September 2011 Back to School Edition Issue 7, Volume 4
MSL EdTech Summit
K12: Upcoming Events
Tim Gard - Creating a Technology Shift at the School Level
Web 2.0 Technology Spotlight
Hardware Review: ASUS Eee Tablet
Robin Sharma: 3 Tactics To Build A Great Team
Post Secondary: Upcoming Events
7 Tips to Achieve Student Success
Research and Innovation
Featured Jobs
MindShare Musings
Advisory Board
About Us

New MindShare Learning Website

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Suggested Reading
 



    
 
 
 
 

 

Exclusive podcast interview with Sir Ken Robinson at the TDSB "Leading a Culture of Innovation" kick-off event last week.

 

   

 

 

 

  

 

 

We're thrilled to bring you our 2011-12 MindShare Learning Report Back2School - Cross Canada Spotlight on Ontario Special Edition.

 

In this issue:

 

  • We were honored to connect for an exclusive podcast interview with Sir Ken Robinson at the TDSB "Leading a Culture of Innovation" kick-off event last week
  • Cross Canada Spotlight on Ontario features an exclusive interview with Dr. Chris Spence, Director, Toronto District School Board
  • NFB Launches the David Suzuki Virtual Classroom
  • MindShare Learning launches 2nd  Annual Canadian EdTech Leadership Summit-"MakingITHappen" - Monday, November 14 at York University
  • Checkout our K12 Editor's Tim Gard article on  "Creating a Technology Shift at the School Level"
  • Growing IT skills gap between post-secondary and on the job
  • Our Youth columnist Aislinn Malszecki shares his "7 Tips to Help Students Achieve Success"

 

It's been an extremely busy and rewarding summer as we also refreshed our website. We welcome your feedback.  Our new tagline, "Connect to Success," we trust resonates with you as we continue our mission to transform learning in the 21st century across the Canadian landscape.

 

We're pleased to welcome Adaptive Curriculum to our consulting client list as they expand into Canada with the excellent interactive science and math content.

 

Here's to a great year of learning and innovation!  Until next time, keep the learning steep! Cheers, R.

 

P.S. Watch for details on the 4th Annual Canada's 21st Century Classroom Video Challenge launch next month!

 

 

 

Top 

  ABLE

 


Follow us on Twitter @mindsharelearn  

  

Robert Martellacci

M.A. EdTech

Publisher & Managing Editor, The MindShare Learning Report™

President, MindShare Learning™-- Connecting Education & Business to Support Student Success 

Go Green  Before printing think about the Environment. Avant l' impression, il faut penser � l'Environnement.  

 

Title sponsor

 

Quotes of the Month

"Innovation is the engine that drives transformation and creativity is really the fuel.  So we thought it was important to bring in Sir Ken Robinson to help create a culture of innovation where we're trying new things. .... If we're committed to innovation and creativity, technology has to be in the mix."

 

- Dr. Chris Spence, Director, Toronto District School Board, Leading a Culture of
Innovation Kick-off event, September 1, 2011

 

"There's a need for a radical shift (in education)....A system no matter how good it is has to keep evolving." 

 

- Sir Ken Robinson, keynote presentation, TDSB, Leading a Culture of
Innovation kick-off event, September 1, 2011



Join fellow education and industry leaders for this one-day unique Summit opportunity to gain valuable knowledge from leading experts, network and learn how to "Make IT Happen" to ensure our future leaders succeed in the 21st Century Global knowledge-based economy.  

  

As part of MindShare Learning's mission to push the 21st Century learning envelope in Canada and strengthen the connection between education and business, MindShare Learning is pleased to host the 2nd Annual MindShare Learning Report EdTech Leadership Summit, generously sponsored by ABEL, Discovery Education, Epson, ISTE, GlobalScholar,Pearson Canada and York University. 


This one-day summit will focus on current hot topics in the K-12 and post-secondary education technology space, aiming to further engage stakeholders in shaping the future direction of a vital sector that most effectively prepares students with the essential skills to successfully compete in the global knowledge-based economy.   

 

Register for your SPECIAL Early Bird pricing of $299 before September 30th!  Full price after September 30th $349, plus applicable taxes.

 

Click here to register now!

