Poll Question
Do you feel that the technology in your school or disctict is being well utilized?
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Dear Thought Leader,
Publisher Vodcast Welcome
Welcome to the Special 2nd Anniversary
Edition of the MindShare Learning Report. While time has accelerated
with every deadline past, so too has the technology revolution that is upon
us - eBooks, twitter netbooks, web 2.0 tools, SMARTboards, the iPhone and wireless, are the rage.
Tune into our popular Cross Canada
Check-up spotlight on the Yukon Territory Department of Education and an
exclusive podcast interview with the Hon. Minister Patrick Rouble.
 As we continue to blaze a trail across our Canadian
educational landscape connecting education and business, we're inspired by the
leaders and game changers with whom we connect. I boldly predict that the
"tipping point" is upon us. This is the new industrial revolution and we as a
professional learning community have the opportunity to shape the digital
future, otherwise, Canada and our future leaders will fall behind.
The bridge across the chasm to the
21st Century will not be easy without a national learning framework.
However, the pockets of innovation that we celebrate are growing, thanks in
large part to the outstanding education leaders and risk takers who are passionate
about learning and student success.
As I reflect on our original
announcement of the launch of the MindShare Learning Report, just two years ago,
it began with a vision to share and connect our vast Canadian landscape. Our
work is far from over. I feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment in
delivering to you Canada's Leading, Learning & Technology eMagazine,
As for what's next, besides our
upcoming conference, we'll be introducing a national report on ICT spending and
trends and an industry directory to compliment our eLearning consulting
services.
Special thanks to Tim Gard, our K12
editor, the many educator contributors, our generous sponsors, and the
MindShare Learning Report advisory board. All have been an integral part of our
continuing success!
Until next time, keep the
learning curve step!
Cheers, R.
P.S. Follow us on Twitter for daily updates: MindShareLearn
Robert Martellacci, M.A. EdTech
Publisher & Managing Editor, The MindShare Learning Report™
President, MindShare Learning™-- Connecting Education & Business to Support Student Success
 Before printing think about the Environment. Avant l' impression, il faut penser à l'Environnement. |
Title Sponsor
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Quotes of the Month
"Over the past two years the MSL Report has become essential
reading for Canadian leaders looking to keep abreast of the latest
educational technology trends, issues, and opportunities."
--
Dr. Ron Owston, Professor of Education,
founding Director of the Institute for Research on Learning Technologies
(IRLT) at York University
" I'll start with the conclusion. I
have found more resources and got more useful advice for professional
development in 3 months on Twitter than in the previous 5 years without it.
I'll go further. The more I use it, the more useful it gets. David Carr, writing in the New York Times has written an
excellent article describing the
growing impact of Twitter and explaining why it is set to become part of the
infrastructure of the Internet."
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Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Reflections
 Students LIVE! is a program that allowed twenty-four students from
Olympic host communities and other areas across British Columbia to cover the
2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (12 students for each of the games)
from a student perspective.
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Cross Canada 21st Century Winter Olympics Spotlight - The Yukon
Hon. Patrick Rouble, Minister of EducationThe Yukon
Patrick Rouble
was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the general election of
November 4, 2002. He was re-elected in the general election of
October 10, 2006. Mr. Rouble was sworn into cabinet on October 28, 2006.
Mr. Rouble was
born in Renfrew, Ontario and was raised in Nepean, Ontario. He attended St.
Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario. He recently completed his Masters degree
in Business Administration at Royal Roads University in Victoria.
