The team are delighted to report that our SCQF accredited LIFT OFF Learning Skills course is done and dusted for AY2022-23! For the uninitiated, LOLS is our short, learning skills course that aims to make moving from school to Higher Education easier for senior phase pupils. It looks at some of the key areas where learning is different and gives pupils a chance to practice some of the key skills that they’ll need for learning in Higher Education.
This was the first year since 2019 we were able to deliver our workshops in person at our partner institution Dundee and Angus College. We covered a whole host of HE skills during these sessions, including note taking, budgeting and critical thinking. Pupils and staff were also treated to an amazing lecture from Abertay University academic Dr Rebecca Wade, who delivered a lecture surrounding climate change and what factors impact this.
This culminated in a pupil group presentation, delivered in school, where pupils had to tackle the following question ‘Humans are doing enough to respond to climate change.” – Do you agree with this statement? Discuss and evaluate your views with evidence.
The team were completely blown away by the quality of the presentations on this topic question, which included the role of social media influencing positive human impacts on climate change, the use of electric vehicles and what impact individual responsibility has.
This was a really successful year of LOLS with an incredible 83% pass rate and these pupils can now add their SCQF accredited LOLS qualification to future applications to college and university.
Here’s what some of our pupils who participated this academic year had to say about their time on the course:
“Learning to do a presentation was the best part of LOLS, as it’s something I often don’t have to do at school but is an important skill to have.”
“I gained better communication, but also teamwork skills- LOLS also took a great part in boosting my confidence with the presentation!!”
“The best part of LOLS was that I met new people and pushed myself out of my comfort zone.”
“I learned more about having a work/life balance and what being in uni and college is actually like.”
“It really helped me build my confidence and I was able to present in front of an audience with my group.”
“It has enabled me to grasp a better idea of what higher education is like and also different skills that I need for it as well as the different responsibilities doing higher education holds.”
