Using Comenius to gain accreditation
An international education course for teachers in Scotland
International School Award
If you are engaged in the Comenius programme you can use your learning from your project work to gain accreditation through a number of UK universities. It may be that you are involved in curriculum development or some action research. Many universities allow you to use your work-based learning as part of a module.
You are involved in a substantial project and often this takes considerable amounts of time.
In England, the teachers’ performance management review cycle incorporates objectives, one of which is linked to continuing professional development (CPD). If your school has written the partnership work into the school development plan, you may be able to receive professional recognition for your partnership work by getting it accredited through a university and making this part of your continuing professional development objective. In this way you can incorporate all that additional work into your own performance review. In Scotland you can use the learning from your partnership work as the basis for an accredited CPD course, or it can contribute to a Chartered Teacher course. In Wales and Northern Ireland you can use the learning arising from your school partnership work as part of a course at a university. In Wales this can be linked to Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship.
Cambridge Education Foundation is working with universities in all of the UK nations and with the General Teaching Council in England, to identify professional development opportunities for teachers engaged in international school partnerships. Cambridge Education is the British Council’s partner in the delivery of Comenius in the UK.
To find out about accreditation opportunities, go to Cambridge Education’s website www.camb-ed.com/about-us/cef.asp and look at the page entitled ‘accreditation for global links’. You can then browse through the opportunities available for UK teachers and other UK professionals by following the link at the bottom of the page. Or you can go directly to:www.camb-ed.com/about-us/cef_uk_teachers.asp
Go through the drop-down list and decide which university you would like to work with. You may wish to work with a local university or follow a distance learning course. Contact the university and tell them what you are doing and what you want to do. They will support you in deciding how you can incorporate your partnership work. Each university has its own requirements and the university of your choice will help you to decide the best route for you.
Contact Cambridge Education Foundation for further information on cef@camb-ed.com
A new GTC Scotland-accredited CPD course on international education is available to teachers in Scotland. The development of the pilot course, led by the University of Glasgow and the University of Aberdeen, has been funded by Learning and Teaching Scotland.
Click here to find out more.
Don’t forget you can also get accreditation for your school. The British Council manages the DCSF International School Award. This is an accreditation scheme for curriculum based international work in schools. It is open to all UK schools and is free of charge. The DCSF International School Award is supported by education departments and devolved administrations across the UK. Find our more at www.globalgateway.org.uk/isa
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