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. One thing that I always struggled with in the classroom was student PowerPoint presentations. When offered the option of how students want to share their learning with others it was often a PowerPoint. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing inherently wrong with a PowerPoint; for many students it is a comfort medium. However, there are always those students who could spend WEEKS of class time on the design of the slides and not… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Robotics Options
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 time for #RoboWeek ! Whether you want to use this week to introduce the field of robotics or you are looking to have robotics in your classroom all year long, there are lots of options available to you: MVSD Tech Kits These kits have been designed to allow students to explore a variety of digital literacy streams in a means that is accessible to staff. They are loaned to schools, at no charge,… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – CTRL-F
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. Earlier this spring my friend Troy shared this resource with me and I thought it was time it had its place as an official tech tip! CTRL-F is a digital media literacy resource, sponsored by the Canadian government, that supports educators and students in middle and high school. This resource is a branch of the CIVIX charity which is focused on, “building skills and habits of citizenship among school-aged youth”. In their own words, CTRL-F… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Out of Office
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. Spring is officially here, despite still having WAY TOO MUCH snow on the ground for my liking! As we wrap up the third week of March I know that students, and teachers, have their eyes toward Spring Break. However, teachers tend to have their, “teacher-brain”, on all the time and sometimes have challenges stepping back and finding time for themselves. Trust me, you will be a better teacher if you take a break for yourself.… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Esports in MVSD
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. With our Elementary Esports Divisionals just a day away I wanted to maintain this theme and share what esports looks like within the context of MVSD. The following table outlines our “formal” esports presence in the division: School Team Name League Affiliation Notes Ecole Macneill “Ecole Macneill Gamers” Minecraft Student Ambassador MVSD Elementary MVSD Elementary Esports Founder 23/24 Minecraft Design Challenge finalists Mackenzie Middle School MS Magic MSEA MY Top 4 23/24 Brawhalla Provincials 2022/23 AAA Rocket League provincial… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – AI-Supported Report Card Comments
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. In Manitoba, we have a standardized report card template that communicates attendance, academic achievement, learning behaviours, and includes teacher commentary on individual subjects. Full information about the expectations and format of our provincial report cards is available for review in the Manitoba Provincial Report Card Policy and Guidelines document. When it comes to learner assessment, the formal documentation that takes place as part of required “Teacher Comments” is a time-heavy task. See the policy exert… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Fair Dealing Week
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. February 26th kicked off Fair Dealing Week 2024 which runs through to March 1st. The Fair Dealing Canada website describes this legislation as follows: “Fair dealing recognizes that certain uses of copyright protected works are beneficial for society. By placing limits on instances where copyright owners can require payment, fair dealing leads innovation, to the creation of new works and new scholarship. The Supreme Court of Canada increasingly refers to copyright as providing a balance between the… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – AI for High-Interest Texts
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. When it comes to divisional- and school-based literacy goals, something that I see as a strategy in multiple situations involves high-interest texts. However, this implementation relies on access to these resources. While some schools have access to a variety of text sets, that is not always the case. We also know that it can be challenging to easily reach every interest and every reading-level. Enter AI! Regardless of what AI platform you are using, effective… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Office 365 Learning Tools
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. As we continue our “I Love To Read Month” posts, I want to highlight some of the great accessibility tools built into the Microsoft Office 365 suite that all MVSD staff, students, and families can access. These tools can be one option in your literacy toolkit to assist users in their literacy skills in both classes and their professional roles. The following resources and tutorials can assist you in your understanding of what these can… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – SORA Audiobooks
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. One example of how digital tools can supplement your I Love To Read activities is through the use of ebooks and audiobooks. In MVSD, staff and students have access to SORA (formally OverDrive) which provides access to both ebooks and audiobooks. The platform also boasts a good list of accessibility supports such as font changes, read-alouds, text size, and more. Sora is also available in both browser and app format to increase access on-the-go! SORA- Browser… Read More