 

  

Featured Speakers Incude:

 

 

 

 

Karen Cator, Director of the Office of 

Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education  

  

  

  

 

 

  

  

 


Chris Kennedy, Superintendent of Schools / CEO,
West Vancouver School District

  

  

 

 

  

  

  


Ron Canuel, CEO, Canadian
Education Association (CEA)  

  

  

  

  

 

 

 

Steve Dembo, Director of Social
Media Strategy and Online Community, 
Discovery Education 




Who Should Attend? 

 

Education leaders from K-12 and post-secondary institutions, government and industry leaders. Globally minded thought leaders who are prepared to engage and champion a future vision in mapping a digital blueprint to support 21st Century student success.

 

Have YOUR say in our collaborative 'Birds-of-a-Feather' round table discussions, featuring the following hot topics:

  • The Digital Classroom Revolution: From ebooks to Interactive Whiteboards--Where it's going and what's working? 
  • Forging successful strategic partnerships between education and business
  • Canada 21--Defining Canada's 21st Century Skills

Click here to visit our Summit website and agenda.  

 

 

 
Cross Canada Spotlight on Ontario

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

''We believe that education is the most important investment we can make, on behalf of the people of Ontario and for our future. Ontario's education system is one of the best in the world, and we must keep building on what we've achieved.  That's why we're committed to investing in our strongest resource - our people."

- Leon
a Dombrowsky, Ontario Minister of Education  

 


Ex
clusive interview with Dr. Chris Spence, Director, Toronto District School Board

 

  

 

 

 

Ontario's must see Education Progress Report 2011 infographic.  

 Click here to view larger image

 

 

 

Quick Ontario Facts!   Did you know . . . 

 

  • Ontario boasts High school graduation rate of 81 per cent in 2009-10, up from 68% in 2003-04
  • Ontario has one of the highest rates of postsecondary education in the world at 62%. Since 2003, your government has added 180,000 students to our colleges, universities and apprenticeships.
  • This fall, full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds will begin at schools across our province.
  • Your government recently established an Ontario College of Trades to modernize Ontario's apprenticeship and skilled trades system.
  • 120,000 Ontario apprentices are learning a trade.
  • McGuinty Government Names Council Of The Federation Award Winner Ningwakwe
    George, a passionate advocate for literacy who inspires Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
    people, is the winner of Ontario's 2011 Council of the Federation Literacy Award. Your
    government will create the new Ontario Online Institute, bringing the best professors in
    the top programs at Ontario universities to the homes of those who want to pursue this
    new option for higher learning.
    (Source)

Starting this September, all students in grades 7 to 10 will have access to Ontario's free online
math tutoring program.
This expansion will give over 600,000 students access to Homework Help - a free, real-time
math tutoring service that connects certified Ontario teachers with students who are looking for
extra support.
Read more


Cisco, Ontario to invest almost half billion in R&D
It World Canada 17/08/11
CEO John Chambers and Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello sign a memorandum of
understanding for a five-year deal. The province will add $25 million to Cisco's $455 million
investment in Ontario research facilities.

Read more  

 
Funding Opportunities

Engineering and Technology Scholarships in Canada

Engineering and Technology Scholarships opportunities available in Canada for higher education
students. Includes scholarships, awards, prizes and bursaries in the field of Engineering and Technology.
Read more 


Government of Ontario, Cisco sign technology agreement
08/24/2011
Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sandra Pupatello, Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers
and Cisco Canada President Nitin Kawale, recently pledged support for efforts to generate a long-term investment of
expertise and technology for the Province of Ontario.
Read more


 

K-12 Feature Headlines

David Suzuki virtual classroom!
NFB, 08/31/11
No need to rent a bus, we're bringing David Suzuki right to you...
The National Film Board of Canada and the David Suzuki Foundation are pleased to present the
David Suzuki Virtual Classroom on November 1st and 2nd, 2011. This is an amazing opportunity
for you and your high school students (age 13+) to connect with the famous environmentalist, live
and in real time, from your classroom.
Read more

Discovery Education`s Digital Textbook Launching in Classrooms Across the Country This Fall

-- Discovery Education's Interactive Science Techbook Replaces Static Print Textbooks as Primary
Instructional Resource --

Silver Spring, Md. (June 28, 2011) - In an effort to address students' 21st century learning styles,
nearly 80,000 elementary and middle school students across several states will be using the interactive
Discovery Education Science Techbook in their classrooms this fall instead of traditional textbooks
Read more 

VSB launches new app for mobile devices
App mania is now becoming the norm as a growing number of people around the world are using their mobile devices
as an information hub to manage their day to day decisions. Parents aren't immune to this and that's what recently
got the Superintendent's office thinking about how to utilize a simple, high-tech tool such as a mobile device App to
help thousands of parents stay informed about their children's schools and district. Read more

