The Monday after Halloween… who is more tired – students or teachers?! 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.
Happy Halloween!
I have to admit that I have never been a huge Halloween fan. Candy? Yes please! But dressing up? Not so much… With that in mind, I do love participating in school events and always made sure to dress up as part of the school-spirit events going on in the classroom/workplace. Since my move to division office, I have tried to align my costumes to a technology theme. 2019 – Microsoft Word’s favourite assistant: Clippy! 2020 – A North American House Hippo (this fell on Media Literacy week so it played into both elements) This year I wanted to find… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Vicky Ogg
Every Wednesday 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 is Media Literacy Week and what better opportunity to highlight the great work being done by Vicky Ogg at Henderson Elementary (HES)! If you are participating in Media Literacy Week you may know that there are 5 key themes to focus on through the week and Vicky is well on her way to practicing ALL… 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… Read More
Media Literacy Week 2021
Every Monday I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. In honour of Media Literacy week, which runs from October 25-30, this week’s Mantra is: If you are new to Media Literacy Week, Media Smarts describes it as: “Media Literacy Week is an annual national campaign hosted by MediaSmarts and the Canadian Teachers Federation to promote digital and media literacy, with activities and events taking place in classrooms, libraries, museums and community groups from coast to coast to coast.” Media Literacy Week Resources Break the Fake resources Media Literacy Week newsletter Media Literacy Week Teachers Hub… Read More
Digital Literacy Skills of Educators
*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina
#TechTipTuesday – Email Security
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). Almost everything online is now asking you to create an account using your email address; I can’t even read the online articles from the Winnipeg Free Press without creating a “free” account to gain access. It is no surprise that one quickly loses track of just how many… Read More
The “Hidden Curriculum” in Tech
Every Monday I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. This week’s Mantra is: This quote was pulled from work I started earlier in the month as part of my Ph.D journey at U of R. To read the full version, visit THIS POST from October 9, 2021. The inclusion (or exclusion) of particular tech features can say a lot about what the values/accepted lifestyles are of the company producing the program. As an extension, educators should be aware of the tone this can set in their classrooms. How might you… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Phishing Emails
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). What is a Phishing Email? Phishing emails are fraudulent messages designed to obtain sensitive information such as financial information, usernames, or passwords. These emails often include links which sends recipients to a website where they are directed to enter personal information into a platform that, while appearing authentic, is fake. The… Read More
Programmed Oppression
*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina Critical theory, the legacy of the theoretical work of the Frankfurt School, is centered on changing the circumstances of the oppressed. Giroux (2009) explains that critical theory in education, “…enables educators to become more knowledgeable about how teachers, students, and other educational workers become part of the system” that is emphasized through organizational practices, messages, and values; often referred to as the hidden curriculum. In the realm of educational technology, the pervasive school of thought has seen the inclusion of technology in… Read More