CATCA 2026-Feb 19 and 20 in Person and Post Recording Videos till May 31st: Full Schedule

-Pre-recorded: 2026 President Schilling’s Convention Address: https://youtu.be/uZmsvjr-pCo

-The main event will occur at RDP (Red Deer Polytechnic)

-The Social will happen on Feb 19 after the last session in the Main Stage Foyer, do sign up by including it in your schedule

-Edcamp sessions all occur on Feb 20 Session 5, watch the following to understand what an Edcamp event is all about
https://youtu.be/uIHonn97TJk

-A few sessions you will need to pre-register and pay a supply fee to attend on the day

-POST RECORDING VIDEOS are availble from Feb 20th at 3:30 PM - May31st at 11:59 PM
-Be Scent Free for the event

-DO YOU HAVE ANY ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS AT THE EVENT? e.g.) quiet space, allergies, wheel chair assistance, etc.
Please reach out to [email protected]

-If you need hotel accommodations do use the following link to get a special deal for CATCA members until February 4th: https://reservations.travelclick.com/108483?groupID=5047732

9:00am MST

Digital Escape Room

Thursday February 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am MST

RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Join me for this captivating session where we’ll create our very own digital escape room. This engaging activity is perfect for concept reviews and exciting holiday activities. Students will be presented with a video hook (as seen in the example below) and then asked to solve a series of clues to "escape" or find a location from the video.Please bring your laptops, as we’ll be using online tools, including Canva and AI—to design clues tailored to your subject and classroom needs. These tools will help us build the escape room faster and more effectively, giving you something ready to use right away. To get a sneak peek of what we'll be working on, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wa1YhEtLik Please note that this session will be different than previous years

Speakers

Jennifer Mahal

My name is Jennifer Mahal. As a teacher, I’ve had experience substituting across different schools in Calgary. I also spent time teaching Science at an academy in Hastings, UK. After my time abroad, I continued to teach in Calgary. With 11 years of teaching experience, I believe... Read More →

Thursday February 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

9:00am MST

Brains over Bots: AI-Resistant Approaches for Authentic Learning

Thursday February 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am MST

RDP ROOM 1400 (MP Theatre) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Generative AI has changed what students can produce—but not what they need to learn. This session reframes the challenge of teaching in the age of AI as a design opportunity. We’ll explore how you can create AI-resistant assignments that emphasize process, creativity, and authentic demonstrations of understanding. You’ll leave with practical strategies you can apply right away to reinforce real thinking in a world of artificial answers.

Speakers

Danny Maas

Coordinator, Professional Development, The Alberta Teachers' Association

Danny Maas is the Coordinator in the ATA's Professional Development program area. He was previously the Manager of Educational Technology with Edmonton Catholic School Division and has supported teacher professional development for the past 15 years. Danny brings a passion for evidence-based... Read More →

Thursday February 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP ROOM 1400 (MP Theatre)

Technology (TQS/LQS 2), All Divisions, Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K) | Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3), All Divisions, Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K)

10:20am MST

Planning Made Simple for Alberta’s New Curriculum

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM 2600 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Description: Adapting to Alberta’s new curriculum takes time, energy, and a whole lot of planning - and in busy classrooms, that’s not always easy to find. This session is all about making that process feel a little more manageable.
We’ll explore Edwin, a digital learning platform built with Alberta educators in mind. It brings together curriculum-aligned content, ready-to-go lessons, and built-in supports—so you can plan faster, teach with confidence, and support every learner without piecing it all together yourself.
You’ll leave this session with:
Easy ways to find high-quality resources that match the curriculum
Tools to support different learning needs in one place
Time-saving strategies for planning and prep
New ideas to bring into your classroom right away
Whether you’re just getting started with the new curriculum or looking for ways to streamline your approach, this session will offer practical tips and tools to help you feel more prepared and supported in your teaching.

Speakers

David Haight

Nelson

Nelson is proud to be Canada’s leading education content provider, empowering pre K–12 educators and students for over a century. Our unwavering commitment to meeting the unique needs of students, teachers, and administrators has positioned us as a trusted partner in education... Read More →

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM 2600

10:20am MST

SOUNDING THE ALARM: SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM 1400 (MP Theatre) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Social media is a major contributing factor to the increase in anxiety and depression and teen suicide deaths over the past 10 years. Healthcare professionals, governments, educators, and child advocates, are sounding the alarm about the impact of social media on our youth. National award-winning speaker, mental health advocate, and social media expert, Wade Sorochan, provides the latest information on how social media is impacting todays’ youth, along with vital recommendations for parents and educators to keep kids safe. Learn about current lawsuits and recommended bans, risky online behaviour causing injury and death, whether cellphones should be allowed in schools, and more. Wade Sorochan is the author of the ground-breaking book Unsocial Media: Virtual World Causing Real World Anxiety.

