Community Learning and Development team wins Herald Society Award

Congratulations to the Glasgow Clyde College Community Learning and Development team, winners of the Education Initiative award at the Herald Society Awards 2017.

The team won the award for their Family Learning in Science project which ​sought to engage learners with little or no previous experience in science to undertake a series of learning experiences related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The project received funding from Glasgow City Council, Fairer Communities Programme.

As part of the College’s community outreach programme, CLD staff engaged with a number of parents and staff from St Mary’s Primary School which is based in the North West Glasgow area. 

The parents expressed an interest in learning something that would interest them as adults but would equally support them in helping their children with school work.

It was identified early on that a targeted programme of learning needed to be developed that would help empower the parents as learners to reach their individual potential and to raise their confidence and skills levels.

This was achieved through using the social practice model approach and involved college staff and the parents in the co-design of their learning. This model of working also ensured the continued enthusiasm, motivation and sense of belonging of the learners. This was particularly important as most of the parents readily accepted that they felt challenged when asked to support aspects of their children’s learning, particularly in areas such as literacy, numeracy and science.

The students also completed the SCQF level 4 environmental studies course ‘Counting on a Greener Scotland (COGS)’. COGS was developed by Dr Heather Reid, OBE, and delivered by colleagues from the Workers Education Association (WEA). The online version of this, which was developed and digitised by Glasgow Clyde College for WEA Scotland and funded by the Glasgow Clyde Education Foundation in 2016, is available to view on the College VLE.

Further information about Family Learning in Science can be found on the Education Scotland website where the project has been highlighted as an exemplar.