When it comes to technology, students teach, schools follow...slowly
08/25/2011
According to parents and high-school aged students who
participated in separate online focus groups hosted by Best Buy, Canada's fastest growing retailer and
e-tailer of consumer electronics, students don't feel they're using technology to its full potential because
many schools are lagging behind in both quality of hardware and technology policies. As a result,
students are adopting technology faster than schools and using it in creative ways to organize school,
work and their social lives.
Read more

Quebec Framework for Individualized Education
A common framework for developing an individualized education plan to promote cooperation and follow-up with respect to students with handicaps, social maladjustments or learning difficulties
Read more

Back to school: The most popular technology for the return to school
Back in the day the only classroom gadgets used by students were items like protractors, compasses and
- if you were one of the few who knew how to use one - the slide rule.
Read more

FIRST Participants are Honoured at Rideau Hall

First Canada 23/06/11

On Wednesday, June 22nd, FIRST students were honoured to have an audience with His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

Read more

K-12 Upcoming Events

 

 

Event:.......TIGed Professional Development 

Course #1: Global Education | September 14 - October 19, 2011 

Course #2: Intro to Global Project-based Learning | October 26, 2011 - November 30, 2011

 

Designed to support teachers in enhancing their understanding of and competencies in global education, our accredited 
ecourses explore why global education is so vital and how e-technologies can bring the world into the classroom.  
Learn more    

 

Event......Alberta Technology Leaders in Education (ATLE)
Date........November 16th - 18th, 2011
Location..Capri Centre, Red Deer, Alberta

Event......Connecting Globally
Date........October 14 - 16, 2011
Location...Edmonton, Alberta  

 

Event......CUEBC "Embracing Emerging Technologies"
Date........October 21st, 2010
Location...Terry Fox Secondary School, Port Coquitlam, BC   

 

Event......X-Summit
Date........October 24 - 26, 2011
Location...The Carlu, Toronto 

 

 

 

 

Event:........MindShare Learning EdTech Summit 2011 

Date:..........November 14, 2011 

Location:...Toronto, Ontario, York University Research Tower

 

 

 

Please share your conference news with us and we'll do our best to include your event, and/or reflections. Email: [email protected]

Conference Corner  

MindShare Learning Moment with Dr. Robert Marzano of the Marzano Research Laboratory this past summer while at the Global Scholar User conference in Chicago











The line I've been using lately, "every day is a learning day" was no exception this summer. I had the good fortunate of attending Global Scholar's user conference in Chicago. Besides taking in keynotes by co-author of Disrupting Class, Michael Horn and world renowned education expert, Dr. Robert Marzano, I had the opportunity for a follow-up for a one-on-one podcast with Dr. Marzano. Checkout the link below.  



UnPlug'd Summit 2011 Debuts in Toronto with a MindShare Learning Send-off Reception

 

On the uniquely Canadian front, MindShare Learning proudly sponsored the Canadian UnPlug'd Toronto send-off reception this summer with some 40 movers and shakers  in the Canadian K12 & post-secondary space for a weekend of envisioning Canada's future of learning.

  

About UnPlug'd:  UnPlug'd brings together Canadian educational change agents to share peer-reviewed success stories; to deepen relationships among participants; to publish the collective vision of the group. Grassroots educators will share their first-hand experiences, collectively considering modern approaches to learning. The summit will culminate with the release a publication that communicates a vision for the future of K-12 education in Canada.

 

Checkout powerful video reflections from this first of its kind event. Watch for the ongoing release of their proceeding.

 

 



MindShare Learning @ISTE 2011 Part II   

  

While the ISTE conference has come and gone, one of great highlights was connecting with some of the best and brightest minds in our EdTech space. It's really about the people (both education and industry leaders). who collectively spur innovation and change and help create the magic that happens in schools with technology.  Congrats to ISTE for another successful conference and thank you to all those who attended our 3rd Annual Can/Am partnering reception and helped make it a success!

R.M.

  

  

Dr. Don Knezek, CEO, ISTE gives greetings at the Canadian Consulate - MindShare Learning Can/Am Partnering reception at the historical Union League of Philadelphia

 

  

Friends & EdTech Industry legends joined the MSL Can/Am Celebration (Pictured L-R) Dr. Nelson Heller, founder of Heller Reports & EdNET; Anne Wujcik, editor, EdNET News Alert; Kathy Hurley, sr. vp, Pearson Education and Robert Martellacci, president & publisher MindShare Learning

  

  

ABEL Celebrates 10 Years of Innvoation!

