Keynote Address 2008: Teachers using ICT at Cauldeen Primary School, Inverness, Scotland; one school’s story.
George Glass has been involved in eTwinning since the launch of that action in Brussels in January 2005. Recently his school initiated an eTwinning project ‘Talking through Time’ which involved pupils digitally archiving the memoirs of local veterans. The contribution of their partner school in Malta added an exciting and unique dimension to the project. This project has been awarded the European eTwinning ‘School Collaboration’ Award.
Subsequently the school has extended its involvement in digital twinning and Cauldeen pupils are now participating in eTwinning partnerships across Europe in many areas of the curriculum. These involve ‘Virtual Visits’ focusing on local and European studies, ‘Chocolate & Chips’ a health and lifestyle project between the Infant class and a Nursery class in Malta. They are exchanging ‘Cultural Events’ electronically with two schools in Poland and are presently discussing possible projects with teachers in Italy and Belgium. George has pointed out that using ICT in this way has resulted in the most fun he has had in 30 years of teaching.
George Glass is the Head Teacher of Cauldeen Primary School in Inverness, Scotland. His school caters for two hundred and fifty children with a broad range of abilities and backgrounds from the local community and beyond. It is a multi-award winning school, well regarded throughout Scotland for its innovative and imaginative ICT use. George has led this ‘from the front’ – he’s been a self-confessed ICT fanatic for years and firmly believes that ICT – used well by enthusiastic teachers – has enormous potential to enrich and enhance all aspects of the curriculum as well as motivate pupils at school.