Towards a New Improved Scottish Learning Festival ?

I am a fan of the idea of the Scottish Learning Festival and have chipped in many times over the years on how it might be improved.

I looked at the advice and like me it has aged - but some of the principles are still just as valid and have not really ever been picked up.  I guess just the changing guard in the Education Department and Education Scotland and tight budgets keep it sticking to one formula or another.

If you follow my blog you will know I've been attending since the last century and before  there was SLF,  there were more modest gatherings of Learning Techs at the Scottish Council for Educational Technology. 

I think this years regional and blended approach was a great idea. Will be interested to see if it converted into true national participation. 

1. To truly be a Scottish Learning Festival it has to include pathways for more than schools. So let's see Colleges , Work based learning providers , Universities , Community and Adult learning in the programme. For our economy to work we need life long learning. 
2. It has to be accessible to grass roots educators - my original proposals were around having workshops and events on Saturday morning.  BETT does this in London and teachers and pupils ( pupils mainly London based ) travel in for sessions. But now this should include on-line sessions that teachers and learners can engage in all across Scotland - perhaps the new blended sessions achieved this ? 
3. Support dissenting and grassroots voices - help Teachmeet and teachmeeters - Was there a blended equivalent of teachmeet and if not why not ?
4. If you are going to use any central venue-  have workshops and use the space around the SEC - 
5. Unpopular in some quarters but have an exhibition area - either real of virtual.  It is important that there is a platform for Scottish education to talk to those who wish to sell things to education.  Better and easier for all if it's in the one place once a year. I'm not sure that bit was managed correctly this year.  I attended SECC and was embarrassed for the vendors who had supported https://www.scottisheducationexpo.com/  

Main thing that was missing from proceedings - though it may have been there and I missed it. Was an overview of digital learning initiatives across Scotland.  How 1-1 device roll outs are moving and being sustained in these tough economic times and what is on the horizon for learner and teaching staff digital literacy. 

You can access recordings of all of the proceedings. Key sessions to look out for are around  'The National Discussion'  this was launched at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival. The discussion around the future of qualifications and assessment in Scotland. You’ll be able to watch the launch recordings on the SLF online portal if you register at http://SLF2022.com.