What a DLITE as student teachers graduate!
Seven Highland students graduated this weekend (Saturday 24 June) through the University of Aberdeen in partnership with Highland Council following an eighteen month distance learning PGDE (Primary) Programme.
The Distance Learning Initial Teacher Education (DLITE) PGDE Primary Programme is completing its third session in June 2017, seeing these students enter their probation year in Highland schools this August.
Another eleven students began the fourth phase of DLITE in January this year, and will qualify in June 2018.
Chair of Highland Council’s People Committee, Cllr Alasdair Christie said: “Well done to the seven graduates and best wishes to the eleven new students on the DLITE programme. This strong and effective partnership between Highland Council and the University of Aberdeen has created DLITE, with opportunities for local people to train to become teachers via distance learning techniques, while remaining in their home town and current employment. We are working hard to grow and foster our own teachers from within our local communities and the results are evident.”
Jim Steven, Highland Council’s Head of Education said “Highland Council is working with it partner authorities in the north to address the shortage of teachers affecting us all. Our partnership with the University of Aberdeen and the creation of DLITE is a very successful way in which we can enhance the profession, by opening doors to people with talent who have a passion for teaching and working with young people.”
While the majority of study occurs through online learning, there are also regular face to face sessions with current Highland practitioners sharing their expertise in subjects such as Literacy, Numeracy, Child Protection, Health and Wellbeing, PE and Expressive Arts through Network Days. Students have also benefitted from days at the University and with their Moray Council student colleagues. The DLITE model follows the same PGDE Primary Programme provided for the full time students studying at the University.
Dr Yvonne Bain, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship) and Programme Director for TQFE at the University of Aberdeen, said “DLITE PGDE students are doing incredibly well showing great perseverance and resilience, juggling the many commitments of family life, work and demands of an intensive part-time study programme to successfully gain the PGDE (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) award to become teachers in Highland. The University of Aberdeen is keen to continue building on the positive partnership with Highland Council in order to retain and develop opportunities for teacher education through initiatives like DLITE.”
Students who graduated this weekend were: Jennifer Inglis, Carol-Anne Farquhar, Anne Marie Goldie, Sian Curley, John Wood, Daniel McDonald and Eilidh Munro.
The DLITE PGDE Secondary Programme for becoming a Secondary teacher of Business Education, Computing, Home Economics, Mathematics, Physics and Technical Education (Craft and Design Technology) will begin in August this year, offering more opportunities for those wishing to follow the Secondary teaching route.
For further information on the DLITE Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary) visit the University of Aberdeen website at: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/education/partnerships/dlite-pgde-664.php
Applications for the next cohort for DLITE PGDE (Primary) are now being accepted. [The closing date was 21 August 2017.]
Email Holly.Ross@highland.gov.uk for more information and an application pack.