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. One of my roles in MVSD involves the organization of our divisional video conference schedule. As of 2021 this also includes asynchronous programming. This includes planning with participating schools, communication of schedules, maintenance of required equipment, and professional development for staff. Each of our 6 senior years schools is identified as a subject-specific hub and specializes in… Read More
Maintaining Tech Routines
As we start a new week Manitobans are in the midst of the third-wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time of writing we have seen schools in multiple communities move to remote learning due to outbreaks and the inability to provide staffing due to isolation requirements. While MVSD has been fortunate to have experienced low levels of cases (13 total cases during the 20/21 school year so far) we are cognizant of the fact that this can change at any time. With the vast majority of our students attending face-to-face classes everyday, some of our familiarity with our digital… Read More
Why “Snow Days” Should Not Be Turned Into Remote Learning Days
At the beginning of November we experienced our first weather-related closure since the onset of remote learning. At that time I shared out the following graphic: The importance of relationship building in education has always been framed as a high priority. When I was in the classroom I found that “snow days” provided an opportunity to get to know my students as people and not just learners. It allowed us to connect, play, and work on important tasks that sometimes get pushed to the back-burner. For those who don’t attend classes during “snow days” they were able to connect with… Read More
Manitoba & A Digital First Future
Starting in the spring of 2020 I was asked to participate in a steering committee to assist Tech MB and ICTC as the started a two-phase research project examining digital equity in the province of Manitoba. They describe phase one of the project as, “This study explores broadband connectivity and its impact on education equity in Manitoba, highlighting how a lack of reliable and affordable high-speed internet is particularly detrimental to learners.” Kotak A., Leblanc S., Martell T., & Snider N., January 2021. Manitoba and a Digital-FirstFuture: The Implications of Connectivity for Equity and Education. Information andCommunications Technology Council (ICTC).… Read More
Innovative Learning Environments
*This post has been written as part of my professional growth plan through my #ISTE20 scholarship. Sustaining a 1:1 program – insights from research Presenters: Dr. Andrea Beesly, Rebecca Griffiths, Linda Shear Overview: “1:1 programs bring initial excitement and, later, deeper learning opportunities. But sustaining and funding over time is a challenge. This paper shares insights on sustaining 1:1 technology programs in economically challenged K-12 settings, based on a large research study of an iPad program.“ Main Takeaways: Externally-funded projects have diminished benefits over time (fatigue, lack of funds, too long to continue momentum) How can this be avoided? ConnectED –… Read More
MB Students A Product of Their Society, Not Their Schools
Yesterday the Manitoba funding announcement for the 2021-2022 school year was released which will see a 1.56% increase for a total of $1.35 billion; the highest in the history of our province. However, this marks the fifth year in a row in which the funding allocation has failed to meet the rate of inflation or account for the increasing needs of our provinces’ students. What is perhaps more upsetting for those involved in education is that this announcement was coupled with critiques from the newly appointed education minister, Cliff Cullen, who voiced his displeasure over the academic achievement, or lack… Read More
Project-, Problem- & Challenge-based Learning
*This post has been written as part of my professional growth plan through my #ISTE20 scholarship. Anatomy of Effective Digital-Age Projects: Designing for Equity, Inquiry, Literacy Presenters: Suzie Boss, Myla Lee Overview: “From project launch until final showcase, decisions about project design, technology integration, and student choice shape the quality of the learning experience–both in person and via remote learning. We will analyze the anatomy of effective projects, emphasizing opportunities to amplify inquiry, equity and digital-age literacies in PBL.” Main Takeaways: PBL allows for collaboration, creativity, curiousity, connection, critical thinking, etc How can we amplify inquiry, equity, and digital-age literacies in… Read More
Students Thriving Online
Every Monday I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. Here in Manitoba it has been a full week since we welcomed the vast majority of our students back to our buildings following a period of temporary remote learning which ended on January 15th. While we continue to have some of our learners enrolled in remote learning as a result of medical accommodations or logistical constraints, almost all of our learners are now attending in-person. While this has been celebrated by many stakeholders we can’t ignore that, for those with access,… Read More
Equity & Inclusion
*This post has been written as part of my professional growth plan through my #ISTE20 scholarship. Why Digital Equity Matters Presenters: Dr. Desiree Alexander, Darren Bell, Patricia Brown, Keri Hennessy-Wilson, Matthew Hiefield, Carla Jefferson, Valerie Lewis, Dr. Michael Mills, Dr. Adam Phyall Overview: “As we reimagine and further define digital equity, there’s an increasing need for professional learning opportunities. We’ll facilitate a dialogue about the multiple dimensions of digital equity with the goal of determining actionable steps for K-12 campuses.“ Main Takeaways: *This was a challenging sessions to participate in the VOD format as the primary component of their session was… Read More
Laptop Loans in MVSD
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the need for at-home learning, MVSD piloted a laptop loan program in the spring of 2020. Given that MVSD is not a 1:to:1 school division, and we have not explored device loaning before, this was a big undertaking for us. Luckily, there are many great examples across the province from other school divisions who have offered programs like this for many years. Through my contacts at MAETL and ManACE I was able to work with our ICT and Programs & Planning teams to help craft a program that worked for our division. Since… Read More