Professional Learning
In collaboration with stakeholders, Alberta Education develops resources and support initiatives that enhance the professional development and technology leadership skills for teachers and school administrators. Alberta Education also holds regular events to assist teachers and administrators in developing these skills.
Stakeholder Events
Alberta Education works with jurisdiction and other stakeholders on initiatives and to identify issues, challenges, and successes that schools and school jurisdictions are facing as they implement technology. The key stakeholder group is:
- Jurisdiction Technology Contacts (JTC) – Provide a communication link between the Ministry and representatives of school jurisdictions, professional development organizations, and other key contacts.
For more information on education technology stakeholder committees or events, please contact Bette Gray, Director, School Technology Branch, at Bette.Gray@gov.ab.ca or by phone at 780-427-1509.
Professional Development
The following are links to professional development initiatives for that support implementation of technology in schools.
Alberta Professional Development Regional Consortia
Links to web sites of Regional Consortia.
Alberta Technology Leaders in Education (ATLE)
This association supports the work of K-12 jurisdiction technology leaders in Alberta.
Galileo Educational Network Association (GENA)
An education-business partnership that provides onsite and online supports for teachers, administrators and school jurisdiction personnel in implementing ICT.
TELUS Learning Connection (TLC)
An educational alliance that provides inservice, opportunities for telecollaboration, online tools and resources, and mentorship for Alberta teachers through a provincial cascade model.
Videoconferencing Regional Leads Network (VCRLN)
This organization was established by Alberta Education and is administered by the 2Learn.ca Education Society. The purpose of the VC Regional Leads Network is to support Supernet and Video-Conferencing enabled learning across Alberta's K-12 Education System.
Technology Leadership
In collaboration with stakeholders, Alberta Education develops resources and support initiatives that enhance the technology leadership skills of the education system.
Cheryl Lemke, a noted international speaker and consultant with a specialty in policy for K-12 learning technology, spoke to a group of Alberta Education staff on a variety of school technology themes. Cheryl is working with Alberta Education on the Emerge One-to-One Laptop Learning research and is well aware of the Alberta context in relation to the international scene. Cheryl spoke on such issues as:
- Setting a strategic direction for the use of technology in schools;
- What does the research say about the impact of technology on learning;
- International trends:
- What policies and leadership practices are critical; and
- What does it mean to be educated and literate in the digital age.
A video of the discussion is available here (Approximate Run Time 2 hours 15 minutes).
Dr. Kathryn Moyle, Associate Professor at the University of Canberra, spoke to a group of technology leaders in Alberta about the value of educational technology in schools and leadership and learning in ICT. Speaking in Edmonton to three participating videoconference sites, Dr. Moyle shared her current research with approximately 30 educators, education researchers, and education department staff. The videoconference format allowed all participants to ask Dr. Moyle questions and demonstrated the value of this technology for sharing ideas.
Dr. Moyle's PowerPoint Presentation: "Circumnavigating the world of technologies in education"
