Thursday, April 30, 2009

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In this issue:
• Vulcan High School Linking to International Space Station
• Budget 2009 and the Alberta Education Business Plan 2009 – 2012
• Specialized Website for Students with Vision Loss
• Inspiring Education: A Dialogue with Albertans
• Secondment Opportunities at Stakeholder Technology Branch
• Career and Technology Studies Update
• Centre for Global Education
• International Project on 21st Century Assessment
• Research Articles
• Upcoming Events

Vulcan High School Linking to International Space Station

Students from Palliser Regional Schools will have a chance to speak directly to astronauts aboard the International Space Station during Canada's first Expedition Mission in 2009.  Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk, the first Canadian to spend six months in space, will answer science and technology-related questions from participating students in real time.  The event will be hosted from County Central High School in Vulcan.

This event builds on Alberta Education’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Space Agency that provides a framework for science and technology activities for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students and for pre-service teachers.   The Canadian Space Agency’s educational programming also supports the government’s priority of increasing student participation and completion rates in math, science and technology.

More information on Alberta’s International Space Station Event is available online at http://education.alberta.ca/admin/technology/csa.aspx.

Budget 2009 and the Alberta Education Business Plan 2009 – 2012

On April 7, 2009, Alberta’s Minister of Finance released Budget 2009. Details of Budget 2009 can be accessed online at http://budget2009.alberta.ca/.  Alberta Education’s 2009-2012 Business Plan was released at the same time, and can be accessed at http://education.alberta.ca/media/955789/2009businessplan.pdf. 

>> The key strategies related to technology in the K-12 education sector can be viewed here.

Specialized Website for Students with Vision Loss

Alberta students with vision loss can now access online resources, training and support through the new Vision Education Alberta website at http://www.vision.alberta.ca/. 

The website is a unique place for Alberta students with vision loss, their families, classroom teachers, educational assistants, vision teachers, other vision specialists, and education stakeholders to access important information, including:

• News and upcoming events;
• A loan catalogue for alternate format materials, including Braille, large print, audio and e-text;
• Video training clips for specialized equipment; and
• Other educational resources.

Beginning in fall 2009, the site will also feature an interactive discussion board for teachers, vision teachers and specialists to ask questions and share information with others across the province.  

Inspiring Education: A Dialogue with Albertans

You can help to shape education in Alberta and help the government reach a clear understanding of what it will mean to be an educated Albertan 20 years from now.  Inspiring Education:  A Dialogue with Albertans is seeking ideas, suggestions and points of view from Albertans in all parts of the province.  This initiative is a dialogue that is open to all Albertans, to listen and contribute to the conversation about what education is and what education means. 

There are a variety of ways to participate in this dialogue.  For more information, visit http://www.inspiringeducation.alberta.ca/.

Secondment Opportunities at Stakeholder Technology Branch

Stakeholder Technology Branch is recruiting for two secondment opportunities.  Click on the position title for a full copy of the position posting.

• The Project Manager – Technology Research will manage a portfolio of research projects, including the Emerge One-to-One Laptop Learning initiative; and
• The Project Manager – Technology Implementation will manage a range of projects and activities that involve leading-edge technologies and practices to support innovation within the learning system and promote the effective use of technology in K-12 schools and in the ministry.

The secondment positions will commence no later than August 17, 2009 and will run to August 31, 2011. For further information regarding these opportunities, contact Dr. Bette Gray, Director, Stakeholder Technology Branch, at Bette.Gray@gov.ab.ca or by phone at (780) 427-1509.

Career and Technology Studies Update

In September 2008, eligible school authorities and charter schools received their first allotment of the Career and Technology Studies (CTS) Equipment Evergreening and Enhancement Fund to support the implementation of the revised CTS program.   In preparation for the second year of the disbursement, school authorities and charter schools are reminded to submit their 2008/2009 spending reports.  More information on the planning and reporting components of the CTS Equipment Evergreening and Enhancement Fund is available here.

For more information, contact Merla Bolender, Director, CTS Initiative, at Merla.Bolender@gov.ab.ca or by phone at 780-644-3884 or Monika Gysler, Project Manager at Large, CTS Initiative, at Monika.Gylser@gov.ab.ca or by phone at 780-644-3886.

>> To access further information, click here.

Centre for Global Education

On April 15, 2009, Edmonton Public School’s Centre for Global Education held its grand opening.  The Centre’s programming focuses on peace and global education, higher level learning and research.  The three main programs are:

1.  The Alberta Virtual Classroom:  bringing students and researchers together to collaborate, challenge and celebrate learning.
2. The Videoconference for Hope:  bringing schools together to raise funds and awareness for the plight of education in developing countries.
3. The Four Nations Classroom:  acting as a coordinator, matching countries from almost every continent on earth for a series of meaningful encounters.

The Centre uses videoconferencing and an interactive student portal that is a unique blend of Web 2.0 tools that facilitate student interaction and higher level learning.

For more information, contact Terry Godwaldt at terry.godwaldt@epsb.ca.

International Project on 21st Century Assessment

The challenge of developing new approaches for assessing educational achievement is a common concern in education communities around the world. Three leading technology companies, Cisco, Intel and Microsoft, are collaborating on a multi-sector research project to transform global educational assessment and improve learning outcomes.  At the Learning and Technology World Forum in London in January 2009, they announced the project which will develop new assessment approaches, methods and technologies for measuring the success of 21^st century teaching and learning in classrooms around the world.

The project team will focus on several key areas that will offer the most promising opportunities for transforming education and assessment, including:

• Education assessment methodologies and technologies;
• Effective learning environments and replicable ICT-enabled teaching; and
• Assessment methods that foster the development and assessment of the skills students will need to succeed.

The project will review successful classroom practices for the teaching and testing of 21^st century skills and draw implications for large-scale assessments.

>> For more detailed information, click here.

Research Articles

Alberta Education’s Stakeholder Technology Branch is continually monitoring research on best practices in the use of technology for teaching and learning.  Research articles or reports from outside sources that may be pertinent to the work of tech.news subscribers will occasionally be included in this newsletter.  The information in the articles or reports does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Alberta Education.

This report was published in 2008:

Empowering the 21^st Century Superintendent (for superintendents and technology leaders) – Published by Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)

>> Click here for links to this research article.

Upcoming Events

JTC Meeting

May 13, 2009 at Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton

This event is open to Jurisdiction Technology Contacts and invited guests only.

Vol. 8 No. 9

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Alberta Education
Stakeholder Technology Branch
Alberta Education
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10044-108 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 3S7

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