The territory covered by Central Quebec is vast, including all the central and northern regions of the province. Consequently, the English school board’s schools are geographically dispersed and distant from each other. Furthermore, most schools follow the same school calendars as the French schools in their respective regions.
Yannik Blier, Pedagogical Consultant responsible for digital integration, explains that organizing professional development activities has become increasingly complex. Although virtual meetings are possible, coordinating attendance among multiple individuals is nearly impossible, making it essential to tailor events specifically for different settings.
The scarcity of English-language educational resources in Quebec is a persistent issue, especially in the realm of teacher professional development. “Generally speaking, we find ourselves adapting what has been produced in English elsewhere. The links with the Quebec Education Program are not there. The cultural reality is not the same. As for French-language resources, they have to be translated, which causes delays.”
So when Yannik heard about the availability of EngagED Learning magazine, which is published three times a year with the specific purpose of contributing to the professional development of Quebec and Canadian teaching staff, he immediately saw the benefits of subscribing the entire school board. “We really appreciate the fact that we have Quebec resources in English that fit our reality.”
In practical terms, all teaching staff have access to the digital version of the magazine. A hard copy is also available in each school and can be accessed from the techno-pedagogical consultant. This hard copy is distributed by Yannik Blier himself via the school board’s internal mail service.
“I receive all the magazines in my office. I take the time to read the content. I then select articles that I feel are most relevant to our teaching staff, based on current priorities. I slip “post-it notes” with comments on the selected articles into each copy before sending them to the schools. For example, I may indicate the link with one of the dimensions of digital competence,” explains the pedagogical consultant.
He also notes that he sees this as an opportunity to initiate discussions with teachers. It encourages teachers to explore specific articles, without the pressure of having to read everything, or of having to identify the most relevant articles for themselves.
“Your magazine has become a vehicle for bringing the digital world to life and explaining the role of the techno-pedagogical consultant,” he says.
Motivating Through Technology to Inspire Reading, Writing and Counting
The French Version of this article is available on École branchée magazine Website.
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