Sponsors Summer 2009

The following is a list of sponsors for this blog:
Canada Summer Jobs
FACTS
Centralta Tourism Society
Collaborative Information Networks
Greater ST. Albert Catholic Schools
Ecole Secondaire Sainte Marguerite d'Youville

Conversation Overview

This is a template for a one to two hour conversation at the Provincial level following the Ministry of Education Local Conversation Kit. See Tricom Conversation on Education for an example of a basic conversation.done using this template. For more on our dialogues see Inspiring Educational Dialogue

To report the conversation to the minister use the form from the conversation kit. To access the pictures you need a password. Email factsc@gmail.com to get more information.

As St. Albert prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary (see St. Albert 150 + Big Lake Settlement Project), we are encouraging participation in an alternate conversation on local heritage (history) education. See scope & sequence for current Alberta Social Studies Curriculum.

Participating in the alternate conversation (See activities marked 1a etc), will take additional time. If you don't have time to do both you can choose to do either activities 1-5 (seeActivities 1-5 as reported to Alberta Education) or 1a-5a.

You also have a choice to participate in the conversation as a group in a physical location or online. To get more information about participating in a conversation (Online or In Person) Email factsc@gmail.com.

After you are finished with this conversation you may want to explore the Summer Heritage Network.

Instructions on using the blog

To view all the posts click on the Inspiring Education title at the top of the blog. then scroll down to the post you want.

To go to the next activity after commenting click on older post.

To see examples of how to make a comment to an activity see TRICOM CONVERSATION ON EDUCATION PART A

Who are the participants in your group

Group Discussion Guidelines

• Everyone has wisdom.
• We need everyone’s wisdom for the wisest result.
• There are no wrong answers.
• The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
• Everyone will hear others and be heard.

List who is participating your group: (number of people, affiliations, etc. not names; e.g., 10 people – three mothers and two fathers of school-age children; five grandparents two grade 12 students):

Use the name/url option to identify your group (e.g. Tricom 1)

If you are participating online, join an existing online group and use the group name to identify your comment on who you are. Or form your own group of two or more by working with someone else who is also participating in the conversation online. Keep to the same group and read their comments as you participate.

ACTIVITY 1a NOTES – Picture Activity on Past Heritage Learning

Facilitator direction to participants:Take a moment to think about your past heritage learning experiences. Go to A Pictorial History of St. Albert to choose a picture or choose a picture from the Internet, that best reflects your thoughts and feelings towards your past learning experiences.

Use name/url to identify the image /photo selected (copy and paste the caption) e.g., A35 Child Playing With Bubbles.. If you choose a picture from the Internet put a title in name and put the web address in url.

Then comment on "Why you picked the image (photo) and what story does it remind you of."

ACTIVITY 2a NOTES – Picture Activity on Future Heritage Learning

Facilitator question to participants:“If you were born today, what hopes, dreams and aspirations would you have for heritage learning in the next 50 years?”

(Click here to pick an image or choose an image from the Internet to reflect your ideal heritage learning experience?)

Use name/url to identify the image /photo selected (copy and paste the caption) e.g., B5 Rainbow Over Field. If you choose a picture from the Internet put a title in name and put the web address in url.

Then make a comment on "What this photo represents for your hopes for future heritage learning?"

ACTIVITY 3a – Conversation on Heritage Learning

Facilitator questions to participants:. Read your comment to Activity 2a to others in our group.· What words, phrases or images do you remember hearing or seeing?· What did you hear that we had in common?

Use your group name for identification (name/url). In a comment to this post record responses to the second question asked. "What did we have in common?"

Optional: If you have time, compare your responses with those from other groups to see what you have in common. Use name/url to indicate which groups are compared and comment on what you have in common.

