Glow Scotland

May 9th, 2013

Gone – An interactive, cross curricular alcohol education resource

Jennifer McDougall

Comments: none Tags: Tags: friendships, NHS Forth Valley
 : Categories CPD, Curriculum for Excellence, Events, Glow, Glow TV, Health and Wellbeing

Join us in Glow TV on Wednesday 15th May at 4pm for a Health and Wellbeing event, looking at the themes of growing up, the changing nature of friendships, pressures and choices, alcohol use, s*xting and resilience. It is aimed at pupils in second year of secondary school.

Gone is an interactive, cross curricular alcohol education resource which has been developed by NHS Forth Valley in conjunction with its partner education authorities.

The programme examines 4 characters as they move from primary school to secondary school and follows them through to S3. It uses a range of mediums to engage with pupils. Each lesson involves pupils viewing some short video sequence, completing tasks designed in a computer gaming format and participating in debate and discussion facilitated by the teacher. The pupils are asked, through a series of votes to predict which character will be ‘gone’ as a result of a decision involving alcohol by the end of S3. The resource is supported by a series of power points and a detailed teacher guide.

This session aims to introduce practitioners to an innovative resource which explores a range of health and wellbeing issues in a creative and engaging way.

Please note; The Glow Meet will be most applicable to secondary practitioners, pupil support staff and senior managers in secondary schools.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Gone – An interactive, cross curricular alcohol education resource

You can also subscribe to the Glow TV eCard to ensure that you never miss out on any forthcoming events.

May 9th, 2013

SCILT – Developing Language Skills through Phonics

Jennifer McDougall

Comments: none Tags: Tags: phonics, SCILT
 : Categories CPD, Curriculum for Excellence, Early Years, Events, Glow, Glow TV, modern languages

Glow TV along with the SCILT Professional Learning Community is delighted to host a range of events beginning on Tuesday 14th May at 4pm.

Presented by Lynne Jones and Meryl James, Professional Development Officers at SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages this first workshop will consider the place of phonics in Modern Language learning as well as the benefits and implications of developing phonological awareness in young language learners.

Lynne and Meryl will explore the impact that creative use of phonics can have in your classroom; not only in talking, but also in developing other language skill areas.

This event is suitable for Early Years, Primary and ASN practitioners.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV – SCILT – Developing Language Skills through Phonics

You can also subscribe to the Glow TV eCard to ensure that you never miss out on any forthcoming events.

April 15th, 2013

Virtual Glow Roadshow

Jennifer McDougall

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Daily What, Just2easy, Scran, Twig
 : Categories CPD, Curriculum for Excellence, Development, Events, Glow TV, Health and Wellbeing, Literacy, Mathematics, Pupils, Technologies

Glow is packed full of educational resources and national communities where teaching staff can collaborate with colleagues across Scotland. To showcase some of these great resources RM is hosting a week of Glow Meets featuring a few of these. These 30 minute sessions are being run twice so sign up for the time slot that suits you best!

Twig on Glow – Over 1500 high quality films covering Maths, Science, Geography and Health – complete with support resources matched to the curriculum of excellence levels 2,3 and 4.

Join us either on Monday 22nd April at 8.15am or Thursday 25th April at 3.45pm

Just2easy is an online blogging tool. Children can create, sharing and learn in an esafe environment.
Join us either on Monday 22nd April at 3.45pm or Wednesday 24th April at 8.15am

Scran is a charity & online learning resource base with over 360,000 images & media from museums, galleries, archives and the media. These resources can be downloaded and used copyright free.

Join us either on Tuesday 23rd April at 8.15am or Wednesday 24th April at 3.45pm

The Daily What News is an online news service provided for Scottish Schools supporting the development of literacy and language across the curriculum. The site also provides a wealth of support materials.

Join us either on Tuesday 23rd April at 3.45pm or Thursday 25th April at 8.15am

March 28th, 2013

Featured community – Literacy

Con Morris

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories Co-Create, CPD, Literacy, Media Literacy

A year ago, in March of 2012, Claire Hancox and Hilary Bombart of Education Scotland approached me with their plans for a Literacy Unconference. Taking its lead from TeachMeet and other educator-led CPD models, there was to be minimal talking from the front, lots of impromptu 5-minute slots and ‘co-create sessions’. All participants had to commit to joining an online community and sharing online the impact of the event. And so the Literacy professional learning community on Glow was born!

It now features a grand collection of professional learning and classroom resources as well as:

• videos of the all the 5-minute slots at all Literacy events since May 2012
• co-created collections focusing on wider texts, critical literacy and research skills
• contact details for over 220 literacy champions from across Scotland

The Literacy community now has offshoots such as the National Literacy Network, Librarians and the Moray Literacy hub (but more about these in future posts!)

Claire moves on this week to a post in East Dunbartonshire but she will continue to be active in the #literacy community, and maybe all its various offshoots. I wish her all the best in her new post!

Like all of the PL communities on Glow, colleagues on this community are making their professional learning visible for the benefit of other educators. You can find the community on the drop-down on http://bit.ly/plcommunity or go straight to http://bit.ly/lithome

March 15th, 2013

Featured community – Extending your potential

Con Morris

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, Dumfries and Galloway

Many local authorities in Scotland run successful early leadership programmes. Typically these are for teachers taking initial steps into project, team or school leadership. In session 2011-2012, Rodger Hill (QIO in Dumfries & Galloway Council) approached Education Scotland to build a community on Glow to support the work.

17 colleagues from Dumfries & Galloway, introduced themselves and took part in a programme of ten Glow Meets on such topics as mentoring, ICT and learning and promoting yourself. The programme included a work-shadowing exercise and a commitment to a change project.

