Author Archives: Ollie Bray

Leading, Learning & Teaching in Complex Times⤴

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Earlier this week it was a great privilege to be invited back to The University of Aberdeen to deliver the final lecture to their 2017/2018 Primary and Secondary PGDE Students. This is the fourth time I have been asked to deliver the final lecture and this year my theme was Leading, Learning and Teaching in challenging times.

I touched one some of the challenges that we currently face within the current VUCA World (a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) as well as a need for a new narrative around Vision, Understanding, Clarity and Agility. Importantly I stressed that we needed to use this new narative to actually help people understand what is possible in Scottish Education (and education globally).

We also spent some time looking at examples of what is possible when you think differently about traditionally perceived education barriers (timetable, curriculum, vocational vs academic, skills agenda, etc..) and the importance of clarity while working towards a common goal & moral purpose.

Presentation slides here for anyone in my wider network who may be interested.

Summary of Key Messages:

  • Focus on improvement.
  • Improved teaching leads to improved achievement and attainment.
  • Feedback (at all levels) is important.
  • Always try to see the bigger picture.
  • Develop a culture of reflection & revision.
  • Work collectively and collegiately to overcome barriers in a VOCA world.

Leading, Learning & Teaching in Complex Times⤴

from

Earlier this week it was a great privilege to be invited back to The University of Aberdeen to deliver the final lecture to their 2017/2018 Primary and Secondary PGDE Students. This is the fourth time I have been asked to deliver the final lecture and this year my theme was Leading, Learning and Teaching in challenging times.

I touched one some of the challenges that we currently face within the current VUCA World (a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) as well as a need for a new narrative around Vision, Understanding, Clarity and Agility. Importantly I stressed that we needed to use this new narative to actually help people understand what is possible in Scottish Education (and education globally).

We also spent some time looking at examples of what is possible when you think differently about traditionally perceived education barriers (timetable, curriculum, vocational vs academic, skills agenda, etc..) and the importance of clarity while working towards a common goal & moral purpose.

Presentation slides here for anyone in my wider network who may be interested.

Summary of Key Messages:

  • Focus on improvement.
  • Improved teaching leads to improved achievement and attainment.
  • Feedback (at all levels) is important.
  • Always try to see the bigger picture.
  • Develop a culture of reflection & revision.
  • Work collectively and collegiately to overcome barriers in a VOCA world.

The UKs first Intergenerational care home and nursery⤴

from

I’ve written about ‘doing things differently before’ particularly when it comes to education and the building of schools. A couple of years ago a stumbled across an intergenerational care home and nursery (pre-school) that had been set up in Seattle, USA.

I was delighted to read that similar provision has opened in Nightingale House in Wandsworth and there was a nice write up on the innovation on The Independent newspaper website yesterday.

“The children trot in and they love it. They dance and they prance. And we love it too,” beams Anna Platman, 93, who has been a resident of the care home for nearly a year. “Being old has its moments. But for the hour or so you forget that you’re away from your own family.”

Innovations like this make so much sense particularly in areas of Scotland (and other parts of the world) where there is a rapidly aging population and where at the same time the Government has made bold commitment to increase the amount of free childcare to 1,140 hours per year (30 hours per week) by 2020.

As well as the social benefits of intergenerational working there will be obvious academic benefits as well. For example we know that Back-and-forth exchanges boost children's brain response to language which in turn develops literacy rates – but for these back-and-forth exchanges to occur you need more people to talk to the young children (a ratio of 1:10 just won’t cut it). There will be other subtle benefits as well, such as young people learning about mobility, disability (eg: hearing impairment) and loss.

The UKs first Intergenerational care home and nursery⤴

from

I’ve written about ‘doing things differently before’ particularly when it comes to education and the building of schools. A couple of years ago a stumbled across an intergenerational care home and nursery (pre-school) that had been set up in Seattle, USA.

I was delighted to read that similar provision has opened in Nightingale House in Wandsworth and there was a nice write up on the innovation on The Independent newspaper website yesterday.

“The children trot in and they love it. They dance and they prance. And we love it too,” beams Anna Platman, 93, who has been a resident of the care home for nearly a year. “Being old has its moments. But for the hour or so you forget that you’re away from your own family.”

Innovations like this make so much sense particularly in areas of Scotland (and other parts of the world) where there is a rapidly aging population and where at the same time the Government has made bold commitment to increase the amount of free childcare to 1,140 hours per year (30 hours per week) by 2020.

As well as the social benefits of intergenerational working there will be obvious academic benefits as well. For example we know that Back-and-forth exchanges boost children's brain response to language which in turn develops literacy rates – but for these back-and-forth exchanges to occur you need more people to talk to the young children (a ratio of 1:10 just won’t cut it). There will be other subtle benefits as well, such as young people learning about mobility, disability (eg: hearing impairment) and loss.

Making Engineering Playful in Schools [report]⤴

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Making Engineering Playful in Schools

This booklet presents findings from a research collaboration between Tufts University, members of the CEEO, the International School of Billund (ISB), and the LEGO Foundation that focused on how making and makerspaces can promote playful learning in schools. It is intended to help educators, administrators, and researchers continue to explore how students can learn by designing and making things.

