The Edge of Glory

Trainee Teachers have put sixth formers through their paces by creating a fictional company called "Edge of the Hill Entertainment".

For the second year running, ICT Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students have turned their classroom into a business to deliver innovative teaching sessions to 17 and 18-year-olds who are currently studying Applied ICT A-Levels at Saints Peter and Paul's Catholic College in Widnes.

The event aimed to introduce this age group to higher education in a fun, innovative way, engage them in their course work and also develop the creative skills of the University's trainee teachers.

The event on Friday 21^st October saw the PGCE ICT trainees taking on different company roles from the Chief Executive Officer  of "Edge Hill Entertainment", to the Managing Directors of its two divisions "Edge of the Hill Music" and "Edge of the Hill Games", whilst the sixth formers were the ‘Consultants'.  The sixth formers were given three tasks to help relaunch the company and deal with their problems, which were caused by not testing stock control database applications and not producing user guides for their products.

The trainee teachers' job was to use their ICT skills as well as their creative and thespian skills to put together a film showing the damaging effect poorly managed Information Technology can have on a company.  The sixth formers were shown this very engaging short film and asked in groups to create a user guide for the company's new game "Pacman" and spot the errors in the company's stock control database as well as making recommendations for its IT department.  Due to the erosion of "Edge of the Hill Entertainment's" image the sixth formers were also asked to use graphics software to produce and animate a new logo for the company to underpin its relaunch.

At the end of the day, the teams were judged and the winning team received a certificate. The sixth formers were also given a tour around the Ormskirk campus.

Paula Beer, a Lecturer in ICT explained: "After the success of last year's ‘Edge Hill Apprentice' event, we really enjoyed repeating this form of teaching.  We wanted to make it as interesting as possible by using the music and games industry as the basis for the work. The resulting knowledge and skills that they have developed during the day will help them with their A Level coursework. It also enables us to showcase the University to them and hopefully encourage them to enter higher education"

"The sixth formers were so engaged and enthusiastic that it was really a pleasure for our trainees to teach them. The trainees had put a lot of work and inspiration into the day and I think this preparation really paid off"

The theme tune for the company and the day was Lady Gaga's Edge of Glory.