ACTIVITY 4a NOTES – Heritage “I-mail”

You have an opportunity to send an “I-mail” (“I” for inspiring) message to someone of your choice about what is really important to you about heritage learning in 20 years. Address it as follows:

In a comment to this post finish this sentence you may add other sentences to complete your message "When I think of Heritage learning in 20 years, I hope...

Identify your comment by using name/url to address your comment to someone like To: Mom, my daughter, my son's teacher

Activity 5a - Table Activity: Characteristics of Heritage Education in the 21st Century

Facilitator questions and directions to participants:

List as many characteristics of heritage education in 2029 as you can think of (What would you like to see in heritage education.)

Put your group number in the name/url and then list as many characteristics as desired separated by commas.

Optional Group Activity: What did we see in common? What common themes do we see?

Look at the comments for your group and develop themes for the comments. Next use name/url to identify your theme for a new comment and copy all the comments for that theme to the new comment.

What were people most passionate about?

Optional: Make a comment for your group

What was the most important point or topic discussed?

Optional: Make a comment for your group

What was the most unexpected or surprising thing you heard?

Optional: Make a comment for your group

FACTSnet Guest said...

Students making diligent efforts in a creative way to publish what amounts to nonsense. Below are some of the creative publications.

Group 8 said...

We all had same images. It was really creepy, because it was like we all mind tapped into each others minds, and we chose the same pictures. In a sense, it shows how connected we are as a group, mentally, and physically. Technically not physically, but in a really special sense, yes, physically. I think that as a group we have grown into each others minds like seaweed, floating in the depths of the deep blue sea. Our group has a strong bond that can never be broken, because of the simple fact that our minds are connected and if one of us were to do anything bad, the others would destroy their mind. It would be a last resort method, but it would work. To conclude, I think that we are the strongest group out of all of the other groups, because no other group has the same mental connection that we have, and don't share the same views on life. So to answer the question of whether or not our group will last, I can tell you that without a doubt our group will last for 10 lifetimes. Even when we die, our group will be together in spirit. We will be buried together, and our minds will still be tapped, but will converted into the brains of the smartest mamas, the dolphins. Once there we will learn how to speak dolphin, while teaching the other dolphins English, and when we are finished that, we will learn how to breathe without water, and we will learn how to walk like humans and learn like humans. When we finish we will kill the humans, and create more dolphin humans,so that we can rule the world in peace and harmony. It started with three strangers in a strange survey room, but it will end with three dolphins who rule the universe.

June 18, 2009 9:51 AM

FACTSnet Guest said...

Hello, my name is Ewala. I come from the planet Alawe, in the galaxy Ewala, in the universe Alawe. But the point is I tried. If you think you need to go to the bakery, please do so now, because I do not want to be interrupted while I tell you my story. ...but anyway, I have been thinking about my happiness lately and have come to the conclusion that I am happy. This is annoying. If you saw a chicken as happy as me, I'll.... You need to be a FACTSnet blog Coordinator (see FACTSnet blog) to access the rest of the comments. See Creative yet inappropriate comments from ESSMY session

Additional comments

If you wish to include a summary of themes that emerged from the discussions, please include it here (optional):

Look at the themes for all comments and make comments.

Summary (Name or Description of Event)

2. Date:

The 18th of June, 2009

3. Location:

ESSMY

4a. Name of Organizer:

David Ibsen

4b. Organizer Contact Information:

Organization: Family and Community Twining Society
Address: 510 Queen Street, Spruce Grove, AB
E-mail: david.ibsen@ualberta.net
Contact Number: H 780-962-8539 M 780-993-7539


5. Conversation participants: see http://inspedsae.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-are-participants-in-your-group.html

Optional: Comments on Using Blogger

This is not part of the Inspiring Education Conversation but feedback on using blogger to facilitate conversations. The feedback will contribute to the CINet Dialog Protocol online conversation.

Use name/url to identify what feature of blogger you are commenting on. Then make comments about using blogger.

