Business Management.

RHET is looking to recruit 12 secondary schools from across Scotland to use real life farming and agriculture examples to enhance learning in the National 5 Business Management course during this academic year 2013-14.

We would do this by working with the schools concerned to:
a) Have a trained classroom speaker visit school to address one of the business management scenarios:

Human Resources
Tertiary food industry
Diversification
Working as a co-op

b) Introduce the pupils to the business by taking them to a farm/agri -business where they can see the variety of roles on farm to appreciate the business case for the farm. This can be from any of the above business models.

c) Visit a second part of the same farm, or if this is not appropriate another type of farm business (from the types of business above) to allow pupils to see multiple facets of business.

In many schools the Business group is relatively small, and so costs for transport (fully funded by this project for one year only) should be minimal.

The schools concerned will represent a variety of socio-economic conditions and the businesses involved will be chosen with respect to their location and local impact. The project will be evaluated with each school, farm hosts and processor and taking part.

Further details about this project can be downloaded here – Teacher’s notes – Business project.

Interested? What to do now.

Email RHET at rhetinfo@rhass.org.uk by the 11th October 2013 (no later) requesting to take part.

Mark your email clearly “Clydesdale Bank National 5 Business Management pilot”

You will be informed if you have been successful in late October 2013

Additional Support for Learning, Adult Learning, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, Social studies, Universal Support, Young people, children & families

Outdoor Learning with the National Parks Inspiring Landscapes – Inspiring Learning

September 13, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Senior Leaders Professional Learning Event – Dounans Centre, Aberfoyle: Friday 20^th September 2013

A one day event for head teachers and deputy head teachers, focusing on whole school approaches, inspection and self-evaluation for school managers. Delegates will hear from senior managers, education officers and others with experience of outdoor learning in the context of school improvement.

Staff Professional Learning Weekend – Dounans Centre, Aberfoyle: Friday 20^th – Sunday 22^nd September 2013

This opportunity is aimed at staff from all schools and settings within the partner authorities, and will provide inputs from project and centre staff, from the National Park ranger service, and from Education Scotland staff to support you in embedding Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning in your school or nursery. As well as a variety of ‘sharing good practice’ sessions run by teachers across all sectors.

The weekend will provide staff with practical tools, ideas and inspiration for developing progressive and frequent outdoor learning opportunities for pupils which will support and enrich all aspects of their learning.

Spaces are still available on these programmes for further information contact

Joan.Reilly@educationscotland.gov.uk

Workshops Staff Professional Learning Weekend

Staff CLPL residential weekend 2013 – info for schools

Final Programme Staff PL Weekend

Final Programme School Leaders

Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All

Food and Gardening

September 13, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Creating a Prairie Garden

24th September 2013, Aileymill Primary, Greenock

8th October 2013, Blackfriars Primary, Glasgow

Develop a Prairie flower bed in your school garden, richly planted with drifts of perennials and self-seeding annuals, punctuated with grasses. An everlasting, low maintenance style of naturalistic planting, a haven for bees, butterflies and all others that fly!

THE EDIBLE SCHOOL GARDEN

1st October 2013, Perth Academy

To give teachers of all age groups the skills to confidently grow and manage a simple productive garden throughout the year. Also, to ensure that produce is used in tasting, cooking and enterprise activities. Every school should be a food growing school.

CfE, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Technologies

Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award Challenge 2013

September 4, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

SCOTTISH ENGINEERING SPECIAL LEADERS AWARD CHALLENGE – “If you could be an engineer in Scotland – what would you do?”

Scottish Engineering and the Leaders Award are challenging Primary and Secondary school pupils in Scotland to consider what they would do if they were an engineer.

The challenge addresses many of the Experiences and outcomes within Curriculum for Excellence and, at secondary level, the project will meet the requirements of level 4/5 National Qualification in Engineering Science.

To participate, research engineering in Scotland, download resources from www.leadersaward.com, talk to practicing engineers and complete an annotated illustration answer to the challenge question. Discover the numerous career paths an engineer can follow.

Already there are over 60 primary and secondary schools registered to be a part of the challenge, many of which have already put in their requests for help from engineers.

Closing date for all entries is 20^th November 2013, with the best entries going on display on 20^th December 2013 in Glasgow City Councils Banqueting Hall.

Health and wellbeing, Sciences

e-Bug: free microbiology, hygiene and health educational resource

August 29, 2013 User deactivated 2 Comments

e-Bug is an exciting, fun and free microbiology, hygiene and health educational resource for junior (P2 – P7) and senior (S1 – S3) school students across Europe. Designed by health professionals, with input from schools and young people, the e-Bug resource comprises of a teacher website containing detailed lesson plans and a student interactive website.

e-Bug for teachers

The teacher pages on the e-Bug website, www.e-bug.eu, contain detailed interactive lesson plans covering each of the topics below. You can also find school competitions, films of each of the activities, MS Powerpoint presentations, animations to help teach some of the more difficult topics as well as some alternative activities to those found in the pack.

Micro-organisms

An Introduction

Useful Microbe

Harmful Microbes

Prevention of Infection

Natural Immunity

Vaccinations

Spread of Infection

Hand Hygiene

Respiratory Hygiene

Food Hygiene

Farm Hygiene

Sexual Transmission

Treatment of Infection

Antibiotic Use

e-Bug for students

The colourful and fun student website encourages children of all age ages to venture further into the world of microbes playing interactive games and accessing lots more educational materials. The student website has a lot of fun features which include

Microbe of the week: Facts and images of a new microbe every week, some useful, some harmful, but all interesting.

Fact of the week: Some quirky, fun, disgusting and some outright weird microbe facts.

Revision Guides: For students who want to learn a little bit more, or to be used in the classroom.

Disease fact files: Fact files on important infectious diseases such as measles, influenza, holiday infections, and much more.

Quizzes: Students can test themselves with fun quizzes.

Hall of Fame: Here students can visit a lab or hang out in an art gallery hall of fame to learn about those ‘boring old’ scientists who have made important contributions to microbiology and medicine.

Home science: A series of experiments to do in the home.

Interactive games:Fun games designed to highlight key learning points. How long can you survive the sneeze?

