CLASS: Active Learning in East Dunbartonshire

Active Learning is a key component of a Curriculum for Excellence. The Ministerial response to the Curriculum Review (Scottish Executive, 2004) emphasised the need for active learning and purposeful, well-planned play in the early levels of primary.

This echoes current educational discourse on how young children learn best.East Dunbartonshire Council has embraced the development of an active learning approach in the first years of primary school.

Assisted by a team of early childhood and primary specialists from the University of Strathclyde, a CPD programme for infant teachers was established.

An action research study was incorporated into the project, involving all 29 schools involved, but with particular emphasis on a core of six schools.

The Council wished to determine how learning and teaching approaches changed and how teachers' perceived the impact of that change on children's learning.

The Council were particularly interested in capturing the views of teachers, pupils and parents. This seminar discusses the challenges posed by curriculum innovation and examines the impact of cpd on teachers' practice.

Representatives from East Dunbartonshire core research schools, and researchers from the University of Strathclyde, will present some indicative results from their study and, through visual display and discussion, provide strategic and practical advice on developing an active learning approach.

Jackie Henry is a lecturer in the Department of Childhood and Primary Studies in the Faculty of Education at Jordanhill.

She has worked in the field of early education for over 25 years, during which time she has held senior posts at school, local authority and national levels.

She has also worked in the early years private and voluntary sectors. Jackie is currently Course Director for the Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and Masters Early Childhood Studies programme at University of Strathclyde and contributes to the BA Childhood Studies, BA Education and Social Studies and the B.Ed.

She is also part of the design team for the new BA Childhood Practice degree.

Jackie has contributed to a number of local and national practice guidance documents and research projects.

She was senior researcher on the Evaluation of Family Learning Centres (2005, CAF) and a team member on the Positive Behaviour Project, a major national investigation into staff and parental perceptions of positive behaviour in the early years, nursery and primary.

Jackie is conducting her own doctoral research into leadership in the early years in Scotland and is Research Co-ordinator of the East Dunbartonshire Active Learning Project (CLASS).