Read More
About the Yukon Department of Education
Yukon Education Student Network
Yukon Education Job Postings
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Funding Opportunities of the Month
First Nations University set to close after losing federal fundingThe Globe and Mail 08/02/10Canada's only aboriginal-run university has been run into the ground. Once considered "a beacon" for aboriginal education worldwide, the Regina-based First Nations University of Canada likely will close next month after Ottawa announced it would follow the province's lead and cut funding to the renowned school. School boards, parents relieved that education spending will riseEdmonton Journal 10/02/10Alberta's ongoing effort to shrink class sizes will be reshaped to focus on elementary-aged children and high school career and technology classes as of September. Alberta Education announced it will continue to give school districts across the province $222 million to target smaller class sizes in the 2010-11 budget, the same as this year. That money will be distributed differently than in previous years, when all grades were eligible for funding. Grants available for Tri-City students and groupsTri-City News 18/02/10Eagle Ridge Hospital Auxiliary is once again offering an education bursary of $1,000 to a student living in the Tri-Cities. This bursary is available to any Tri-City student who is planning to pursue a post-secondary education in health care. Applicants must be a resident of the Tri-Cities for at least two years. Eligibility and other details are available at local secondary schools. The closing date for submissions is March 31 and the successful applicant will be advised by April 30.
Read More Funding Opportunities...
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Study:
Too few schools are teaching cyber safety
eSchoolNews
26/02/10
Students
aren't getting enough instruction in school on how to use technology and the
internet in a safe and responsible manner, a new poll suggests.
Toronto
District School Board adopts 10-point strategy to go green
National
Post 17/02/10
A
major priority shift that will see the Toronto District School Board focus its
efforts on the battle against global warming will bring the board in line with
what they are already teaching their students, the TDSB's education director
says. "There is mounting pressure to do more," Chris Spence said
while speaking about a recently passed plan to combat greenhouse gas emissions
yesterday.
Discover
Education Services nominated as "Best Education Solution" and "Best Science
Instructional Solution"
eSchool
News 26/02/10
The
Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has selected Discovery
Education streaming Plus and Discovery Education Science as finalists in the
2010 CODiE Awards.
DreamBox
Learning K-2 Math, DreamBox Learning CODIE Award Finalist
DreamBox
Learning K-2 Math is an innovative, online learning product built on a
standards-based mathematics curriculum and wrapped in a fun, interactive game.
Developed for children in kindergarten through second grade, K-2 Math
complements what students learn in the classroom by developing and reinforcing
foundational math concepts through effective, individualized instruction.
Read More K12 Feature Headlines...
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K12: Upcoming Events
Event:........ AQUOPS (Association Des utilisateurs de L'ordinateur au primaire et au secondaire
Date:.......... March 30-31, 2010
Location:.... Quebec City, QC
Event:........ ERDI Canada Spring Conference
Date:.......... April 8-10, 2010
Location:.... Quebec City, QC
Event:........ OPSOA Annual Conference 2010Date:.......... April 22-23
Location:.... Toronto, ON
Event:........ MindShare Learning 21st Century EdTech Leadership Summit
Date:.......... May 4 - Postponed until the Fall, 2010
Location:.... TBA. For more information contact: eMail
Event:........ Canada 3.0
Date:.......... May 10-11, 2010
Location:.... Stratford, ON
Event:........ ISTE 2010
Date:.......... June 27-30, 2010
Location:..... Denver, Colorado
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Conference Corner
Our team at the MSL Report has
the good fortune of attending and presenting at many conferences throughout
North America. We endeavour to "mindshare" the knowledge that is generated from
these conferences. Through the power of Web 2.0 technology we are also able to
attend virtually as well. This past month we feature: ERDI
U.S., ABEL Mobilizing Learning, OASBOand the Ontario Library Conference.
ERDI U.S.
Team Canada:
A contingent of
the Education Research & Development Institute Executives & Members
recently attended the ERDI U.S. Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Pictured in the
photo: Bargar Systems, team, former directors' of education, Michael Bator, Bill Hogarth,
(now President, ERDI Canada), Bob Lee, founding partner ERDI Canada; Michael Lee, CEO, ERDI Canada, Laurent Burman, VP, Global Scholar, Robert
Martellacci, Publisher, MindShare Learning Report
ABEL Leadership
Symposium: Mobilizing 21st Century Teaching & Learning
Exclusive vodcast with Mark Melnyk and Rob Cote of York Region District School Board at the ABEL conference.