Activities 1-5 as reported to Alberta Education

ACTIVITY 1 NOTES – Table Activity: Picture Activity on Past Learning Facilitator direction to participants: Take a moment to think about your past learning experiences. Choose one picture that best reflects your thoughts and feelings towards your past learning experiences. Recorder directions: Record the image/photo selected with identifier and the reason/associated story.
Identify image (photo) and the identifier; e.g., Young child blowing bubbles and photo identifier letter		Why did they pick the photo and what story does it remind them of
A1 Candle		Although there are many pictures in this series which remind me of educational experiences I have opted for the candle for two reasons. Firstly, when I was travelling through South America I remember children without electricity reading by candle light. If you have ever read by candle light, you indubitably know that it is not the easiest way to read. Yet, these children's desire to read and learn was so strong that even by candle light they read. Secondly, on a metaphorical plane the candle reminds me of an allegory on knowledge which speaks to the idea that knowledge can be passed on from one person to the other without lost by the former. In fact, this act of passing on knowledge furthers everyone's perspective, as with more candles lit, all can see better.
A60 Space ShuttleLaunch		As a family we were once in Orlando for a space launch. That truly was a life changing experience - and seeing all the history at the Kennedy Space Centre.
a-19 carnival		I love rides so we choose a-19 carnival
A26 Different perspective		because the girl has high self-esteem.
A36 Boy playing guitar		apparently I has no say in what picture we choose so mys group likes guitar so pick it.
A34 Children in The Playground		I remember playing in the playground in elementary school during recess. I have so many great memories and other not so good ones that all contributed to my learning experiences.
A32 Mother holding child's hand.		the picture is cute and moving. The love between a mother and child = &e
A39 Jumping into a Freefall		Flying is the art of throwing yourself at the ground and missing. I think we all jump at one point or another in our lives and it is up to many forces whether or not we land the jump. Some things, like pulling the rope to unleash the parachute, we can control. But what happens when on the way down, the wind accidentally blows us into a turbine of an oncoming jet... Sometines, life is a gamble. But that is what makes things interesting.
A18 Peeling Paint		because it looks neat and interesting. Kind of like a good book, with a nice cup of coffee.
		i picked this image because the guitar that he has is the same model of guitar that i have and it was my very first electric guitar
A39 Jumping into a Freefall		I chose this picture because it's cool
A48 Earth Pattern		It looks pretty trippy, so its cool and so is space.
A4 Space		I chose this picture because it's fascinating.
A9 A Room in the Louvre		A9 A Room in the Louvre i chose this one because i enjoy ancient museums.
A15 Argiope Spider		The spider reminds me of all the webs I've tangled myself in while trying to learn new things.
A7 Seagulls		We all start somewhere and end up somewhere completely different. The seagulls are symbolic of the fact that I started, so long ago and have soared to new heights at every level. Like a seagull in the sky, I feel free and liberated because of everything that I have accomplished during my education.
A17 Boy Trying to Close Door		We all face challenges in life, like this boy tryng to close the door. With some effort, we will be able to succeed.
A66 Child Kicking a Soccer Ball		This picture represents that we kept pursuing things even if it was hard.
A44 Friends Relaxing around a Beach Fire		i love camping and going to the lake with my family and having campfires with my friends
A44 Friends Relaxing around a Beach Fire		Friends Relaxing around a Beach Fire i chose this because i spend all my time with my bffs!!! luvv uuuuuus <3333
A65 Satellite Image of North Ecuador Volcanoes
A30 Child at Waters		Edge because at some time we are all at the edge of something new and we dip our toes in before we can completely dive in
