Isles’ remote teaching tool being used across country

TECHNOLOGY An online education system developed in the Outer Hebrides is being used by every council in Scotland.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the council for the Western Isles, launched e-Sgoil in 2016 to improve subject choice for pupils in the scattered islands.

It has since become key to the education service there and further afield, with teachers at bases in Stornoway on Lewis and Carinish on North Uist giving real-time, interactive lessons, to pupils across Scotland.

While school buildings are closed by lockdown, demand has soared still further in recent months.

Carrie Lindsay, president of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES), told Holyrood’s education committee e-Sgoil would have an important role in the “blended learning” model to be used in schools.

“It is the platform that we use in the north of Scotland but I think there is evidence at the moment that it is being used in all 32 local authorities for some courses over the last few months,” she said.

“So we are building on that and, at ADES, we are using that as an e-learning platform that we’re going to offer to all local authorities.

“We’ve been in discussion with directors of education across Scotland to see if there is a willingness and a desire to have that as a national platform, which we are now progressing with. And we’re working with Education Scotland.

“The e-Sgoil has been for the senior phase subjects mostly but we’re looking to see what we can deliver for the broad general education and what that might look like.

“Education Scotland are also working on some resources for home learning, and we would imagine that they would connect in with the offer that would be the e-learning e-Sgoil offers.”