This week I was invited to the Manitoba Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) NW Regional meeting that is held annually in Russell, Manitoba. This group is comprised of school division employees in the fields of finance, maintenance, transportation, and human resources. My involvement in this meeting was to deliver professional development at their opening evening following a welcome supper. Given that this audience is diverse in the way in which they use technology, and the fact that we had both Google and Microsoft divisions, I was somewhat hesitant on what the best topic might be to ensure it was… Read More
Follow Friday – National Robotics Week
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. As we wrap up the 2023 National Robotics Week I encourage you to keep the learning going all year long by following the #RoboWeek accounts on the platform of your choice! If you didn’t get a chance to join in this week, don’t worry. I would recommend you start off with some of my previous posts: National Robotics Week ’23 #TechTipTuesday – VEX VR Robotic Playground How To Integrate National Robotics… Read More
#ETMOOC2 …. 10 Years Later – An Intro
I can’t begin to describe the nostalgia I experienced when I stumbled across the #ETMOOC hashtag floating around on Twitter again. For those that have been here for a while, you may remember my experience with the first #ETMOOC in 2013 (you can see all the posts HERE) which has been influential in my career and even inspired some of my current projects. During the first #ETMOOC round I was a pre-service teacher in my last year of my B.Ed degree; a lot has changed since then! In this round, #ETMOOC2 is described as: Generative AI in Education” is an… Read More
#ETMOOC2 – Introductory Session
The introductory session of #ETMOOC2 was held on April 12th. If you were unable to attend, the recording has been uploaded to YouTube (see embed below) and the slides note notes are available via Google Docs HERE. How have you been using ChatGPT or other AI? I have been using ChatGPT almost daily since early/mid-December of 2022. My usage has been wide-spread and includes a lot of experimentation to better understand the program: what types of results it can provide, query wording, different voice lenses, etc. From a practical standpoint, my most common use includes: drafting templates for generalized correspondence… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – AI Resources
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. As the field of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow and become more integrated into the platforms we are using I wanted to ensure that our staff had a place to go to find out more. If you remember back to one our AI-themed Mantra Monday posts in March, I shared that the first step for educators should be to inform themselves on the programs that are available. In response, I have been refining a… Read More
How to Integrate National Robotics Week in Your Classroom
Every Monday I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. National Robotics Week or “Robo Week” is officially here; running from April 8-16th. If this event is new to you, I recommend starting off with the hyperlink in the previous sentence to check out the introductory post I shared last week. The following are some resources to get you started! Follow Along with National Robotics Week Stay up-to-date with event details, resources, and get insight into what other schools are doing through the following channels: Website Facebook Twitter YouTube Where to… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – VEX VR Robotic Playground
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. Next week, April 8-16, plays host to National Robotics Week or “Robo Week”. For those that are new to the field of robotics it can seem overwhelming, especially if you feel unequipped. “I don’t have robots for my students!?” With budgetary constraints and logistical challenges it can be hard to get the supplies necessary to feel prepared to participate in Robo Week. While your options may include loaning a Tech Kit from the PD Resource… Read More
National Robotics Week ’23
Every Monday I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. Next week, April 8-16, plays host to National Robotics Week or “Robo Week”. This event is self-decribed as: “The mission of National Robotics Week (RoboWeek) is simple — to inspire students in robotics and STEM-related fields and to share the excitement of robotics with audiences of all ages.“ A promotional video for the 2022 event is embedded below: To help prepare staff for this event I am spending the whole week sharing robotics tips, tricks, and highlights to help ensure they… Read More
April 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. April 2023 ICT Newsletter by Kirsten Cali
Teach and Learn in a Digital World 2023
I’m kicking off my Spring Break with a roadtrip to Regina to take in the Teach & Learn in a Digital World Conference! Hosted by the University of Regina Faculty of Education, this 3-day hybrid event is designed to, “equip you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to implement digital skills in your classroom.” I am attending as both a participant and presenter and want to extend my thanks to Dr. Ehsan Akbari for asking me to join! The following post is a summary of my experiences: Masters of Makerspaces: Perspectives from Teachers in the Field “Join us for a… Read More