Glow Scotland

Mark Baker Outdoor Learning Development Officer for LTS, and I provided Glow training for a wide range of Outdoor Learning  Partners last Thursday in the Optima. This training came about because of a demand from the Outdoor Learning community to get involved with Glow and Outdoor Learning in schools. It follows on from requests we took for Glow training at the Outdoor Learning Conference 2009  in Crieff in April. Thanks to all the attendees at this training for  being such enthusiastic participants:

The attendees  listened to presentations about Glow and took part in creating their own Glow groups. Later in the day they also collaborated in making changes to the National Parks and Outdoor Learning National Glow group. The first presentation answered some basic questions: what is Glow, where is it nationally and what can it do for me?  Participants took part in useful discussions about  how to use Glow for outdoor learning and asked tough questions about the value of more learning on the web.

After lunch  the discussion was focused on the National Site, Outdoor Learning Glow groups and shared administration in the National site.  It was very useful for me to have participants feedback on the National Parks and Outdoor Learning Glow group and it’s sub Glow group structure.  The new National glow group title is Outdoor Learning . It now has some new pages and some new sub Glow groups for example with National Parks pages and a National Parks sub Glow group. I was able to make improvements based on useful comments given by the attendees during the training. I  look forward to the participation of our OLPs as guest users in this National Glow group and Glow based outdoor learning projects.

We have seen requests for Glow training and guest memberships grow throughout 2008 and 2009. Following this successful training we will organise a Building Outdoor Learning  Community event for January 2010. Before that, we can also look forward to two Outdoor Learning events with Scottish Natural Heritage, both will be live in Glow: Outdoor Learning for Teachers Wed 14th Oct 2009 and  Sharing Good Practice in OL Tues 10th Nov.  For more details see news in the OLNGg.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority hosted an event to raise the profile of CfE and outdoor learning in the Cairngorms, at the Lecht ski  centre today.   It was very well received by an audience which consisted of school teachers from all the Local Authorities that surround the CNP and many of the partner bodies that work with the CNP, such as RSPB, Forestry Commission, Duke of Edinburgh Award, John Muir Award, Scottish Natural Heritage,  Highland Environmental Network, Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust, University of the Highlands and Field studies Council.

Eddie Broadley and Peter Eavers, LTS Area Advisers introduced the Cairngorms and CfE respectively, in the context of an exceptional landscape, experiential learning and lifelong learning.  David Green, CNPA Executive, spoke convincingly about a values based curriculum and the value of learning  outdoors. His message was about new opportunities to “teach them young and teach them good” with CfE, better vocational links and cross curricular projects.

Murray Ferguson, CNPA Visitor Attractions, described the landscapes, landforms and landuses of the Cairngorms NP in the context of a family of protected areas found across Europe.  However, CNP is a special case of Local Authority partnership for innovation and sustainability. Young learners should be “getting out there”, getting involved in meaningful tasks and be made aware of ‘bigger landscape issues’, such as: landuse conflicts, planning and climate change.  

Bruce Robertson, Director of Education for Aberdeenshire Council, also spoke passionately about bigger ideas and the CNP. His special interest in promoting outdoor learning was obvious.  He described “learning, in, about and through Aberdeenshire’: with CfE and Glow. He described his arrangements for learning and entitlements for learners, in a landscape that stretches from the Cairngorm Mountains to the North Sea. He said much more but one comment in particular sticks with me: “outdoor learning does not stop outdoors”. This is, for me, a critical observation and central to Glow, both in terms of creating opportunities for using mobile technology and in providing the essential means to share, interpret and reflect on outdoor learning experiences.

Workshops followed, on: The National Park Glow Group, Writing Materials for Outdoor Learning, Climate Change, The John Muir Award, CfE, Local Culture and more. Attendees listened to mini presentations, collected ideas and asked questions in a ‘cafe style’. Later in the day Local Authority groups met to put forward ideas for planning and implementation, before Richard Stroud CNPA Executive, finished off with some observations. Thanks go to Claire Ross and Elspeth Grant from CNPA for organising this event. I enjoyed facilitating workshops with Anna Rossvoll, Glow Key contact for Aberdeenshire and look forward to working with Eddie and Peter again at the next NP event. This will be hosted by Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Finally, I will be in touch with all of the ‘partner’ bodies who requested access to, or more in formation about, Glow and the National Parks National Glow Group.