Over the course of 2-years, researchers from Tufts partnered with teachers and students from ISB to explore different aspects of making and makerspaces in schools. These included early childhood makerspaces, appropriate tools, technologies, and materials for making, and ways of thinking about assessment, narrative, and representation in making processes.

The document "tells the story of making" at ISB, and offers vignettes and guiding principals for making engineering playful in other schools across the world.

Read the full report here.

Making Engineering Playful in Schools [report]⤴

from

Making Engineering Playful in Schools

This booklet presents findings from a research collaboration between Tufts University, members of the CEEO, the International School of Billund (ISB), and the LEGO Foundation that focused on how making and makerspaces can promote playful learning in schools. It is intended to help educators, administrators, and researchers continue to explore how students can learn by designing and making things.

Over the course of 2-years, researchers from Tufts partnered with teachers and students from ISB to explore different aspects of making and makerspaces in schools. These included early childhood makerspaces, appropriate tools, technologies, and materials for making, and ways of thinking about assessment, narrative, and representation in making processes.

The document "tells the story of making" at ISB, and offers vignettes and guiding principals for making engineering playful in other schools across the world.

Read the full report here.

The #Edtech50 2018⤴

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Ollie Bray Edtech50

The Edtech50 was launched at the end of February by Edtech UK and Jisc at a House of Lords, London and I was humbled to included on the list

The awards recognise products and projects demonstrating effective and impactful use of Edtech in the UK, along with individuals who have played a leading role in developing this area of work. The organisations behind the projects and products include FE colleges, an online learning community and a university spin-out.

Judges commented, "Ollie presents and shares his EdTech and school improvement journey with frankness and warmth".

You can see the full list of award winners here. 

The #Edtech50 2018⤴

from

Ollie Bray Edtech50

The Edtech50 was launched at the end of February by Edtech UK and Jisc at a House of Lords, London and I was humbled to included on the list

The awards recognise products and projects demonstrating effective and impactful use of Edtech in the UK, along with individuals who have played a leading role in developing this area of work. The organisations behind the projects and products include FE colleges, an online learning community and a university spin-out.

Judges commented, "Ollie presents and shares his EdTech and school improvement journey with frankness and warmth".

You can see the full list of award winners here. 

Google Education Roadshow @kingussiehigh #NDLW17 #digitaldifference⤴

from

Kingussie Event - OB Keynote

Well it is the end of National Digital Learning Week in Scotland (#NDLW17).

I started the week by hosting and keynoting the Scottish leg of the Google in Education UK Roadshow at Kingussie High School and finished the week by having my latest resource 'Leading a Digital Learning Strategy' published by the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) as part of their Framework for Education Leadership. More about that here.

The Google Event had a real buzz about it on Monday and it was great to have an opportunity to work with the wider roadshow team, who are currently touring the UK as part of the Google in Education Fuel the Future Tour. A special shout out must go to Louise Jones, Oli Trussell, James Leonard and Dean Stokes for their excellent presentations – I certainly learnt a lot and realised that there are lots more features within G-Suite for Education that we could be exploiting at school.

It was also great to have 20 local authorities represented at the event and a good blend between practitioners, local authority advisors and policy makers. I am interested to see what G-Suite looks like within Glow when it becomes available as part of the productivity suite in August this year.

Kingussie Google Event - May 2017

The theme of this years National Digital Learning Week was making a #digitaldifference and for a little school in the middle of the Cairngorm National Park I think we certainly punch well above our weight in terms of making a #digitaldifference. The map below is a nice illustration of just some of our influence in the last week.18527383_10158619884970702_49681753105711023_o

 

Link to SCEL Framework here: http://www.scelscotland.org.uk/…/new-on-the-framework-lead…/ 

Google Education Roadshow @kingussiehigh #NDLW17 #digitaldifference⤴

from

Kingussie Event - OB Keynote

Well it is the end of National Digital Learning Week in Scotland (#NDLW17).

I started the week by hosting and keynoting the Scottish leg of the Google in Education UK Roadshow at Kingussie High School and finished the week by having my latest resource 'Leading a Digital Learning Strategy' published by the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) as part of their Framework for Education Leadership. More about that here.

The Google Event had a real buzz about it on Monday and it was great to have an opportunity to work with the wider roadshow team, who are currently touring the UK as part of the Google in Education Fuel the Future Tour. A special shout out must go to Louise Jones, Oli Trussell, James Leonard and Dean Stokes for their excellent presentations – I certainly learnt a lot and realised that there are lots more features within G-Suite for Education that we could be exploiting at school.

It was also great to have 20 local authorities represented at the event and a good blend between practitioners, local authority advisors and policy makers. I am interested to see what G-Suite looks like within Glow when it becomes available as part of the productivity suite in August this year.

Kingussie Google Event - May 2017

The theme of this years National Digital Learning Week was making a #digitaldifference and for a little school in the middle of the Cairngorm National Park I think we certainly punch well above our weight in terms of making a #digitaldifference. The map below is a nice illustration of just some of our influence in the last week.18527383_10158619884970702_49681753105711023_o

 

Link to SCEL Framework here: http://www.scelscotland.org.uk/…/new-on-the-framework-lead…/