  

Our last summer learning adventure took us into our own backyard for the ABEL 10th Anniversary Summer Institute at York University. Kudos to Janet Murphy program director, who was recognized for her years of service excellence in evolving the delivery of professional learning services to Ontario teachers and beyond.  As a conference sponsor, it was fortuitous that I sat across and had lunch with keynote presenter, Dr. Curt Bonk. This former accountant, turned educational psychologist and now professor at Indiana University, had my brain working overtime with all he has going on with his world travels keynoting, authoring, while maintaining his university lecturing from afar, thanks to the power of technology!

  

  

  

  

Dr. Bonk's keynote along with other headliners will be available on Thursday, Sept. 8th in the ABEL Multimedia Centre. You must be a member to log in to view. 

  


GreenIT  
Green Teens: more than half are interested in working in the environment
07/18/2011
Survey results released today by Canon Canada reveal that 56 per cent of Canadian teens are interested in a career in the environment, but close to the same amount (51 per cent) aren't clear on the career opportunities available to them.

Classroom Collaboration Has Never Been Easier Thanks to Faronics Insight 7.6
08/30/2011 
Faronics announced today the release of Faronics Insight 7.6. The latest version of the popular classroom management software features strengthened teacher control and administration, enhanced student monitoring, and improved support for assorted technology platforms including Ubuntu Linux, Multipoint Server 2011, and Vernier LabQuest.
Read more

  

Creating a Technology Shift at the School Level

  

By Timothy Gard
Educator, Toronto District School Board  

@soligard 

  

 

I was at a conference over the summer that included many different educators that were 'happening people' in the field of educational technology. Most of these teachers, integration experts and lead people working in various capacities in educational technology in various districts across North America were zealous, informed and genuine. 

 

To be sure, this was a select bunch of people. But what wasn't evident was the rate of success that these individuals had enjoyed in their various positions with regards to integrating technology across the curriculum throughout their respective districts or schools. 

 

Indeed, to me, it was quite apparent that there wasn't a great deal of evidence to show that teachers in their districts or schools were successfully integrating technology across the curriculum. And to be sure that's just the very beginning. Let me be clear. Just simply integrating technology across the curriculum is not in itself a measure of success. The measure of success that we're looking for is that teachers are integrating technology into their classroom programs in meaningful ways; ways that enhance  their program in a mode that affects student achievement. 

 

Have students become better writers, thinkers, communicators, collaborators? Do they have a more comprehensive and thorough understanding of science or mathematics?

 

Can we unreservedly point to technology as the main reason, or at least one of the reasons, for this kind of success? How do we ensure that we create a school culture that embraces technology with this purpose in mind? How do we create a technology shift at the school level that moves us in that direction? Read on to find out at least one way in which a school leader can create this kind of a culture at his or her school. 

 

Keep Reading...


Web 2.0 Technology Spotlight 
Collaborize Classroom - With a plethora of online learning platforms available to educators, why choose Collaborize Classroom?  Firstly, it's free and always will be. Secondly, it's ease of use is second to none. Thirdly, it incorporates social media and provides templates that help you initiate and mediate online peer discussions that are thoughtful and rich. You can pose questions of various types, including Yes/No, Multiple Choice, Vote or Suggest and Forum. The results of each discussion can then be published to a results page so students can see the tangible outcomes of their conversations.

SymbalooEDU is a 'refined' bookmarking feature that gives you the ability to control and organize all of your teaching resources in one place. Have the students logon to their computers, open a browser of their choice to a homepage that is an icon-based collection of all of pre-screened websites, categorized by topic or subject, with widgets to help enrich the experience.


PhotoPeach helps you tell better stories online using photos. With PhotoPeach you can create a rich slideshow in seconds to engage your friends or family. We also support background music, captions, and comments so you can elaborate on your story further.




