Global Citizenship

April 26th, 2012

Business leaders support global education

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: research
 : Categories citizenship, international, modern languages, sustainable development

The Global Skills Gap

December 2011

Three-quarters (74%) of the 500 business leaders polled by ICM Research worried that young people’s horizons are not broad enough to operate a globalised and multicultural economy.

Employers agreed with the statement that: “Unless we better support schools to teach young people to think more globally, the UK is in danger of being left behind by emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil”. The survey conducted on behalf of the British Council and Think Global gauged the extent to which business leaders saw global thinking as an important skill amongst employees and potential recruits.

93% of businesses thought it was important for schools to help young people develop the ability to think globally. 80% said schools should be doing more; only 2% said they should be doing less. In recruiting employees, more employers (79%) said knowledge and awareness of the wider world is more important than: degree subject and classification (74%); A-level results (68%); or A-level subjects (63%).

Read The Global Skills Gap here: www.think-global.org.uk/resources/item.asp?d=6404

April 26th, 2012

Place-based learning – CPD opportunity

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: CPD, events, nature
 : Categories CPD, biodiversity, community, curriculum areas, outdoor learning, sustainable development

Venue: Glen Strae (near Dalmally), Argyll, Scotland

Cost: £100

Places: 15

Dates: 25^th – 27^th May 2012

Times: arrival from 7pm on the Friday, finish before 5pm Sunday

Spend a weekend in a beautiful glen honing your outdoor learning skills.  Find out how to get the most from the places you use, and learn practices which can bring out the unique features of your locality and context.  Share a stimulating workshop with other educators and journey in a rich landscape full of stories.  

Ground – Develop a sense of how to work with the places you take your school/group as more than just venues.  Insights from ‘place-based education’ will help you answer the question ‘why here?’ and get the most from the locality in which you work.

Experience – Walk and discuss the ethics of working ‘in, about and for’ places. Look at ways of introducing, working with and reviewing learning in the landscape. 

Develop – Model and discuss techniques and exercises for all age ranges which bring out the varied elements of place: history, land-use, ecology and personal connections. 

Understand – Discuss the ideas behind this approach, asking what is a ‘sense of place?’ and investigating the curriculum and educational links to topics such as sustainability, and personal well-being.

We will be camping so please bring your own food, outdoor clothing and camping equipment.  Transport is possible by train (Glasgow – Oban line), transfers between Dalmally Station and Glen Strae can be arranged.

A deposit of £50 will reserve your place please contact sam@openground.eu for details

Deposits are non-returnable and full balances will be due 4 weeks before the course – we recommend you take out insurance for cancellation

 Any queries please contact sam@openground.eu

April 26th, 2012

Outdoor Learning Placement – John Muir Award

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: CPD, nature
 : Categories CPD, biodiversity, outdoor learning, sustainable development

The John Muir Award (an educational initiative of the John Muir Trust) is offering an exciting opportunity for an educator who would like to develop their knowledge and experience of outdoor learning.

The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places. It aims to encourage people of all backgrounds to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places.  It is a nationally recognised scheme that is already demonstrating strong links with Curriculum for Excellence.

This placement will help interpret and build on Education Scotland’s on-going investment in Outdoor Learning to meet key areas such as Health and Well-being, Global Citizenship, Sustainable Development Education, Literacy, Numeracy, Creativity and Skills for Learning, Life and Work.  The placement opportunity will extend and strengthen outdoor learning approaches through the John Muir Award both nationally and in a specific Local Authority area (depending on successful candidate source).

This is a flexible opportunity that we would like to offer in partnership with a Local Authority or other relevant employer.   Please note that this is not a fully funded opportunity, and would need to be supported by your current employer.  The John Muir Trust can provide substantial support in kind such as office space, management, development and training. 

Time commitment: Ideally the placement would be over a full academic year.  Part and full time placements will be considered.  Location of placement can also be flexible. 

Deadline for applications: 18 May, 2012
Prospective applicants should submit a CV and covering letter.

