CPD Team

Margaret Orr and I met with Professor Do Coyle, Professor of Innovation at University of Aberdeen. She certainly lives up to her great job title as she explained her work with Nottingham University in the Visual Learning Lab.

Two projects immediately struck me as being very innovative. The first uses web technology (web cams and linked interactive whiteboards) to enable lessons to be observed and shared across the Internet. The idea of having our finest teachers teaching from ‘connected classrooms’ strikes me as first rate CPD!

The second uses a technique, called the Locit technique, where teachers can learn from colleagues and pupils. The technique (as I understand it!) is:

• teachers record 3 of their lessons on video
• from these 1 lesson is chosen and DVD copies are made and given to pupils and/or colleagues
• Using video editing software, the teacher edits the lesson down to no more than 15 minutes that show the key learning moments in the lesson from her point of view
• The colleagues and/or pupils do the same from their point of view
• They get together to discuss. Not surprisingly a rich dialogue occurs!

There are a number of links in Do’s work to the work of the CPD Team and LTScotland; learning rounds, Glowmeet, CPDReflect, CPDFind just for starters. We look forward to continuing cooperation with Do and others in her department.

I will keep you posted on developments here.

This is a guest post from Andrew Brown of the Glow team at LTScotland.

Today I had the great pleasure of attending the annual conference of ADES – the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland. Why was I there? This year, ADES are moving their online community into Glow, and today saw the launch of their National Glow Group. As of today, all Directors of Education in Scotland have access to a National Glow Group for them to discuss, collaborate and share – and from the word ‘go’, they did just that.

The conference keynote was delivered by Prof. Richard Teese – not live in person, but live via Glow Meet. He’d very generously agreed to deliver the keynote speech for the conference from his study (at 2am his time) to those gathered on the other side of the world to hear him.  Prof. Teese is always challenging in his observations. He raised many important questions in light of the OECD report, and called those present to think critically about some of the challenges facing Scottish education. Two of his challenges for those present leaped out at me – to strengthening student engagement and to improving satisfaction with school – how would the directors of education envisage working towards achieving this?

No sooner had Prof. Teese finished speaking than the members of ADES set about discussing the points he raised – in a discussion forum in Glow. They now have collated responses to some of his questions, and set many new questions of their own to ask him. Those present seemed to appreciate what can easily be taken for granted – the ability to see the questions and responses from people seated at other tables instantly collated in the one place for all ADES members to see.

What a great start to the ADES Glow Group! An international speaker of high reputation joining by Glow Meet, and discussion in the Glow group. What a great example for us all of how we can share our ideas for Scottish education across the country!

Get Safe Online is a newly launched UK Government website which advises people on how to be safe online without frightening the wits out of them! I like the quiz (and its associated links) in particular. I will definitely be referring to this in the help systems for CPDReflect and other online tools. My thanks to John Connell who pointed this out in his blog!

I was invited by Gillian Brydson to talk to 2 groups of colleagues from Dumfries and Galloway yesterday. In the morning, it was the PRI strategy group who (among other things) are currently reviewing the local PRI process. As always I learned a wee bit (eg their excellent response to an authority-wide online survey using Survey Monkey). It was good to see sharing of practice featured in the CPD network and the influence of the team’s efforts, especially the focus on the Standards.

I demoed CPDReflect and they are keen to adopt with one or more groups. Importantly, the group are also keen to incorporate CPDReflect ‘mentions’ into their PRI guidelines so that it is seen as a clear alternative to the paper process.

In the afternoon, I spoke to secondary CPD coordinators and (among other things) demoed CPDReflect again. One head teacher commented that it was a valuable addition to their PRD toolkit. “It might not suit all but some will take to it”

Next on their agenda, interestingly, was the Child Protection officer who outlined the compulsory Tier 1 ‘training’ on CPD which has to take place every 3 years. It would be interesting to offer online CPD in that area! Any one got some thoughts on that?

If you are visiting from Dumfries and Galloway, you will find the various links on the festival post.

 Many thanks to Gillian and her colleagues for their hospitality and opportunity to learn with them.

And the title of this post? We had a laugh that we could rename the review process to the above if we used the innovative feature in CPDReflect?

Just catching my breath after going straight from Kirkwall to Lerwick last weekend. It was good to be part of another great CPD event. My thanks to all the participants who took part and they can get a set of notes in my previous festivals post. The scenery, as always, was spectacular and the weather included, gales, hail, rain, sunshine and snow (as you’ll see from the photo show below!)

It was great to get time with Sarah Henry (the new CPD manager for Shetland Islands Council). She did a great job of the two-day event and she will be a great addition to the CPD Network.

I was delighted to be invited by Kirsty Robertson, CPD manager for East Lothian, to help in the launch of their “1st steps in Leadership” programme. Kirsty is very keen that participants (and their coaches and mentors) use elements of the Standard for Headship to exemplify leadership in action. It does mean that CPDReflect will be used in earnest during this programme and I look forward to going back to Musselburgh to help participants out. Also very refreshing to see is that the group will be using a Glow group to help in the collaboration process!