ATLE Convergence 2025

Fear is the mind killer. Trying to teach subjects that cause fear in students is an impossible challenge, but immersive simulations offer an approach that leverages 'respawn and retry' gaming culture to put a pin in that fear balloon and get students into the zone of proximal development. Instead of scared and unengaged, tackling subjects like cybersecurity or quantum technologies, that many find overwhelming, through immersive simulation brings iteration and fear free experimentation into the equation in an emotionally empowering manner.

2020 changed how education was delivered to students across the province. The fall of 2020 saw districts creating programs to address students learning from home. I was one of the teachers in my district that built this airplane while flying it. Four years later, this program has only grown in our little corner of the province. Remote Learning has evolved and taken hold in Alternative Education and it is not just for pandemics and homeschooling. We now have students and families who seek out Alternative Education programs because it works for them but also allows students who are in rural areas to access courses they might not be able to due to a variety of reasons. But how do you engage students from all around to not just learn the content, but also engage with teachers and other students to form community in a virtual world? How do we navigate the world of synchronous vs asynchronous learning? How do we address attendance issues? And what about credits for high school? Can students really learn if they are online? Answers to ALL of these questions and more will be addressed in this session! I will show some tools that I use in my virtual space to help engage. I will address the expectations and communication with parents and students that help with course completions. Also the scheduling that is needed to meet the needs of a synchronous online program. We need to revolutionize remote learning to provide students with creative and innovative education opportunities.

Discover the power of podcasts and how they can transform your classroom into an engaging and dynamic learning environment. Step into the world of podcasting as Cornelius shares his personal journey and experiences, and learn how he successfully incorporated podcasting into his curriculum. Explore the exciting project "Grade 7's Talk to Experts" where students interview professionals and gain valuable insights. Get ready to take the first step in podcasting!