MINISTRY PROVIDED DIGITAL RESOURCES

     As a teacher, or in this case a student aspiring to become a teacher,   one is constantly faced with the sometimes daunting task of improving themselves by enhancing their ability to reach and instruct their students.   After spending hour after hour researching available lesson plans online for ideas just to tweak a lesson here or there, or for ideas that might assist in upgrading the presentation method I have discovered Ministry provided digital resources.
    Resources sponsored by the Ministry of Education of Ontario provide teachers with a conglomerate of information and assistive tools to empower themselves to learn and teach by contemporary methods in an attempt to better reach our students, and I must say, the results are promising.  The good people at the Education Equality and Accountability Office <EQAO>   provide statistics which offer 2010 statistics showing Ontario as the only jurisdiction whose students tested above the Canadian average in all three subjects of reading, math, and science on the PCAP test.  I know I know,  statistics can be skewed to say what they want,  but this website is different.   The EQAO framework places student achievement into perspective considering demographic, and other key environmental information, and all of the information gathered is shared with whomever wishes to access it and apply it to every situation  imaginable to encourage the growth and betterment of the education program. 
     The time has arrived for educators to admit that there are areas they need to improve upon, and the mistakes made along the journey to progress are what enables us to implement curriculum and lesson planning that engages and benefits the youth of the 21st Century.    The Ontario Focused Intervention Partnership,<OFIP>  is a Ministry of Education initiative designed to  improve student learning and achievement, and a lot of attention is focused on the educators.   Lucy West provides several ideas on the site of how to carry teachers and their thinking forward and through the use of video and powerpoint presentations, she discusses confusing compliance with learning, and enlightens educators about the benefits of incorporating learning communities into their teaching strategy. 
     I do believe amongst all of the effort put forth to reach students of the digital age, we as educators would be remiss if we forgot to reach those citizens that don't attend our classrooms.  There are many that are schooled at home for a variety of reasons, and if our goal is to send educated young minds into the world we leave behind, then we should attempt to reach all of them, and that is where e-Learning Ontario plays a role. (ELO)   This site not only offers a platform for teachers to discuss contemporary issues in the education field such as full day kindergarten, but also, parents can gather here to see what programs are offered for their children while finding instruction on subjects so they may assist their children in the learning process.  Students themselves are exposed to lessons created by some of the best teachers in Ontario, and are able to achieve accreditation for courses they completed without ever stepping foot in a classroom.   Think of the numbers of students challenged by mental and physical disabilities that prefer the comfort of home to the exposure of the uncontrolled environment!    
     It is my contention, and I know that I am not alone when I say that many students who quit school, do so because they don't agree with the education process and the rules that are instituted in the archaic institution of school.   Many are more than capable of the understanding what is required to pass classroom subjects, but their nature of thinking outside the box precludes them from falling into line and partaking in something because they are told that is the way society dictates it.   Instead, we can let them learn in their own environment conducive to learning, and maybe increase the numbers of grade 12 graduates we produce every year without affecting the institutions of education that prefer the proverbial status quo.    If this reaches you at any level, I encourage you to explore the sites I mentioned, as they are very progressive along a good number of other sites provided by the Ministry that the concise writing of a blog prevents me from writing about at this time.     
      

DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

As many politicians are becoming acutely aware, a person's past or their former identity if you will, is quite accessible on the internet whether they know it or not.   A person's digital footprint is far more detailed than the information that they would willingly share with the public and for persons entering the workforce or professionals subject to the public light,  this can have devastating consequences.   A quick name search on Pipl.com can reveal a person's social networking activities, their associates and often times the digital dirt is accompanied by photos that one might not want disseminated to their family let alone to possible employers.   The good news though is that it is  not too late!!!  

I am rather lucky in some respects in that when Facebook was created I was a police officer, and we were warned of possible repercussions should any information depicting any activities not deemed professional arise, thus my digital footprint is almost non existent.   As a student aspiring to become a professional educator, the rules remain the same but the game has changed drastically thanks to technological advances.    

What I am tempted to do is warn you about the dangers of almost everyone carrying a camera in their pocket, or about the availability of your private transactions including your browsing history to any person willing to take the time to investigate your online activities.   But, I do not feel that it would be productive nor would it conform with this blog site which is evaluating the uses of technology.  

Instead,  I implore people to become informed and be responsible.   As a starting point I recommend completing this quiz at Discovery by Koppel to gain an awareness of just how much of your life is recorded by both the business world and the government.  Next, by discovering, modifying and continually monitoring your digital profile, you can use the internet as an appropriate venue to promote your worth to potential employers.   Create blogs and websites to demonstrate your interests and your knowledge base, and link them all together so that you are easier to find.  By creating this digital dossier if you will, perhaps your online activities will serve to better promote your thoughts to a potential employer or client in a way that is often difficult during the interview process.   So take advantage of what was a "Eureka!" moment for myself, always conduct your online activities in a professional manner and promote the identity that you strive for!!!!   

Coming up next.....       Ministry provided digital resources for both the teacher and the student.