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. Thursday is the official start of our Community Interviews (parent-teacher interviews) for many school divisions, although individual teachers have already started this process. Given the prevalence of digital tools in our educational programming, I think this is a fantastic opportunity to educate and support our community members on what these tools are and how they shape opportunities within your school community. I have summarized my thoughts on this topic in a video that is available… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Digital Tools for Student Portfolios
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. In Manitoba, November is a whirlwind month for educators. We start off strong with the Halloween candy-hangover, jump right into a time change, and hit the ground running to complete report cards and book parent-teacher interviews! One of my favourite methods to assist with this is the implementation of student portfolios. Student portfolios can be a fantastic practice in the classroom as they: To assist staff with their understanding of how digital portfolios might fit… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – MVSD Tech Kits
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. Before we discuss the tech kits I wanted to share about the PD Resource Centre, as it is a fantastic resource being offered in MVSD. Located at the division office, the PD Resource Centre serves as the primary contact for our divisional library services. In addition to maintaining all libraries across the division, the PD Resource Centre also plays host to our divisional library which includes: The materials at the PD Resource Centre are available… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Break The Fake
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 workplace-related). If you missed our previous cyber security tips you can check them out below: With that being said, today is not only part of Cyber Security Awareness Month but also Media Literacy Week! As such, today’s tip blends both of these topics as we address “fake news” and the authenticity and reliability of… 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. 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 send recipients to a website where they are directed to enter personal information into a platform that, while appearing authentic, is fake. The most commonly recognized phishing email involves a message indicating a long-lost relative or Nigerian prince has left you their inheritance and your bank account… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Secure Passwords
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. Today’s post is focused on tips and tricks involved in strong password development as well as some habits we need to break as educators. Next week’s post will help you determine if any of your accounts have been compromised, which provides the opportunity to update those passwords to increase security! Password Development Tips/Tricks Password Habits Teachers Should Break When is the last time you’ve changed your password? Do you feel your current passwords meet the… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Indigenous Education Framework Supports
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. In 2019, MVSD launched their Indigenous Education Framework: “The guiding principle of this Framework is to ensure that First Nations, Metis and Inuit students in Mountain View School Division will know who they are, where they come from, and where they are going. Traditional ways of knowing will be honoured and through this, their strengths and gifts will be discovered. Students will be empowered to become socially conscious environmental stewards and to be contributing citizens of… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Microsoft Educator Center
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 MVSD being a Microsoft EDU division, one of the reminders I send out every September focuses on the Microsoft Educator Center (aka Microsoft Learn). This is a FREE online community platform in which educators can participate in Microsoft-based professional development, connect with other educators, access virtual field trips, find shared resources and more! With so many topics to choose from, this is one of my go-to resources to share with educators who are looking for support in the… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – PowerSchool Resources
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. In MVSD we use PowerSchool as our Student Information System (SIS). This means that this platform is the go-to program for our staff when it comes to student records, assessment reporting, daily attendance, etc. There are many different elements of the program that are applicable depending on your role within the division. While this means that all stakeholders have easy access to the information that is needed for their position, it can also make PD… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Summer Holiday Tech Prep
On Tuesdays, 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. It is the LAST week of our End-of-Year Checklist series. If you are jumping in now, you can check out the previous posts: Here in MVSD, the remaining items on our formal checklist are almost exclusively internal reminders for our staff. These include things like what to do with their devices if they are heading into a leave of absence (LOA) or changing roles, how building renovation schedules may affect tech access/storage in their spaces,… Read More