Celebrating 10 years of the Scottish Learning Festival
With the countdown to the key Scottish education event of the year well under way, Connected reveals a taste of what's in store.
As the Scottish Learning Festival marks its 10th anniversary, what better time to celebrate excellence in learning and embrace the transformational power of Curriculum for Excellence? The Scottish Learning Festival 2009 will do just that. In keeping with the main theme of the event 'Curriculum for Excellence: Making the Change', delegates will notice several great new additions to this year's bill, which promises to be as action-packed as ever.
An impressive line-up of keynote speakers, including Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Professor Ferre Laevers, University of Leuven, Dr Frank Dick OBE and Professor Carol Dweck, Stanford University, will offer attendees inspiring accounts of how Curriculum for Excellence will create a more flexible and enriching curriculum.
Fiona Hyslop MSP will kick off the keynote speeches on Wednesday 23 September at 10.30 am. The Cabinet Secretary will discuss the Scottish Government's ambitions for a Smarter Scotland and how educationalists can work together through Curriculum for Excellence to welcome relevant, inspiring and engaging education that achieves the best outcomes for every child and young person in Scotland. 'This is an important year for education in Scotland. 'Curriculum for Excellence: Making the Change' reflects the transformation happening in every classroom and learning establishment across Scotland,' says Fiona Hyslop MSP. 'This year's Scottish Learning Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever and I look forward to joining you in September to hear about your innovations and creative ideas in delivering an education system with every child and young person at its heart.'
Later on Wednesday at 2 pm, Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University, will deliver a presentation based on decades of research into growth mindsets and how, even with the best of intentions, many of the actions of teachers and parents can have a negative impact on pupils. 'Students' mindsets determine whether they learn or stagnate, work hard or withdraw, are resilient or vulnerable. At the Scottish Learning Festival, I will show how praising children's intelligence can create the wrong ('fixed') mindset and how, as educators, we can foster the right ('growth') mindset,' explains Carol.
On Thursday 24 September at 12 pm, Professor Ferre Laevers, University of Leuven, will give an insight into how creating a single curriculum will bring coherence and quality to learning. During his presentation, Prof Laevers will investigate whether or not a shared framework for assessing and improving the quality of practice in the diverse learning environments for care, pre-school, primary and secondary education is possible. He will also discuss the central importance of wellbeing and involvement in education (and throughout life), revealing the six key ingredients that create the optimum conditions for each and, ultimately, deeper learning. 'I see myself as a vitalist – crazy about the energy that drives people to create and develop. In fact, the concept of 'involvement' can be seen as an attempt to measure that energy. That is why I see education as an adventurous journey during which teacher and learner, adult and child, develop one another in a circular process. If that goes well you don’t know who is programming who, or who is learning most,' says Prof Laevers.
Dr Frank Dick's keynote speech will follow at 3 pm. He promises to explain what education professionals can learn from successful approaches used by coaches in the sporting world to ensure that learners fulfil their potential. 'When helping a child to develop, the focus should be on empowering them to take ownership of their actions, make decisions and contribute effectively. When out in the world facing challenges, young people have to know how to make good judgement calls. They've got to know why we make decisions and how to get involved in decision-making, and we've got to help them achieve this. These are some of the topics that I look forward to addressing at the Scottish Learning Festival,' he says.
Find out more
What not to miss..: Don't miss these exciting activities at this years SLF.
- Posted on 21 September 2009 under Issue 24, Features.
- Tagged as scottish learning festival, slf.
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