Yvette Taylor, University of Strathclyde

Price:  £40.00

Date:  Friday 10 October

Time:  0900 – 1200 (online)

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Creating Feminist Classrooms

What makes a feminist classroom? What forms can a feminist education take? Gender inequalities have been an enduring and central focus of equalities legislation, in part as a result of sustained feminist efforts. This session is for anyone interested in advancing their understanding of gender inequalities and feminist politics in relation to education, across compulsory and post-compulsory education contexts.

Securing women’s and girls’ access to education has a long history as an emancipatory feminist project, and while there is a contemporary success story we can tell about women’s and girls’ educational achievements, entrenched inequalities remain. This is particularly so when it comes to educational leadership, pay differentials among educators, the ways that credibility and authority are conceived and ascribed, and the gendering of particular subject disciplines as masculine or feminine.

Drawing on research and teaching expertise, this session introduces a range of feminist perspectives, and will provide the opportunity for participants to work creatively and collaboratively to develop ideas about what feminist classrooms might look like, enquiring into the possibilities and limits of feminist education. Thinking with feminism about education also involves asking critical questions about the intersecting forms of inequality that education can reproduce, challenge and change. 

This course is suitable for the following participants: primary teachers; secondary teachers; headteachers; third sector/NGOs, equality and diversity practitioners, and LGBT+ community organisations; academics; policy makers; pupils; and students.

Jackie Marshall, University of Strathclyde

Price:  £20.00

Date:  Tuesday 28 October

Time:  1630 – 1800 (online)

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Differentiation

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (2021) highlights differentiation as central to effective planning to meet learners’ needs (Standard 3.1.1). 

But here’s the big question many teachers quietly ask themselves: 
“How can I teach a diverse range of learners in my class?” 

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. For over four decades, research has shown that differentiation remains one of the biggest challenges teachers face – whether newly qualified or highly experienced. 

At its heart, differentiation is about belief. The belief that all children can succeed. Like inclusion, it is a philosophy as much as practice, and it asks us to think deeply about how we plan, adapt, and respond in ways that bring every learner into the centre of the classroom experience. 

This short online course will:

• Explore the advantages and limitations of a range of differentiation models
• Support reflection and professional dialogue on what truly inclusive differentiation looks like in practice
• Offer practical tools to help you plan and adapt without overwhelming your workload
• Encourage critical thinking around whether our choices include or unintentionally exclude learners 

Join me for an evening of fresh ideas, reflection, and practical strategies to help you meet the diverse needs of your learners – while keeping teaching sustainable and inclusive. 

This course is suitable for the following participants: primary teachers  

Deirdre Grogan, University of Strathclyde

Dates:  10 November and 17 November

Times:  3.30pm-5.00pm

Cost:  £40.00

Online:  Teams

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Slow Pedagogy

This course explores ‘slow pedagogy’ based on the research of Professor Alison Clark (2023) Various examples will be shared to examine the ‘unhurried child’ within the early years.

Where do we start?

How do we establish time for children to fully explore their own ideas?

What could the rhythm of the day look like?

The role of the adult will also be a focus through examining key occupations to support educators within the setting. What interactions are effective, and which interactions hinder children’s thinking. A model of implementation will be shared with participants on how this may be adapted to support our own teaching and learning.  This presentation is solely based on work within the field of early years.

This course is suitable for the following participants: anyone who works in early years or who has an interest in early years. 

Dr Jonathan Firth, University of Strathclyde

Dates:  19 November

Times:  1500-1700

Cost:  £40.00

Online:  University of Strathclyde

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Cognitive science

Over the past decade, educators around the world have increasingly looked to cognitive science, including research from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, to provide guidance on more effective pedagogy. However, cognitive science is a complex area, and there is a risk that educators may feel overwhelmed by the many research findings and theories, or by the new terminology and strategies they are becoming so widely discussed.

This session will provide a beginner-friendly primer on cognitive science as it applies to education. It will then move on to clear and actionable strategies for translating the most robust research findings into classroom-ready techniques, along with guidance on how to keep appraised of new research evidence while remaining critical. Finally, we will focus on four of the most widely-recommended and easy to apply evidence-based strategies: retrieval practice, spaced practice, dual coding and interleaving.

This course is suitable for the following participants: primary teachers, secondary teachers, headteachers, further education, policy makers.

Nova Lauder-Scott, Gillian Francis-McNeil, University of Strathclyde

Date:  6 December

Times:  1000 – 1500

Cost:  £65

Online:  University of Strathclyde

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Leadership

This course will be suitable for early years leaders, primary and secondary school leaders, and headteachers who are considering progression into more senior or strategic roles. It will be particularly valuable for those preparing to apply for Into Headship or those seeking to strengthen their readiness for senior leadership. The course can be adapted to different levels depending on the audience.

