You may need a tablet for that.
Education Scotland is considering expanding the use of mobile devices and tablet computers in classrooms in a bid to modernise teaching and learning. Ten local authorities, almost 20 schools and hundreds of pupils are already using a range of devices, including iPads at Sciennes Primary in Edinburgh (visited this week by education secretary Michael Russell) and Android technology at Morgan Academy in Dundee.
Legislation to be merged
Following consultation, the government has decided to merge two separate pieces of legislation - the Rights of Children and Young People Bill, aiming to enshrine the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Scots law, and the Children’s Services Bill, which focused on improving early years services - into a single bill.
Conference proves magical
The University of St Andrews has this week been hosting the first UK conference on Harry Potter. John Granger, author of The Deathly Hallows Lectures, and sometimes referred to as “the Dean of Harry Potter scholars”, was joined by 60 academics from around the world to examine J.K. Rowling’s books as literary texts in their own right. The event aims to redress the lack of direct study of the body of work as a literary text.
Standards and pay link tested
There is no clear link between performance pay for teachers and raising standards in schools, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said this week. Its claim was based on data from its Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) tests to investigate whether targeting pay improves pupil achievement. Previous studies have identified the importance of high-quality teaching.
TESS writer wins award
TESS reporter Julia Belgutay has won a UK award for her investigations into youth unemployment and skills. The judges for the Avanta awards, presented at the House of Commons, praised Julia’s work for its in-depth insight into the challenges facing young people, its balance which led to improved understanding of the issue, her punchy writing style and an encyclopedic understanding of policy issues.
