Category Archives: A. Introductions

Hello everyone! My name is Alice. I grew up in Canada and am currently teaching overseas in a Canadian elementary in Macau. This is my 5^th teaching year. I am a firm believer of using inquiry-based learning pedagogy and technological tools to help students thrive as gritty inquisitors. I enjoy seamlessly embedding opportunities to practice digital literacy and citizenship.

This is my 7^th MET course. Previously, I was actively engaged in: 511, 512, 520, 530, 532, 540, and 565. I have been mindfully selecting courses applicable for educators. All of these courses continued to pique my interest about learning technologies. This program supported my goal to build a firm academic understanding of emergent issues and insights about technology, pedagogy and education. More specifically, I am interested in the use of New Media such as VR for education. Recently, I am interested in learning about the technological landscape of emergency responses.

Through 533, I hope to continue develop a pedagogical-sounded understanding of technological issues and tools related to math and science. I am curious about designing technological learning experiences. I am hoping to curate tools to support students while engaged in math and science related tasks.

To peers, I am known as a skilful photographer and avid traveller. Given my geological advantage, I am travel frequently throughout Southeast Asia. My recent adventures entail a ride in a hot air balloon in Myanmar.

Hi Everyone!

My name is Kari Matusiak. This is my 8th (?) MET course and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. To speed this train up I am attempting to take two courses this semester which I hear is brutal. So here goes.

By day I am an instructional designer with Pearson Educations online management program. I consult with faculty and help them to design pedagogically effective courseware. I get ‘farmed’ out to all sorts of programs from Law to Nursing, but all in higher education. Prior to this I worked closely with STEM faculty in higher education to help integrate digital technologies into their curriculum. So I am quite interested in best practices in STEM/digital learning!

I work from home 100% (and obviously MET is online) so whenever I can I try to escape the confines of the computer screen and get out to run/hike/ski/snowshoe in my backyard.

Looking forward to learning with you all.

Cheers,

Kari

Hello everyone!

Where you are in your MET program and other courses you have taken?
What you hope to learn from this course?
Anything interesting you would like others to know about you (hobbies, pursuits, past-times, affiliations at work, memberships or previous jobs…)

My name is Gordon Chiu and I am a Technology Integration Specialist for Pickering College in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Our school focuses on developing resilient and capable learners that will be leaders in the global economy. My primary role is to work with teachers within all Grades K-12 to integrate technology in meaningful and effective ways that transform the modern classroom. This course is one of my two last courses in the MET so I am looking forward to graduating this spring! Feel free to ask me about any of these courses: ETEC 565M, 510, 540,  522, 532, 500, 512 and 511.

This course is very timely as my school is currently undergoing both a K-12 Math and Science review to ensure alignment to our Global Leadership Program, the Ontario Curriculum, and other pedagogical initiatives like STEM/STEAM, design thinking, integrative thinking, and critical thinking. I hope to gain knowledge that will help in our strategic and curriculum planning.

My personal life includes living life with my better half,  maintaining and upgrading my new home, jamming on various musical instruments, and trying not to break anything while snowboaring or playing golf.

I look forward to discussing technology in higher education and working with some of you directly in the near future!

Take care,

Gordon

Hi Everyone!

My name is Trish Roffey and I am from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada! This term is exciting as I am completing my 8th and 9th MET course! I am one of those very geeky girls that loves to take risks and jump into the deep end to try anything and everything that could help to transform the learning experience of our students. Actually that is pretty much my job description as well! I am an Emerging Technology Consultant for my school district. I have 96 schools, 3500 teachers and 40,000 students that I work with! I work with a team of 4 other inspired educators who are also passionate about educational technology. My personal role on the team is to do what hasn’t been done before! I specialize in coding, robotics, makerspace, assistive technology, VR, AR, and all things Google! In a single day I can be found working with teachers and students in multiple schools to build a computer using a Raspberry Pi, code a poetry generator, developing flight simulator using recycled materials, create our own Mars Rovers, take a field trip to swim with the sharks in Virtual Reality,  and hack a word wall to make it talk! I work with students from preschool to Grade 12 with a special focus on our most at risk students and how we can use technology to transform the learning experience and allow for tasks that would have previously been inconceivable for them.

I am really hoping that I can explore using technology to enhance mathematics and science for students who struggle in a way that does not simply digitize or replace a traditional learning task. So often technology is a simple substitution and I want to use this term to explore transformation of learning in a way that all students, especially those with special needs, can enjoy and explore both science and math again. These are courses where our fringe students fall behind or a locked out, and I hope to be able to use technology to help change that.

When I am not plugged in I am a girl who likes to be lost in nature with my three kids and two dogs experiencing the “real” world.

I am excited to get to know everyone in the course!

Trish

Hello everyone!

My name is Amanda and I’m from Surrey British Columbia! I teach with the Surrey School District as a Learning Support Specialist Teacher and have been teaching for 7 years! I currently teach intensive Math to students in Grades 5-7 who struggle in this area. Some of my students have designated Learning Disabilities in Math and work on  Individual Education Plans while some students require intensive intervention to bridge the gap by using specialized programs.

