One of the aspects of BC hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games that’s not received much bandwidth is the joing VANOC/UBC venture /EDU. /EDU is a program designed to support teachers in K-12 schooling across Canada who want to integrate aspects of Canada’s Games into their classrooms. One of the things I love about /EDU is that it’s not a controversy-free zone. Many people have perspectives–concerns–about spending, civil rights, the environmental impact of venue construction, or other issues. So long as they’re brought into the space in respectful, collegial language, it’s all good. Trashing the Games, its partners, or the government? Not so much.
There are any number of resources on the /EDU site, but one I think has the potential to be especially valuable is the Teacher’s Forum. It’s a space where educators can share materials, offer advice, and develop a genuine community of practice. However, it’s not been well publicized–and it could be much better utilized.
Anyone with a school district email address can set up an account quickly; persons wanting to use another email address will have their accounts verified manually. So sign up, eh?