Applications can either be emailed to: education@johnmuiraward.org or posted to:
Rebecca Logsdon, John Muir Award Scotland Education Manager
John Muir Trust, Tower House, Station Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5AN t: 01796 484972

April 24th, 2012

Take One Action Film Festival

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, conflict, events, Fairtrade, film
 : Categories citizenship, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, international, social studies, sustainable development

Are you aged between 15 and 21 years? Interested in great films that make a difference in the world? Would you like to organise inspiring film screening events in your local community? If so, here is your chance to take action!

Take One Action – Scotland’s global action cinema project – is organising it’s second Young Action Heroes Project for young people and their educators/youth workers at the Macrobert Centre in Stirling in late August 2012. We are keen to hear from schools and youth groups who want to take part in the residential and then screen a film to inspire action in others!

Application information is available to download from www.takeoneaction.org.uk/youth 

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS FRIDAY 25TH MAY, but if you have questions before then email youth@takeoneaction.org.uk or phone Andy at 0131 5536335.

April 19th, 2012

School Open Day – Kinnaird Primary School, Falkirk Council

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: CPD, democracy, enterprise, europe, events, Fairtrade, learner voice, school improvement
 : Categories CPD, citizenship, curriculum areas, europe, expressive arts, health and wellbeing, international, languages, leadership, learner voice, mathematics, primary schools, religious and moral education, sciences, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

School open day – Wed 23rd May 2012

Since opening in August 2007, Kinnaird Primary School has demonstrated a strong commitment to Global Citizenship. It was the first school in Falkirk to achieve Fairtrade status, has achieved two ECO Schools green flags, Falkirk Council’s International Education Awards (Stage 2) and the British Council Intermediate Level Developing Internationalism Award, in addition to Falkirk Council’s Platinum Level Enterprise Education Award.

Download programme for open day>>

Programme

9.30    Registration and Coffee

9.45    Welcome and introduction by Pamela Adamson, Headteacher

10.00    Tour of school

                 Participants given tour of school by pupils/staff in small groups, including visits to classes

11.00    Coffee break

11.30    Presentation about the school’s journey (Pamela Adamson and pupils)

12.00    Informal question and answer session

12.30    Lunch

13.15    Presentation by Megan Farr, Policy Officer, outlining the work Falkirk Council Education Services do  to support and promote Global Citizenship in schools

13.30    Reflection and professional dialogue

                Participants exchange ideas and reflect on personal experience in the light of the visit

14.45    Close

If you wish to register for this Open Day, please contact Megan Farr on 01324 506671 or megan.farr@falkirk.gov.uk

April 16th, 2012

‘Re-think’ Energy at Bucksburn Academy

kmayer

Comments: none Tags: Tags: climate and energy, europe, learner voice
 : Categories citizenship, europe, learner voice, sciences, secondary schools, sustainable development, technologies

Bucksburn Academy in Aberdeen embarked on a Comenius project (currently awaiting acceptance from the North Sea Commission) with several European countries on ‘Re-thinking Energy’. They recently held a conference bringing together expertise from the energy sector and Aberdeen City Council with 134 people attending.

 The project will focus on investigating renewable energies in Scotland, its future prospects and the impact this has on education and employment.  All European partners in the Comenius project will look at the issues from their particular perspective and share these findings.
For more information on the project visit:  bucksburnacademy.org.uk

March 27th, 2012

Review and catch-up: Learner Voice and Pupil Participation event, 23 March, Edinburgh

kmayer

Comments: none Tags: Tags: climate and energy, CPD, learner voice
 : Categories CPD, Uncategorized, citizenship, community, learner voice, outdoor learning, renewables and climate change, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development

Delegates enjoyed a diverse and inspiring programme covering a wide range of approaches, themes, and initiatives across the educational spectrum.  With the opening provided by Professor Kay Livingston (Director of International, Research and Innovation at Education Scotland) pupils set the tone for the day by sharing their vision on the theme with the delegates.   

The key note address delivered by Tam Baillie highlighted the enthusiasm at all levels to provide learners with the opportunities to express making their voices heard and count, most of all by children and young people themselves.

Tree spotlight addresses provide exemplification and inspiration on ‘learner voice and pupil participation’ across a variety of sectors.  A diverse workshop programme allowed practitioners to engage with key themes such as rights education, pupil profiling and sustainability education in more detail, followed by a discussion and networking session in the afternoon.

If you wish to catch up on the key themes of the day you will find a selection of presentations and support materials form in one of Developing Global Citizens Glow sections under ‘Learner Voice’.

