Launch of the Teaching Learning Outdoors professional e-learning module: 17th September 2020

The Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education is pleased to announce the launch today of the Teaching Learning Outdoors professional e-learning course. This course and associated guidance, developed by Education Officers and SAPOE representatives from five local authorities, benefited from £17,250 of Scottish Government funding aimed at supporting outdoor learning. This has allowed this course to be made available, free of charge, to teachers across Scotland through the Professional Learning and Leadership platform on the Education Scotland website.

The Teaching Learning Outdoors (TLO) course supports teachers to deliver curriculum learning in an outdoor context. Participants will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the benefits of learning outdoors, key resources and policy, and how to access them to enable delivery of high quality outdoor learning. The course also covers pedagogy and practical solutions for delivering learning outdoors, as well as creating an action plan for applying new knowledge gained.

To compliment this e-learning module, SAPOE will be releasing a Supporting Learning Outdoors course on 19th October 2020. Recognising the value that outdoor specialists can offer in partnership work with schools, SAPOE was keen to highlight the positive outcomes and impact that collaborative practice can have on learners and their communities.

The Supporting Learning Outdoors (SLO) course will assist non-teaching staff, with established outdoor expertise, to support the delivery of curricular based outdoor learning. The course is aimed at instructors, classroom assistants and third sector organisations; or indeed anyone who wants to work in partnerships with schools to deliver meaningful outdoor learning. The course will help participants to gain an understanding of the Curriculum for Excellence and the framework for delivering this to pupils. Furthermore, understand key messages on embedding and enhancing taught curriculum content into the real world context.

SAPOE would like to thank the training team:

Liz Brookes – East Lothian Council
Jane Jackson – Falkirk Council
Natalie White – East Ayrshire Council
Tim Pickering – Eilean Siar (Western Isles)
Bill Stephen – Midlothian