Downloads: Images of microbes and pack characters are available to download for use in any school project.

Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All

Gone – An interactive, cross curricular alcohol education resource

August 29, 2013 User deactivated 2 Comments

Join Forth Valley health Professionals for a one day train the trainers’ course.

Gone is an interactive, cross curricular alcohol education resource which has been developed by NHS Forth Valley in conjunction with its partner education authorities.

The resource examines four characters journeys as the move from primary school to secondary school and follows them through the broad general education. A range of vehicles are used to capture pupils. Each lesson involves pupils viewing some short video sequence, completing tasks designed in a computer gaming format and participating in debate and discussion lead by the teacher. The pupils are asked, through a series of votes to predict which character will be ‘gone’ as a result of a decision involving alcohol by the end of S3. The resource is supported by a series of powerpoints and a detailed teacher guide.

This session aims to introduce practitioners to an innovative resource which explores a range health and wellbeing issues.

Registration Form

Early Years, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Technologies

CITIZEN SCIENCE – WE NEED YOU!

August 26, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Scotland’s Environment Web has a unique set of on-line guidance and digital tools to help people set up their own public environmental monitoring projects.

Public monitoring or ‘citizen science’ can be described as “scientific activities in which non-professional scientists volunteer to participate in data collection, analysis and dissemination of a scientific project…”. It can be a great, fun way to gather information and get involved – scientists need your help!

Whether you are a teacher keen to get your students outdoors, a member of the public wanting to get more involved in your local environment, or an organisation wanting to set up a project, there is something in the Scotland’s Environment Web toolkit for you. The tools make it easier to start and run a project, using some of the new digital technology to help.

The site provides a Guide to Citizen Science and a Teacher’s Guide.

Click on the link to access Scotland’s Environment Website: http://bit.ly/18JGXwU

Health and wellbeing, Technologies

Cheese comes from plants and fish fingers are made of chicken

June 3, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Research conducted by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) among over 27,500 children across the UK(Scotland: Primary – 1,794; Secondary – 3,763), shows that nearly a third (29 per cent) of primary school children think that cheese comes from plants, one in ten secondary school children believe that tomatoes grow under the ground, and nearly one in five (18 per cent) primary school children say that fish fingers come from chicken.

Roy Ballam, Education Programme Manager at the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “Schools throughout the UK require a national framework and guidance for food and nutrition education to support the learning needs of children and young people, especially at a time when levels of childhood obesity are soaring. Through Healthy Eating Week, we hope to start the process of re-engaging children with the origins of food, nutrition and cooking, so that they grow up with a fuller understanding of how food reaches them and what a healthy diet and lifestyle consists of. The fact that so many schools in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have registered to participate in the Week demonstrates their understanding of how important healthy eating is and their commitment to giving children a solid grounding from which to create healthy lives for themselves.”

Further findings of the BNF study reveal that an encouraging number of the youngest primary school children recognise the eatwell plate* – 64 per cent of 5-8 year olds identified it correctly from four different images. However, when presented with four pie charts and asked which best represented the eatwell plate, less than half (45 per cent) of 8-11 year olds answered correctly.

Over three quarters (77 per cent) of primary school children and nearly nine out of every ten (88 per cent) secondary school pupils know that people should consume five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day. However, 67 per cent of primary school children and 81 per cent of secondary school pupils reported eating four or less portions of fruit and vegetables daily, while two in every five children at secondary school don’t think that frozen fruit and vegetables count towards their five a day.

The research also shows that an alarming number of children do not eat breakfast each morning, which increases with the age of the children. On the day of the survey, eight per cent of primary school children said they hadn’t eaten breakfast that morning; this increased to nearly a quarter (24 per cent) in 11-14 year olds, and then to over a third (32 per cent) of 14-16 year olds. When quizzed on the more general point as to whether they have breakfast each morning, six per cent of primary school children, 19 per cent of 11-14 year olds and a quarter of 14-16 year olds reported not eating breakfast every day.

To read the full article click here.

Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Sciences

Schools to give sleep lessons as late nights exhaust pupils

June 2, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

PARENTS regularly face a battle to make their children switch off their games consoles and computers and go to bed at night.

Teachers are then faced with exhausted pupils in the classroom each morning because they have not had enough sleep.

Now the Scottish Government is to spend £200,000 on sleep lessons for secondary school pupils who will be taught how to achieve at least nine hours’ sleep a night in a bid to boost academic performance.

Contextual targeting label:

Education

The cash – £100,000 a year for two years – will be handed to a charity who will give parents, teachers and sixth-formers sleep lessons in a move welcomed by teaching unions.

Recent research at a Scottish high school found one in six pupils falls asleep at their desk every day.

The public money will be given to Sleep Scotland, which has successfully piloted sleep lessons at West Calder High, West Lothian.

Schools in Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Lothians, Grampian and the Highlands will now receive sleep lessons, delivered by teachers and sixth-form mentors.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Ensuring children and young people sleep properly and get the correct amount of sleep each night is important to their development.

“We expect Sleep Scotland to use a proportion of their funding to work in schools to promote children’s Health and Wellbeing, an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence.”

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/schools-to-give-sleep-lessons-as-late-nights-exhaust-pupils.21215983

Glow TV, MCMC/16+LC

Evening Fun – The 79p Download

June 1, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Thursday 6th June @ 7pm.
This is the first in our Pupil Focused Evening Fun events – watch out for more next term!

When downloading a song from iTunes, have you ever stopped and thought, “who gets my money”? If Harry from One Direction only gets 1p from every download, who get’s the rest? Why does Emeli Sande get more than 10 times what Harry gets for each sale?

This is going to be an eye opening look at the different careers and roles of the various organisations that work in the music industry including song writers, singers, musicians, managers, record labels, recording studios, accountants, lawyers, video directors, promotions companies, security and not forgetting the person that get’s the biggest cut of all, the tax man.

What does MCPS and PPL mean and what do they do? Tune in to find out.

The session will be delivered by a music business professional with 25 years of experience and will include the opportunity to ask questions and take part in a music quiz.

