Digital Literacy in Scotland

Louise Foreman, education Officer at Education Scotland
George Milliken, development Officer at Education Scotland

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AUTHORS

Louise Foreman

Organisation: Education Scotland

Louise Foreman is an Education Officer at Education Scotland.  She is currently working with practitioners in a wide range of educational settings and partners to explore and implement digital curriculum design and pedagogies. Louise’s career spans over 20 years in education working across primary schools, local authority and now nationally.   She has planned learning at all levels of the primary curriculum where she quickly identified the significant positive impact embedding digital literacy across the curriculum had on the engagement, attainment and achievement of learners.  Her career progressed to coaching and mentoring teachers and managing and coordinating digital skills professional learning across a local authority, where she also built strong networks and partnerships between schools and digital industry.

In her current role at Education Scotland she works collaboratively with Scotland’s local authorities, national, regional and industry partners to design and promote high-quality digital professional learning and leadership.

George Milliken

Organisation: Education Scotland

George Milliken is a Development Officer at Education Scotland.  He is currently working to develop digital approaches to support practitioners increase their confidence, skills and knowledge of digital learning and teaching.

Before working in education, George was involved in developing grassroots football before training as a primary school teacher, and then  working nationally at Education Scotland. He has planned learning at all levels of the primary curriculum and discovered that digital literacy and digital skills could be used to improve educational outcomes for learner through engaging, exciting and meaningful learning.

Now working at a national level, George is responsible for leading professional learning for educators and connecting with networks across the country. In this role at Education Scotland, he works collaboratively with Scotland’s local authorities, national, regional and industry partners to develop and deliver professional learning that demonstrates the positive impact digital technology can have on educational outcomes.

SCOTLAND

Digital Literacy in Scotland

Louise Foreman, education Officer at Education Scotland
George Milliken, development Officer at Education Scotland

Authors


Abstract


Educational System


To the yearbook

AUTHORS

Louise Foreman

Organisation: Education Scotland

Louise Foreman is an Education Officer at Education Scotland.  She is currently working with practitioners in a wide range of educational settings and partners to explore and implement digital curriculum design and pedagogies. Louise’s career spans over 20 years in education working across primary schools, local authority and now nationally.   She has planned learning at all levels of the primary curriculum where she quickly identified the significant positive impact embedding digital literacy across the curriculum had on the engagement, attainment and achievement of learners.  Her career progressed to coaching and mentoring teachers and managing and coordinating digital skills professional learning across a local authority, where she also built strong networks and partnerships between schools and digital industry.

In her current role at Education Scotland she works collaboratively with Scotland’s local authorities, national, regional and industry partners to design and promote high-quality digital professional learning and leadership.

George Milliken

Organisation: Education Scotland

George Milliken is a Development Officer at Education Scotland.  He is currently working to develop digital approaches to support practitioners increase their confidence, skills and knowledge of digital learning and teaching.

Before working in education, George was involved in developing grassroots football before training as a primary school teacher, and then  working nationally at Education Scotland. He has planned learning at all levels of the primary curriculum and discovered that digital literacy and digital skills could be used to improve educational outcomes for learner through engaging, exciting and meaningful learning.

Now working at a national level, George is responsible for leading professional learning for educators and connecting with networks across the country. In this role at Education Scotland, he works collaboratively with Scotland’s local authorities, national, regional and industry partners to develop and deliver professional learning that demonstrates the positive impact digital technology can have on educational outcomes.

ABSTRACT

Implementing Digital Literacy across the Scottish education system

Digital technologies form a central part of Scotland’s heritage, identity and future They are vital to the educational experiences of our children young people so they can flourish in learning, life and work, and essential to our economic growth .  Drawing upon the Scottish Government’s ‘Digital learning and teaching strategy for Scotland’ (2016) and a comprehensive review and refresh of Scotland’s Technologies curriculum in (2017), this article will illustrate and detail the innovations, partnerships and milestones that have led to implementing digital literacy and computing science across an education system.

Digital literacy is placed at the heart of the Scottish curriculum, offering real time, real world experiences full of creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. It is embedded within ‘How Good is Our School’, the national framework to support self-evaluation and reflection; Initial Teacher Education; and the Professional Standards set by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

This article will illustrate how digital literacy has been embraced by education practitioners and learners across Early Learning and Childcare, primary and secondary schools (ages 3-18).  It will detail models of professional learning nationally, regionally, locally and at school level. Adapting and diversifying modes of professional learning are critical in providing practitioners with relevant, motivating and skills-building opportunities to improve their own digital learning so they can provide better learning for young people.  This has led to the development of knowledge, skills and application in the use of digital tools and on pedagogical practice.

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This article will detail how partnerships with industry has enabled the creation of a self-evaluation digital accreditation programme, Digital Schools Award for Scotland, which has been adopted in increasing numbers of schools across local authorities the whole of Scotland.  It promotes a culture of leadership and recognises and encourages excellence in the holistic approach to embedding digital literacy throughout the life and community of a school.

This paper will also provide a unique overview of the digital learning and leadership response to the global pandemic, building upon and leveraging a Scotland-wide secure online learning platform for practitioners and learners.

It will illustrate how Scottish educators and learners utilised technology to provide continuity of education during school closures, building bridges of communication and collaboration across practitioners and learners, and breaking down geographical boundaries across a nation.

Finally this paper will detail the advice and support provided for remote and blended learning across Scotland.  It will reveal how partnerships between national agencies has resulted in the creation of a
National e-Learning offer.

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

FIGURE 10 OVERVIEW OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN SCOTLAND

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Discover more about the digital literacy curriculum
development in Scotland

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