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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

TechUcation Conference

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Engineering Outreach at Ontario Tech University is pleased to announce that we will be hosting our first ever Education and Technology Conference - TechUcation for High School and Elementary Teachers!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 23rd, 2023, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, as this immersive conference takes place at Ontario Tech University's North Oshawa campus location. The best part? Admission to this event is entirely FREE, thanks to the generous support of Cancode. Plus, as a token of appreciation for your participation, we have arranged for educational materials to be given away as door prizes at the conclusion of the conference. Don't miss out on this exceptional opportunity to expand your horizons and connect with fellow educators! 

This conference will be focused on exploring the overlap between education as we know it, and the ever-evolving technology that is becoming available to us. We will investigate this overlap in as many ways as possible - including how we can bring educational tools that we already might have in our schools into the classroom to approach newer curriculum expectations, but also how we can leverage technology into assisting us in completing tasks more efficiently.

Attendees will have the opportunity to select TWO, 90-minute workshops to attend. These workshops will provide a hands-on opportunity to explore the topic of your choice and get resources, strategies, and lessons to help you bring the learning into your classroom as seamlessly as possible. Additionally, the event offers a unique opportunity to engage with both vendors and a diverse range of educational tools. This engagement serves as a platform for direct interaction with tool developers, fostering connections and providing avenues for addressing any challenges you may encounter. Stay at the forefront of educational technology advancements through these enriching interactions.

Cost Per Participant: FREE
Location: Ontario Tech University 
Date: Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
Activity Time
Conference Sign-In 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Introductions and Keynote Speaker: Anna Lisa 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Break 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Workshop #1 (See below for details) 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Lunch and Tech Playground 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Workshop #2 (See below for details) 12:45 PM - 2:15 PM 
Break 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Tech Playground and Panel Discussion 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Wrap-up and Door Prizes 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

 

 

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Anna Lisa Martin, COO at Parlay Ideas

Meet Anna Lisa! She's a naturally curious individual who's committed to staying true to herself. She graduated from Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education concurrent education program in 2015. After her initial classroom teaching experiences in both China and Canada, she decided to step away from the classroom to pursue a role in EdTech. Joining the early team at Parlay Ideas, Anna Lisa contributed to the development of technology aimed at fostering inclusive and data-driven discussions in classrooms worldwide. 

In a future where AI plays a significant role, Anna Lisa strongly believes that classroom discussions hold immense importance and are crucial for maintaining relevant and social learning. Her aspiration is to encourage students to master the art of discussion so that they can engage in truth-seeking dialogue as lifelong learners. This involves bringing new insights, building upon others' ideas, asking questions, and respectfully challenging other ideas. 

 

Workshops

  • Explore Music through Code

    Michelle Armstrong | Director of Events and Community at Logics Academy

    If you love music and are interested in innovative music tools or are looking for creative coding solutions for your classroom, this workshop is for you. Embark on a captivating journey where melodies are composed with lines of code, and rhythm is orchestrated through algorithms. Discover EarSketch, where we’ll be coding beats with Pharrell, Alecia Keys and other Hip-Hop artists. We’ll also animate music with Scratch and CS First, and bring music to life with mBot and MakeCode. This workshop provides innovative music software and coding solutions for all grade levels and subjects! No prior music or coding experience is needed, just bring your curiosity and a laptop or iPad to discover the symphony of possibilities that emerge when creativity meets technology.

    Learning goals:

    • Gain a foundational understanding of how coding can be creatively applied to music composition through code.
    • Acquire practical skills in using innovative music software tools like EarSketch, Scratch, and CS First to animate music
    • Explore strategies for integrating coding and music technology across various subjects and grade levels, fostering interdisciplinary connections in educational settings.
    • Collaborate on coding projects involving devices like mBot and MakeCode to bring music to life, showcasing the potential of collaborative coding in artistic expression.
  • Classroom Planning with ChatGPT

    Presented by Alex Piliounis, B.ASc, B.Ed | Engineering Outreach Specialist

    AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bing have become more commonplace in the professional world, and have begun to change how those jobs are done. We’re going to look at how this could happen for teachers, starting right now.

    During this session, we will be doing some hands-on exploration of ChatGPT from the perspective of a classroom teacher. We will investigate how this AI tool can be used to create lesson and unit plans (with an emphasis on exploring planning for coding), support assessment and evaluation, and expedite various administrative tasks. We will also be investigating the output of ChatGPT, with the focus of critically assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the tool - enabling a discussion on how we can best make use of the tool, and how to decide when not to use it.

    Learning Goals:

    • Learn how to design prompts for Natural Language AI to get better outputs sooner
    • Critically evaluate the outputs of AI software with regards to education and the requirements of an Ontario Teacher
    • Use ChatGPT to approach topics we may not be comfortable with, including Engineering Design and Programming
  • Student-Driven Class Discussions with Parlay (and a little help from AI!)

    Presented by: Anna Lisa Martin | COO at Parlay Ideas

    In this session, we will consider the value of student-driven discussions and how to make them more inclusive and data-driven. We will experiment with Parlay’s tools to plan for and facilitate student-driven discussion. We will explore The Parlay Universe of ready-made topics and highlight key strategies for getting students talking. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a sample RoundTable from the student view. We will consider the topics where discussion fits best into unit planning and how to integrate discussions into instruction. Parlay works best with students in grades 5 through 12.

    (Participants will need a laptop/tablet for this type of session)

    Learning Goals:

    • Learn the value of student-driven discussions as an instructional activity
    • Consider strategies to get all students participating in discussions
    • Try out Parlay Genie, an AI feature on Parlay designed to make the discussion planning process simpler
    • Participate in a sample discussion to experience Parlay from the student view
    • Explore how to run written and verbal class discussions using Parlay
  • Leading the Way with Ozobot

    Presented by Sydney Smith, B.Eng. | Engineering Outreach Special Projects Coordinator

    Introducing coding can feel daunting, especially when we are looking at how we can do so with some of the youngest students. Ozobots are a type of technology which helps to ease this process, while also providing significant room for growth and engagement with older students.

    Join us for an engaging and interactive workshop designed to introduce teachers to the exciting world of Ozobot, a versatile and educational robot that seamlessly blends physical and digital learning experiences. In this hands-on session, educators will have the opportunity to discover how Ozobot can enhance classroom activities while promoting critical thinking, creativity, and coding skills among students.

    Learning Goals:

    • Become familiar with the line-based coding of the Ozobot, and how it connects to the Ontario Curriculum
    • Discuss relevant connections that can be made to real-life applications, including some non-STEM connections
    • Investigate Ozoblockly, and discuss how it provides accessible coding opportunities for youth with exceptionalities

Vendor Exhibitors

micro:bit

Zumi

LEGO Mindstorms EV3

Makey Makey

Ozobots

Dash and Dot

Parking

Please use Founders Parking Lot 3, 4, or 5. The entrance to the SIRC building is facing Conlin Road. 
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For more information on the conference, please email alex.piliounis@ontariotechu.net
We are pleased to offer the Education and Technology Conference at no cost to families with the generous support of Actua and the Government of Canada’s CanCode program.
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