So why not sign up and join us in Glow TV? – Evening Fun – The 79p Download

Additional Support for Learning, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All

Free CPD with the Royal Horticultural Society

May 27, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening aims to encourage and support schools to develop and actively use a school garden. As part of the Campaign they provide teachers with resources through this website and an extensive programme of CPD days. Fabulous edible garden and playground ideas, like the recycled pallet pictured here.

Why get involved?

Join the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and reap the benefits for your school:

Free start-up kit following registration on this website.
Rewards and certificates for your progress on the new benchmarking scheme.
Access to useful information and advice that will help you use your school’s garden to greater effect.
Regular news and items of interest sent to you by e-mail.
Access to a national programme of RHS CPD days. Places still available for June 6th!

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening/default.aspa

Contact your Scottish Regional Advisor for course information.

Angela Smith

Development Officer for Scotland

Education, Funding and Communities

angelasmith@rhs.org.uk

07714560008

CfE, Mathematics, Sciences

Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award for STEM 2013

May 27, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Leaders Award for STEM and Scottish Engineering are challenging primary and secondary school learners in Scotland to consider what they would do if they were an engineer. Learners are being asked to research engineering and interview practicing engineers to illustrate and annotate their interpretation of the statement “If I could be an engineer in Scotland, what would I do?”

This award is a great opportunity to engage both primary and secondary school learners with real engineers who will convey the importance of STEM in their daily working lives. Schools will be able to develop relationships with industry, both local and worldwide, giving children and young people a unique perspective of the diversity of engineering professions and their significance in the wider world.

Register your school via the website and state that you are participating in the Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award.

CfE, Early Years, Sciences

Developing progression in science – Perth High School Local Management Group

May 27, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Over a year and half ago the 16 schools in Perth High School Local Management Group (LMG) decided to work collaboratively to develop learning and teaching in science. The aim of their partnership working was to:

Support primary/secondary transition
Provide a progressive, cohesive science experience for all learners
Build staff partnerships and understanding across primary and secondary
Build staff confidence in teaching science
Promote science as being exciting and fun
Promote interdisciplinary learning
Support eco work and careers education.

In the first phase of development, six primary and two secondary practitioners worked together with Education Scotland’s Sciences Development Officer to produce three sets of rich tasks from Early to Second Level which focussed on the themes of energy and forces, biodiversity and materials. The positive response to these resources persuaded the LMG to invest further in the programme and led to a practitioner from each of the primary schools and secondary school being allocated time to work together to produce a comprehensive science programme comprising further rich tasks from Early to Second Level as well as a skills progression framework, a science glossary and teachers’ guide. The science programme that has been produced also incorporates a number of the learning journeys from STEM Central.

An LMG engagement event in March was used to roll out the suite of meaningful and useable support materials to all practitioners across the 16 schools. These materials will be used to support learning and teaching in sciences from the start of the next academic session. The LMG also report other positive benefits from the collaboration including the development of leadership capacity and growth in confidence amongst practitioners with regards to the sciences. The LMG will continue to network and share their practice between the schools involved and across their education authority. In the coming months they also hope to publish their resources for others to use. Watch this space for further details.

CLD, MCMC/16+LC, Senior Phase, Social studies

Be Extraordinary for a Day!

April 11, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

What could you change in a day? Could you challenge yourself to do something extraordinary? Live UnLtd want to back your idea to make a real change!

Be Extraordinary for a Day is for 11-21 year olds who’d like to try their hand at addressing a social or environmental issue in their area over a short period of time e.g. a day to a week. If your application is successful, award winners will receive support and up to £500 to help you turn your idea into a reality. Some people may choose to develop their ideas after this short term award while others will not.

Basic Criteria
Your idea must be a short project that will tackle an issue in your area. If successful, your project must take place in a short timescale (for example, a day or a week) between July and December 2013.
This competition is open to individuals aged between 11 and 21 years only. Clubs and organisations cannot apply; however, applications from individuals within a club/organisation setting are welcome to apply, providing the project is run separately from the club/organisation.
People aged between 11 and 21 can apply for £250-£500. Those aged 11 – 17 must have parental permission, and must work with an advisor to assist in making the project happen (for example, a youth club worker, parent, guardian, or teacher). Cash Awards can only be used to cover project costs and not direct salaries.

Apply now and Be Extraordinary For A Day!
Closing date for applications is Friday 14th June 2013
Winners will be announced on Friday 28th June 2013

Sciences, Senior Phase

Promoting Computer Science and Technology Careers to Female Pupils

April 8, 2013 User deactivated 5 Comments

she++ is a group set up by female undergraduates at Stanford to try and encourage more young women into careers in computing and technology.

This month sees the launch of their video documentary – visit the site for a trailer. This 12 minute film is intended to interest girls in the exciting opportunities that there are in pursuing a degree and career in computing. It is aimed primarily at the US audience but still has much to say to girls in Scotland.

The video is free but will not be openly available — each site must apply for a screening. This is very straightforward to do – see http://sheplusplus.stanford.edu/film/hostscreening.php for details.

CfE, Expressive Arts

A Man Came to A Women Glow Meet

March 4, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

On Wednesday 6th March at 1.45pm join acclaimed Russian director Natalya Leonovan live from the Tron Theatre for a sneak peek into the rehearsal room while she works on ‘A Man Came to a Woman’ with two Scottish based actors. This is a rare opportunity to watch a professional at work and see live the different rehearsal techniques Natalya uses to enable the actors to become equipped to perform the piece.

This is the first UK staging of Semyon Zlotnikov’s brilliant physical comedy and is being made in collaboration with ALEKO Theatre St Petersburg. Banned in the USSR and hugely popular in post-Soviet Russia, Zlotnikov’s surreal farce satires the age-old conundrum of how exactly two people of a certain age and an uncertain future meet and get along.

This event is aimed at S4-6 drama students but would suitable and of interest to younger pupils also. Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

CfE, Expressive Arts, Glow TV, MCMC/16+LC

Careers in Theatre – 26th February

February 22, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Careers in Theatre is the Festival Theatre Edinburgh, The Lyceum Theatre and The Traverse Theatre’s unique interactive one day careers event. Join us live in Glow TV on Tuesday 26th February for 3 unique sessions each one hosted at a different theatre.