A42 Cars on Wet Street		i loove new york and this looks like new york but there is no cabs and way less cars and no people so i guess i like busy cities but this picture isnt really a busy city it was just the closest i could find.
A40 Boy With Balloons		The little boy is soo cute and i love ballons its a happy picture. haha!
A46 Baby Chick		In elementary, im not sure how my teacher did this, but she got some baby chickens in our class, and we learned from that.Everyday my class would observe the chick too see if they've hatched yet, and once they did, we watched as they grew up.
A46 Baby Chick		When i went to Father Jan, i'm not sure how she got the chicks but our teacher got about 5- 8 baby chickens. And we everyday we would watch them to see if they would brake out of there shells. And when they hatched all the kids would go and pick them up and let them run around. Not the greatest Idea, but.......
A32 Mother Holding Child's Hand		I picked this pic because my first learning experiences were made with my mother , my first step, first word, first bike ride, first pee on the potty and first time tying my choose :) and soooo much more without those first years of my life i wouldn't be the same person!!
A23 Above View of an Open Door		the door is open, and it should be
A32 Mother Holding		Child's Hand :I picked this pic because my first learning experiences were made with my mother , my first step, first word, first bike ride, first pee on the potty and first time tying my choose :) and soooo much more without those first years of my life i wouldn't be the same person!!
A54 Family Cooking a Holiday Dinner in the Kitchen		This picture reminds me of when I'd attempted to cook a meal and it failed miserably. Since then, I have learnt to always read directions and I also learnt that experimenting is good... and fun.
A16 Boys on Baseball Team		Because the picture is funny and it reminds me of elementary.
		Each one of them has something to do with life. People should accept all of them. No need to explain.
A42 Cars on Wet Street		I chose this picture because I thought it had a good representation of how my learning experience has been while looking back on it. When I look at it, I see the base of a great street, with sturdy walls for support, just like my family, friends, and teachers have been. But once you look onto the street, it begins to be slightly blurry, and it's like the sturdy street walls can't completely control what happens on the road. They can only feed it it's strength, then the rest is up to whatever happens along that road. That's exactly what I see as my learning experience so far in life. The walls that have built me up all these years have molded me into the person that I am, but have still left me room to grow. I have the choice to choose whatever I feel is right for myself, because of the support I've gotten from my family, friends, etc. There's so much that I want to do in my life, and I have been given nearly unlimited sources... So, I would say my past learning experiences have almost felt like, well, a blur. A big, happy, wisdom-filled, blur that I wouldn't change for a million dollars.
A14 Jet Airplane		I chose this picture because i have always had my best memories during while traveling, whether it's was simply to another province of across the oceans. Traveling to me is the best thing, it is pure pleasure to be traveling, it is my extacy.
ACTIVITY 2 NOTES – Table Activity: Picture Activity on Future Learning Facilitator question to participants: If you were born today, what hopes, dreams and aspirations would you have for your learning in the next 20 years? (What picture would you have liked to pick to reflect your ideal learning experience?) Recorder directions: Record the participants’ stated reasons and hopes.
Identify image /photo selected and the identifier; e.g., Rainbow and identifier	What does this photo represent for your hopes for future learning?
B15 Dewy Spider Web	I would opt for the web photo as it harnesses what I hope education will someday look like. It effectively encapsulates my conceptualization of what education should be: participatory, emancipating, effective, and horizontally integrated. I like to think that all the connecting points in the web are individuals and that education can be something which we share and which helps us connect. It is within this web of connections (family, community, ...) that we can come to effectively understand our world.
