'Leading Edge' Conference
Our conferences and events receive very good reviews with many delegates noting that ours are the only CPD events they attend. We noticed that delegates at our recent conferences were mostly Head Teachers and decided to bring together some of the best bits from recent conferences, along with some extras, in an event specifically for Deputes and Principal Teachers. We have called it 'Leading Edge' and plan to make it an annual event just for DHTs and PTs.
This year the conference will be focusing on high level yet practical concepts which will help improve individual and school performance. The day will be made up of a combination of keynote and workshop sessions - see the full programme for details. Our keynote speakers for the day are:
- Dr Peter Clough (University of Hull) and Doug Strycharczyk (AQR) on "Mental Toughness"
This session explains what Mental Toughness is, how it can be developed and used within your school. Mental Toughness is an important concept which describes a key factor in how we respond to stress, pressure and challenge.
The Mental Toughness model identifies four important elements of Mental Toughness: Challenge, Control, Commitment and Confidence. It has its roots in two narrower concepts - Resilience and Hardiness.
Evidence shows that mental toughness is significantly and positively correlated with:
• Performance both in the individual and organisation – explains up to 25% of the variation in performance
• Behaviour – more engaged, more positive, more “can do”
• Wellbeing – more contentment, better stress management , less bullying
• Aspirations - more ambitious, prepared to manage more risk
The Seminar will present remarkable new MRI (Brain Scan) evidence to show where mental toughness is located in the brain and what the implications are of this research.
- Graham Norris from Education Scotland on "Opening Up Transformative Innovation" and "Implementing Transformative Innovation"
Scottish education has long been amongst the most innovative education systems in the world, not least because we recognise that learning is a constantly changing process. We know that the world is changing faster than ever and that, for children and young people to succeed in it, we have to ensure they are better prepared than ever. In this context, Education Scotland has been developing new approaches which help bring the future perspective to the fore within existing improvement planning cycles. By exploring the short-, medium- and long-term needs of learners we can give better, orchestrated direction to improvement projects, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will transform lives. The first of these new approaches, Opening Up Transformative Innovation, uses a three horizons approach which is designed to open up conversation about the future needs of learners in a rapidly changing world, and to ensure that we focus on these needs when planning improvements. But it does this in a way which recognises the challenges of the present and that these have to be addressed too. The second resource, Implementing Transformative Innovation, is a set of change management tools which increases the likelihood of success when we set off on ambitious and innovative change projects.
In his keynote address, Graham will explore these approaches in the context of the innovation system in Scottish education, and how they build on existing strengths in self-evaluation. He will also explore the inward and outward perspectives to self-evaluation which are now widely recognised around the world as core strengths in our system, and which form the basis for innovation and transformative change.
In the workshop, participants will be introduced in detail to the tools and learn how to use these in the contexts of ambitious and potentially radical change projects.
- Ewan McIntosh from NoTosh on "Design thinking in education"
Design Thinking for Genuine Epic-Scale Problem-Based Learning from Whole-School Planning, to Supporting and Measuring Learning
Project-based learning has been let down in too many instances with "fake", academic, theoretical problems that need solving. The learning processes involved are at best fuzzy for most educators: what is "collaboration", "student-designed" and "student-led" learning?
- Learn from the creative practices of some of the best media and tech companies in the world, with whom Ewan McIntosh has spent the past four years.
- Find out what the independent and collaborative learning skills and processes these growing creative industries, and other business, require.
Attendees will
- understand the process of design thinking first hand, by using it;
- understand how to find great problems for learners to solve, that involve the whole school curriculum but which can maintain subject boundaries, if required;
- see how design thinking can be used as a curriculum planning tool across a whole school;
- see real world examples of wholly student-led learning leading to more creative outcomes and better attainment, from early years through to Higher Education;
- know where to go, who to follow online, what to read to find out more and engage their whole school in a fresh approach to teaching and learning.
When? 23 March 2012
Where? Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Who? This conference is specifically for DHTs and PTs. The main target audience are those in the primary sector though delegates from other sectors are also welcome.
Price: Delegate rate £115+VAT (£138 including VAT); AHDS member rate £65+VAT (£78 including VAT)*
*Please note, the discounted rate for AHDS members is only available for members booking and attending the conference. Members may not book places at the member rate for colleagues to attend.