Front of House and Box Office Session – 10 – 11.30am
In our first session find out how the operational side of the Traverse Theatre works with representatives from our Front of House and Box Office teams. This workshop will explain and explore how we go about creating the best possible experience for our customers/audiences before and after they have been to one of our shows. Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

Technical Theatre – 12 – 1.30pm
During this second event find out more about a day in the life of a theatre technician, with Graham Raith, Head of Electrics at the Festival and King’s Theatres. Including on stage visit to see Scottish Opera’s set of Massenet’s Werther. Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

Acting and Directing – 2.30- 3.30pm
During this session learn more about acting and directing in a Producing Theatre, whilst meeting some of the people involved in Time and the Conways. A great chance to find out how to make a career as an actor or director. Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

The event is aimed at 5th & 6th year pupils interested in pursuing a career in the theatre, and will also act as a CPD session for Drama, Guidance/Support Teachers and Career’s Advisors. It may also be of interest to upper primary and early secondary pupils also interested in the theatre.

Join us for some or all of these exciting events and learn more about the careers involved in theatre and remember that all the events will be recorded and available in Glow TV’s Watch Again section.

CfE, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning

Regional events – children’s rights, global citizenship and outdoor learning

February 18, 2013 User deactivated 2 Comments

Download flyer for regional events

Regional events – children’s rights, global citizenship and outdoor learning

Education Scotland is hosting a series of important regional events in March 2013 to enable schools to explore the implications of two major policy developments – the Children and Young People Bill and the Learning for Sustainability report.

The Children and Young People Bill, which will be considered by the Scottish Parliament in 2013, sets out a range of proposals for children’s services and will seek to embed the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) across the public sector. This will support the Getting it Right for Every Child approach and also the exciting work taking place in Scottish schools to engage learners in rights-based education and pupil voice activities.

The Learning for Sustainability report, published in December 2012, sets out a strategic agenda for change for Scottish schools. The report recommends the adoption of a coherent whole school approach to ensure that sustainability, global citizenship and outdoor learning are experienced in a transformative way by every learner in every school across Scotland. The report also includes a number of recommendations relating to career-long professional learning, leadership development and the new GTC Scotland Professional Standards. The Scottish Government will respond to this report in March this year.

In addition, participants will also learn of the many exciting events taking place in 2013/14 to support these aspects of learning including: the Year of Natural Scotland; Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games; the Scottish independence referendum; Homecoming Year; Ryder Cup; David Livingstone’s bicentenary; John Muir’s centenary and the centenary of the start of the First World War.

Through a mixture of workshops, exhibitions and spotlight sessions, delegates will have the opportunity to gain practical ideas and insight from early years, ASN, primary and secondary schools with interesting practice to share. Key national organisations will also be on hand to offer support, resources and advice.

Target audience: The main target audience are school leaders, local authority staff and those with a whole school responsibility for global citizenship, sustainability, children’s rights and outdoor learning.

Sectors: Early years (including partnership providers), ASN, primary and secondary schools.

When:

9:30am – 3:30pm, Wed 13^th March – Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
9:30am – 3:30pm, Mon 18^th March – Drumossie Hotel, Inverness
9:30am – 3:30pm, Wed 20^th March – Hampden Stadium, Glasgow.

How to book: Delegate places have been allocated to each local authority to ensure all school sectors and geographical areas are well represented. School or local authority staff should contact their local authority coordinator in the first instance to book.

General bookings will be available from 26^th Feb onwards. Please email Willie Bhari: Willie.Bhari@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel: 0141 282 5208 to add your name to this waiting list. Cost of attending event: Free.

CfE, Supporting Learners

World of Work Wednesdays – Working in the Retail Sector

February 1, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Our latest WoWW event on Wednesday 6th February at 2pm will explore the retail sector with speakers from very different aspects of the industry sharing their insight and experience into the opportunities that working in this sector offer. While the emphasis will be on the retail sector the speakers will highlight the soft skills required for entry into not only this but any employment sector making this a valuable learning experience for all young people who will be seeking to enter the world of work.

Why would I want to work in Retail?
The retail industry employs around 2.9m people in the UK and generates over £260bn a year in sales – larger than the combined economies of Portugal and Denmark.

By its very nature retail is a fast-moving industry as organisations try to respond to – and predict – customer demand and future trends. But if you think that a career in retail is limited solely to the shop floor, think again.

From sourcing new producers to transporting goods, ordering stock and forecasting trends, there are a multitude of roles that are critical to the retail operation that you may never have even realised.

And these roles can also be found in a number of associated sectors, from warehousing and distribution to finance, marketing and design.

The retail industry has plenty of variety – not least because of the vast array of products in the marketplace.

In both traditional retail stores and in new online markets, there really are limitless opportunities for people to work within a sector that interests them regardless of whether you are a petrol-head or fashion lover.

So join us to ask questions and find out more. Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

CfE, CLD, Community Capacity Building, Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, National Qualifications, Outdoor Learning, Research, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies, Supporting Learners, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Learning for Sustainability – report published

December 17, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Learning for Sustainability – the report of the One Planet Schools Working Group, was published 17 December 2012.

The report includes strategic recommendations to support the development of coherent whole school approaches to ensure that learning for sustainability, global citizenship and outdoor learning are experienced in a transformative way by every learner in every school across Scotland. The report includes a number of recommendations relating to career-long professional learning and initial teacher education and advocates genuine partnerships with local communities and action to improve the sustainability of the school estate. A key ambition of the report is to provide an agenda for strategic change that will create an enabling framework, remove barriers, and build on existing excellent practice.

Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages said:
“I welcome the publication of Learning for Sustainability and would like to thank the Working Group for their work and commitment to producing the report and recommendations. As we approach the Year of Natural Scotland in 2013, the report reminds us of the importance of learning which connects young people to local and global issues, an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence.

“A wide range of actions have been taken as part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and we welcome steps to encourage and support schools in their approach to sustainability and global citizenship, including through outdoor learning.

“We will take time to consider the report, to engage with partners on its recommendations and respond in full in March 2013.”

The report can be downloaded from:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/ACE/OnePlanetSchools

See the associated Engage in Education blog from Professor Pete Higgins, Chair of the One Planet Schools Working Group: http://engageforeducation.org/news/learning-for-sustainability/

Early Years, Sciences

Improving Sciences Education 3-18 Conversation Day

December 14, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

The first of our face- to-face Improving Sciences Education 3-18 conversation days took place on Monday 10th at Denholm House in Livingston.

