Search for articles by topic
The Scottish Learning Festival 2010
The UK's largest education event will include invaluable access to knowledge and resources as the profession implements CfE.
Organised by Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), the Scottish Learning Festival has cemented its place as the largest all round education event in the UK with an ambitious programme of speakers and events.
Now in its eleventh year, the festival brings together the global teaching and learning community for two days of inspirational seminars, speeches and resource launches that support CfE.
Taking place on 22 and 23 September at Glasgow's SECC, this year's programme is jam-packed with inspirational speakers, workshops, spotlights and seminars covering all aspects of education. The main theme of the 2010 festival is CfE: Enhancing Experiences, Raising Standards. It will provide opportunities to find out about successful, innovative approaches to learning and teaching and will showcase how practitioners and learners are taking advantage of Glow and other technologies, bringing together examples of educational practice, leadership and management strategies from across Scotland and beyond.
Assessment is a key aspect of the implementation of CfE and the festival will explore how assessment practices support the new curriculum, promoting improved learning and teaching together with greater autonomy and professional responsibility.
Keynote speakers this year include Michael Russell MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Eric Booth, an awardwinning actor, author, entrepreneur and arts education specialist, Richard Gerver, author of 'Creating Tomorrow's Schools Today' and Professor Sugata Mitra, Professor of Educational Technology at Newcastle University.
In addition to the energising keynote speeches, there will be a variety of spotlight speakers covering a variety of engaging topics, from meteorologist and former BBC weather presenter Heather Reid OBE discussing science and climate change within education, to Graham Donaldson, former HM Senior Chief Inspector of Education talking about his wide ranging review of teacher training in Scotland.
Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: "The Scottish Learning Festival has gained international recognition as a leading UK education conference, which brings together teachers, pupils and others from right across Scotland to share experiences and best practice.
"I am very much looking forward to attending my first Scottish Learning Festival in the autumn. This year's festival comes during a crucial phase in the implementation of CfE, therefore it will offer an excellent platform for the exchanging of creative ideas and approaches by everyone with an interest in driving forward the improvements to Scottish education that we all want to see."
Bernard McLeary, Chief Executive of LTS, said: "Last year's festival drew over 7000 education professionals to Glasgow, cementing Scotland's reputation as a world-leader in the field.
"CfE reaches full adoption in August 2010 and visitors to this year's event will have this at the forefront of their minds. Our aim is to provide them with a wide range of activities and events that will help them to consider how they can best develop innovative and relevant experiences for Scotland's children and young people, leading to sustained, motivating learning and high levels of achievement for all."
Professor Kay Livingston, Director of International Research and Innovation at LTS also said: "Teachers and education practitioners will be visiting the festival to develop their skills, knowledge and creativity. It provides an opportunity for them to focus their own priorities and develop solutions relevant to their own circumstances.
"International education and global citizenship will also have a large part to play within the 2010 festival. Embedding global citizenship across all areas of the curriculum is the key to developing young people who are prepared for life and work in a global world and many seminars at the festival will reflect this."