I am currently taking my 7^th and 8^th courses and can’t believe that I’m almost done my MET journey! I’ve completed ETEC 511, 500, 565A, 565G, 512 and 531 so far!

I am looking forward to learning more about using technology in Math and Science and also about STEM.

I enjoy living an active lifestyle! I love running and playing sports. I love basketball and am a huge NBA fan. I definitely miss the Vancouver Grizzlies and hope one day we can have a team back in Vancouver again!

Looking forward to learning and working with everyone!

Hello other ETEC 533ers,

My apologies for the late entry, as I was en route coming back from holidays in BC yesterday.

Skiing @ Revelstoke

Picturesque view from our cabin on the lake

I live in Airdrie, Alberta with my husband and 2 teenager children. I am a busy “taxi mom”; between hockey, track and teenager social outings! My teacher career has made it possible to participate in 3 teacher exchanges (2009, 2012, 2014) to Australia. We also took advantage of this opportunity and in 2012 we travelled the world for 6 months.

I have worked for Rocky View Schools for 18 years (already that long?!). I have mainly taught at the elementary level, but currently looking into teaching higher grades. I have taken the following ETEC courses, 500, 565A, 512, 511, 531, 565M. This semester I am simultaneously taking ETEC 533, 510 and 580 (self-directed project). My project is to work collaboratively with RVS to help students (K-12) be safe, confident explorers of the online world by integrating formal and informal learning environments. Most of my ETEC classes have provided me with exceptional resources and discussions on this topic and I have no doubt this class will be very beneficial for further research. I am also involved in a School Division Community of Practice on STEAM, which explores different technological integration. I have noticed some familiar names/faces in the introductions and looking forward to working with everyone.

Hi Everyone!

Hi Everyone! My name is Shayla and I currently live in Surrey, B.C.  I have worked as a grade 2 teacher in the Surrey school district for two years now.  Prior to that I was completing my Bachelors of Art in Psychology and my Bachelors of Education.  I work at an inner city school where most of my students come from low-economic backgrounds.  As a result, the use of technology at home is scarce; however, I am so lucky to have administrators that are pushing for more technology in the school and classroom.

This is my fourth term (7^th and 8^th course) of the MET program and am excited to be approaching the finish line.  Thus far, this program has been extremely beneficial in my development as an educator and shaping my pedagogy.  Moving away from only PowerPoints and word documents to include video creation and websites.  As a student I was always drawn to courses and areas of study that focused on mathematics and science.  Admittedly, sometimes I struggle to provide effective learning opportunities to my students who do not feel the same motivation for these areas.  So I am hoping that by the end of this course I will be able to develop new learning strategies and resources to help foster a sense of enjoyment in my students.

When I am not teaching I still live a pretty crazy life style.  My fiancé and I are planning for our wedding which between the consolations and online searches feels like a full time job.  I enjoy fitness and nutrition (although difficult this past month).  I also love to travel and will be spending a week this term in Mexico (super excited and made sure the resort had Wi-Fi to stay up to date on assignments and discussions).

I look forward to spending this term with each of you! Talk soon,

Shayla

Hi all!

I’m Amanda. I’m currently writing to all of you from Southern Ontario while visiting family for the winter holidays, though I live and work in Bern, Switzerland. I teach at the elementary level, and have a very vivacious class of 2nd graders this year. Prior to moving to Bern last year, I was working in South Korea, on Jeju island for three years.

I’m in my second semester of the MET program, and have taken ETEC511 and 531. I started in the fall term and have thoroughly enjoyed the discussions… I’m looking forward to many more insightful postings/readings!

From this course, I hope to develop new understandings and improve my skill-set to get kids interested in math from an early age, where they are developing their base understandings. At the elementary level, so many kids come to school with the preconceived notion that they are ‘bad at math’ or ‘afraid of math’, and I want to leverage technology in a conscious and sustainable way to hook them, keep it engaging, and above all else, fun.

As far as hobbies go, I’m a runner and love ultimate frisbee and soccer. I also enjoy hiking and being outside in general!

Hello everyone! 

I’m Kathryn and I grew up in Vernon BC. I completed my Bachelor of Education in Vancouver at UBC. I currently live in in Manchester, England and I work at an all girls independent school; I absolutely love my job! This is my sixth-year teaching and I’ve taught grades 4-6; I’m currently teaching grade 6. 

This is my third course in the MET program and I’ve learned so much already! I’m really enjoying engaging with others from around the world and using elements from each course back into my teaching practice. So far I’ve taken ETEC 511 and ETEC 521. 

My experience has been that schools in the UK are very well equipped with the latest technology. I have also noticed that these resources are not always being used in the most effective way possible to facilitate excellent teaching and learning. I am hoping that throughout the MET program I am able to feedback to teachers at my school to help us to get the most out of the tools we have. The high school attached to my elementary school has just this year adopted a scheme where each pupil must come to every lesson with their own portable device. It will be interesting to see how both students and teachers react to this…watch this space! I’m really looking forward to this course to help improve my use of technology in the math and science classroom. 

When I’m not teaching I can be found planning my next adventure with my husband, partaking in some kind of physical activity or cooking (and the best part eating!) delicious food. I’m looking forward to learning together with all of you on this course.

-Kathryn