Delivered by the leaders of Strathclyde’s Into Headship programme, this one-day professional learning opportunity provides participants with the tools and insights required to lead strategically. Participants will explore what it means to move beyond operational leadership to shaping culture, driving improvement, and leading learning, communities, and change. The course situates strategic leadership firmly within the Scottish education policy landscape, ensuring participants understand the expectations and responsibilities of senior roles.

In addition, the session provides space for critical self-reflection, enabling participants to analyse their own leadership journey, identify strengths, and recognise areas for growth. Time is dedicated to peer networking, offering opportunities to build supportive professional connections that can extend beyond the session itself.

This course is suitable for the following participants: Early years practitioners; primary teachers and secondary teachers. **Participants will be in school/early years leadership roles and considering progression to a more senior role. **

Dr Jonathan Firth, University of Strathclyde

Dates:  13 January 

Times:  1500-1700

Cost:  £40.00

Online:  University of Strathclyde

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Assessment and feedback

We want to engage in assessment and provide useful feedback to pupils, but this can’t rely on simply more time and effort or marking. This session positions the problem in terms of the effectiveness of information – not more marking, but better information provided at times and in ways that will be retained by learners and transfer to future work.

Evidence from cognitive science has shown repeatedly that the extent to which learning sticks is not closely related to the amount of time spent on practice. It also casts doubt on some common practices, such as aiming to give feedback as soon as possible after an assessment. We will explore the evidence in this session, and you will be guided on specific applications to low-stakes tests and quizzes, including ways of setting and grading assessments that are minimal in preparation time and yet impactful.

An emphasis will also be placed on providing students with feedback that is actionable and transferable – taking account of research on both memory and metacognition to provide a realistic picture. Overall, this session provides a route to focused, efficient, and psychology-informed assessment practices that will work better in the classroom and cut down on wasted time and effort.

This course is suitable for the following participants: secondary teachers, headteachers, further education.

Dr Jonathan Firth, University of Strathclyde

Dates:  19 February

Times:  1500-1700

Cost:  £40.00

Online:  University of Strathclyde

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Evidence informed

Every teacher knows that questioning is a key skill, and one that is used in classrooms every day. However, it is sometimes hard to know the long-term impact of questioning on students’ learning. Even experienced teachers may may not always be certain how best to phrase questions, when to pose questions of various levels of complexity, and how to judge and plan for wait time and consolidation.

This session will draw on the psychology of memory and concept development to provide more helpful guidance on the ‘how’ and ‘when’ of questioning. It will look at recent research on wait time, as well as drawing on the psychology of long-term memory to help ensure that our questioning boosts lasting learning rather than temporary performance. We will also explore the research and debates around wait time, scaffolding of answers, hinge questions to expose misconceptions, and the ‘cold calling’ technique.

Questioning is one of the most powerful pedagogical tools at our disposal, and can help to make learning visible. This session will draw on research evidence to ensure that it is working well for your students.

This course is suitable for the following participants: primary teachers, secondary teachers, headteachers, further education.

Dr Jonathan Firth, University of Strathclyde

Dates:  19 March

Times:  1500-1700

Cost:  £40.00

Online:  University of Strathclyde

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Study Skills

Pupils need to develop good independent study habits, helping them to become successful, self-regulating independent learners. However, most do not know how to study effectively because the process of learning is not intuitive, and hard work only goes so far.  

This session will cover the essentials of good study habits that can be applied to note-taking, revision, working for tests, review and consolidation work, and exam preparation. Drawing on the contemporary cognitive psychology of how people learn, this session will debunk certain popular myths and focus on well-evidenced study strategies that can be used by pupils of all ages and attainment levels. It will position effective learning as a skill, and one that can and should be developed to help support students’ journey of increasing independence through the school years and beyond.

This course is suitable for the following participants: secondary teachers, headteachers, further education.

Jane Catlin, Dr Zinnia Mevawalla, Dr Yuchen Wang, University of Strathclyde

Dates:  5 June

Times:  10.00am-3.30pm

Cost:  £80 (including lunch)

Online:  University of Strathclyde

Register:  Online or via our Application Form - Inclusion

This session is for all educators who wish to deepen and extend their thinking around working with and for an increasingly diverse learning community. We will move beyond deficit framing of children’s capacities by exploring concepts from key scholars in the field of inclusive education. We offer an opportunity to unpack what ‘inclusion’ and ‘additional support needs’ should mean for practice. We share how to develop strengths-based perspectives in ways that dismantle systemic barriers and identify positive actions to bring about more socially just, equitable and inclusive learning for all.

 Aims:

• Consolidate an understanding of inclusive education and pedagogy (what it is and what it is not)
• Recognise learner diversity as an asset and understand strengths-based working in classroom practice
• Be able to draw on disability theory to reframe our relational working and recognise the rights of the child under both the UNCRC and UNCRPD.
• Use creativity and arts-based methods to develop practical strategies for building a sense of belonging, inclusion, and community cohesion.