Telling Stories. Sharing Stories.The Zimmer Twins is a site devoted to kids and creative storytelling. Since 
2005, the Zimmer Twins has invited children to create and share their own animated stories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Screenr - web based screen recording. See the graphic for the details! 
Hardware Review: ASUS Eee Tablet Transformer TF101   

By Timothy Gard, Educator, Toronto District School Board  @soligard


 
 
Android tablets are being pumped out at a phenomenal rate with everyone trying to capture a small piece of the pie that Apple hasn't already gobbled up. And in order to 'stay a step ahead' several manufacturers are offering an interesting twist on their Android tablets. ASUS for one has introduced a tablet that not only sprouts a 10.1 screen, but a keyboard that can be easily connected to the tablet to make a full-fledged tablet-book. 

 

 Why might this be interesting to education? Simple. If you're interested in investing in tablets but you want to be able to use them for activities that require mouse and keyboard input as well as other features found on typical netbooks and notebooks then look no further. These devices can also be shared among grade groups in elementary contexts; primary students use the tablet for more finger input activities and junior students can either use the finger input, or they can attach the keyboard for activities that require more consistent and robust typing or mouse control. The same can be said for older students. Indeed, ASUS has answered this niche market with a surprisingly effective and innovative Android 3.2 tablet. This tablet lacks nothing as a full netbook replacement! 

 

Read on to get the particulars and my take on this true 'transformer'!

Leadership  

 


3 Tactics To Build A Great Team

by Robin Sharma 

 

 

1. Do Fun Things Together
Teams come together through "shared bonding experiences". It's uber-important to do activities
with your team members that allow them to be more of their true selves and connect with each
other as human beings. This will directly translate into superior team performance.

2. Praise Publicly, Coach Privately
Smart leaders understand the power of publicly praising excellence in action. So do it often.
Coach your teammates as to areas they need to improve in private. So they can save face.

3. Have A Bold Mission To Achieve
People automatically come together when they feel they have some bold mission to achieve.
So give your team a clear mountaintop. Some bold goal that will not only evoke the best within them but one that will inspire them to roll up their sleeves and work together to realize the
passionate and important objective.  

Post-Secondary Feature Headlines

 

 

Initiative for Postsecondary Institutions
08/29/2011
Pearson, the world's leading learning company, and the Eminata Group, Canada's largest provider
of independent, post-secondary education, today announced that students at institutions under the
Eminata umbrella will receive all of their course content via the Apple iPad. The agreement is the largest
postsecondary institutional initiative for iPad-based eTextbooks in North America.
Read more

Growing IT skills gap between post-secondary and on the job
08/25/2011

Canadian emerging technology CEOs are finding it more difficult to
add new qualified employees to their payroll, according to a PwC report exploring talent management
issues for the Canadian emerging technology sector.
Read more
 

UBC's University Librarian first Canadian to head global group
UBC's University Librarian is the first Canadian to head an organization that has been the global voice of the library
and information profession for more than eight decades.
Read more


'Extraordinary' art goes online
Led by teacher March Pelech, a group of SFU Surrey students are creating on online gallery of youth art.
The students from the university's School of Interactive Arts and Technology are spending the summer at
Sullivan Heights Secondary school helping to adapt nearly 1,000 pieces of art by students onto a website.
Read more 

Post Secondary Education: Upcoming Events

Event:........The Fourteenth Cambridge International Conference on Open, Distance and e-Learning 2011

Date:.........September 25 - 28, 2011

Location:.... Cambridge, UK

 

Event:........MindShare Learning EdTech Summit 2011  

Date:..........November 14, 2011 

Location:...Toronto, Ontario, York University Research Tower

 

Event:........Higher Education Summit

Date:..........November 27-28, 2011

Location:...Sheraton Centre Toronto

 

Youth File 

 

Youth File:  7 Tips to Achieve Student Success 

By Aislinn Malszecki, Digital Media Specialist, MindShare Learning

Here are some tried and tested tips and techniques for achieving success in school at any level!  

1.  Your Weekly plan  
Create a short-term plan for making progress on what's important at the start of every week (try doing this Sunday).  Use a plain text editor on your laptop and save it to your desktop.  Use freestyle thought to naturally build your short-term plan for developing the stuff that you have to do.  Some tasks will be long and detailed and others short and simple - try not to constrain your thoughts.

2.  Prep better for essay exams
Here's a simple technique to crush essay questions on your next exam.  Read the question and figure out what you need to answer - write it down.  Make sure you include important arguments covered in class.  Before you start to write, draw an outline of your arguments on the back of the paper - bullet-point your main points.  Take a couple of minutes to carefully ponder your outline.  

