March 2022 – Learning for Sustainability

Thousands of learners benefit from outdoor learning

More than 6,000 young people in some of the most disadvantaged areas of Scotland have benefited from a project to encourage learning outdoors.

The Learning in Local Greenspace project has supported 115 schools across 12 local authorities to use nearby green spaces, such as parks and woodlands, for outdoor learning.

Led by NatureScot, this collaborative project worked with more than 20 partner organisations with the aim of embedding outdoor learning in schools, with more than 500 teachers taking part.

Learning outdoors has been shown to improve the health and wellbeing of pupils, and can also have a positive impact on behaviour and engagement, in turn leading to better attainment.

An evaluation report found that, as a result of the project, the percentage of teachers taking learning outdoors in their local greenspace regularly rose from 28% to 49%, while teacher confidence in doing so increased from 54% to 85%.

Following the project more than a third (37%) felt that their pupils had a good connection to nature, compared to just 19% previously. The percentage of teachers who believed their pupils’ engagement in learning outdoors was good or excellent also increased from 56% to 79%.

The project also developed a range of free resources for outdoor learning that are available to all via the Learning in local greenspace project webpages.

Supporting learners during conflict and war

This webinar will provide opportunities for practitioners working in a range of sectors to discuss how they can support children and young people who may be anxious about what they see or hear in the news.

Target Audience – the target audience for this event is professionals within the Education, Creative and Cultural Sectors in Scotland. To register for the event please enter either a school/establishment/Glow/local authority, a company or personal email address.

Wednesday 23 March 2022

16:00 – 17:15

Learning for Sustainability Scotland news

Learning for a Sustainable Future MOOC starts 14 March

Join a personal and professional global learning journey towards a sustainable future. On this highly regarded five-week open-access online course, you’ll develop an informed personal response to local and global challenges as you’re supported to take positive actions. What on Earth could be more important?

LfS Scotland Story Sharing

At the start of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 the new LfS Scotland Story Sharing space has now been launched. You can read stories of transformational learning from members of Learning for Sustainability Scotland and you are invited to upload your own LfS stories to this open-access space. Get in touch at enquiries@lfsscotland.org if you need any advice or assistance with this.

Global Perspectives on the SDGs and Rights 16 March

This course, developed by the Development Education Centres in partnership with colleagues from Nepal and Nigeria, will examine the development of the UNCRC, explore some of the language within Rights and share ways to introduce Rights to learners through the SDGs, highlighting examples of good practice.

Eco-Schools Live Lesson, 21 March

Eco-Schools are offering a live lesson all about Litter & Waste, with special guests from Scottish SPCA and Auchindrain Historic Township. Join with your class or Eco-Committee for a full morning of workshops, and on 25th March for an assembly to celebrate your work.

1.5 Max

The 1.5 Max Summit brought together 11 Scottish schools together with schools from Mozambique, Nepal and Malawi to learn more about the climate emergency. Discover how the voices of young people who had been affected by plastic pollution created the most powerful catalyst for climate action within Bell Baxter High School in Fife.

Rebooting Compassionate Values

This month’s Global Dimension class activity explores the theme of Compassionate Values. The story of The Child and the Starfish is used to frame the impact compassion can have on ourselves, each other, and the world around us.

Climate Action Guide: Thinking Critically, Collaborating Sustainably, Acting Justly

The I-CAN Project is developing the knowledge and skills of teachers to support work in the classroom. Your starting point is to download this practical Climate Action Guide and start to explore what is meant by ‘Thinking critically, collaborating sustainably and acting justly’.

Unfold The Power of Plants: Free, Double-sided Poster from The Open University

The landmark BBC Natural History series ‘Green Planet’, presented by Sir David Attenborough, is an immersive portrayal of an unseen, inter-connected world, full of remarkable new behaviour, emotional stories and surprising heroes in the plant world. Root yourself deeper into the world of plants with this free poster.

Join The Regenerators today!

Whether at home or school, The BBC Bitesize Regenerators aim to inspire children and teenagers to live a greener life and encourage others to protect the planet.