Charting their Digital Future at
the Ontario Library Conference. MindShare Learning enjoyed a strategy session
with our new friends from Newfoundland
Mark Carbone,
CIO Waterloo District School Board
Ontario Association of School Board Officials Conference
Blog - It's about the Students
If you have conference news to share with us, please forward it to this email.
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K12: Ask a Teacher?
 Andrew Schmitt
Teacher, Joyce Public School
Toronto District School Board
"Tell us about your experience at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Qatar?"
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Green IT
 
Humber
gains energy efficiency nod
Inside Toronto
10/02/10
Humber
College's adoption of a new energy efficient chiller system, and other energy
efficiency retrofits, has gained more than $150,000 in incentive funding from
the city. Called the Hartman Loop, the $3-million chiller system installed in
2007 uses integrated plant control technology its distributor S.A. Armstrong
says is 50 per cent more energy efficient than the college's two former
35-year-old chillers that ran on harmful chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). It is the
first installation of its kind in Canada, Armstrong reports.
Creator of Innovative Green Thermostat
Poised for High Growth with Awarding of $1.7 Million Ontario School Boards
Projects
Exchange Magazine 10/02/10
You may have gold in your hand, but if you don't know how to sell
it, it doesn't do you any good. That's how Hugues de Milleville describes the
experience of trying to take his company, Log-One Ltd. - creator of intelligent
Green Thermostats™ and energy management systems for school boards and
multi-unit residential buildings - to the next level. But thanks to expert
financing and sales advice from the Innovation Synergy Centre in Markham (ISCM)
Investment Network, he's finally on his way and recently secured four projects totaling $1.7-million through the Ontario Ministry of Education. The projects
involve the installation of the company's innovative technology at four Ontario
school boards: the Upper Canada District School Board - which is taking the
lead on the projects - the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board, the
Niagara Catholic District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School
Board.
Growing the green generation: How to meet the need in Canada's
burgeoning environmental sector
CCL 11/02/10
"Students choose green careers primarily
because of their personal interest in environmental issues, strong emotional
connection towards the environment and passion about the environment and
environmental issues," the article states. As a result, stimulating
interest in the environment among students as they are making career decisions
is the best way to increase the supply of graduates from environmental
programs.
Read More GreenIT news...
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Software Review: Put to the Test: Blossom Learning
Blossom Learning is an online applied SMART Board course that
allows teachers and students to take a course at their own pace, and repeat a
lesson until proficiency is achieved. The course contains end of chapter
reviews, but teachers have the freedom to review at any time.
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Web 2.0 Technology Spotlight
The latest and greatest Web 2.0 tools. Check them out!
Collaboration just got better - A place for your team in Twitter-like project collaboration tool. This is an open source project!
 Recruit people from your website for research! Professional recruiting firms aren't cheap (up to $200 a person!). Even
then, you might not end up with the best crowd of users. Would they
ever even really come to your site? With Ethnio you get the real users coming to your site for real reasons.
 An online event registration service that allows you to create, publish
and promote your event for free. Set it up on your personalized event
page with our easy to use registration system and have your event
visible to the world here, within a matter
of minutes. Provide your attendees with eTickets for that professional
touch, even if its a free event.
Neat Chat is the easiest and fastest way to have an online conversation with a group of friends or colleagues.
No signups or software installs are required. You simply use a web browser to communicate via Neat Chat.
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Post Secondary Education
As part of our innovative practices, each month we will profile a "Visiting Professor"
21st Century Vodcast Interview with Dr. Ron Owston, Professor of Education at York University.
Dr. Ron Owston
Professor of Education
Founding Director of the Institute for Research on Learning Technologies (IRLT) at York University
Advisory Board Member, MindShare Learning Report
Vodcast Interview with Dr. Ron Owston following his keynote presentation at the ABEL:
Mobilizing 21st Century Teaching and Learning Conference, February 19, 2010.
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International News
Canada and California Launch Science and
Technology Initiatives Worth $1 Million
Canadian Goverment 03/02/10
The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister
of International Trade, today announced 15 research initiatives, worth a total
of $1 million, under the Canada-California Strategic Innovation Partnership
(CCSIP), an important element of Canada's science and technology agenda.