March 14th, 2012

Sustainability event – Echt Primary School share through Glow TV

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: events, nature, school improvement
 : Categories biodiversity, community, curriculum areas, outdoor learning, primary schools, sharing practice, sustainable development

Echt School, Aberdeenshire, is holding a Sustainability Event on March 16th 2012 to share and showcase the learning the children have been engaged in this term around Sustainability and Global Citizenship.

From Nursery to P7, they have been involved in setting up a wormery, looking after chickens and hatching eggs, looking at our school’s Food and Waste Footprint, finding out about making paper to make their own compostable paper bags, Fairtrade and finding out about solar energy.

Go to Glow TV to find out more – click here (Glow log in required)

February 24th, 2012

Open Day Study Visit – St Paul’s High, Glasgow

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: CPD, democracy, events, Fairtrade, holocaust education, learner voice, nature, school improvement
 : Categories CPD, citizenship, community, curriculum areas, leadership, outdoor learning, secondary schools, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development

9:30am – 3.00pm, Thurs 10^th May 2012

Theme:  Sustainable Development Education and Education for Citizenship 

St Paul’s High School is an inspiring example of a school that has adopted a whole school approach to global citizenship. The school’s achievements in this regard have earned it national recognition as a finalist in the 2011 Scottish Education Awards (Sustainable School Category) and as a winner of the 2009 Scottish Education Awards (Active Citizenship Category).

The school’s approach and vision for global citizenship has made an identifiable impact on learners, helping them grow in confidence and providing them with real-life opportunities to develop their skills and transform their local community. The school has supported a wide range of activities to achieve this, most notably:

• Dedicated time within the social studies curriculum for learners to choose and engage with local community projects and tackle anti-social behaviour in the wider community
• A strong school ethos which puts respect for others and service to others at the heart of school life and the curriculum
• A sustained commitment to learner voice and a well-established school parliament that provides learners with decision-making powers and a budget to make things happen
• A diverse range of activities and initiatives which support a whole school approach including a Fairtrade group, Eco-Schools group and pupil campaign group
• Planned opportunities for personal achievement through S1 electives, S2 citizenship and S3 skills academy.

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders from across Scotland the chance to visit St Paul’s High School to meet with the Head Teacher, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms, buildings and grounds.

Those participating in the open day will also have time to reflect and share their own experiences.

Download Programme for St Paul’s Open Day>>

How to book

To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172.

Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

February 9th, 2012

Developing global citizens through sciences, social studies and technologies

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: climate and energy, CPD, events, resources
 : Categories CPD, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, mathematics, renewables and climate change, sciences, secondary schools, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Developing global citizens through sciences, social studies and technologies

Interdisciplinary learning for a low carbon and zero waste future

CDP event for practitioners in secondary schools

Menzies Hotel, Washington Street, Glasgow G3 8AZ

9:30am to 3:30pm, Friday 30th March 2012

Target audience: Practitioners, Principal Teachers and Faculty Heads of Technologies (e.g. CDT, Food and Textiles, Business and Enterprise), Sciences and Social Studies. Also local authority coordinators and QIOs.

Aim of the event:

This CPD event provides an exciting opportunity for secondary school practitioners to discover how cradle to cradle technologies and a circular economy can be used as a rich and stimulating context for interdisciplinary learning relating to sustainable development education and global citizenship within Curriculum for Excellence.

The Scottish Government is committed to a low-carbon and zero-waste economy, and the development of enterprise, creativity, STEM (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Maths) and higher order thinking skills in young people are essential if we are to realise these ambitious plans for the future. The circular economy concept proposes the use of sustainable technologies, innovative design and production methods and systems thinking to minimise waste and reduce the exploitation of the Earth’s precious resources. This event will draw on practical and exciting developments within industry which are set to transform the way our economy operates in the decades ahead.

Education Scotland is working in partnership with The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the University of Edinburgh to develop strategies for professional development around sustainable development education and the circular economy to encourage the setting up of communities of practice among practitioners in Scotland. These will provide opportunities for ongoing, localised support and collaboration.

To find out more about the circular economy visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCRKvDyyHmI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

How to book

To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Download CPD event flyer and programme >>