Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

Inspire Learning

An opportunity to see what it would look like and understand how it will benefit all teachers and pupils across the Scottish Borders.

Minutes:

The Chairman extended a welcome to Catherine Thomson, Quality Improvement Officer, who was in attendance to give a presentation on the Inspire Learning Programme, explaining how the programme would benefit all teachers and pupils across the Scottish Borders.   Ms Thomson advised that the world was changing and technology was important in the way we communicated, lived and worked.    It was therefore important that digital skills were brought into the classroom and that resources were available for young people to ensure they were digital citizens who could adapt to a changing environment.   The Inspire Learning Programme was a key part of the Digital Learning Strategy which would transform teaching and learning in schools.    It included the provision of iPads to all P6-S6 pupils and shared devices for P1-P5 pupils. The rationale was aimed at raising attainment and supporting equality and inclusion for all young people, with improved outcomes and success.  Ms Thomson highlighted that it was not just the provision of iPads as a device, but was about the Pillars of Inspire Learning through: professional learning and teaching, strategic planning, correct infrastructure and environment, school clusters and school leaders.   The Programme would enhance learning, teaching and assessment and there would be opportunities for employees, parents and young people to upskill and drive the programme forward.   Young people would be able to make use of a high-quality, creative resource which would equip them to become more independent in learning and increase their employability skills.  Ms Thomson went on to advise that partnership with CGI had brought knowledge of the wider IT marketplace and the Apple iPad had been chosen as the best value option.

 

2.2       Ms Thomson then introduced Ali Taylor, one of the trainers on the project.  Ms Taylor explained that one of the tools on the iPads for teachers was ‘Classroom’ which allowed the teacher to view any iPad in the classroom permitting them to control lessons and give support to students when required.     Volunteers then took part in an interactive exercise with the iPads taking photographs of angles in the room, which Ms Taylor then showed on the screen, demonstrating how lessons would be more interactive and  how direct learning would be carried out in the classroom. 

 

  2.3     Ms Thomson concluded the presentation by discussing the iPad deployment programme which would commence on Monday 17 June in Selkirk and continue until Friday 28 June 2019 to Hawick, Kelso, Berwickshire, Eyemouth, Earlston, Jedburgh, Peebles, Galashiels and Peebles.  Pupil deployment would be August/December; Selkirk, Kelso and Hawick; January/March: Earlston, Peebles, Eyemouth; April June: Galashiels, Jedburgh, Berwickshire.  Ms Thomson also clarified the next steps through the training plan for secondary schools, with the Apple teacher sign up and the digital learning strategy in place.  The Inspire teams would include CGI and Apple and would allow secondment opportunities for teaching staff for two years with project teams, clusters and school leads, an executive board and an education strategic group.  In response to a question, Ms Thomson advised that there would be a special area of their helpdesk dedicated to dealing with any issues, any problems identified would have a quick turnaround so there would be no lost opportunities.    The Chairman thanked the speakers for their presentation and wished them well in the implementation of the project.

 

 

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