In session 2012-2013 Rodger opened out entry to the programme and now supports colleagues from across Scotland.

Like all of the PL communities on Glow, colleagues on this community are making their professional learning visible for the benefit of other educators. You can find the community on http://bit.ly/eyphome on Glow

Rodger kindly popped in via Glow Meet and gave us a 15 minute outline of the EYP programme at a recent conference. You can find details of the recording on Glow

If you want a community for any professional learning topic, local or national, just drop me a line plcommunity@educationscotland.gov.uk. I will be happy to help

Con Morris

March 12th, 2013

Featured community – Mary’s Meals

Con Morris

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, Social Studies

Mary’s Meals, the international charity which now feeds more than 730,000 children every school day in 16 countries needs no introduction!

I have to say I was chuffed when Tracy Coughlan, education coordinator for Mary’s Meals, contacted me and asked for some help. Tracy sees the professional learning community as another way to support educators who are using learning materials such as Child 31 and the Backpack Project.

To kick-start the community, Tracy has posted this message

“Wanted! Dynamic, enthusiastic teachers of all subjects!

Following the recent release and distribution of Child 31 to all schools in the UK, (if you don’t have your copy yet, your Director of Education will send it to you very soon) we are looking for your response in the form of lesson plans and study packs! Have you watched it yet? Can you help make a difference? Please contact Tracy at tracy.coughlan@marysmeals.org  or upload them to http://bit.ly/child31page here on Glow! “

Says it all!

You can find the community on Glow at http://marysmealshome

February 25th, 2013

Featured professional learning community – Assessment

Con Morris

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, Curriculum for Excellence, National Groups, Probationers

The Assessment community is a relatively ‘new kid on the block’. It was kick-started by Jemima Anderson of Education Scotland when she organised a series of web meets on a range of topics; including moderation, National Assessment Resource, profiling and using Glow to support the assessment process.

In this short video, Jem introduces the main features of the community. 

One thing that impresses is the way that Jem, and others in the community, reach out and support colleagues in other communities. They do this is by adding suggestions to other colleagues’ intentions and shared items, so assessment is for all, right enough!

If you want to join the Assessment community, you’ll find the home page at http://bit.ly/assesshome on Glow. The community hashtag is #assess.

 You’ll find a range of online professional learning communities at http://bit.ly/plcommunity and do please drop us a line plsupport@educationscotland.gov.uk

February 4th, 2013

Professional learning communities on Glow

Con Morris

Comments: 1 Comment Tags:  : Categories CPD

For a wee while now, we have been working on refining the CPDCentral model of professional learning, started by the National CPD Team (whose work is now part of Education Scotland)

At its heart is the principle that we should be able to share professional learning with all educators on Glow. So there are no closed communities, with a ‘members only’ sign on the home page!

Instead, we have one community, the National PL Community and specialism is achieved by adding keywords (or hashtags) to profiles and items being shared.

So for example, anything with the hashtag #assess will appear in the Assessment community and anything with #ep will appear in the Early Phase. Something added with both #ep and #assess will appear, you’ve guessed it, in both communities.

So now we have over 50 communities, from Addressing Dyslexia to Technologies with over 1,600 members and over 500 learning opportunities.

In future posts, we will feature some of the communities that are developing.

In the meantime, here’s a wee 5-minute video overview

If you want to know more:

• Join us on the National PL Community on Glow
• Drop us a line on plsupport@educationscotland.gov.uk
• Follow us on Twitter @ScotlandPL

November 26th, 2012

GTC – Completing the Interim 1 Profile

Jennifer McDougall

Comments: none Tags: Tags: GTC Scotland, Interim Profile 1
 : Categories CPD, Curriculum for Excellence, Events, Glow TV, Probationers

Are you a supporter of a Probationer on the Teacher Induction Scheme?

If so, you’ll know it’s time for the Interim 1 Profile to be completed so why not join us in Glow TV on Thursday 29th November at 4pm to have any questions that you may have answered.

Mairi McAra of GTC Scotland will lead you though “Who does what?” and respond to any of your questions. This is a good chance to ask anything you’re not sure about and meet and talk with other colleagues also supporting Probationers.

Hear what other probationers are involved in share practice with other supporters.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV and if you are unable to watch the live event then you can still catch it in Watch Again.

November 18th, 2012

ADES day at Glasgow Science Centre – TES Scotland article

ggallacher

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, Glow, Local authorities, Uncategorized

Extract from TES article on 17th November

Read the full article, click here

Extract
The mood was upbeat, at times defiantly so. It was an event to talk up the latest re-imagining of Glow, the national intranet for schools. Behind the scenes people spoke about the unfair press they felt Glow had received. Onstage they were frank about past failings, but insistent that times had changed.

The organisers had an impressive-looking graph to show that Glow usage was rising fast, and were keen to show how the clunkiness of old Glow was being ditched for a shiny new app-driven incarnation – which a pilot in October had declared a hit.

“It’s a very positive day,” said Bruce Robertson of education directors’ body ADES, which organised the learning and technology conference with help from the Virtual Staff College, RM Education, Education Scotland and Microsoft. “We’re in a better place than we were a few months ago.”

The mood had been similar at another computing conference 11 days earlier. Attendees at the volunteer-driven event described it as the best CPD they had had in years, and how their passion for the subject had been revived by the burgeoning opportunities now available.

Scotland, it appears, is getting its ICT act together, if the enthusiasm demonstrated at these two events is anything to go by. But scratch the surface and tensions become apparent.