Alan Cameron's Edublog Learning in the 3rd Millennium 

On Friday I attended the very successful Digital Commonwealth Launch at Platform in Easterhouse, Glasgow.  The project is funded by the Big Lottery, the Media Trust and the University of the West of Scotland.

In the schools strand of the project, the aim is to involve young people in each of Scotland’s local authority areas in digital reporting of Commonwealth themes (place, people, culture, exchange) in leading up to the Queen’s Baton Relay in June 2014. Learners from 32 school clusters from targeted areas of the most socio-economic need will be offered an opportunity to participate.

The schools programme will promote digital literacy skills through a series of in-school training workshops, using readily available technology to help pupils tell their own stories through blogs, video, audio and social media. Participating schools will receive learning materials which can help support existing and/or new school projects.  These materials will support topics such as e-safety, copyright, active citizenship and media ethics to assist pupils in developing skills and knowledge to produce creative, appropriate and engaging content.

Digital Commonwealth launch

As a music teacher in Castlemilk High School, Glasgow in 1998, I received a video that was sent to all schools in the UK. It was a short video of no more than 10 minutes, perhaps less, featuring legendary Beatles’ Producer (the fifth Beatle) Sir George Martin exhorting schools up and down the land to get involved in composing new songs. These songs were to reflect young songwriters dreams and aspirations, engaging them in collective creative experiences working together in composing new songs with powerful  messages. It’s a long story to share exactly how we went about this, but for now I just want to share that out of thousands of schools involved in this venture, the kids from Castlemilk High ended up featuring on the CD (100,000) sold in Marks & Spencers shops in the UK. We were invited to open and perform at new M&S stores. We recorded in Sir George Martin’s Air Studios in London, met the great man himself (our Executive Producer!) and admired his Rolls Royce parked outside. We performed in front of 3000 (opening the concert with the first song!) in London at the Skyscape Auditorium adjacent to the Millenium Dome in February 2000. It was an adventure I’ll never forget, and hopefully the whole process from start to finish is one that will remain with those kids for the rest of their lives.

‘It’s Up to You’  Track 20/22 track CD (Children’s Promise Charity no. 1073761)   20 It’s Up To You

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, EVERYONE ME AND YOU, WE’VE GOT TO SEE THIS WHOLE THING THROUGH, THERE’S WORK TO DO

CHORUS: OUR HANDS WILL BUILD A FUTURE, OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD, AND IT’S UP TO YOU

CHILDREN OF OUR WORLD TODAY, THEY’VE HAD IT TOUGH, WE CAN CHANGE THEIR DESTINY, IF WE WORK HARD ENOUGH

CHORUS: OUR HANDS WILL BUILD A FUTURE, OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD, AND IT’S UP TO YOU

MAKE THE FUTURE A BRIGHTER PLACE, FOR EVERYONE, FOR EVERYONE’S THE SAME AS US, LET’S SHARE OUR LOVE

CHORUS: OUR HANDS WILL BUILD A FUTURE, OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD, AND IT’S UP TO YOU

THIS SONG HAS BROUGHT A MESSAGE, A MESSAGE SUNG FOR YOU, ALL OF US NEED FAITH AND HOPE, TO SEE US THROUGH

IT’S UP TO YOU (MAKE THE FUTURE A BRIGHTER PLACE, FOR EVERYONE)

20 years ago, when I was but a lad, I had a recording studio with a 1 Meg Macintosh (see picture!) in Newton Mearns, Glasgow. I’ve now set up a new music recording studio in a farmhouse in the Dumfries & Galloway countryside. I was inspired by the London Olympic Games (and Mr Bean) to compose an Olympic tune in memory of Eric Liddell, the great Scottish athlete, in the style of one of my musical heroes, Vangelis, so here it is.

Eric  © Upbeat Music 2012

In educating our kids, we can’t keep trying to meet the future by doing what we’ve done in the past. Enjoy this video by Sir Ken Robinson.

We talk in education circles of creativity, participation and innovation…. this little video demonstrates aspects of all of these as a group of professional golfers create a ridiculous golfing challenge!

This post also serves to celebrate another Irish golfer (Ian Scott) as he retires this coming Friday from his post as Education Officer with Dumfries & Galloway Council. All the best for your retirement Ian – see you on the golf course soon!