3.  Cool studying technique  
Try this next time you go to study for a test.  It's a technique called "note compression."  Cram all of the core concepts for the test on one piece of paper (front/back).  This allows you to build important connections between ideas in the course/material.  For certain subjects learning by connections is easier than memorization and will be way more fun!

Research and Innovation  

Largest Online Collection of Study Notes to Launch Across Canada

08/24/2011
Notesolution.com, an online note sharing platform for post-secondary students is about to launch its
free service to over 20 universities acrossCanada. Notesolution is a Toronto based start-up, which was
originally exclusive to the University of Toronto, currently has over 10,000 active users sharing 12,000
study documents.
Read more


Government of Canada Supports Innovation in The Greater Toronto Area
08/19/2011
Ten businesses will work with Centennial College to develop
new technologies, help conduct research and bring ideas to market, thanks to an investment from the Federal
Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State
(Small Business and Tourism), announced new partnerships between Centennial College and small- and medium-
sized businesses.
Read more

First Winner of Canadian Lifetime Achievement Award in Northern Research Announced by The
W. Garfield Weston Foundation
08/24/2011
The Churchill Northern Studies Centre
(CNSC), The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and The Association of Canadian Universities for Northern
Studies (ACUNS) named Dr. Serge Payette as the inaugural recipient of the Weston Family Prize for
Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research. The $50,000 prize, the largest of its kind in recognizing a
leading northern researcher in natural science, was awarded at the grand opening of the new CNSC
research facility today.
Read more

Steve Jobs and the Eureka Myth
Harvard Business Review, 08/29/11
Steve Jobs's resignation from Apple has sparked plenty of commentary on his achievements,
his personality, and his vision. He deserves the attention: This is a man who transformed the
technology world and helped build Apple into what was, at least for a few hours earlier this month, the world's most valuable publicly traded company.
Read more
 

Feature Jobs  

Education Canada Network and MindShare Learning Report are proud to bring you the following featured job opportunities.   

 

Professors - Information Technology 
Algonquin College Algonquin College is one of the largest Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology in Canada providing education in business, advanced technologies, skilled trades, health, community studies, hospitality, media, police and public safety to more than 18,000 full time and 36,000 part time students annually at three campuses in Eastern Ontario. Algonquin continues to expand its international reach with a new and exciting academic partnership in Saudi Arabia.   

Learn more & Apply

 

Controller 
Chinook School Division
The Chinook School Division is proud to serve Southwest Saskatchewan's 6200 students in 60 schools, with over 1000 collegial and student centered teachers and support staff. We are a vibrant, progressive division in a vibrant and vast area in the province of Saskatchewan. 
Learn more & Apply

 

BIBLIOTHECAIRE EN CHEF 
Conseil des �coles catholiques de langue fran�aise du Centre-Est
37 �coles �l�mentaires, ses 8 pavillons interm�diaires et ses 9 �coles secondaires et son �cole pour adultes forment le r�seau des �coles catholiques de langue fran�aise du Centre-Est. Chaque �cole offre une gamme de programmes et services offerts dans un environnement sain, chaleureux et stimulant pour l'�l�ve. Reflet de sa communaut�, l'�cole catholique de langue fran�aise v�hicule les valeurs chr�tiennes dans un climat propice � une participation active des �l�ves, des parents, du personnel et des partenaires. 
Learn more & Apply 


Get your job featured!   

For more information click here or email [email protected] for more information. Education Canada Network is the country's leading source for education employment opportunities. 


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MindShare Musings

The Connectors, Leaders and People on the Move

 

It was great to get away for a week to re-charge and re-connect with the family this summer in Northern Ontario. I was fortunate to snap the sunset pic below that helped inspire our new tagline..."Connecting to Success." While this is viewed as a good thing, work-life balance remains a challenge for us in the digital age. Excellence does not come easy, especially when I'm burning the midnight oil as I sit here at my computer. I'm more mindful these days of feeling less guilty for not getting my tweets out multiple times through the day. It's really about quality too! 

 

Photo by: Robert Martellacci

 

One of the highlights of my return from summer holidays was attending last week's TDSB "Creating a Culture of Innovation" kickoff event, where I was honoured to interview Sir Ken Robinson. I hope you've taken the time to tune into our podcast. As I delve deeper into his background, I have a greater appreciation for his life's challenges  that helped shape the remarkable man he's become today. Here's a video interview with Sir Ken Robinson where he shares the great influence his father had on him as a young child.