Find out more on our Sciences Impact Project blog bit.ly/sciences3-18talk

Sciences, Senior Phase, Technologies

STEM Professional Learning: How is Education Scotland supporting you?

December 13, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

We’ve recently updated our Professional Learning section on STEM Central.

This section includes a number of videos in the “Exploring Engineering” series from “Getting started in engineering” to “Inspiring Space Engineering”. These can be used to help you understand more about STEM and engineering jobs and careers for children and young people, or used with learners to inspire them to pursue STEM careers.

With an overview of Education Scotland’s STEM work, and information on contemporary engineering jobs in Scotland, and links to partner resources such as myOilandGascareers.com and World of Work online, why not take a look to find out more?

Join our STEM Professional Learning Community (Glow login required) bit.ly/stemhome

Health and wellbeing, Technologies

Food Standards Agency Advent Calendar

December 5, 2012 User deactivated 1 Comment

Safer Food Better Christmas!

Click here to see the Food Standards Agency Healthier Advent Calendar. https://www.thinglink.com/scene/331023273166897155?buttonSource=userPage.

A new tip each day on;

Storing Food

Preparation

Cooking

CfE, Health and wellbeing

Speakers for Schools comes to Scotland

November 6, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Glow TV and Education Scotland is proud to announce that it will once again to be working with the charity initiative Speakers for Schools . Last year through this initiative Glow TV brought you ‘Jonathan Edwards live in Glow ‘ which you can Watch Again.

Speakers for Schools is a programme originally launched in October 2011 in England by BBC Business Editor Robert Peston and The Education and Employers Taskforce. Each speaker commits to one talk per year, completely free, for a state school or college. Over 800 people have already agreed to participate with a range of speakers including CEOs of major companies, politicians, media and arts people, scientists, entrepreneurs and academics – ranging from the Astronomer Royal Lord Rees to the founder of LastMinute.com and digital entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox.

The 12th of November Speakers for Schools is officially launching in Scotland, with all state secondary schools eligible to apply for a talk on a range of topics.

This year Glow TV will be broadcasting live events from a range of speakers from various areas of commerce so that your school can be part of the experience as well (and if you are unable to attend the session live you can view the recording through Glow TVs Watch Again facility)

We will be starting our exciting series of events on Monday 12th November live from Perth College with inspirational speaker Alice Enders who is a former senior economist at the World Trade Organisation and was professor of economics at York University, Canada. Alice will be speaking about the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sign up and join us in Glow TV for this exciting event.

In addition to this event Glow TV will also be broadcasting live an event with Stewart Regan
the CEO of the Scottish Football Association on Thursday 15th November live from Smithycroft High School in Glasgow. Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Speakers for Schools will be announcing more inspirational speakers appearing live over the coming weeks so keep checking the Glow TV schedule for more being added.

To register and more information Speakers for Schools, visit www.speakers4schools.org

CfE, Health and wellbeing

Micro-Tyco School Enterprise Challenge

September 27, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Micro-tyco is a way of inspiring children and young people to think and be creative in an enterprising way while also becoming aware of business ethics.

Some Local Authorities were involved in this challenge last year and more are already signed up to participate in 2012. The programme is supported by the business community including Sir Tom Hunter and Deloitte.

This initiative is endorsed by Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and lifelong learning.

https://vimeo.com/49015338

The one month challenge kicks off at the start of November where learners work in team to transform £1 into as much money as possible. Micro-Tyco inspires an entrepreneurial environment that unleashes participant’s latent talents and develop new skills.

The funds generated go into support micro-finance in the developing countries around the world.

If you would like to view some videos from past participants please visit

http://www.wildheartsinaction.org/microtyco

If you are interested in registering teams now you can do so online:

http://www.micro-tyco-registration.com/

Prizes last year included a special private dinner with Sir Tom Hunter at his house for the top teams, a celebratory lunch and networking event at Deloitte’s offices for the top schools and t-shirts and badges for runners-up.

For further information visit the website:

http://www.wildheartsinaction.org/microtyco

http://local.stv.tv/east-kilbride/news/188967-sir-tom-hunter-this-challenge-enables-young-people-to-be-all-they-can-be/

CfE, Senior Phase, Social studies, Technologies

Free CPD from Ellen MacArthur Foundation

September 20, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Come along to these free CPD sessions by Colin Webster to learn more about the circular economy: a long-term, regenerative industrial system. The idea is taking off in boardrooms and in governments the world over. The only way to tackle the depletion of raw materials with their associated rise in prices and environmental after-effects, is to take a systems approach and design for disassembly.

Secondary school teachers of Design Technology, Business Management, the Sciences, Geography and other subjects will find the circular economy of great value to the curriculum. These interactive CPD sessions include a look at the free teaching and learning resources of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Find out more about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation at www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org.

In each case, teachers from the local authority should sign up for the CPD via the usual channels. Teachers from outwith the authority should contact colin@ellenmacarthurfoundation.org for more information.

Assessment, CfE, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, National Qualifications, Research, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Senior Phase

Launch of The Sciences 3-18 Curriculum Impact Project report

September 19, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Education Scotland today launches The Sciences 3-18 Curriculum Impact Project report. The sciences and social studies reports are the first two reports in a Curriculum Impact series designed to present a subject-by-subject picture of how children and young people are experiencing learning in different areas of the 3-18 curriculum across the country.

Providing subject-specific analysis and evaluation of current practice, based on a range of independent inspection activities, the report identifies emerging innovative and thought-provoking practice, while highlighting important areas for development. Published on the web, the report will be refreshed from time to time with links to newly-identified, practice and evidence, a dynamic approach that will keep the reviews contemporary on an on-going basis, and relevant to developing needs.

A summary for children and young people has also been published, along with a summary of key strengths and aspects for development.

The publication is intended to provide a focus engagement by children and young people, parents, practitioners and the wider sciences community in Scotland.

Through our Sciences 3-18 Impact Project blog, we want to engage all those involved in the sciences 3-18 to talk together about how we can work together to take forward the key messages of the report.

