Big Ideas in Education Blog

Category: 21st Century Learning

  • STEAM Job descriptions for Curriculum Planning

        Using job descriptions can facilitate program planning and student learning. A job description provides us with rich opportunities to extract content areas, learning goals, success criteria, and rich tasks for learning. It just doesn’t matter if the position is paid or not, volunteer or mandatory. The point is that you will often find key…

  • Create your own Google Search Engine

    We are hearing a lot recently about search engines for kids. This is a tricky issue when we get into issues of social justice and certain groups of people and topics being omitted from searches. No matter what, we always need to be vigilant with our students when it comes to searching the internet. I…

  • Innovation for New Pedagogies and Education Spaces

    Innovation for New Pedagogies and Education Spaces

    I have been thinking a lot lately about the deeper ‘why’ behind the need for innovation in education. The deeper WHY behind the need for new spaces and also new initiatives including, but not limited to, makerspaces and genius hour. While I have led initiatives like these before, and believe in them, I wanted to…

  • Learning Commons Technology Mini-MOOC

    Learning Commons Technology Mini-MOOC

    Learning Commons Technology Mini-MOOC The purposes of a Library Learning Commons are inherent in the 5 Standards of the Canadian Library Association. They can be found in the Leading Learning Document. They are as follows: Facilitating collaborative engagement to cultivate and empower a community of learners. Advancing the learning community to achieve school goals. Cultivating…

  • Learning Commons Technology Mini-MOOC

    Learning Commons Technology Mini-MOOC

    Learning Commons Technology Mini-MOOC The purposes of a Library Learning Commons are inherent in the 5 Standards of the Canadian Library Association. They can be found in the Leading Learning Document. They are as follows: Facilitating collaborative engagement to cultivate and empower a community of learners. Advancing the learning community to achieve school goals. Cultivating…

  • Reading the Internet

    Reading the Internet

      We spend so much time talking about the technology, and all of the great new apps, programs, tips and tricks. Undoubtedly it is a literacy unto itself. But do we really teach our kids how to ‘read’ the internet? How do we harness literacy skills as they specifically relate to the technologies available to…

  • Innovation with Relationships in Education

    This morning we had the privilege of listening to George Couros speak about Innovation. This was very inspiring to me because I am passionate about knowledge building, innovation, and incorporating FNMI values, cultures and perspectives into my learning environments. In my opinion, learning in education is also enhanced through play. Innovation can emerge through ‘Play’,…

  • What is important in Education?

    What is Important in Education?   I have recently been doing some reading and listening to  John Seely Brown, and so much of what he has discussed in his work resonates with my own thought processes and inquiries right now. As I think about how our education system needs to change in order to promote…