This evening I had an opportunity to attend the 2023 ManACE AGM which was held in Winnipeg. Our keynote was presented by Dr. Katia Hildebrandt who I had an opportunity to learn from during my EC&I833 course via University of Regina last fall. “Many educators are passionate about technology, but the challenges and complexities surrounding the integration of tech in the classroom can be a major source of frustration and stress for teachers. Unfortunately, this means that we are missing out on the tremendous potential that digital tools offer for transforming not just education but also the world we live… Read More
#TweetTheHalls 2022
As we approach December I am thrilled to announce that for the third year in a row, I am helping bring #TweetTheHalls to Manitoba! Inspired in 2020 out of a conversation with Donna Miller Fry, this Twitter event is being run in collaboration with #MBEdChat. Check out the official prompt calendar below! This year is bringing some exciting changes including a dedicated Twitter account to manage updates follow along @TweetTheHallsMB weekly prizes and overall prizes If you haven’t participated in #TweetTheHalls before or are new to Twitter check out yesterday’s post which featured a tutorial. In the mean time, check out the prompt for December… Read More
#TweetTheHalls 2021 Winners
Today starts off the LAST week of school in 2021 (a short week as students’ last day is the 22nd), which also means that our #MBEdChat #TweetTheHalls event has come to a close. Over the course of 17 days we had over 200 participating Tweets with a total reach of over 100,000! While the majority of participants were local Manitoba educators we also had our network extend to include schools and student groups. This morning we used a random number generator to randomly select three winners from all eligible participants. I want to extend a HUGE thank you to: all of the #MBEdChat… Read More
December ICT Newsletter
In true Manitoba fashion, December started off with a day of bus cancellations due to inclement weather! 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.
#TweetTheHalls 2021
I am so excited because, for the second year in a row, I am helping bring #TweetTheHalls to Manitoba! Inspired last year out of a conversation with Donna Miller Fry, this Twitter event is being run in collaboration between ManACE and #MBEdChat Every week-day from Dec 1-17 there is a different activity prompt that encourages educators to share, learn, and connect while using the #TweetTheHalls and #MBEdChat hashtags. In addition to the joy that comes from your involvement in the challenge, and an increased supportive community, there are also prizes! There are multiple prizes that are still rolling in so… Read More
Ed Tech Talk Overview
Last week I shared out the advertising for the ManACE Ed Tech Talk event. It turns out that the arrival of Manitoba winter was the perfect factor for our event as we had a great turn-out this evening (where else could they go!?). This informal professional development session saw participation from across the province including classroom teachers, coaches, and consultants! The results of the conversation have been summarized and can be reviewed as a series of infographics (use the arrows on the side of the image to progress through our focus questions): A HUGE thank-you goes out to everyone who… Read More
Ed Tech Talk with ManACE
Next week the Manitoba Association for Computing Educators (ManACE) will be hosting a virtual event: Ed Tech Talk. This informal professional development session is being organized as a facilitated conversation inviting educators, and educational stakeholders, to share their thoughts on educational technology. The event will take place via Google Meet and was specifically chosen for the evening prior to Remembrance Day so that educators may feel that they are more readily available to participate. To sign up for the November 10th event, check out the ManACE Eventbrite event page. Will you be in attendance? Let me know in the comments… Read More
November ICT Newsletter
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.
The New Normal
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: As we enter our 3rd school year in the presence of a global pandemic our “new normal” has been established. How are you using tech differently compared to 2019? I purposefully selected this quotation to not only encourage reflection on the role that technology plays in your classroom but also because it aligns with the wording of a fantastic Manitoba PD that is taking place this week! The New Normal School is a half-day virtual event on… Read More
Follow Friday – ManACE
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. ManACE is a provincial organization that I have been involved with since 2013 when I was invited to join as a board member. Over the past 8 years I have been involved with a variety of ManACE initiatives and am honoured to now be serving in the capacity of president. To learn more about who ManACE is as a group, check out the infographic below: To keep up-to-date with ManACE… Read More