Working with the Field Studies Council - PGDE students
Some of our PDGE students have been working with Matt Keyes from the Field Studies Council. They're learning how to use outdoor spaces to support children’s learning, whether that’s in the middle of Cathedral Street in the centre of Glasgow or on the beaches of Cumbrae.
As part of an OPAL Community Science project, Matt has been able to provide half-day professional development training sessions for PGDE and undergraduate Education students on campus at the University, and on Cumbrae at the Field Studies Council centre at Millport.
Primary Education (BA) students in Year 2 will have the opportunity to participate in one of these sessions in Glasgow city centre at the beginning of December with this opportunity being managed by second year Primary Education student Roddy Orr in conjunction with the Field Studies Council.
Two groups of students have now spent time on Cumbrae participating in a two-day residential professional development programme.
Thirty students from across the School of Education’s two Initial Teacher Education Primary programmes visited the Field Studies Council in June, with a further forty Primary and Secondary PGDE students attending in October as part of their Professional Specialisation module.
On Cumbrae students learn about the history, geology and natural environment of the island. The activities organised by the Field Studies Council are designed to support the students in considering how the environment can be used by them as teachers to develop holistic learning experiences for children.
Here's what some of our students thought about the experience:
The way in which the weekend was run by Matt and the team at FSC allowed for plenty of time to speak to new people and be part of the incidental learning which is key in progressing and reflecting on your own teaching practice.
I had a fantastic time on the Cumbrae Outdoor Learning residential. It was a fantastic experience both educationally and socially. We had the opportunity to try a wide variety of activities which we can adapt and bring into our teaching practice.
I was already interested in Outdoor Learning and Learning for Sustainability; however, this weekend really deepened that interest as we were able to experience first-hand how engaging Outdoor Learning experiences can be. As well as learning lots about biodiversity and sustainability we also had lots of fun. I quite honestly cannot remember the last time I laughed so much. We were able to get to know students from all years of the primary education courses. As well as getting to know new people, this helped us share experiences and learn from one another. Just chatting at meal times helped me expand my knowledge by hearing about the experiences of others. This type of learning I think is invaluable.
The weekend far exceeded my expectations. I had expected to come back with some more ideas for implementing outdoor learning. However I came back with new friends, knowledge about different aspects of education, knowledge about biodiversity, knowledge about myself AND more ideas for implementing outdoor learning.
The trip was a very worthwhile experience as I really enjoyed and valued the opportunity of getting to know and work with others from different years and of working with tutors in a different environment. I also found the range of activities extremely beneficial as they gave me ideas which I can take forward into my own teaching while also allowing me to develop my confidence in being able to provide successful and engaging outdoor learning experiences. I also gained a much stronger appreciation of the benefits of outdoor learning as a direct result of this experience.
Overall the weekend away was an excellent experience which I would highly recommend and I would strongly encourage other students to sign up to future opportunities like this one. It was a lovely way to finish my four years at Strathclyde.