A SCOTSMAN has been named as one of the six most influential educators in the world by a foundation, set up by the Star Wars creator, George Lucas.
Laurie O'Donnell, director of Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), has been named by the George Lucas Educational Foundation as one of its prestigious "Global Six" for 2008.
The elite international group is selected annually by Lucas and other di
rectors of his not-for-profit organisation, in recognition of their contribution to innovation in the sector.
Mr O'Donnell is being honoured for his work on Glow, the world's first national intranet for schools, as well as for promoting the use of technology such as computer games, in Scottish education.
The approach, which aims to interest all children regardless of their academic credentials, chimes with Mr Lucas's belief that the traditional curriculum can alienate some children, who could be engaged by a more innovative approach.
The director, who is now reportedly worth £1.8 billion, admits he was often "bored and frustrated" at school and believes that lessons are often not relevant to real life or pupils' communities.
The Scottish intranet system, Glow, aims to address these issues, allowing all 800,000 of Scotland's teachers and pupils to contact each other and pool resources online. Applications include video-conferencing with schools abroad as part of language tuition, online marking, assessments and resources, as well as forums where pupils from Orkney to the Borders can collaborate on school projects.
Mr O'Donnell said he was delighted to be named as one of the Global Six. "It's an honour for everyone working in LTS and across Scottish education to ensure that our schools continue to innovate and enhance the life chances of all of our children and young people," he added.
"Scotland leads the world in this area and the Global Six award recognises that achievement."
Jennifer Sweeney, of the California-based George Lucas Educational Foundation, said: "Scotland's Glow project is a wonderfully ambitious and pragmatic tool which facilitates the kind of connection and bonding that are essential to large networks of schools."
Its applications were "incredibly useful" in helping teachers and pupils develop 21st century skills, she added.
The Scottish schools minister, Maureen Watt, also congratulated Mr O'Donnell on his achievement.
Others in the Global Six include leaders in the field of education from Costa Rica, New Zealand, the Middle East and North Africa.
The full article contains 405 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