Learning from
Canada's schools
Washington Times 23/02/10
In a speech on Canadian television touting the
health care system of our northern neighbour, liberal filmmaker Michael Moore
said, "It's not that you need to become more like Americans, we need to
become more Canadian-like." If America mimicked Canadian education policy,
however, Mr. Moore might never recover from the shock.
The International Education Business Partnership Network (IPN)
Event:........The 10th International Education Business Partnership Conference: Making a Difference in Today's Economy: The Power of Partnership
Date:.........April 25-28th, 2010
Location:....Doubletree by Hilton, Toronto, Canada
PDF Link
The International
Space Exploration Education Professional Development Program
Event:........Space: Education's Final Frontier?
Date:.........July 11-17th, 2010
Location:....Houston, Texas
PDF Link
Alex Blackwood
CEO
International Education Business Partnership Network
The
International education business Partnership Network (IPN), is a learning
network that promotes the exchange of information, practical experience and
research around education, business and community partnerships in countries
across the world.
The
IPN believes we can co-construct a better world through co-operation and
sharing in business/education partnerships. In a rapidly changing environment,
we can help people to cope with change by reinforcing the power of
partnerships.
The
IPN operates this sharing network through a range of activities, including
National and International conferences, learning weeks in countries across the
world, access to information and research on line, mentoring and consultancy as
well as Internationalizing good practice and delivering targeted and tailored international programs.
Activities
have seen the IPN operate across the Globe: from Birmingham to Bangalore,
from Edinburgh to Elsinore, from Durban to DC and from Trondheim to Toronto and
many more!!
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Post Secondary Education Feature Headlines
Researchers receive $1.6 million for startup companies
Queens U. 02/03/10
"These investments not only help to build Kingston's knowledge economy;
they are tangible recognition of the calibre of Queen's University
research," says Kerry Rowe, Vice-Principal (Research). "Thanks to the
involvement of this fund and its investors, innovative technologies
with the potential to improve health and the environment are moving
closer to market."
Students test the dangers of Facebook
University Affairs 22/02/10 The students, for a term project, were looking to find out how easy it
might be to get someone to accept a fabricated Facebook user as a
friend, to highlight the threat that online predators pose to users of
social networking sites like Facebook.
Dr. Albert Friesen Appointed to the Board of Directors of the Canada Foundation for InnovationCanada Foundation for Innovation 15/02/10
Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, Interim Chair of the Canada Foundation for
Innovation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Albert
Friesen to the CFI Board of Directors.
"I would like to welcome Dr. Friesen as our new board director,"
said Dr. Cannon. "Dr. Friesen brings a spectrum of scientific and
business knowledge to the board and I am sure he will be an effective
advocate for the CFI." Google Buzz latest star to come out of Waterloo outpost
Vancouver Sun 10/02/10
Unless you're looking for it, it's easy to drive right past the driveway for Google Waterloo. Unlike
the nearby headquarters of Research In Motion Ltd., where giant
corporate emblems adorn the multi-level office towers, Google Inc.'s
presence in Canada's tech capital is subdued, almost hidden.
Schools use digital technology to learn about the 2010 Games
UBC 10/02/10
Students from North Vancouver and the Netherlands teamed up on school
projects using an online forum they created. In Regina, a Grade 8
class created avatars and a virtual world. Another group of Regina
students created blogs and an online wiki to share information with
students doing the same thing in Argentina, China and around the world.
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Post Secondary Education: Upcoming Events
Event: .......EDUCAUSE Midwest Regional Conference
Date: ......... March 15 -17, 2010
Location: ....Chicago, ILL
Event: ....... Best Practices for Incorporating Web 2.0/Web 3.0 into Your e-Learning Mix, eLearning Guild Online Seminar
Date: ......... April
8-9, 2010
Location: ....Stratford,
ON Event: ....... 14th Annual Western Canadian Conference on Computing Education
Date: ......... May
1-2, 2010
Location: ....Simon Fraser University
Event: ....... Canada 3.0
Date: ......... May
10 -11, 2010
Location: ....Stratford,
ON
Event: ....... ACCC (Association of Canadian Community Colleges) Conference
Date: ......... June
6 - 8, 2010
Location: ....Niagara
Falls, ON
Event: ....... Canadian Higher Education and Information Technology Conference
Date: ......... June
13 - 16 , 2010
Location: ....St. John's,
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Research and Innovation
Canadian
internet slow, expensive: Harvard
CBC News
23/02/10
A new report from Harvard University says that
contrary to what the CRTC states, Canada has some of the slowest and most expensive
internet access in the developed world.
