Friendly reminder from my position of Coordinator of ICT in Mountain View School Division. If you are arranging virtual play-dates for your children and their friends please do your research regarding the platform you choose to use. Many organizations are offering free services right now. Please remember that if something is free it is because you are the product. All school divisions in Manitoba are either operating on a Google platform or a Microsoft platform (and some have both). That means your child automatically has access to a free, secure, safe platform to use that will ensure confidentially, security, and insurance… Read More
Family Tech Q & A
Hi everybody 👋🏼 I wanted to take an opportunity to introduce the person behind the screen as we launch our Ed Tech Q & A sessions for families starting Monday, March 23rd. I look forward to learning & sharing with you. You can learn more about me at: https://kirstenthompson.weebly.com/ Join us for this daily Tech Q & A on the MVSD Facebook page.
How Should I Communicate During the Suspension of Classes?
As our work situations continually evolve our staff are tasked with communicating effectively with students, families, and colleagues while reporting from different locations and without the benefit of face-to-face clarification. Please consider the following to ensure your communication is effective, appropriate, and in compliance with security and archive practices. How should I communicate with colleagues/supervisors? Your @mvsd.ca email or phone What should my preferred communication method be for families/students? Your @mvsd.ca email This should be your default method as much as possible Schools continue to remain open so staff can access school phone networks The use of text messaging or FaceTime with students/families on… Read More
Follow Friday
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. As we enter the last quarter of the school year I wanted to send out some reminders of all of the ways that you can follow along and learn with the ICT Team: Social Media Links: Social Media Links. (2020). Uploaded by Kirsten Thompson. Available online at: http://fishbowlteaching.blogspot.com/ – Twitter – Instagram – Facebook – YouTube – Blog – TikTok user name: ThompsonClassroom Our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Blog… Read More
Social Media for Parents
“TikTok? Instagram? Twitter? Facebook? Just what is social media and what do I need to know as a parent? This session is designed to inform parents/caretakers about social media and empower you to facilitate open conversations on how to use these tools safely & positively. “ Social Media 4 Parents. (2020). Uploaded by Kirsten Thompson. Available online at: http://fishbowlteaching.blogspot.com/ This evening I had an opportunity to learn and share with MVSD parents and guardians regarding social media. This project came as a result of conversations between the ORS PAC, school principal, and myself. We found that many parents were interested in… 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 5… Read More
MVSD is now on Facebook!
Did you know that Mountain View School Division is now on Facebook? This account is a joint effort between our Manager of Communications & Reporting, myself, and senior admin. The majority of our posts are pushed out through our pre-established communication platforms such as our divisional website, Twitter account, or our family email list which has helped us build consistency in our messaging while reaching the most amount of people as possible. MVSD Facebook Page Screenshot. (2020). Uploaded by Kirsten Thompson. Available online at: http://fishbowlteaching.blogspot.com/ We invite you to follow our page and stay up-to-date with what… Read More
Welcome to TikTok!
I had to do it; I had to see what all the fuss is about. I recently downloaded the TikTok app (previously branded as Music.ly) and after viewing the “For You” page for hours a while and being absolutely entertained I decided to take the plunge and try to create my own content; of course from the ed tech perspective (no one needs to see me dance around without being provided with tech tips as well!). Like anything, there is a wide spectrum when it comes to user demographics, trends, and quality of content on TikTok. From… Read More
2020 Presentation Schedule!
I am so excited to share that the final touches have been put onto my 2020 presentation schedule! When I left the classroom for my second maternity leave in 2018 I set a goal for myself to get more involved in public speaking as a way to stay connected to the professional-side of my life. This goal allowed me to work creatively on various ed tech projects and provided an avenue to deepen my understanding. View this post on Instagram Thank you to the BYTE Conference planning committee for having me out to Virden today. We had a… Read More
Social Media – Divisional Recommendations for Best Practice
This month I have been invited to speak with the MVSD Board’s Community Relations Committee to share my thoughts on social media use. Now, if you have been following my blog for a while you know that the use of social media in education is one of my passions; especially when it comes to its use in increasing transparency and accountability for stakeholders! The slides from my presentation are available below: MVSD Social Media Recommendations for Best Practice from MissLwbt You can read other posts that I wrote about social media HERE. … Read More