This outward facing, public blog is a mechanism to allow engagement by all.

Talk with us on bit.ly/sciences3-18.

The STEM Professional Learning Community will also act as a focus for professional dialogue and learning around the Sciences 3-18 Impact Project. Join us, using your Glow login in, on bit.ly/stemhome.

Health and wellbeing, Technologies

Science on the Menu

September 17, 2012 User deactivated 2 Comments

Do you have an appetite to run a Science Club? Hungry for new ideas? Then our mouth-watering menu of food and drink investigations is for you! Science on the Menu not only dishes up a tasty feast of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) experiments for upper primary, but also a goody box stuffed with science equipment and teachers’ notes. S1/S2 can also get a slice of the action by requesting a DVD with a full menu of experiments and teachers’ notes (resource kits are limited to primaries only).

Pick ‘n’ mix from our range of Light Bites experiments or get your teeth into our four multi-week “mains” projects.

Light Bites:

Tongue Twisters – tasting with your nose

Our Daily Bread – “Rise to the Challenge” by investigating yeast

Tootie Frootie – fruit experiments

ThirstQuenchers – purifying water – “The Deserted Island Challenge”

Takeaway – experiments to do at home

Mains:

A Lot on Your Plate – investigating starch, sugar, protein etc

Sow ‘n’ Grow – looking at properties of soil

The Chocolate Box – investigating issues at a struggling chocolate factory

The Great Scottish Dessert Challenge – an enterprising project to invent a new frozen dessert – thanks to the wonders of science, no freezer is required!

What’s in the kit?

Test tubes and tongs, pipettes, gloves, pH indicator strips, aprons, gloves, beakers, neodymium magnets, funnels, eyeshields, mortar and pestles, scales, digital thermometer, blotting paper, filter papers, chemicals with safety notes, food colouring, bimetallic strips, batteries and battery holders, marbles, croc clip leads, motors, pulleys, buzzers, switches, Teachers’ Notes and pupil report sheets.

Whetted your appetite? Then apply for a free kit by 30 September. A limited number of free investigation kits (valued at £200 per kit) are available for registered primary Young Engineers and Science Clubs – you can register online at www.yecscotland.co.uk You will be notified by mid October if your application has been successful. Secondaries are welcome to apply for the DVD.

CfE, Early Years, Research, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Technologies

SLF 2012: Forensic Rookies, Transition and the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust: Scottish Islands and Mainland ICT and Science project

September 11, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

With a week to go until SLF 2012 kicks off, there are only a few spaces remaining in session N1A “Forensic Rookies”, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor. The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared, and delegates can get hands on with forensic investigation activities. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.

There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will are also available via the ScienceEdResearch channel YouTube.

The individual vodcasts for each school:

Brae High; Blairgowrie; Coupar Angus; Inveralmond Community High; Urafirth; Westfield

Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!

Health and wellbeing

ScotRail Safety Campaign

September 7, 2012 User deactivated 3 Comments

ScotRail have produced a resource pack teaching primary school pupils aged four to 11, Scratch and the Train Gang which features cartoon characters who provide easily accessible safety messaging for children. It is designed to provide teachers with ready-made resources; including poster competitions, stickers, sing-along YouTube videos, and sheet music and colouring-in books. These aim to enable children to recognise and avoid unsafe situations by engaging with cartoon characters Freddie, Sally, Callum, Norah and their loveable dog Scratch. Winners of the poster competitions can have their work displayed at ScotRail stations.

Resources for secondary school pupils aged 11 to 18; include a YouTube video called ‘Teens Talk Safety’, which looks at the most typical types of unsafe behaviour from teenagers in stations and the potential consequences. It confronts these issues in a serious, but sensitive way, and could be a useful tool for safety discussions in the classroom.

To view the video clips click here.

CfE, Expressive Arts

Spotlight on Theatre

August 30, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Festival Theatre Edinburgh, The Lyceum Theatre and The Traverse Theatre are holding a unique interactive careers event on Tuesday 11th September. Places to attend have already been booked up, but if you are interested in finding out more, and watching the sessions you can now join in on Glow TV.

The event is aimed at 5th and 6th year pupils interested in pursuing a career in the theatre, and will also act as a CPD session for Drama, Guidance/Support Teachers and Career’s Advisors. In addition pupils in upper primary and lower primary may be interested in many aspects of the day.

It is a busy day with lots to join in with:

Directing and Writing for Theatre live from The Traverse Theatre – 10 – 11.30am
As Scotland’s New Writing Theatre the Traverse prides itself on the close relationships they have with our writers. Join our Associate Director for a practical workshop that explores the relationship and journey of a playwright and director. Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Acting live from The Lyceum Theatre – 12 – 1.30pm
Take part in an acting skills workshop with our Drama Artist and learn all about careers in Acting and the routes and courses which can lead to them. There will also be a Q and A session with a professional actor – so have your questions ready! Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Marketing, Press, PR and Programming live from the Festival Theatre Edinburgh – 2.30 – 4pm
An introduction to careers in arts administration, focusing on marketing, press, PR and programming. Our experienced staff share their tips for the top in promoting and selling theatre to diverse audiences across the central belt of Scotland, but beware – it’s not all paparazzi and showbiz glamour! Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

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

August 21, 2012 User deactivated 1 Comment

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

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Mathematics, Social studies

Dennis the Menace becomes a global citizen

August 17, 2012 User deactivated 4 Comments

Who’d have thought it? Dennis the Menace becoming a global citizen and the Bash Street Kids growing their own vegetables and getting their 5-a-day!

In the forthcoming special edition of the Beano, primary school pupils will get to see a very different side of their favourite characters. Scottish Business in the Community, a charity that actively encourages businesses from all sectors to improve their impacts on the economy, environment and society, has teamed up with one of its members, DC Thomson, to support the creation of a special edition Beano designed to engage young people in environmental and societal issues in a positive and fun way.

Sent to every primary school pupil in Scotland, the free special edition Beano will incorporate the key themes core to SBC and central to creating a sustainable future for Scotland including:

Environment / visioning the future
Health & wellbeing / growing your own veg
Employability and soft skills
Responsible citizenship and community

This special edition Beano is supported by a teachers information pack linking to Curriculum for Excellence.

Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Leaning, Science and Scotland’s Languages, is very supportive of the initiative saying, ‘I welcome the opportunity afforded to schools to use resources such as this to engage the children in positive and more importantly, fun learning experiences.’

Comics will start arriving in schools towards the end of August.

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

Skills in Practice

August 15, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

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

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Senior Phase

Advice and Guidance to support National Qualifications in Sciences

August 14, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Yesterday, we published new advice and guidance associated with National 5 Biology associated with Inheritance.

There are a number of areas in this advice and guidance which would lend themselves to discussion in the classroom. What does this look like? What is the difference between learners talking, and discussing? Arguing and debating? What tools and approaches can be used to ensure learners are developing their skills in discussion, argumentation, and debate?

The teacher’s handbook from the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Scotland may be of use in planning for learning and teaching for the senior phase. 2012 is the year of the ESU’s Speak up Scotland! Science Debating project. Within the easily digestible, practical teacher’s handbook are a range of techniques and approaches which can be used to structure debate within the science classroom, and include all learners within the class. It explains how to plan and structure a formal debate, if that is what you are looking for, including how to structure a speech, a format for judging the content and skills of the participants – useful for teacher observation or peer evaluation. Other approaches described include balloon and role play debates. Exemplification is given for role playdebates in bio-prospecting and badger culling.

The booklet also contains starters for debates such as:

“this house would ban research on embryonic stem cells” – ties in with the National 4/5 qualifications in Biology and our published advice and guidance on Health and Disease.

Each section includes “fast facts”, and suggested questions to ask – does an embryo have human rights? how do we know how old the universe is? how do we control nanoparticles in our environment; or artificial organisms we create?

All of this is also available on the project website where you can find out how schools are using the debates and the feedback from learners.

If your learners need support in building confidence to speak in front of others, why not look back to our Debating in Schools resources published in 2007 which include Building Speaking Confidence: Guidance for first-time speakers.

Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central Games context and a festival of games in Dundee

August 10, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

If our recently published STEM Central Games context, celebrating Scotland’s position in this diverse and creative industry, has sparked your interest, an ideal opportunity to find out more this weekend at the three day computer games festival in Dundee. Running from today until Sunday 12th August, this event at Dundee’s Caird Hall provides an opportunity for visitors to try out some games, including those developed especially for the games.

MCMC/16+LC

West Lothian External School Hub – Partnership Working

July 13, 2012 User deactivated 1 Comment

West Lothian has set up a forum known as the External School Hub to enable all partnership agencies to come together in a solution-focussed approach to supporting vulnerable young people who require more choices and more chances into a positive pathway. The External Hub adopts a holistic approach to providing maximum support which involves close partnership working (including young people and parents) to enable the young people to benefit from a personalised education and support package either within or outwith the school setting.

CLD, MCMC/16+LC, Young people, children & families

North Ayrshire-Extended Outreach Case Study- Supporting Young People into Positive and Sustained Destinations

July 9, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

This filmed case study with reflective questions to support planning for choices and changes, MCMC and 16+ Learning Choices is now available on the Education Scotland website.

The case study highlights the support available from a range of partners in planning for choices and change (including 16+ learning choices) to post 16 transition stage. The case study is located in the planning for choices and change/16+ Learning Choices areas of the website. Key themes covered are inclusion, GIRFEC and support for young people with additional support needs. This case study will benefit all partners working with young people in the senior phase and post school.

Sciences

STEM Central and Ready for Emergencies?

June 30, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

The Ready for Emergencies? Glow meet on Friday 15th June featuring Stewart Borthwick (Strathclyde Emergency Coordination Group), Sally Dempsey (Red Cross) and Paul Hendy (Director of the Scottish Flood Forum) was interesting and thought provoking. It provides an ideal starter for looking ahead to our forthcoming STEM Central context on Rescue Vehicles.

How do we rescue people in the event of major emergencies such as floods? This time last week up to 150 people were rescued from flooding in Wales, some of them by RNLI lifeboats and by rescue helicopter. In ourSTEM Central Rescue Vehicles context, aimed at second level, we will explore the science of lifeboats and rescue vehicles. The full Ready for Emergencies? resource is available on the Education Scotland website.

uk-514-154 — Exercise 'Flipper', Carbisdale Castle, Sutherland, Scotland. British Red Cross Emergency Response Training Exercise. Credit Derek Gordon, British Red Cross

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Sciences, Technologies

Sound Context Goes Live on STEM Central

June 27, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

STEM Central makes connections between sciences, technologies and mathematics through the context of engineering allows learners to broaden their understanding of the applications of concepts and skills developed in curriculum subjects. It allows learners to develop solutions to problems and demonstrate creativity through inquiry.

We are delighted to annouce that our Sound Context for learning is live on STEM Central.

Sound is an important part of our lives and we are constantly surrounded by it. From talking in the classroom, to animal sounds in the forest, from listening to music to hearing a fire engine siren, different sounds can make us feel different emotions; they can trigger memories and remind of us of key events in our lives. It can also affect how we remember different events. Animals and humans use sound to communicate with each other in a variety of forms including song, voice, ultrasound, and the telephone. Sound can be about survival and can warn us of danger but it can also be used for relaxation and entertainment through the medium of music.

The learning journeys with a Sciences and Technologies focus within early and first levels will give learners the opportunity to investigate a variety of sound making materials. They will recognise and produce different sounds through constructive play, design and construct their own instruments and create and record sounds. There will also be second and fourth level learning journeys coming soon.

Click here to visit the new Sound Context on STEM Central.

Sciences, Technologies

Games Context on STEM Central

June 27, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

We are delighted to annouce that our Games Context for learning is live on STEM Central.

The games industry in Scotland is thriving. Providing jobs for skilled professionals of all nationalities, games companies are at the forefront of Scotland’s electronic technologies and software industry. Games have been used throughout the ages to teach, entertain and amuse. In some respects games have changed over time with changes in technologies, tools and materials, yet in other ways simple games that resemble those from past societies are still played.

In the Games Development Second Level Learning Journey learners are offered stimulating experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding not only of the history of gaming in Scotland, but will also encourage them to explore technological developments in society, and ultimately how to design, create and market their own game.

