Upcoming CLPL opportunities for Modern Studies Teachers in the image below. Please note, the Modern Studies Association has not organised these events, nor we do endorse them – it shared for information purposes. If you’re interested, please apply directly.
The following update is published on behalf of ScotDec.
This is an exciting professional learning opportunity and a chance to get involved with a European Global Citizenship project. It’s a chance to explore how you can embed Learning for Sustainability with a Global Citizenship focus into your subject area while working with like-minded peers. It’s a chance to network with colleagues in other parts of Europe and take part in international sharing meetings. The project is launching and January and we are currently looking for a small group of teachers to take part in the initial project activities.
This project will be delivered by 10 partner organisations across Europe and is only for secondary
schools and teachers. Activities are focussed on developing national, subject specific teaching materials (produced by teachers) and providing training to support Global Citizenship in key curriculum areas. There will be an overarching theme on how to explore controversial global issues (such as migration, refugees, climate change, etc) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within these activities. Teachers will have an opportunity to network with teachers from across Europe at international seminars and a conference.
Further activity is focused on work with pupils, supporting them to take action on local / global issues which are important to them. The young people will raise awareness within their local communities about the SDGs and other current issues which are important to them. The impact of this work will be evaluated specifically using specially developed participatory impact assessment tools.
A final strand of the project looks at creating a supportive environment for teachers to develop this work and advocating for the importance Education for Global Citizenship.
In the first year of the project Scotdec will recruit 2-3 teachers from the following curriculum areas: Maths, Science, MFL, English and Social Subjects. The teachers will work within these groups to identify opportunities for developing Global Citizenship within their curriculum area and developing some support materials to exemplify this. The information below gives you an idea of what is involved. It is anticipated that the working groups will start in March / April 2018 and run for a year. There is financial remuneration available either to cover time out of school or personal time working on the project.
Main task of working groups:
Identify opportunities within your curriculum area to include GC with a particular focus on controversial issues and the SDGs
Develop general approaches guidance material for peers
Create, trial and revise 15-20 ready to use activities for peers to use in the classroom
In years 2 and 3 of the project there will be a role out of training and the materials. Teachers from the working group will have an option of leading professional learning with colleagues during this role out. This includes becoming a mentor for teachers participating in online learning programmes. If you are interested in finding out more about the project and to register your interest, please contact charlotte@scotdec.org.uk
About Scotdec
Scotdec is a Global Learning Centre which has been supporting global citizenship education for
nearly 30 years.
Our vision
Our vision is that young people in Scotland are able and motivated to challenge global inequality – creating a fairer future for all.
Our values are based on a commitment to social justice and sustainable development and belief that people can bring about change.
We aspire to work in an inclusive and participatory way and have a creative and responsive approach to learning.
Our work
Scotdec staff work towards our vision by providing quality professional learning opportunities and resources to support global citizenship across all sectors of education. We gather evidence to demonstrate the social and educational value of global citizenship to educators and policy-makers across Scotland.
Our team
Scotdec has a small but very professional staff team with many years of experience. Our professional Learning Advisers are all qualified teachers and youth workers supported by financial and administrative expertise built up over many years. Our management committee are dedicated to ensuring that Scotdec is a professional and effective organisation, supporting global citizenship in Scottish education.
Attention ALL Modern Studies teachers!
The MSA is delighted to be able to provide this free ‘Career Long Professional Learning’ event. This is designed to fit in with the following Professional Update requirements;
We plan to offer one hour of professional discussions involving the Stevenson Trust on their Citizenship agenda as well with John Porter (SQA) the Principal Assessor at Higher and Ian Millar (SQA) the Principal Assessor at Advanced Higher and the Modern Studies Subject Implementation Manager.
The second part of the event is dedicated to interactive activities including the use of Benchmarks, with advice from Education Scotland as to what is being looked for in upcoming inspections, as well as the opportunity to work in groups to design, produce and verify assessment and prelim questions.
Attendees are invited bring their own BGE units of work and any assessments for verification and benchmarking, or just work with the materials provided in a relaxed and supportive environment, with tea and coffee provided.
The Soutar Theatre is part of the AK Bell Library and is less than 500m from Perth Railway Station or from long-stay parking at the Dewar’s Centre. Some parking is available at the venue itself.
To book your tickets, use the form via this page.
A free CPD conference focusing on teaching the European Union and the UK’s exit from the European Union is set to come to Scotland.
Entitled ‘Teaching the European Union and Brexit with Confidence’, the free conference has been organised by Active Citizens FE, on behalf of the European Parliament UK Office, working in collaboration with The Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT).
In addition to the conference being free to attend, teachers can have their travel expenses paid for.
Aimed at school and college staff who deal with students between the ages of 11 and 18 years, the conference is an opportunity for teachers to learn more about the issues arising from Brexit, as well as gather examples of good practice on how to teach both Brexit and the EU with confidence.
Later this month, the Speaking Out Project (a Heritage Lottery Funded project that is recording and celebrating the 40-year history of Women’s Aid in Scotland) will launch their new learning resource, aimed at young people in secondary education.
At the launch on August 29th, the Speaking Out Project will unveil their new resources which are aimed at engaging young people with the issues of gender inequality and domestic abuse, as well as activism concerned with – and the history of – Women’s Aid in Scotland.
The resources have been developed with secondary school education in mind, and have been designed to achieve CfE Level 3 and 4 Outcomes for Social Subjects. They will also fit the National 5 Modern Studies curriculum. The lessons and activities are also of benefit to more informal education settings.