SCOTTISH LEARNING FESTIVAL
The Scottish
Ministerial address: Education secretary, Fiona Hyslop,
Learning Festival
pictured at last year’s Scottish Learning Festival, will
be addressing delegates again this year
is the largest
education
conference in Scotland, and
it takes place next month.
David Taylor looks at
some of the highlights of a
packed show
HE SCOTTISH Learning Festival,
T
organised by Learning and Teaching
Scotland (LTS), is celebrating its
10th anniversary this year, and it is
all set to bring together the global
education community for two days of
inspirational seminars, speeches and
discussions.
Over the last 10 years, the festival has gained
international recognition and is firmly established as
the largest annual national education conference and
exhibition in Scotland.
Last year, the event drew more than 7,000 education
It’s showtime
professionals, and this year’s festival – taking place at
Glasgow’s prestigious SECC on September 23 and 24
looks set to be just as successful.
The main theme of the Scottish Learning Festival
2009 is Curriculum for Excellence: Making the author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, and of a shared framework for assessing and improving the Supporting a number of the key outcomes and
Change. motivational speaker, Dr Frank Dick OBE. quality of practice in these diverse provisions. experiences within the health and wellbeing component
In addition, delegates will be learning how Glow, Elsewhere, in her keynote address, the Ms Hyslop Underpinning this will be the notion of Experimental of Curriculum for Excellence, the discussion will focus
the Scottish schools intranet, is an essential tool in the will talk about the government’s ambitions for a Education, which Prof Laevers initiated in 1976 at the on common issues across Scotland, including how
implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. “Smarter Scotland”, and how through Curriculum for University of Leuven, Belgium. to identify and engage with overweight and obese
Key staff from the Scottish government, LTS, the Excellence we can all work towards “a learning and In a speech entitled Developing Growth Mindsets: children.
Scottish Qualifications Authority and Her Majesty’s teaching system to last a lifetime”. In addition, there How Praise Can Harm and How to Use it Well, The session aims to raise the awareness of childhood
Inspectorate of Education will be on hand to chat to will be ample time set aside at the end of the keynote Professor Carol Dweck will be asking what education obesity and reflect on the role of education services in
attendees about any aspect of education and learning. address to put forward your questions. professionals in Scotland can learn from insights into achieving healthy weight targets. It will use learning
This year’s keynote speakers include Fiona Professor Ferre Laevers will speak on the subject of children’s developing mindsets. from a recent evidence review and evaluation of local
Hyslop MSP, cabinet secretary for education and creating a single curriculum to bring coherence at all In another highlight, former director of coaching for interventions to try and provoke thinking and debate
lifelong learning, Professor Ferre Laevers, pioneer of levels of objectives, from pre-primary and primary to the British Athletics Federation, Dr Frank Dick OBE, is around how to address this.
“Experimental Education”, Professor Carol Dweck, secondary education. He will examine the possibility perfectly placed to look at the lessons that the Scottish Elsewhere, Fiona Norris from LTS is presenting a
education system can learn from successful coaches in seminar on the rich languages, dialects and literature of
the world of sport. Scotland, and how these can be utilised as a resource
This year’s Scottish Learning Festival will also for children and young people to learn more about the
feature more than 170 seminars, covering a range of country’s identity and culture.
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topics from games-based learning, financial education Scheduled to be held on Wednesday, September
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and reciprocal teaching, to accelerated leadership, 23, this seminar aims to raise awareness of the value
literacy in primary schools, and teacher learning and importance of Scots language, share examples
communities. of emerging practice and innovative approaches, and
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Included in the line up is a discussion chaired by highlight the ways in which Scottish texts can be
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Vivienne Brown, head of career guidance at Skills employed to inform literacy learning and teaching.
Development Scotland (SDS). Ms Norris will also be discussing the way forward for
SDS has a strong role to play in developing and developing Scots language.
supporting the Curriculum for Excellence and, as Returning this year, after a successful debut in 2008,
Scotland’s new national skills body, combines the is the Education Showcase area, featuring hands-on
expertise of Careers Scotland, Learn Direct Scotland, demonstrations of teaching and learning activities,
Scottish Enterprise, and the Highlands and Islands stories, dramatic performances and resources launches.
Enterprise Skills Sectors, in order to drive forward New features for 2009 include the Health and
positive and sustained change in Scotland’s skills Wellbeing Exchange Wall, allowing delegates to
performance. network, share ideas and exchange information on
This seminar, to be held on Thursday, September all things health-conscious, and the Homecoming
24, will look at how SDS’s plans, values and goals Artwork Wall, which will see young people from across
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aim to compliment the aspirations of Curriculum for Scotland contributing to artwork based on the theme of
Excellence, and how examples of SDS curriculum Homecoming Scotland. SecEd
partnership are already directing progress.
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On Wednesday, September 23, Alison Macdonald,
Further information
health improvement programme manager at NHS Attendance at the Scottish Learning Festival is free.
Health Scotland, will be presenting a seminar on the You can find out more about the event and register for
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subject of childhood obesity. your pass at www.scottishlearningfestival.org.uk
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10 SecEd • August 27 2009
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