VANCOUVER – Education Minister Shirley Bond opened the third annual Interactive Innovations education conference, which began today with an interactive webcast to locations around B.C. and the Yukon Territory.
“We are using connective webcast technology both today at Interactive Innovations and at the pan-Canadian Literacy Forum in April,” said Bond. “By linking educators, parents and students from across B.C. and the Yukon – at sites in Vernon, Nelson, Prince George, Victoria, Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Whitehorse – B.C. is leading the way in collaborative education development.”
Each of the five major B.C. locations will focus on a different educational theme and will webcast a keynote speaker to the other sites. This year’s themes are:
- Equitable Futures: Engaging all Learners;
- Literacy: Reaching Across Curriculum and Community;
- Student Success in the Middle and Secondary Years: What is Really Important?;
- The First 10 Years: Windows of Opportunity; and
- Leadership: Building Capacity.
Among the internationally known keynote speakers are Ruth Sutton, a specialist in assessment for learning and improvement, and Andy Hargreaves, a researcher in secondary-school success.
Interactive Innovations is another way the Province is using technology to transform B.C.’s education system to improve student achievement. The Province has provided support for the interactive conference through a partnership with the British Columbia Education Leadership Council and the British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils. Grants for $370,000 provide funding to help run the conference, provide participants and others with follow-up learning opportunities and assist parent and student attendance at the conference. An archive of the webcast sessions and materials allows participants and others to access these expert resources throughout the year.
“With the support of the B.C. government and the hard work of people like conference organizer Audrey Hobbs-Johnson, Interactive Innovations has become a conference that celebrates the last year of learning, and kick-starts the next,” said BC Education Leadership Council CEO Cathy Elliott. “Web technology and our learning extension packages have allowed us to extend the educational value of these three days into any community in the province, all year.”
A special students’ program is also being webcast from Vancouver today. This is an opportunity for student leaders at sites around the province to learn about Olympic and Paralympic community initiatives and discuss the challenge of creating effective change in communities. Michael Furdyk, the co-founder and director of Technology for TakingITGlobal.org, will be the keynote speaker for the student program. TakingITGlobal.org is an online community for young people that engages thousands of youth in more than 200 communities and territories.
“Interactive Innovations is a great example of how technology can connect the province and allow us all to improve education in B.C.,” said Kim Howland, president of the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils. “By including parents and students at each of the venues, the conversations and possible solutions will be that much richer and creative.”
B.C. is proclaiming March as Education Month and this conference is just one of the many creative ways that the Province is celebrating its worldwide leadership in education and learning. The Interactive Innovations conference continues Tuesday; more information can be found at www.interactiveinnovations.ca.
The Province is working to make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction in North America. Since 2000-01, the Province has increased annual education funding by more than $1 billion while enrolment has declined by almost 50,000 students.
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