B12 Earth	About 12 years ago I was in Dallas attending an Educational Conference. We heard messages from several speakers. One being Marc Garneau the first Canadian astronaut in space. He had just returned on a mission and spoke about the new perspective he experienced while in space = who we all live on a small planet and how we could all communicate around the world easily and how we were all connected.
B30 Child Playing at the Beach
B2 Egypt The Great Sphinx	because i want to travel around the world
B5 rainbow over field	We chose rainbow over field because we feel that rainbows are pretty and that make you think happy things.. LIFE SHOULD BE HAPPY !! : D &e
B3Roman Amphitheater	i enjoy the roman agriculture and have been there to see this wonderful, aspiring piece in color.
B42 Night View of Chicago	Shows how were all distracted by shiny things
B31 Ocean Whirlpool	I chose this picture because I love the ocean
B4 People Viewing Starry Sky	Confinement is my greatest fear. I think that if there is one thing i want out of my education is the ability to be a free-thinker. I would hate to live my life in the typical nine to five cubicle day at the office. All that creates is drones. I don't want to be confined to the rules of society. I want to be able to provide for myself. To be able to take as much time off as i want and still not worry about making enough money to survive. I will not work for anyone but myself. Literally and figuratively. I want a say in my own life.
B21 Buffalo	i chose this pic because because It demonstrates alberta wildlife
B60 Jelly Beans	There are so many varieties and diversities in the world, so much to learn, to see and to expirience.
B2 Egypt The Great Sphinx	B2 Egypt The Great Sphinx because I feel that to learn about the future, we have to look back on the past. The ancient Egyptians, from Egypt used sand to build things. Shouldn't we also?
B2 Egypt The Great Sphinx	I think that it would be fun to travel a lot and this picture represents seeing a cool sight
B51 Baby at Computer	little lucas
B60 Jelly Beans	this represents what i want to do in 20 years because i love jelly bellies and it would be fun to have the bbest candy store in the world.
B47 Snorkeling and Feeding Tropical Fish	i wanted to be a marine biologist
B28 Kneading Dough	kneading dough is a hands on experience. a new way into learning should be with more hands on learning. sitting in a class room is boring and i want to learn how to make stuff not hear about it. it has always been a problem and annoyance of mine too be stuffed in a classroom.
	in the future we should learn how to learn
B34 Rock Climbing	People will learn how to get to new heights.
B4 People Viewing Starry Sky	because it shows an interest in learning everything possible
B42 Night View of Chicago	I picked a picture of the city because my future learning will be about society and how to survive on my own and take care of myself and live on my own !! my future learning will be more street smart then book smart!!
B46 Gorilla in Tree	Maybe later on people will learn how to take care of the environment
B3Roman Amphitheater	I would really like to learn more about ancient times and really understand how things worked.
B4	It's the universe
B33 Silhouette of Hot Air Balloon	I chose this picture because this is what I hope for not only myself when it comes to education, but I hope this is what education enables us to see, which is the beauty of not only success, but failure, and how failing can bring us higher and higher to our potential as people. Never limiting ones' self to what you want to do or who you want to be is such an important thing for me, especially with the aspirations I have, and I wish that education can help others around the world to see that as well. This picture makes me feel settled, excited, and hopeful to what would and could be, as long as we all set our minds to it. We really can achieve great heights- all we have to do is believe we can.
B4 People Viewing Starry Sky	I chose this picture because i find that outer space is fascinating, and exploring, even only a part, this vast out known would be a great accomplishment for us.

