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 October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, all of the tips shared this month will tackle common cyber security concerns (both student-related and work-place related). Today’s post is focused on tips and tricks involved in strong password development as well as some habits we need to break as educators. Next week’s post will help you determine if any of your accounts have been compromised, which provides the opportunity to update those passwords to increase security! Password… Read More
October 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. October 2022 ICT Newsletter by Kirsten Cali
Theoretical Groundings of an ICT Coordinator
*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina The role of teachers and schools has been redefined by the role of educational technology and this evolution has only been fast-tracked by the Covid-19 pandemic that has seen the use of technology in education increase at an accelerated rate (Nantais, M. et al., 2021, p. 34)(Sheninger, 2014, p. xv). Divisional programming in the field of educational technology is one that requires flexibility and an acceptance that there cannot be, “any permanent standards by which truth can be universally known” (Lincoln, Lynham,… Read More
National Truth & Reconciliation Day
Today schools across Manitoba are wearing orange to honour those affected by the genocide of residential schools in Canada. I acknowledge that systems are still in place that marginalize FNMI people & much work needs to be done to move toward reconciliation. I am stepping back from this blog and social media accounts today and tomorrow for a period of education and reflection; I encourage you to do the same. Wanting to learn more? Mountain View School Division Indigenous Education website Nation Centre for Truth and Reconciliation reports Education Resources for Truth & Reconciliation Manito Ahbee Aki Minecraft world Indigenous… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Whitmore Social Media
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. With the 22/23 school year in full swing I am always so pleased when I happen to see one of our school accounts come back across my social media feed after a summer break! Whitmore School is an excellent example of this as they maintain a Facebook account to connect and share with caregivers and the broader community.… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Indigenous Education Framework Supports
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. This week, September 30th, plays host to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation which makes this the perfect time to remind staff of some of the digital supports available to them. In 2019, MVSD launched their Indigenous Education Framework: “The guiding principle of this Framework is to ensure that First Nations, Metis and Inuit students in Mountain View School Division will know who they are, where they come from, and where they are going.… Read More
Pedagogy Driven Tech
On Mondays I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. As we approach the end of the first month of school I think it is important to take a moment to step back and reflect. September is always a whirlwind for anyone involved in education and it can be easy to get swept up in the demands of: student needs, caregiver needs, classroom goals, school goals, divisional goals.. and the list goes on and on. However, it is important to remember that everything we do in the classroom should be done… Read More
What Exactly Is Ed Tech?
*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina. Ed tech…. ed tech skills… ed tech tips and tricks… ed tech capacity… ed tech meme… ed tech chat… when I type ed tech into the search bar of my blog it literally brings back over 100 results. But what exactly is educational technology and what should we know about it? The Type A, straight-forward part of me wants to go to the Oxford dictionary when it comes to defining anything but I don’t actually agree with it in this instance. EDUCATIONAL… Read More
Follow Friday – Equity & Diversity Calendar
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. Did you know that MVSD maintains an Equity and Diversity calendar that is accessible to the public via our divisional website? This calendar is an ever-evolving project that is designed to bring awareness to a variety of different events and strengthen understanding about their significance. The calendar itself includes a series of events through the month and each included event can be selected to bring up a pop-up box with further information… Read More
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
This year the MVSD Admin Council is using the work of Covey as part of our professional growth plan; starting with a focus on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This post will serve as a summary of resources to document my learning journey through this first session. A visual overview is available in below via YouTube: Normally my learning habits include blogging through PD sessions and university courses as the act of typing and embedding links assists me in my understanding of the material being presented. However, today’s session explicitly asked to not engage with devices in any… Read More