Earlier this week Martin Hawksey and I went along to the first meeting of the new ALT Scotland SIG Steering Group. The meeting was chaired by Prof Linda Creanor of Glasgow Caledonian University and members of CETIS, RSC Scotland (Celeste McLaughlin) and SQA (Joe Wilson) attended, with apologies from Dr Lesley Diack of Robert Gordon University.

ALT Scotland is a national SIG for practitioners and researchers in learning technology based in Scotland and its remit is to provide a forum to –

• Further the aims of ALT in Scotland.
• Promote the technology agenda in all sectors of Scottish education.
• Encourage sharing of expertise, resources, and best practice in learning technology within the context of Scottish education.
• Influence relevant policy and strategy.
• Develop constructive relationships with related organisations and committees.

The meeting focused on identifying actions to support these aims and objectives, with policy and strategy advisory being highlighted as a priority area, particularly with regards to furthering the development of policy to support open educational practises and open educational resources in Scotland.

The actions that the ALT Scotland SIG plans to take forward over the next twelve month period include:

• Exploring ways to encourage Scottish government support for the UNESCO Paris Declaration and to respond to information gathering initiatives such as the Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO survey on OER policy and activity.
• Raising awareness of the European Commission Public Consultation on “Opening up Education – a proposal for a European Initiative to enhance education and skills development through new technologies”
• A webinar in late November on the development of institutional policies to support OER and open education.
• An annual face to face event in June (date tbc) focused on policy and strategy for education technology across all sectors of Scottish education.

The SIG would welcome participation from ALT members across Scotland and the UK. To get involved, and to keep up to date with SIG activities, please sign up for the ALT Scotland SIG mailing list here: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/ALT-SCOTLAND