We are set to proceed with the third year of our community outreach program. This program kicked-off in the fall of 2019 with the inclusion of “Tech Tip” informational boards that were displayed during parent-teaching interviews (see Instagram post below): When I entered this position in September of 2019 I was pleasantly surprised to realize that although I didn’t have “my kids” (students) anymore, I now had an extended network of over 4000 new “students” to support. This group includes MVSD students, teachers, admin, support staff, and our MVSD families. Regardless of where you fit into that network, everyone has… Read More
Graphic Desktop Organizers
This week I came across a Reel on Instagram from Spencer (@littlelovelylearners) that showcased how she utilized Canva to give their desktop a total “glow-up” and increase organization. As an established fan of Canva I knew I had to give this a go for myself! One primary difference, however, is that the appearance of my desktop is primarily tailored to others and not myself. This is due to the fact that I use my computer when hosting tech training sessions with staff or other large-scale professional development sessions. (One example of how I personalize my computer for others is through… Read More
March 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. March 2022 ICT Newsletter by Kirsten Cali
Ethics as the Essence of Education
*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina The systemic practice of education is, at its core, a conscious effort to move learners from one ethical subjectivity to another and, as such, ethics can be viewed as the essence of education (Bazzul, 2022). While an outside perspective may be clouded by the superficial emphasis of curricular content, subjects, programs, et cetera, education fundamentally focuses on ways of living and being that can be characterized as expansive. This paper will strive to provide an overview of Bazzul’s recent work, An intensive… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Fair Dealing Week
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 February 21-25th playing host to Fair Dealing Week, all of the posts this week will align with that theme. February 21st kicked off Fair Dealing Week 2022 which runs through to February 25th. The Fair Dealing Canada website describes this legislation as follows: “Fair dealing recognizes that certain uses of copyright protected works are beneficial for society. By placing limits on instances where copyright owners can require payment, fair dealing leads innovation, to the creation of new… Read More
Follow Friday – BYTE Conference
Every Friday 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. Being that it is the 3rd Friday in February it can only mean one thing…. it is time for the BYTE Conference! This conference holds a special place in my heart as it was not only the first large ed conference that I attended as a B.Ed student but it was also the start of my presentation experience. Since that time I have been able to attend 7 of the conferences (6 years as a presenter).… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Shake a Tab
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. If you are anything like me then you usually have A LOT of tabs on the go at any time. If you want to show off a tab to someone else, without the clutter of your other projects, this tip is for you! I have embedded a tutorial hosted via TikTok demonstrating exactly how to do this. Clutter aside, this tip is especially important if you want to work towards maintaining the privacy and security… Read More
Which Version Are You?
Every Monday I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. I stumbled across this quote being shared across Twitter last week and it resonated with me as I have the unique opportunity to get and inside look into the variety of classrooms across MVSD. Through our 16 buildings, the role technology plays in student programming varies drastically and is influenced by: device availability and connectivity options the culture of the school and broader community / student interests teacher familiarity and comfort with tech integration student grade and subject area and many… Read More
Follow Friday – Ochre River School 2.0
Every Friday I share what I believe to be a notable person/organization/school on our social media pages (linked at the top of the blog) to assist our staff in the development of their online Personal Learning Network. Ochre River School has been active on social media for many years but has recently given their online presence a refresh with a new Facebook page. Their new page, Ochre River School 2.0, is being used to highlight school events like: field trips extracurricular activities school updates examples of student programming (formally public) productions like Remembrance Day services, Christmas concerts, etc Ochre River… Read More
PD on the Potty
Near the end of 2019 I implemented the idea of PD on the Potty following a podcast from Kasey Bell. This alternative method of professional development sees the inclusion of fliers placed in staff washroom facilities. Depending on the month these may include: divisional tech reminders upcoming PD opportunities tips & tricks program reviews social media recommendations and more! Not only do these fliers allow you to have a captive audience but they can provide a bridge for staff members who have technology as a barrier in their practice [for these individuals, emails, social media posts, digital resources, etc are inaccessible]. Here… Read More