The Electrifying Games Second Level Learning Journey offers a range of opportunities for learners enquiry based learning and to develop and apply knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to circuits and components, and to engineering of a 3D game which demonstrates energy transfer and movement.

Click here to visit the new Games Context on STEM Central.

CfE, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Young people, children & families

Wise up Wednesday: Our latest Glow Meet

June 20, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Thank you to Alastair Seaman and Julie Buchanan from Grounds for Learning for taking time out of their busy schedule to join us for our Glow Meet, Play on the Longest Day on Monday. Also a big thank you to those of you who tuned in on the day. If you missed the live event the good news is that you can ‘watch again’!

Our new video featuring Julie and her excellent work at Shotts Nursery Centre as well as the PowerPoint from the day and some useful links are now on the ‘share’ section of the Early Years CPDCentral site.

If you are not a member of our Early Years CPDCentral site, visit the site and ‘add’ your details it is really easy and quick.

Thank you

The Early Years Team

Click here to see details about the Glow Meet.

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Research, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

SLF 2012: Forensic Rookies, Transition and the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust: Scottish Islands and Mainland ICT and Science project

June 16, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

We’ve been keeping you up to date with this inquiry based science project since last December and we are delighted to confirm that you can find out more by joining us at session N1A at SLF 2012, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor.

The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.

The workshop will include an opportunity for delegates to have hands on experience of the six investigative tasks, using the kit provided to schools, funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will also be available via YouTube after the session for delegates to follow up.

Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!

CfE

Be What You Want!

June 8, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

In March Glow TV was delighted to broadcast an event entitled International Women’s Day – Be What You Want! It was a great success with many schools across Scotland joining us on the day. If you missed it the recorded version can still be viewed in Glow TV’s Watch Again.

Following on from this is the Be What You Want campaign which may be of interest to schools and pupils. Despite the improvement in educational attainment of girls and young women, choices are constrained by assumptions about women’s capabilities and suitability for specific roles. Women and men are still segregated into jobs and industries which are based on stereotypes. The subjects that girls and boys study at school, and in further and higher education, are also heavily segregated according to gender.

The Be What You Want campaign aims to help young people make informed decisions about subject and career choices. The campaign, which was launched by Close the Gap in 2011, has produced a series of posters and comic strips depicting the different situations young people might experience when making decisions about their future. A campaign pack, which also includes a resource for teachers, has been sent to every primary and secondary school in Scotland. Close the Gap has also delivered a number of sessions on the Be What You Want campaign to pupils in schools across Scotland, which explore gender stereotyping and the causes of the gender pay gap.

For further information, campaign materials, or if you are interested in Close the Gap delivering a session in your school, please contact Anna Ritchie, Email: aritchie@stuc.org.uk or Tel: 0141 337 8146. Information on the Be What You Want campaign can be found at www.bewhatyouwant.org.uk where campaign materials can also be downloaded.

CLD, MCMC/16+LC, Supporting Learners, Young people, children & families

2500 young people to be helped into work

June 6, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/06/esf-employment05062012

Leading youth charity The Prince’s Trust will receive £750,000 of European Structural Funds (ESF) to help even more young people into the jobs market.

The investment builds on last month’s announcement by the Scottish Government that £25 million of ESF would be focused on projects designed to get young people into work.

The Prince’s Trust will use the funding to extend their core programmes to help disadvantaged 16-25-year-olds build their confidence and increase their motivation to get their lives working again.

Assessment, CfE, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Mathematics, Moderation, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Technologies

Sharing learning and teaching ideas for early to second level

June 4, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Participating in in-service today provided an opportunity to talk with practitioners around learning and teaching in science and share some of the ways in which Education Scotland can provide support. Issues explored included assessment and moderation, a shared understanding of standards, progression, meeting the needs of learners, transitions, using effective partnerships and keeping the curriculum alive and relevant to inspire young learners.

The following were used to exemplify support for practitioners:

STEM Central

Weather and Climate Change

Exploring Climate Change

Marks on the Landscape

Glow TV

Education Scotland Learning blog – sharing by the Development Officers in Education Scotland

STEM Central in Motion blog – sharing by practitioners and partners

Food for Thought leaflet and poster – we will shortly be developing the new Food Security context for STEM Central

STEM Central Learning Journeys from the Sound context, early years and first level due for publication later this month, and the draft second level journeys due for publication within the next few months

Journey to Excellence

NAR (National Assessment Resource)

and

Glow Science

Practitioners shared resources they also find useful such as Planet Science , I’m a Scientist, get me out of here and I’m an Engineer, get me out of here.

Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

Learning in the Broad General Education for EY to Second Level: Speak up Scotland! A Year of Science Debating

June 4, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

We had the opportunity to participate in a local authority in-service today, working with early years and primary practitioners from a cluster. One aspect of this was to discuss how we are supporting teachers in achieving the vision of Curriculum for Excellence in sciences, and STEM.

One important aspect of learning and teaching in sciences is to create opportunities or learners to gain confidence in using scientific language, and to be able to express informed views within discussion and debate. What tools and approaches can be used to ensure learners are developing their skills in discussion, argumentation, and debate?

A teacher’s handbook from the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Scotland came across my desk recently and I thought this was something worth sharing at the session. 2012 is the year of the ESU’s Speak up Scotland! Science Debating project. Within this easily digestible, practical handbook are a range of techniques and approaches which can be used to structure debate within science, and include all learners within the class. It explains how to plan and structure a formal debate, if that is what you are looking for, including how to structure a speech, a format for judging the content and skills of the participants – useful for teacher or peer evaluation. Other approaches described include balloon and role play debates. Exemplification is given for role playdebates in bio-prospecting and badger culling.

The teachers who reviewed this booklet immediately saw opportunities to use this to support learning and teaching, to enrich the development of our learners as scientific thinkers.

The booklet also contains starters for debates such as:

”this house believes the government should fund research on planet earth rather than the cosmos”

“this house would ban research on embryonic stem cells”

All of this is also available on the project website where you can find out how schools are using the debates and the feedback from learners.

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Wednesday 14 November 2012

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A training blog for PLSuperheroes