While many students know the accessibility features of Read and Write for Google Chrome, sometimes the accessibility tools built right into the Chrome operating system are overlooked. To find the accessibility options built into the Chromebook, enable Accessibility options in the system menu. Toggling this on allows students quick access to the wide variety […]
(Some) Strategies to get Students Truly Collaborating
One of my favourite ‘tech’ strategies is not that exciting. Or, ‘techy’, really. Pretty simple, actually. But I find it is one of the most powerful. Creating a slide deck, putting it in your Google Classroom, and assigning it as “students can edit”. This leads to students sharing resources, giving feedback, and, selfishly, me being […]
PD that works
What are you looking for from professional development? Most often we hear feedback that professional development needs to be engaging, practical, and actionable. One of the best ways we’ve found to make this happen is by putting classroom teachers in the driver’s’ seat. Who best to share their pedagogical practices with technology than the teachers […]
Coaches Corner: Creating Impact and Extending Digital Knowledge
The first elementary Coaches Corner of the new year was hosted at Williamsburg Public School in Whitby on February 1. It was a hum of active learning, discussion, collaboration and problem-solving. Elementary Coaches worked with students, teachers and administrators to continue leveraging digital on a larger scale, with the hope of bringing educational technology to the forefront of curriculum planning and execution.
Choose Collaboration over Isolation
As an Educational Technology Coach, I have been fortunate enough to work with so many amazing educators from across the DDSB. I truly love getting the opportunity to sit with a passionate teacher and co-plan a lesson or unit and help them find ways to integrate technology into their great ideas, and that was what […]
Playing Purposefully with your Tech
Creation Time: When you want to learn something new in technology, the best way is to try it. Just try it. Give yourself permission to play for 10 minutes. Click lots of buttons. See what happens. This is how you begin to learn the cause and effect of the program you are learning. Sure, the […]
Introducing Students to Podcasts
There are a lot of great podcasts available, but finding good examples that are appropriate and engaging for the classroom can be challenging. Here’s a collection of resources that will help with introducing students to podcasts.
My Perpetual State of “Not Quite There Yet”
I think that, when it comes to the overwhelming amount of “newness” that is happening in education, particularly with technology, it is imperative that we accept that we are perpetually in a state of not quite there yet – and that this is an okay place to be.
You can’t be an expert in everything, and you don’t have to be
I’m more successful in my role supporting others when I acknowledge that I don’t know it all and there are educators I can connect with to help me. You can do the same.
Connecting Coding with the Curriculum
Many schools have recently purchased coding and robotics tools through their Matchbox to Ignite Innovation grants. These tools offer teachers and students some amazing opportunities to explore the curriculum in new, creative ways. There are a number of ways to incorporate these tools into a wide variety of subject levels. Below is an exploration of […]
