Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech

I discovered some students in a local school have begun an “underground blog” to discuss school issues. I sent the URL to the principal and he was already aware of it and figured he knew who was behind it.  He sent an email to the students. Here’s an excerpt.

I do appreciate the recent gestures that you are making with your blog.  I feel that it is good for students to be able to voice opinions and discuss items of concern for them.  I only caution them that the internet is never really as private as it seems and it is not as hard as you might imagine for people to find out who posters to the blog are so ultimately people need to be able to take responsibility for what they say.  (remember your teachers have been marking students writing for a number of years and can easily pick up on catch words and style – It’s kind of like a finger print)

I do admire your enthusiasm – and I just encourage you to remember with great power comes great responsibility – I think Uncle Ben said that!

I’d say he handled it pretty well.

I’m please to announce a great upcoming event being held in Moose Jaw, SK on Monday, August 25, 2008.

Our school division will be hosting a day long event with Ewan Mcintosh. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Ewan’s work, he is outstanding advocate of social media and has been involved with Scotland’s very progressive curriculum innovations.

Here’s a some more information about the day:

Scotland meets Saskatchewan Outline

9:00-10:30
Presentation: Scotland’s story: how curriculum meets innovation
The new curriculum, developed with the profession and parents over several years, has ‘allowed’ more teachers to break with tradition and take up new technologies to facilitate children’s learning. The curricular moves share much in common with Canada’s states’ and provinces’, so what are the similarities and differences in technology, professional development and the way students learn?

11:00-12:30
Roundtable:Assessment is for learning and making the links through new technologies - share experiences from both sides of the pond.

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00
Practical workshop:Thinking Out Of The (X)box
Scotland is leading the way in some respects of games-based learning. Experience some of the methodology and ideas in this practical workshop.

6:00-7:30
Focus on Leadership Dinner: Ewan will focus on leadership and explore Scotland’s approach and experience with leading change.

7:30-9:30
TeachMeet08 Saskatchewan
An unconference for teachers, by teachers. Share something from your classroom or professional learning in a seven-minute micro-presentation, two-minute nano-presentation or simply be an enthusiastic lurker.

To register, email me shareski.dean at prairiesouth.ca by June 22.

$75 Covers your cost for the day. If you planning to attend the evening meal, please add another $25.
Make your cheques payable to: Prairie South School Division and send them to:

Prairie School School Division
Attn: Dean Shareski
15 Thatcher Dr.
Moose Jaw, SK
S6J 1L

This is going to be an outstanding day!