The Power to Enrich

Guest Author – Andrew Doyle With the abundance of choices in technology to integrate and utilize in the classroom it is hard to reflect and determine if we are using these technologies effectively for student learning. When I refer to technology in this post, it is all inclusive of things we use in our classrooms (websites, SmartBoard, Cameras, software, internet, etc.). The goal of integrated technology is to not only  [ Read More ]

Guest Author: Nancy Lake
My kids came running up the stairs from the basement, shirtless…faces burning. What in the world? “We’re in the world championship for volleyball, Mom! We need a quick drink and then we’re on!”

I’ve never been a gamer. I don’t understand it. Even when Pac-Man and Donkey-Kong were King, I didn’t play. So when my kids wanted their first gaming system, a Game Boy, I wasn’t thrilled. Reluctantly, I granted their wish. Next was a Game Cube (only because it was compatible with Game Boy). Then came the Nintendo-DS, and a hand-me-down PlayStation 2. Wait a minute…this was getting out of hand…

Guest Blogger – Derek Keenan – If you don’t spend a great deal of time reading educational technology blogs, (not sure who does, other than me) the term mobile learning might strike you with images of doing algebra on a train, or reciting shakespeare while riding a bike. However, mobile learning is far from a mystery for educational researchers who have been working with small, portable devices in education for some time…

Guest Author- Lauren Curry – A motley group of 30 teens, some wired, some waning, have just strolled back into the classroom from a hall break. The break has not been nearly long enough to exchange news of the latest drama that has unfolded that day. A chatter accompanies them as they enter. I transition into class-time by simply hitting play on my computer screen: a public service announcement from  [ Read More ]

Guest Author – Andrew Doyle Recently I was asked by a colleague to describe the 21st century learner in one,catch all word. I would like to say that my answer was ground breaking, thesis worthy and inspiring, but sadly it was not. After hearing some of the responses from other teachers (not all positive of course) it made me wonder if the learners are all that different or is it  [ Read More ]

Guest author, John Burger – What would a comprehensive and balanced student database look like at school, school system and provincial levels, and how should data be organized to maximize its usefulness?  In my second blog I observed that data is scary for many individuals given the anxiety produced when data is used to blame or shame those accountable for the desired results.  So, in this third blog, I want  [ Read More ]

Guest author: Jacqueline Warrell – What did you learn today?  Most people have likely heard the saying that you learn something new everyday. But have you ever stopped to think about it. Have you ever asked yourself, ‘What did I learn today?’ As adults, parents, community members, and educators we spend much time talking about how best to engage our children and students in meaningful learning experiences, but we can  [ Read More ]

Guest author, Josh Hill – When I started this blog one poignant commenter called for exemplars that would illustrate what authentic instruction actually looks like in the classroom….and what would a blog about  “real world” learning be without some real world projects. The video below showcases a robotics inquiry project embarked upon by grade 8 students at Langdon School. The striking part about this project for me is the work  [ Read More ]

Guest Author, Jen Friske – Rocky View Schools Portrait of of a 21st Century Leaner states, “To succeed in in our global community, I will need to be globally aware and civically engaged.” Of course, these are only 2 of the 10 tenets set out by RVS in their vision for our students’ future. However, these are the 2 that have stood out for me in my grade three classroom  [ Read More ]

Guest Author, Keith Hadden- Having grown up in the city, I fondly look back on summers as a young kid.  It was a time to get out of the city and visit one of my uncle’s farms.  It was a pretty foreign environment for a city slicker kid.  I remember engaging in action research, a type of ‘inquiry by ordeal’, when I drove the tractor by the rectangular beehives suffering  [ Read More ]