 

On the digital classroom front, our June poll revealed that 75% of our readership supported the use of PDA's in the classroom for learning. One device that we're not likely to see in great numbers in the classroom is HP's Tablet. They barely launched its tablet and pulled the plug on with a three-month window due to initial slow sales. Interestingly enough, when the dropped the pricing to $99. Was this perhaps a PR ploy? The thought was actually sparked while speaking with an HP exec. I actually had the opportunity to play around with the HP Tablet at ISTE this past summer and was quite impressed. Don't be surprised if you see it back in the not too distant future. Continuing on a very hot trend, I'm predicting that SMART Technologies will be launching a tablet later this year. You heard it here first!

 

Watch for more detail on the MindShare Learning Leadership Awards in honor of Marshall McLuhan's 100th anniversary, where we will recognize  one education and one industry leader at our upcoming MindShare Learning Canadian EdTech Leadership Summit, November 14th at York University.

 

Here's a great resource for Back2School that we proudly sponsored, the CEA School Calendar. It provides key dates for school districts across Canada and other great information about education in each of our provinces and territories.

 

Our partner Discovery Education Canada kicks off its Den webinar series this month. Join us for the Discovery Education Canada Back-to-School 2011Webinar series as we explore the basics of Discovery EducationSTREAMING, join in the Discovery Education STREAMATHON, build upon 50 more ways to utilize digital media, and create digital stories with Discovery Education.

 

Edmonton's Dan Riskin starts his shift at the helm of the Discovery Channel's Daily Planet. Discovery is a great network my kids and I enjoy watching. While they operate separately from Discovery Education, both offer excellent content.

 

CTF President Paul Taillefer takes over from Mary-Lou Donnelly and begins two-year term

 

Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards...nominate someone here! Deadline: September 9th.

 

Fellow CeLEA board member Lidia Sani, partner at Redwood eLearning shares the following career opportunity recently.....they are in search of a French speaking project manager to manage the translation of multiple technical eLearning and Instructor led modules. Duties would include working with the translator, overseeing voice over recordings, liaising with the production department and QA. This position would be a contract position which would start around the end of September and run approximately 4 months. Please contact Lydia Sani at  [email protected]

 

Innovative Schools and Districts take note! We're always in search of potential pilot schools for software and hardware partners. Please feel free to drop me a note if you're interested  [email protected]

 

If you're not convinced that mobile computing is the future in education, checkout what the University of Alaska has created for their students below.

  

 

 

Some of my fav tweets this past month . . . 

 

"Learning to manage and navigate one's digital life on a social network is an important life skill"  http://bit.ly/pdyjUtvia @gcouros

 

Ninety-nine-year-old sets world record, proves it's never too late to finish college http://su.pr/24lqs0 via @GOOD #lifelonglearning

 

RT@SpeakUpEd: Over 40% of students now designate online classes as an essential component of their learning experience- http://bit.ly/lXtcGv

 

RT @mySparkTech: An interesting infographic on digital devices vs. textbooks: http://bit.ly/n6bsFT

 

 

Here's to a great year of learning ahead!  Cheers, R. M

 

 

 

Product News

 

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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: 

 

Dr. Greg Malszecki, Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, York University

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

Cheryl Paige, Principal, Joyce Public School, Toronto District School Board

Jamie McNamara, Superintendent of Schools, St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Schools, Leduc, Alberta

Joni Turville, B.Ed, M. Ed (Instructional Technology), Educator, AISI Coordinator, St. Albert Protestant Schools

Timothy Gard, Educator - Media Literacy & Technology, Toronto District School Board

Gary Kern, Principal, Technology & Innovation, West Vancouver School District

Ron Sedran, MD, Equity Capital Markets, Canaccord Adams

Marty Keast, President, Pearson Learning K-12 Canada 

David Marsi, AVP, Learning & Development, Invesco 

Chip Fesko, Sr. Director of Advertising & Strategic Alliances, George Lucas Educational Foundation, Edutopia Magazine

About Us

The MindShare Learning Report team is made up of the following individuals:

 

Robert Martellacci,  M.A. Ed Tech., Publisher and Managing Editor, contact: [email protected]

Timothy Gard, M.A., B.Ed K-12 Editor, contact: [email protected]

Aislinn Malszecki, B.A. Hons., Digital Media Specialist, contact: [email protected]  

Valerie Rusnov, B.A. Hons., B.Ed., Editor

 

 

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

 

Editorial content for the monthly issue is due the third week of each month.

 

 

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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