The following is a summary of facts that represent the environment I am currently operating within. This is not designed to encompass every document and piece of legislation in place within Manitoba but to provide context to the current situation. School Boards and Trustees in Manitoba There are no education requirements in place for an individual to serve as a school board trustee in Manitoba (School Boards and Trusteeship in Manitoba, 2022, p. 5) School boards MUST: “ensure that each student is provided with a safe and caring environment” “comply with directives of the minister” (School Board Member Handbook, 2024,… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Jodi Campbell
On Wednesdays, I highlight some of our amazing MVSD staff on our social media pages. Every day 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 our ongoing goals as a department is to increase our student capacity when it comes to our Office 365 environment, specifically at the elementary level. We are dedicated to helping ensure that our students have an opportunity to learn about this system in terms of access, navigation, program features, and accessibility/learning tools before they reach… Read More
Explore Earth Day with Minecraft EDU
On Mondays, I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. Today is the 2024 Earth Day, a day dedicated to, “diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide.” I am also conscious of the fact that technology, and by extension, the energy it requires to function is at odds with the environment. However, I am trying to work on aspects that are within my control. As part of this, I wanted to share some of the digital programs we have access to that support the mission of Earth Day. Check out… Read More
Follow Friday – AI Literacy Day
On Fridays, 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. Friday, April 19th, plays host to the first annual AI Literacy Day designed to support students, educators, parents, and community members in their understanding of, “What is AI”. In their own words, This event will offer valuable lessons for classrooms and after-school programs, plus professional development opportunities for educators. With events hosted in local communities and national spotlight events, our mission is to promote AI literacy through education. https://www.ailiteracyday.org/ The organization’s website… Read More
#TechTipTuesday – Convert Documents to Presentations
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
AI in Education – MASBO
This week I was invited to join the Manitoba Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) in Russell for their NW Regional meeting. This is a yearly event and this was my second time attending. This group is comprised of school division employees in the fields of finance, maintenance, transportation, and human resources. My involvement in this meeting was to deliver professional development at their opening evening following a welcome supper. I had a fantastic experience last year and was fortunate to have made some connections that led to further partnerships through the 23/24 school year. So, naturally, I was honoured… Read More
WOW Wednesday – Goose Lake High Grade 10
On Wednesdays, I highlight some of our amazing MVSD staff on our social media pages. Every day 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. Today I had an opportunity to partner with the Grade 10 educators at Goose Lake High to put on a National Robotics Week event! I am always so thankful when I have an opportunity to spend my day in classrooms and this was no exception. Through several periods through the day, we were able to cycle through… 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
National Robotics Week ’24
On Mondays, I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider. National Robotics Week or “Robo Week” is officially here! If this event is new to you, I recommend checking out the “Follow Friday” post I shared last week (April 5th). I’ll be visiting a number of classrooms this week assisting staff with their introduction of this event and I encourage everyone to try to incorporate elements of robotics throughout the week. The following are some resources to get you started: Where to Access Robotics for Your Classroom MVSD Tech Kits These… Read More
Leader in Me – Community Learning
This year the MVSD Admin Council is continuing our work with the Covey Institute as part of our professional growth plan. This has been an ongoing journey with my involvement including: Fall 2022 – 7 Habits Fall 2023 – Leader in Me This post will serve as a summary of resources to document my learning journey through this session. We started off the day with a reflection on our current understanding of the PD topic and where we are at in terms of our implementation. This was introduced through this video. GET: What results were you getting? DO: What were the top… Read More