Digital learning is no longer a thing of the future, and Muirtown Primary’s Beth Fuller is doing her bit to make sure her school gives pupils the best chance for success.
The Muirtown P6 principal teacher was recently named Digital Innovator of the Year.
The honour, organised by the Scottish Education Awards, recognised her ‘transformational’ contributions to digital learning across the entire school community.
By continuing school traditions like assemblies, Christmas plays and award ceremonies during lockdown and connecting staff and pupils with accessible resources, Miss Fuller aimed to incorporate technology into kids’ learning fairly and effectively.
And by bringing home the national award from Glasgow, she’s now in the running for UK-wide recognition.
She’s already won a Silver Award from The Pearson National Teaching Awards, and will represent Scotland in the running for a Gold this autumn in London.
How Muirtown is levelling the playing field with digital learning
When the lockdowns hit schools in 2020, education changed. Beth said that digital learning, which had once been an ambition, became a necessity.
“Everyone became a learner again. It levelled the playing field even between staff and pupils.
“As much as it was difficult and unforeseen, the necessity has done incredible things for our school in terms of advancing the way that we teach.
“The pandemic was a humbling reminder of what it feels like to start from scratch.”
In addition to bringing students and staff up to speed on what they need to stay connected and succeed digitally, she created Muirtown’s Digital Leaders.
This team of pupils helps drive the school’s innovative and inclusive digital curriculum.
They’ve helped by giving lessons on online safety, organised testimonials and materials for the school’s award submissions and recently helped Beth create an in-school digital skills awards programme.
“I’m hoping that this will be quite successful, in that it will be quite motivating for the children,” Beth said. “They don’t often realise how good they are at things.”
Muirtown digital learning: High praise from panel and pupils
In February, Muirtown was accredited with the Digital Schools Scotland Award and received glowing feedback from the awards committee. They earned top marks for digital wellbeing, cyber safety, and the school’s overall digital learning approach.
Head teacher Janice MacRae said that Miss Fuller’s leadership was crucial to the school’s digital success.
“Beth has modelled the highest standard of digital learning in her class, and has always supported others to build on their own skills.
She added: “She consistently strives to level-up the pupils’ digital skills at every opportunity and is always encouraging pupils to be leaders in their own learning.”
But it’s one thing for your boss and a national panel of expert judges to say you’re doing a great job. First and foremost, a teacher has to pass the scrutiny of her pupils.
They made their appreciation clear in a video in support of Miss Fuller’s nomination.
Recognising their skills gives pupils a head start
Beth tells her pupils that digital skills are important resources that can be used throughout their lives. Being able to demonstrate the skills they have will give them a leg up in the future.
Knowing how to market themselves isn’t natural for every child. But it’s an important skill that can make the difference in job interviews and school applications, she said.
“One of the reasons that we have the digital skills challenge is because we think it’s really important that they can highlight the digital skills they have.
“They don’t actually realise what they can already do, or appreciate it as a skill.”
Digital skills are life skills
Muirtown Parent Council chairman Neil Young said that he has already seen the pupils’ new digital confidence spread into other aspects of school and life.
“It totally changed how the kids worked. It set them up not just for school but later in life as well,” he said.
“These are lifelong skills that they’re learning at a very young age. They can take them into further education but also into the workplace as well.”
Mr Young added that the digital transition came as a bit of a shock to parents. He’s learned from his own child along the way. But he knows that that chain of learning started with Miss Fuller’s dedication to her class.
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