The third edition of the Digital Day in Education (JNÉ), held on November 5, 2021, began with a very inspiring message from literature professor Jean-Yves Fréchette, well known for his ability to play with words and language.
“I'm not here to talk to you about the future or about artificial intelligence. I am not interested in the future. The future is vague and vague. Let's talk about the present. This is how Jean-Yves Fréchette began his speech, both colorful and poetic. He took advantage of the moment to lead the participants into a real lyrical soaring.
Professor of literature for 35 years, Jean-Yves Fréchette knows a thing or two about words. Over the years, he has led several educational projects aimed at playing with words and literary forms. One of his projects even earned him an entry in the Guinness Book of Records!
According to him, the word PROF is extraordinary because it is expressed as follows:
Pprofessional
Redgy
Oopen
Fsmart or Fhigh school
When he started teaching, Mr. Fréchette did not have all the tools available to teachers today. “You could look primitive with the few resources you had. We had nothing! Today, we are fortunate to be able to count on the digital which makes it possible to explode forms and ideas. "
Create above all
On the other hand, beyond the tools, the important thing for the teacher, in his opinion, is to generate a passion for learning in young people. “Let’s not be subjected to different technologies. It is the process of creation that is important. Let's develop mental gymnastics, insight and the ability to make connections in our students. To create is not always to invent something new. To create is to bring together existing elements and give them a new meaning. ".
He pointed out that it is possible to develop "digital thinking" without having a computer or electronic device in your hands. Collaborative work, brain storms, word clouds, mind maps, these are things that are part of the digital world today, but already existed. “You can cut, copy, paste words and ideas in your head or on a sheet. "
Take risks
In conclusion, he called on teachers to be bold, take risks and try new ways of doing things. “Creativity does not kill, neither speech nor daring. But the silence locks up. "
“Don't give up on your pedagogical fantasies. Surround yourself and follow through with your ideas. I would rather pass for crazy than to go straight. And the school should especially not go straight. Have fun in class! Be the humans of the moment! "
The best feedback will be the immediate reaction of your students in class, he concluded.
Opening remarks
At the opening of the JNÉ, Jean-François Roberge, Minister of Education of Quebec, also addressed the participants. He recalled the opportunities offered by digital technology, in particular to make educational differentiation. He also announced the launch of the My Class platform, which will allow teachers to create, save and share educational resources. We will get back to you.
Subsequently, the Minister responsible for government digital transformation, Eric Caire, also took the floor to invite participants to put themselves in a “digital” state of mind, in a position of learning and welcoming change.
Digital Day in Education is organized annually by the Quebec Ministry of Education. Its objective is to improve the supply of training resources for school staff, both in the network of public and private schools and in that of Aboriginal education organizations. This training day is an opportunity to train in the educational use of digital technology and to share innovative professional practices. It is part of the implementation of the Digital Education Action Plan.
You could not participate in all the workshops that interested you? Note that all of the “conference” -type workshops should be available on the Department's YouTube channel as of November 10.
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