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Top 10 Issue #250, April 15, 2020
To read back Issues click here |
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Dear Thought Leader,
It was a week to remember. The first week back to school of remote learning. It wasn't perfect given the challenging times we're facing as a society. But we adapted and collectively enabled continuous learning for kids. They need you, they need structure and well all grow exponentially because of this crisis. Kudos to your support and inspiration for making it happend!
You got this. A positive mindset is critical as is adaptability to the new normal. Hang in there as we battle through each day with hope that this too shall pass sooner than later. Feel free to reach out to me, if we can be of support to you as and educator, parent or EdTech partner struggling to adapt to the new normal.
This Week's Top10 News Stories appropriately features the good, the bad and the ugly of what teachers, students and parents experienced through remote learning this past week.
I hope to provide you with insight, inspiration and a balanced perspective to help you navigate the complexities of teaching in a COVID-19 era. It's painful as some students expressed when asked by their professor featured in one of the new stories. It's critical to your students' well being, not to overwhelm them in these extreme challenging times.
Educators and parents, I would love to hear your perspective as to how you adapted to teaching remotely, or parents pitching in as teachers? Share success stories too! We have officially launched our Schools of the Future Challenge to allow for submissions on how schools, teachers and parents have pivoted and adapted to support learning at home.
I'm pleased to feature in This Week in Canadian EdTech Videocast, the highly engaging, author, keynoter and education thought leader, Jennifer Casa-Todd, on distance learning, well being and the role of a teacher librarian.
Here's an inspiring Remote Learning (video) moment captured by Peel District School Board strings music teacher, Nicole Marques as her students perform an 80's tune from home! Enjoy!
Thanks to the generosity of the EdTech community, we've added many new resources to our FREE Canadian Learning @Home Resource Hub, to support teachers, students and parents, courtesy of Canada's EdTech providers, educators and not for profit organizations. The value of these services collectively are over $5 Million.
Our Canadian Learning @Home Emergency COVID-19 Consortium continues to crystalize as we identify gaps in resources and expertise to support provinces, territories and school systems to maintain scalable platforms for all students to continue learning at home. Drop me a note if you'd like to learn more.
I hope you enjoy this week's resource rich Top 10 Canadian stories in EdTech powered by the MindShare Learning Report - Canada's Learning & Technology eMagazine.
Remember, this is marathon, not a sprint. It's about maintaining a positive mindset and seeing the joy in everything we do to inspire others in these challenging times.
Until next time, stay healthy, be mindful of social distancing, and keep the digital learning curve steep! |
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Robert Martellacci, M.A. EdTech
President, MindShare Learning Technology™
Chief Digital Publisher, The MindShare Learning Report™
Founder, MindShare Workspace
CEO & Co-founder, C21 Canada™
Follow us on Twitter @MindShareLearn
https://mindsharelearning.ca/
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"
To our wonderful Royal Heights community...we miss you! Have a wonderful Easter Weekend from all your staff members!"
-- Royal Heights School, BC
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“
Never before have we witnessed educational disruption on such a scale,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Partnership is the only way forward. This Coalition is a call for coordinated and innovative action to unlock solutions that will not only support learners and teachers now, but through the recovery process, with a principle focus on inclusion and equity.”
-- UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay |
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This Week in Canadian EdTech
with the highly Engaging Digital Learning Thought Leader,
Jennifer Casa-Todd |
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1. A professor asked her students how they were coping. Here’s what they said. |
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University Affiairs: April 7, 2020
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In the mad dash for Canada’s universities to become places of online learning in a matter of days, I have read about the struggles many professors are having with this shift. It is not a struggle that I personally experience because I have been using online learning features in my classes for over a decade. But, for those of us who have not, and those of us who teach subject matter that is difficult to assess or teach online, there is certainly a steep learning curve.
Amidst my social media meanderings, I see seminars being held on Zoom (often with cameo appearances from family pets or small children), readings being discussed in online forums, exams being rejigged for weighting or turned to papers, and professors wondering how to combat cheating in an online world. I struggle with the ethics of this supposed “business as usual” perspective when there is certainly nothing normal about our current circumstances.
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2. Distance learning venture 'rushed': union president
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Kitchener Today: April 3, 2020
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As distance learning begins, the President of the Waterloo Region English Catholic Teachers Association says there are still many unknowns to address.
Patrick Etmanski says the last seven to 10 days have been a whirlwind.