Canadian post
secondary graduates and further education: who continues and why?
CCL 01/02/10
This two-part project examines the
pathways that students follow after obtaining their first post-secondary
credentials by studying: Patterns of participation in further
education-consisting of structured education, non-formal education and
career-related training and courses-amongst post-secondary graduates; and the
link between pursuing further education and employment patterns
Government of Canada invests in new strategic research networks
NSERC
02/02/10
The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry,
today announced funding for several groundbreaking, large-scale,
multidisciplinary research projects. These projects will play an important role
in connecting academic researchers to Canadian organizations in an effort to
propel new knowledge generation and technology applications for the benefit of
Canadians right now. The grants, totalling $56 million over five years, from
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will
support 11 research networks focused on areas of social and economic
importance. The networks will create new market opportunities for various
sectors, including manufacturing and forestry. Minister Clement made the
announcement during a keynote address at the Canadian Manufacturers &
Exporters conference held today in Ottawa.
Read More Research and Innovation...
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Bits and Bites...
An inspiring view from a business associates backyard. Guess the
location?
(photo courtesy of John Bower, President, uBoost)
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MindShare Musings..."The Connectors, Leaders and People on the Move"
Anniversaries come and go, however, our 2nd anniversary at the MSL Report will be savoured thanks to your continuing support. I had no idea what I was in for when I took on this challenge of publishing monthly. I quickly discovered it's hard work. However, I feel fortunate to have discovered my passion as a "life-long learner" which helps ease the pain and the pressures in keeping deadlines. Our desire to be on a "continuous improvement" program further challenges our team to strive to be the best we possibly can. Have you discovered your passion?
2010 promises to be yet another exciting transformational year in the digital revolution in education. After coming out of the gate having attended four conferences, we added our conference corner to share with our followers the knowledge garnered.
This just in from StatsCan....Canadian School Board Revenues & Expenses
Dennis Cochrane, a friend of the MindShare Learning Report leaves his deputy Minister post in N.S. for the president's office at SFU. Gilles Philippe, marketing wizard for Dell Education Canada shared that Mountainview School District in Manitoba experienced a school fire recently. Dell stepped up to donate a wireless card with netbooks to support their re-establishment.
The one to watch! Science and the National Science Foundation have awarded first place in the interactive media category in the 2009 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge to Jeremy Friedberg and Andrea Bielecki at Spongelab Interactive for "Genomics Digital Lab: Cell Biology"
Congrats to fellow Pepperdine Alum, Chuck Hazzard, founder and President of TotalSports, who just won an award for his digital video College baseball recruitment portal.
Cyberbullying free curriculum courtesy of the National School Boards Assn. Click here.
Great to connect with Karen Stefanishyn, Canadian Manager, FrontRow, who shared that they've forged a new partnership with Advanced Presentation, Canada's leading SMARTBoard dealer.
Great to host Warren Miller, VP Sales and Peter Schneider, International Business Education Manager for netTrekker for strategy meetings this week. NetTrekker is embracing the 21st Century Learning paradigm as industry leaders, who are active members of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
This is not good news.....Canada gets a 'D' for innovation from the Conference Board of Canada. Click here for further details.
Thanks to Stephen Downes for sharing 6 Priorities for eLearning from Stephen's Web courtesy of my friend Tony Bates, with whom I presented recently up in the great white north of Sudbury, Ontario.
It was great to connect with Gary Kern, Principal of Technology and Innovation, West Vancouver School District, who was an integral part of StudentsLive portal during the Winter Olympic Games. Congrats to Gary on his new gig with West Vancouver. Teachers be sure to checkout StudentsLive during the Paralympics.
