Thursday, April 28, 2011

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In this issue:
• New Education Act Tabled
• Education Week
• Provincial Approach to Student Information (PASI) Update
• Research
• Upcoming Events
• Enabling Education Through Technology Symposium
• Cyber Security Consumer Tip Sheet
• Professional Development Opportunities
• 2Learn.ca Update

New Education Act Tabled

On April 27, 2011, Education Minister Dave Hancock tabled Bill 18, The Education Act for first reading in the Legislature.  The proposed legislation will provide a foundation for the transformation of the education system to reflect expectations for high school completion, online and other flexible learning environments and a wide range of supports to students.

Alberta Education will engage in face-to-face discussions with many education stakeholders on the intent and impacts of the proposed Act. More information on the draft legislation is available online at www.education.alberta.ca/educationact. 

Education Week

The Heart of Our Communities – Engaged, Ethical, Entrepreneurial is the theme for Education Week running from May 2 to May 6, 2011.  Alberta Education has established a page on its website to showcase how students and staff are celebrating this important week.

Schools can submit information on their activities and events using the submission link.  The website will be shared with community and media through various means, including social media.

Provincial Approach to Student Information (PASI) Update

September 2013 is the target date for all Alberta school authorities to implement a PASI-compliant Student Information Systems (SIS).  Current information regarding the status of vendors becoming PASI-enabled is posted on the PASI Community Site under Announcements and Training and Business Documents with the title of Software Provider PASI-Compliance Status.  

IT Directors/Managers may wish to engage in discussions with their SIS software vendor to gain an understanding of and confidence in their SIS vendor’s plan to offer a fully compliant PASI-enabled SIS prior to the 2013/2014 school year.

Research

Alberta Education’s School Technology Sector is continually monitoring research on best practices in the use of technology for learning and teaching.  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.

• Investing Effectively in Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2008-2013
• Outlook for Human Resources in the ICT Labour Market, 2011-2016
• UK Children’s Media Literacy

>> For more information and links to the documents, click here.

Upcoming Events

Jurisdiction Technology Contacts Event – By Invitation Only

May 5, 2011

Mount Royal University, Calgary

Enabling Education Through Technology Symposium

The Enabling Education Through Technology Symposium provided an opportunity for educators and technology leaders within the education system to examine the opportunities and challenges raised by our digital society.   School Technology Sector worked with event sponsor Acrodex to coordinate the event. 

Videos of the keynote speakers and links to their slides are available online. The two-day symposium was put on as part of Acrodex’s contract with Alberta Education as the Large Account Reseller for the Provincial Microsoft License agreement.

Cyber Security Consumer Tip Sheet

Consumers using the Internet to talk, shop or play could encounter a number of risks during their online experience. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and the Media Awareness Network (MNet) have developed a tip sheet that outlines potential risks that may be encountered online. The tip sheet suggests tools to address these situations.

Professional Development Opportunities

• Action on Curriculum Round Tables
• Introduction to Educational Videoconferencing
• Online Interactives
  • Junior High Math
  • Science
  • Social Studies

>> For information on these opportunities, click here.

2Learn.ca Update

Students in Olds, Alberta will participate in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project National Student Conference on Thursday, May 5, 2011.  For this event, schools from around the world can connect via videoconference during the keynote sessions and guest presentations.

>> For more details on this event, click here.

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School Technology Sector
Alberta Education
10th Floor, 44 Capital Boulevard
10044-108 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 3S7

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