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University of Glyndwr ESCalate National ITE Conference. Delivering an English - Gaelic pathway to ITE students remotely in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Lynda Keith - University of Strathclyde Ian Minty - UHI Millennium Institute. The context (1). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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University of GlyndwrESCalate National ITE Conference
Delivering an English - Gaelic pathway to ITE students remotely in the
Highlands and Islands of Scotland
Lynda Keith - University of Strathclyde Ian Minty - UHI Millennium Institute
The context (1)
• Responding to changing patterns of provision
• Fitting into a 1 yr ft PGDE structure• Meeting the needs of Gaelic Medium Units• Gaining local authority support• Using locally-based staff to deliver• Gaining institutional and national approval
The Context (2)
• Scottish Executive’s Stage 2 Review of Initial Teacher Education, (2005) “….. accessing initial teacher training is problematic for potential students living in remote areas……”
• Currently 34 ITE students studying in 4 separate UHI locations (7% of the total enrolment on the 08-09 cohort of 506 students)
•Lews Castle College
•Inverness College
•Moray College
•Argyll College
PGDE Structure
• 2 semesters of 18 weeks each• 18 weeks taught• 18 weeks school practice (2 x 9 wks)• Semester 1 Primary 5-7 (8-11 yrs), including modules on
language, maths and educational studies• Semester 2 Early Years (3 – 8 yrs), including Expressive
Arts and RME.• Planning Effective Teaching and Learning (PETL) runs
throughout the course• PETL delivered simultaneously in Gaelic to UHI and
Glasgow for Gaelic pathway students
The Laptop Initiative
• Laptops for every PGDE student
• Use of 1st Class virtual learning environment (VLE)
• Blended learning delivery
• Students gaining computer skills
• Lectures video-streamed
• Intensive use of video-conferencing
How’s the technology worked so far ?
• Video Conferencing unreliable to begin with• Staff training in the use of video conferencing
protocols• Staff and students unfamiliar with the technology• Saving in staff time and travel costs• UHI technical expertise• Impact on student technical skills in the
classroom
Gaelic and English Pathways
2003-04 Just 2 Gaelic students
2008-09 34 (2 Gaelic and 32 English) in 4
locations
Total so far of 104 students
29 Gaelic pathway
75 English pathway
Stornoway 20 Gaelic and 14 English over 6 yrs
What the students said – the positives
“Tutors only had small groups to work with so we were able to ask questions and had interactive workshops rather than lectures in a hall with 500 other students. We collaborated with other students in Islay who also worked from a remote location. The course was available locally. I was able to train where I lived and wanted to teach.”
What the students said – the negatives
“The vc connections were sometimes unreliable; there was often a lot of time wasted trying to establish a link to Jordanhill, although UHI IT staff helpful.
The nature of the course required students to be self-motivated and self sufficient. This could be regarded as a negative, although I enjoyed this aspect of the course.”
Local Authority benefits
• Use of experienced teachers to carry out teaching practice supervision
• Involvement in interviews
• Learning new technology skills
• Building their own CPD profiles
The Challenges (1)
• Failure of graduates to land permanent jobs
• Lack of movement amongst older teachers
• Scottish Govt commitment to a guaranteed probationary year
• There are Gaelic jobs, but not where the students need them to be
• Reduction by Sc Govt of ITE numbers for 09-10. Drop from 521 to 427
Challenges (2)
• Small schools and student teachers
• Rollout of the widening access model to other remote locations, eg Dumfries and Galloway
• Equity of experience between the Glasgow Jordanhill students and the UHI students
• Is this a sustainable model, and if so what’s the future for TEIs ?
UHI and Strathclyde staff research activity
• Mary Welsh, Strathclyde, Impact of the Laptop Initiative
• Donald Gillies, Strathclyde, Widening Access
• Ian Minty, UHI, and Lynda Keith, Strathclyde, The Student Experience
Flora’s Story
If you want to contact us:
[email protected]@strath.ac.uk