Mark McPherson, VP Advanced Presentation gave me a heads up that they're looking for EDUCATION CONSULTANTS - Full Time / Part Time Positions Available. For further information, click here. Feel free to email your resume.
My colleague Ann Lee Flynn, Ed.D,.Director, Education Technology, National School Board Association, shared that Canadian educators should be made aware that they are showcasing the Eastern Townships School Board in Magag, Quebec, March 28-30. The district has good results to show increased gains in achievement as a result of their 1:1 initiative along with a project-based instructional strategy.
From the how cool is this department...I was honoured to see a re-tweet from one of Canada's leading Ministers of Education, Dave Hancock from Alberta recently....here it is...Twitter: DavidHancockMLA RT: @MindShareLearn RT @craigr: 100 Best Places to Appreciate Art Online http://tinyurl.com/y9vo34d Great site !
Carmi Paris, VP, Spectrum K12 checked in recently to share that Spectrum K12's EXCEED™ has been Selected Finalist in 3 Categories for 2010 SIIA CODiE Awards. EXCEED Software Named Finalist in "Best Classroom Management Solution," "Best Education Solution", "Best K-12 Enterprise Solution. Good luck!
A very cool app... Gapminder for plotting. Click here to check it out.
Cheers,
 Before printing think about the Environment. Avant l' impression, il faut penser à l'Environnement. |
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Advisory Board Members
The MindShare Report is grateful of the guidance and support provided by our esteemed advisory board. Members include:
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Dr. Greg Malszecki, Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, York University
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Dr. Ron Owston, Director, Institute for Research on Learning Technology, York University - Dr. Eric Hamilton, Associate Dean of Education, Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology
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Cheryl Paige, Principal, Joyce Public School, Toronto District School Board - Jamie McNamara, Superintendent of Schools, St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Schools, Leduc, Alberta
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Joni Turville, B.Ed, M. Ed (Instructional Technology), Educator, AISI Coordinator, St. Albert Protestant Schools
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Timothy Gard, Educator - Media Literacy & Technology, Toronto District School Board
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Cathy Phillips, M. Ed., Director, Round Table on Technology, The Learning Partnership
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Ron Sedran, MD, Equity Capital Markets, Canaccord Adams
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Marty Keast, President, Pearson Learning K-12 Canada
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David Marsi, AVP, Learning & Development, Invesco Trimark
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Chip Fesko, Sr. Director of Advertising & Strategic Alliances, George Lucas Educational Foundation, Edutopia Magazine |
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About Us
The MindShare Learning Report team is made up of the following individuals:
About The MindShare Learning Report™ -- Canada's Leading, Learning & Technology eMagazine.
Our mission is to transform education by sharing knowledge of 21st Century innovative best practices and success stories in the Canadian education market space and beyond. We harness the power of Web 2.0 technologies to feature engaging Vodcasts, podcasts, polling, Canadian educational technology news headlines & upcoming strategic industry events in the K-12, Higher Ed and corporate eLearning market segments. Other elements of the MSL Report eMagazine include: successful practices, ask an educator, ask a professor, research & tech tools, GreenIT and career listings, to support educators and educational technology providers in maintaining a pulse for emerging trends in Canada. http://www.mindsharelearning.com/report
Annual subscriptions to the MindShare Learning Report can be purchased at $99 CDN
About MindShare Learning
MindShare Learning is a privately held company based in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Its hallmark is providing strategic marketing solutions to learning & technology solution providers in the K-12, HED and corporate learning markets, to support new market expansion and revenue growth. MindShare Learning's partial client list includes: Adobe (Macromedia), Blackboard Inc., EPSON, GlobalScholar, Learning.com, RM PLC UK, Softease Ltd. UK, netTrekker, IMSI (ClipArt.com), CERC (Canadian Education Resources Council), Tech4Learning, Xoolon, NECTAR Foundation and ERDI Canada. http://www.mindsharelearning.com | |
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