Global Citizenship

April 30th, 2010

Education and Religious Intolerance

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, ICT, citizenship, europe

Learning and Teaching Scotland has a new online resource for teachers to support educational activities which challenge the problems of Sectarianism and Religious prejudice. It was produced in collaboration with teachers and offers information, ideas and activities for professional development. Its themes include discrimination, intolerance, religious equality, holocaust education, and school twinning.

Our ‘Education for Citizenship’ national Glow Group has a section on Anti-Sectarian education, and continues to be a place for teachers to share views on such work.

Today’s ‘Times Educational Supplement Scotland’ has a story entitled “Paint job puts a different gloss on graffiti-stained footbridge”, which describes how school pupils at Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow addressed a local sectarian problem and improved their community.

April 30th, 2010

Environmental education

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, sustainable development

Teachers TV, the service which produces high-quality professional development video material for teachers, has launched a competition to find the ‘greenest schools’ in the UK. It’s a tight deadline, with applications needed by Friday 7th May.

Scotland has a very active Eco Schools programme, plus other activity for sustainable development and environmental education, so there will be many schools which may want to highlight their good work.

The Scottish Education Awards also has a category for ’Sustainable Schools Award’. The winner will be announced at a celebratory event on the 18th June.

April 26th, 2010

African Partners in Development

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, ICT, africa, citizenship, international

Link Community Development, a charity which promotes access to quality education in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, is running a programme to enhance school links between Link Schools in the UK, Ireland and their African partners. The ‘Partners in Development’ programme is funded by the European Union, and aims to sustain strong school partnerships and raise awareness of development issues.

LCD has created a competition for schools, to celebrate the launch of ‘Partners in Development’. The competition is open to both primary and secondary schools, and asks them to choose one or more global issues and tell LCD about the action the school and its pupils can take to make a difference. Full details for Scottish schools are online, and the closing date for entries is 24th May 2010.

April 25th, 2010

Outdoor learning

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories international, sustainable development

Learning and Teaching Scotland has published new guidance and material for teachers on Outdoor Learning. This online resource aims to show how teachers can produce powerful learning experiences as part of a Curriculum for Excellence. Many children and young people already enjoy learning in the outdoor environment, on school grounds and in natural surroundings in fields, forests, seashores, lakes, National Parks, etc. This resource will assist education practitioners to plan and deliver many kinds of outdoor experience, and was developed in partnership with agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission Scotland.

The LTS Outdoor Learning team are running a number of regional events in Scotland to support the use of the new guidance.

In May a group of Scottish Primary and Early Years professionals will undertake a SCIPD group study visit to the Oslo area to investigate the Norwegian model for nature kindergartens and outdoor learning. We will encourage dissemination about the outcomes of this visit through Glow and at face-to-face professional development events.

April 18th, 2010

Science education in Scottish schools

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, europe, international

In March 2010 the Scottish Government published “Science and Engineering 21: action plan for education“, which will support change and improvement to science education. Among the areas for extra attention are teacher expertise and knowledge, and the action plan identifies professional development and support material for staff among the methods which will be utilised.

Learning and Teaching Scotland is now inviting applications from Scottish secondary science teachers for a SCIPD international study visit to support Physics teaching. The visit will be focused on a teacher education programme at the CERN particle physics research laboratories in Geneva, with associated engagement with European teachers. Details are available on the LTS website, with a closing date of 30th April 2010. This visit will provide direct support for implementation of the new Higher Physics.

April 12th, 2010

Scotland and Canada

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories canada, international

Learning and Teaching Scotland has produced a new online resource exploring the rich historic and cultural links between Scotland and Canada. The ‘Scots and Canada’ resource explores key aspects of the connections between these two nations, such as the emigration of Scots from the Highlands and the establishment of new communities in Nova Scotia. The Scots and Canada resource is available in both English and Gaelic and forms part of the broader web resource entitled Scotland’s History.

The resource was launched by Cabinet Secretary Michael Russell MSP on his recent visit to North America. A Scottish Government news story gives details.