The President of Waterloo Region English Catholic Teachers Association tells The Mike Farwell Show on 570 NEWS he's frustrated with the provincial government won't take the lead and make the call to end the school year altogether.
"If we knew that, then we could plan for that," he said, "But if it's a two week session, and then we're going to revisit it, and then another two week session, it's really hard to plan for that."
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3. UNESCO rallies international organizations, civil society and private sector partners in a broad Coalition to ensure #LearningNeverStops
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UNESCO rallies international organizations, civil society and private sector partners in a broad Coalition to ensure #LearningNeverStops
At a time of when 87% of the world’s student population is affected by COVID-19 school closures, UNESCO is launching a global education coalition to support countries in scaling up their best distance learning practices and reaching children and youth who are most at risk.
Over 1.5 billion learners in 165 countries are affected by COVID-19 school closures.
“Never before have we witnessed educational disruption on such a scale,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Partnership is the only way forward. This Coalition is a call for coordinated and innovative action to unlock solutions that will not only support learners and teachers now, but through the recovery process, with a principle focus on inclusion and equity.”
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4. 10 Remote Learning Practices to Avoid
Eric Sheninger: April 5, 2020
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Educators, schools, and districts have earnestly rolled out remote learning plans to support students and fill in gaps as a result of extended closures. We have seen fantastic progress in a short amount of time as teachers, with little to no training in this area, have valiantly risen to the occasion. Are the plans perfect? Not by any stretch, but that is because they don’t have to be. As I have been working with schools and districts to help get their remote learning off the ground, we have come to a consensus on essential elements. The key areas to focus on with any plan are equity, meeting the needs of special education students, sound pedagogy, and consistent communication with families. |
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5. Canadian EdTech Industry Recorded Webinar>>Navigating Canadian & U.S. Markets in Challenging Times Special Thanks to: @Kevin Custer Arc Capital, David Smith Denver Canadian Trade Commission and C21 Canada
MindShare Learning: April 9, 2020 |
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6. Enriched Academy Supporting High School Students Across Canada
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Newswire.ca: April 8, 2020 |
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With high school students and families across the country looking for online education resources in the wake of COVID-19 forcing school closures, Enriched Academy is providing its online financial literacy course free of charge for students.
"We know parents are concerned that their children continue to learn at home during these uncertain times, and our school boards and teachers need time and support as they are getting their curriculums established," said Kevin Cochran, President and Co-Founder of Enriched Academy. "Our online course is designed perfectly to help fill this need for parents and educators."
"Given the economic uncertainty and the financial stress families are experiencing right now we had to offer some support," said Kevin McCarthy, Enriched Academy's Head of Corporations and Institutions. "There has never been a more critical time to understand saving, budgeting and the basics around money."
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7. B.C. education ministry gives reassurances amid Zoom hacking concerns
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Global News: April 2, 2020 |
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A day after it announced the purchase of a licence to use Zoom, B.C.’s Ministry of Education addressed security concerns about the popular video conferencing service.
The ministry has offered Zoom to teachers at K-12 public and independent schools so they can try out different remote-learning methods, which will vary from school to school.
The ministry went on to say the Zoom server will be based in Canada, with added encryption to increase privacy and security. The provincial privacy commissioner has also been consulted.
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8. Nobel Prize winner helping create simple ventilator for mass production in Canada
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A team of Canadian researchers is working on a stripped-down version of much-needed ventilators designed to be delivered to hospitals by the end of the month.
Arthur McDonald, a Queen’s University professor from Sydney, N.S. who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2015, told CTV News Channel that he is working with researchers from the TRIUMF particle accelerator in Vancouver, SNOLAB in Lively, Ont. and the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories at Chalk River, Ont. to create a simple ventilator made of parts that are easily found in Canada.
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9. Distance Learning Week 1! Nicole Marques, Central Peel H.S. Strings Music teacher captured this Moment as her students Performed an 80s Tune From Home!
Central Peel H.S: April 12, 2020
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10. Moving Education Online
Athabasca U: April 9, 2020 |
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"Athabasca University faculty and staff represent decades of research and practice in alternative forms of education delivery," says Dr. Martha Cleveland-Innes, Professor and Program Director with AU's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. "These alternative forms must meet the criteria of accessible, high quality, and affordable learning opportunities. We are pleased to share these curated resources with those pivoting to emergency remote teaching and learning."
We have been hearing that learners, parents, and educators are looking for information from trusted sources to help them navigate moving to fully online learning.
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