On Tuesdays I share a Tech Tip on our social media pages to assist our staff in their use of technology as it relates to their role. Earlier this month I introduced the 22/23 Year End Tech Checklist and kicked off our implementation by looking at Learning Management Systems (LMS). As we progress through the month we are now shifting focus to digital file organization. Check out the video below for an overview of this topic: Now that you’ve watched the video you may notice some overlap between this section and the information shared out in January for Clean Up Your Computer… Read More
Don’t Stop Accommodations at Exams
On Mondays I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. Final report cards will be sent out in less than three weeks and, for our high schools, graduation events start as early as next week. With this in mind, our schools are in final assessment mode. For some, this looks like the completion of final projects and observations while for others this means final exams. I don’t want to pick on high schools but I find that when it comes to “final exams” there continues to be an unspoken routine stepped… Read More
Follow Friday – #ISTEsla
On Fridays I share what I believe to be a notable person/organization/school on our social media pages to assist our staff in the development of their online Personal Learning Network. With summer on the horizon ISTE is once again offering their Summer Learning Academy! ISTE U’s Summer Learning Academy, the PD educators around the world loved last summer, is back with new content, a flexible format and a focus on the edtech topics you’re most interested in! Over the course of 13 weeks, you can participate in four self-paced ISTE U courses and eight interactive webinars – with support from expert edtech… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Gilbert Plains Elementary
On Wednesdays I highlight some of our amazing MVSD staff on our social media pages. Everyday our staff are using tech in new and exciting ways, are learning new skills, and are sharing ways in which ed tech is assisting them in their practice. I am very excited to share that Gilbert Plains Elementary has expanded their Minecraft EDU deployment! Minecraft is now available in their dedicated lab space, as well as on student laptops and compatible tablets. Exploration with Minecraft EDU has been lead by Megan Porter and allows for: student choice for creation and assessment options, as well as during… Read More
Year End Tech Checklist – Part 1 – LMS
On Tuesdays I share a Tech Tip on our social media pages to assist our staff in their use of technology as it relates to their role. The end of the school year means a very standard routine for educators: time to clean out your classroom! For many of us this includes removal of any unnecessary clutter that has accumulated, archiving and filing, revamping bulletin boards, and perhaps the beginning of an update to certain decor elements. Guess what? This should be happening digitally as well; especially with increased use of digital tools/files! When I taught at Ste Rose our secretary would always provide… Read More
The “Hidden Curriculum” in Tech
On Mondays I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. As we enter Pride month I’ve been thinking more and more about equity and how it relates to my role: Many of the prominent programs that our students interact with, including search engines and social media, cater to the lived experiences of the majority population with potential gaps being found in areas such as sexual orientation, class, gender, literacy levels, handedness, and physical disabilities (Friedman and Nissenbaum, p. 343). While digital equity and access to technology continues to be a central… Read More
Follow Friday – Howie Hua
On Fridays I share what I believe to be a notable person/organization/school on our social media pages to assist our staff in the development of their online Personal Learning Network. Yesterday I shared my ongoing database of TikTok Accounts For You To Follow, in which Howie appeared. However, I like their content so much that I wanted to give them a dedicated space on the blog for this week’s Follow Friday! Howie is a college professor working with pre-service elementary teachers and is an engaging digital content creator working on increasing math competency in a fun way. Their videos first caught my… Read More
TikTok Accounts for You To Follow
The following is a list of TikTok accounts that can be used to share curricular content and expand your PLN. This list will be a working post that is updated as new accounts are found. Not every video on these accounts may be a good fit for your programming. Some creators are using their accounts for multi-purpose so you may need to search to find their educational content. Hashtags and playlists may assist with streamlining their content. Inclusion on this list does not necessarily mean support; screening and professional judgement needs to occur before utilizing these accounts in your practice.… Read More
June ICT Newsletter
With the start of a new month comes a new monthly ICT newsletter. These newsletters are designed to serve as an outreach to all MVSD staff and provide: general ICT updates (software changes, divisional ICT timelines, tech-themed holidays) upcoming PD for the month tech tips divisional highlights These newsletters are sent out to staff via our divisional email but are also shared out through our social media pages and divisional website. June 2023 ICT Newsletter by Kirsten Cali
WOW Wednesday – Gilbert Plains Collegiate
On Wednesdays I highlight some of our amazing MVSD staff on our social media pages. Everyday our staff are using tech in new and exciting ways, are learning new skills, and are sharing ways in which ed tech is assisting them in their practice. This week I am pleased to highlight the community at Gilbert Plains Collegiate who recently hosted a presentation from Valerie Caldwell on the topic of Social Media Safety. (see poster below for full presentation details) If you have not yet had an opportunity to attend one of these sessions, the following context can shed light on the presentation:… Read More