ACTIVITY 3 NOTES – Table Activity: Conversation on Learning Facilitator questions to participants: §         What words, phrases or images do you remember hearing or seeing? §         What did you hear that we had in common? Recorder directions: Record what your table says in response to the second question asked.
What did we have in common?
Online Inspiring Education Group 1 said...     The smallness of the world (interconnectivity) was a recurrent theme. The notion of globalization and the fact that the world is interconnected also came up. group 9: we both started to talk about music and its influences on our lives. Group 4 : we all decided on the same pictures and agreed on their meaning.. p.s they were veeery pretty &e smiley face Group 8 said...     We had different pictures and we decided that they are a way to escape our real lives, and go into the fictional lives of monkeys, and fire, and museums. We all thought that our pictures held secret metaphors that only smart people would figure out. Finally, we all agree that our pictures have a special meaning to all of us, and that they influence our lives greatly. Thank you. B9 Students StudyingSkeleton- I find biology and medicine to be very interesting. ... I agree with group 8. I am answering these individually, so i am not comparing with my group. They do not agree with me anyway. To me, B4 People Viewing Starry Sky is an escapist view on life, reversed into realism. We all have our dreams, and the photography of life is a constant metaphor of said dreams. ... We all strive to be successful individuals and these pictures all show what we aspire to do or become in the future. group 10 said...     we all have very big aspirations and are very interested in exploring the world, trying and seeing new things. we think that our education should be more adventurous and hands on hopefully the system is improved by the time we have kids old enough to go to school. Group 14 said...     We both chose pictures that connected. The Roman Ampthiteater and B4 are similar because they both connect to the universe and history. And the Family cooking together and and the candle both symbolize family and unity.
ACTIVITY 4 NOTES – Table Activity: “I-mail” Facilitator directions to participants: You have an opportunity to send an “I-mail” (“I” for inspiring) message to someone of your choice about what is really important to you about learning in 20 years. Address it as follows: §         To: ... §         When I think of learning in 20 years, I hope... (Participants may write their message on an index card to be collected on completion). Recorder directions: Collect the messages and record below.
I-mail Capture the inspiring message	To Whom the “I” Message is addressed / being sent
I hope I am able to leave you our family heritage in digital format which can be upgraded by your children and that they will have the opportunity to use it for school projects.	To My Daughter
I hope we have the following understanding of what education can be: Success begins the moment we understand that life is about growing; it is about acquiring the knowledge and skills we need to live more fully and effectively. Life is meant to be a never-ending education, and when we are no longer survivors, but adventurers, life becomes a journey of discovery, an exploration into our potential. Any joy and exuberance we experience in living are the fruits of our willingness to risk, our openness to change and our ability to create what we want for our lives.
to inspire is to bestow your wisdom upon another living thing. to inspire isn't an easy feat you have to dig deep. We hope this inspired you.Do your best ...always ...always grow...grow always.
I believe that we should learn new exotic things such as flying or fire breathing in twenty years because it could help us escape any dangerous situations!
I want to go to a school where they teach you what you NEED to know, not what you're SUPPOSED to know. When on earth am i going to need to know how to calculate the circumference of a cow? I know that some jobs may require said skill, so i am not opposed to learning some material like that. But the things is, they leave out ALL of the important things. The school system's attempts to brainwash us are surprisingly affective. Unless you're bad. Now i know why some people like doing drugs or sneaking out or selling themselves for money. i don't exactly agree that it's right... but i know what they are trying to do. They are living their lives the way THEY want to. i'm the one who has to die when it comes time for me to die, so let me live my life, the way i want to. You can waste your life staying within boundaries or you can live your life crossing them. some lines are too dangerous to cross...but if you throw caution to the wind and take a chance, the view from the other side is spectacular.

ACTIVITY 5 NOTES – Table Activity: Theme Exercise on Qualities and Abilities of an Albertan in the 21st Century Facilitator questions and directions to participants: What qualities and abilities will an Albertan need in 2029? The facilitator will then ask the group to prepare a number of sticky cards with phrases that respond to the question. Optional: What did we see in common? What common themes do we see? The facilitator will ask participants to put stickies under common themes. Recorder directions: Record the theme name (optional) and, in the row to the right, the list of qualities and abilities that correspond to that group of stickies.
Theme Name (Optional)	“Sticky Cards” (or Index Cards) Included in the Group
	There is a need to keep learning while understanding that change is constant. The pace of development is such that we must learn to learn because careers and technologies of the future have not been invented yet.
	The qualities necessary of an Alberta will in many ways remain the same. The Albertans of the future will need to maintain the qualities that have made this province what it is. He will need to keep the attitudes which were so common in the days of pioneers; those of community, diligence, and drive. These are essential qualities which we cannot lose sight of if we wish to continue developing a great province.
	group 9: Albertans will need to push through this tets (tough economic times) and remain one large community. As for students they need to be as helpful as they can
	you have to push through everything you do. and we have to finish everything we start ;)