Practical CPD workshops for CLD organisers and practitioners who would like to explore the possibility of offering numeracy and science based courses or events to adults in their communities
In Scotland, improving STEM literacy, numeracy and employability is a key priority for the Scottish Government. The WEA Scotland has over ten years of experience of developing innovative science and numeracy based resources in partnership with Education Scotland and leading colleges and experts.
In line with Scottish Government 2020 targets to:
increase practitioner confidence in STEM learning in a CLD setting and to,
increase the number of people undertaking STEM related learning,
the WEA has developed 3 hour practical training workshops for CLD practitioners based on our free STEM resources, Science for a Successful Scotland (3S) and Counting on a Greener Scotland (COGS).
Science for a Successful Scotland can be used to introduce science topics in an interesting, engaging and inspiring way, and to deliver learning in community settings as well as in colleges and schools. It can be used with young learners and with adults, including parents of children who are making learning and career choices.
The resources contains five units focusing on key areas of the sciences:
Energy
Tourism and Environmental Science
Life Sciences
Science and the Creative Industries
Science of Food and Drink
Each unit contains learning content about the science topic with activities, experiments and/or a local investigation. It also features four career case studies where people talk about how science helps them in their jobs.
CLD Practitioners can use the resource with their learners in the way that suits them best. We have written it in such a way that it can be used flexibly, dipped in and out of, or adapted and added to as need be.
Alternatively, the resource can be delivered in a more formal way. It has an associated 30 hour WEA Accredited course, credit rated by Glasgow Clyde College at SCQF Level 4 and 3 credit points to use with groups who are keen to have their first science qualification.
There is also an e-learning version hosted by Glasgow Clyde College to enable tutors to run blended learning courses and/or encourage learner autonomy.
To help tutors and teachers, Science for a Successful Scotland has also been mapped to Experiences and Outcome from the Curriculum of Excellence and to SQA’s Core Skills units.
The award winning, Counting on a Greener Scotland (COGS) resource is designed to be used primarily with adult learners. It is put together with adults in mind and so uses appropriate language and graphics. However, it could used in schools, youth clubs, community groups or in any other appropriate learning context, including SQA accredited numeracy provision. In many ways the pack reflects the ambitions of Curriculum for Excellence: it is rich in opportunities for learning while not being prescriptive; it allows for deep learning in contexts that are relevant to the lives of individuals who understand themselves as global citizens; and it threads numeracy – and literacy – through broader areas of interest.