How to ensure that the music never stops

GLASGOW City Council is using Apple’s ‘Everyone Can Create’ curriculum as part of the city’s Glasgow CREATE programme.

As the authority continues the rollout of 50,000 ipads for students and teachers announced in August 2019, it has used Apple programmes during the lockdown period to keep learners engaged.

CREATE is a partnership between Glasgow City Councils’ Education Services Instrumental Music Service (IMS), Youth Music Initiative (YMI) and partnership projects supporting all primary and secondary schools as well as Early Years centres.

It encourages innovative, creative and inspirational learning to raise attainment in literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing, as well as supporting teachers to deliver a high quality music curriculum

As part of homeschooling, the council used content from Apple’s ‘30 Creative Activities for Kids’ initiative for their ‘30 Days of Creativity’ project for children to try using an ipad or iphone.

These activities familiarise children with tools like the camera, voice notes and Keynote, for example, by asking them to make a slow motion video of food

The pandemic has highlighted that we need to get moving with digital learning

colouring mixing primary and secondary colours or by recording news interviews.

Apple Teacher has also been used to support staff in learning about digital technology and how it can support teaching in the classroom and at home.

In Glasgow, Apple Distinguished Educators working for Regional Training Centres run ‘Apple Teacher Mondays’ for virtual teacher training support – 250 teachers attended the first session. In Falkirk, £9.6m has been allocated to ‘Connected Falkirk’ with at least £3.6m devoted to buying ipads for pupils.

At the council meeting SNP education spokesperson, Councillor Adanna Mccue, said the pandemic had shown how we need to “get moving” with digital learning. “It has highlighted that we need digital learning and we need the technology for each and every one of our learners. It will change the way our children learn in the future and will prepare them for tasks they face within the future,” she said.

The five year programme was approved in February’s budget.