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 this month playing host to National Video Games Day I thought it was only fitting to showcase the Manitoba School eSports Association (MSEA) for this week’s Follow Friday. ” Manitoba School Esports Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to connecting, informing, and supporting competitive gaming in schools across Manitoba. MSEA is an amalgamation of the former MYEMB (Middle Years Esport Manitoba) and MHSeA (Manitoba High School eSports Association). With the expansion of esports in Manitoba, MSEA was developed to… Read More
AI in the Classroom
Today I have an opportunity to share with the middle and high school admin team from Pembina Trails School Division on the topic of Artificial Intelligence and the role it can play in education. The following is a curated list of resources to support our discussion. Introduce Yourself to Artificial Intelligence AI In The Classroom – Fall 2023 – Pembina Trails by Kirsten Cali The above video is a TED Talk parody designed by using AI content creation tools. Full details on how this was created is explained HERE. John Spencer, creator of the above video, has a trove of… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Brandi Graham
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. Today I had an opportunity to sit down with our divisional Literacy Coach, Brandi Graham, to discuss AI. This is our 3rd coaching session, building off the AI coaching model introduced in MVSD in the spring. Through June, Brandi had access to both a divisional introductory session on AI (hosted virtually for all participating schools) and then a… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Microsoft Educator Center
Every Tuesday 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. With MVSD being a Microsoft EDU division, one of the reminders I send out every September focuses on the Microsoft Educator Center (aka Microsoft Learn). This is a FREE online community platform in which educators can participate in Microsoft-based professional development, connect with other educators, access virtual field trips, find shared resources and more! With so many topics to choose from, this is one of my go-to resources to share with educators who are looking for support… Read More
Follow Friday – George Pearce
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. I was first introduced to George during 2020, like many of us were, when they took on hosting massive open Kahoot activities that connected THOUSANDS of students! (You can read more about these activities HERE) Since then, George has been a regular on my social media feed as they share about their classroom experiences in Winnipeg School Division including: esports drones AI coding and a variety of stem activities George’s online presence… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Bethany Brade
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. A HUGE shout out to Bethany at Goose Lake High (GLH) who ran with the content they learned at our past mentorship PD and was quick to book a school visit for the GLH Grade 9 ICT classes. I am so thankful that the invitation was extended to visit for the day this Tuesday so that I could… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – National Video Games Day
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. Did you know that Manitoba is a Canadian leader when it comes to eSports? eSports (electronic sports) involves competition using video games and MVSD currently has an eSports presence at both Ecole Macneill, Mackenzie Middle School and the DRCSS (coming this fall). Today’s post has put together a trove of resources including: Why eSports? introduce yourself to the field and get an overview of what role it can play in education eSports PD accessible podcasts sharing… Read More
A Tool Is Only a Tool Until It Is Part Of a Solution
On Mondays I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. Today marks the first Monday of the 23/24 school year and our first full week of classes for students and staff across MVSD. Our staff had 2-3 days with students last week and, for most of us, we are ready to swing into full programming mode. The school tours are complete, desks and lockers are organized, back-to-school assemblies have been held, and we will now see regular routines be introduced. When it comes to the role of educational technology in classroom… Read More
Follow Friday – MB Teachers Unplugged
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. Looking for accessible professional development to kick off the school year? Follow along with the new podcast from our local Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS): MB Teachers Unplugged! Launched at the end of June, their website describes the podcast as follows: MB Teachers Unplugged episodes feature MTS members, staff, and education experts supporting Manitoba educators’ wellbeing, collective bargaining, and professional development https://www.mbteach.org/mtscms/2023/06/01/mb-teachers-unplugged/ Podcasts can be a great way to build in PD as… Read More
Throwback – Custom Student Tagxedo Art
On Thursdays I usually use our social media platforms to share using the #ThrowbackThursday trend where users participate by sharing a memory (recent or distant). These posts don’t usually make it to the blog but this memory had a few people asking how this was accomplished so I thought it deserved a dedicated space (with some important updates for 2023). While in the classroom I was the Grade 8 homeroom which meant that I had our Grade 8 cohort for the start and end of the day, in addition to any classes I was teaching. As their “home base” this… Read More