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:

ian.minty@lews.uhi.ac.ukl.keith@strath.ac.uk