Speakers

Wade Sorochan

Owner, Wade Sorochan Communications

Wade Sorochan is an accomplished broadcaster and national award-winning speaker, author and mental health advocate. Nicknamed the "Tone Arm," Wade became the first broadcaster in history to spontaneously use song clips to enhance a radio talk show. As a mental illness survivor, Wade... Read More →

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM 1400 (MP Theatre)

10:20am MST

Mindfulness and Teacher Wellness

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

This session is perfect for first-year teachers but a refresher for any teacher looking to build strong foundations for personal and professional well-being. Together, we'll explore essential strategies for organizing your time and life to foster teacher wellness. Topics will include effective time management, stress reduction techniques, and creating a calm classroom environment. Let’s work smarter, not harder, to ensure that we take care of ourselves just as well as we take care of our students.

Speakers

Jennifer Mahal

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

10:20am MST

Where Math Comes From (And Why It Matters For Your Teaching)

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM 2305 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

What are numbers? What is the nature of mathematics? This debate, which stretches back thousands of years, may sound abstract, but how you answer these questions has an impact on how you teach math in your classroom. This presentation will explain how ancient, medieval, and modern thinkers have answered this question, and how those answers have had influenced everything from computer science to religious philosophy. It will also show pragmatically how reflecting on this topic can potentially improve your own professional practice.

Speakers

Brett Fawcett

Brett Fawcett is a secondary humanities and Latin teacher at St. Isidore Learning Center, an online outreach school based in Sherwood Park. He has taught elementary and high school classes at an Alberta curriculum school in China and holds a doctorate of education from the University... Read More →

Where Math Comes From (And Why It Matters For Your Teaching) 2 pdf

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM 2305

Mathematics (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Religious & Moral Education (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Science (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Social Studies (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

10:20am MST

Which Chatbot is right for me?

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM 2601 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Which generative AI model (ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) is the best for what you do? This session compares the effectiveness of models in different tasks (math, graphs, text, academic work, etc.) and introduces attendees to models for image creation, summarizing information, writing emails, and coding. Want to get better output from your AI? This session explores prompt engineering. What makes a good prompt? Warning, if your students know this, it is much harder to detect their cheating. Companies are tuning AI models and offering amended versions as a service. What is retrieval augmented generative AI and how does it work? What do you look for if you are using one of these services? The session will conclude with examples of AI projects by Red Deer Polytechnic Bachelor of Business Administration Degree students and Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics Diploma and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate students.

Speakers

Dr. Stephanie Powers

Donald School of Business, Red Deer Polytechnic

Dr. Powers is a Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) professor in both the Donald School of Business and the School of Trades and Technology. Red Deer Polytechnic teaches Business students to code in Python. Business students develop AI solutions to make companies more efficient and effective... Read More →

Chatbots CATCA 2026 pdf

Thursday February 19, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM 2601

11:40am MST

Canva in the Classroom

Thursday February 19, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Canva is a powerful, cloud-based platform that allows educators to create a wide range of classroom tools including videos, worksheets, posters, cards, and invitations. Bring your laptop for this interactive session, where we’ll explore the ins and outs of Canva together. By the end of our session, you’ll leave with a resource you can use in your next lesson or a lesson plan that empowers your students to create with Canva.

Speakers

Jennifer Mahal

Thursday February 19, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Art (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Assessment (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Social Studies (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Science (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Mathematics (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

11:40am MST

Failure in Coding

Thursday February 19, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP Room 1303 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Interested in adding more coding instruction to your everyday teaching practice, but terrified of the idea of things not working? This session will provide you with a framework to build resiliency and reflection into your coding education and deal with those unexpected moments when the code goes wrong. Using the computational thinking model as a base, we will delve into those awkward feeling moments and learn how to change the conversation around failure. Failure is not the end of a project, but an opportunity to reflect, change, and learn. Modelling failure and how to “get unstuck” will help your students be better computational thinkers and problem solvers! Please bring a laptop, Chromebook, or tablet to this session.

Speakers

Maura Armstrong

Director, Education, Maura Armstrong

TELUS World of Science - Edmonton inspires life-long learning as we create a positive science and technology culture in our region. Enjoy our themed galleries, Zeidler Dome, IMAX Theatre, and Science Stage. We offer an array of in-person and virtual school programs. Our programs are... Read More →

1. Failure in Coding Presentation pdf

2. Variables Mini Lesson Plan pdf

3. Conditionals Mini Lesson PLan pdf

4. Loops Mini Lesson Plan pdf

5. MakeCode Arcade Tic Tac Toe Challenges pdf

6. Failure in Coding Broken Game links pdf

7. Collect and Evade Game Guide pdf

8. Basic Platformer Guide pdf

9. Maze Game Guide pdf

10. Multiple Choice Trivia pdf

11. Failure in Coding Summative Creation Activity pdf

Thursday February 19, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1303

Science (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

1:00pm MST

AI in Education: What's Working, What's Not, and What's Next

Thursday February 19, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP MAIN STAGE/ AC117 (ARTS CENTRE) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Maybe you're already experimenting with AI tools and wondering if you're doing it right. Maybe you aren't sure we should be using them at all. But almost everyone wants to know what other schools and districts are actually doing, what your students are already up to, and where all this is heading.
After hundreds of hours as an AI Ethics researcher and working with thousands of educators this year from New York to California, here's what I can tell you: there's no "right" place to be in your AI journey, but there IS a right way to approach it. And that approach includes understanding the landscape.
This keynote gives you the real picture - what's working, what's not, and what we're seeing across the education landscape right now. We'll talk tools, cut through the noise on AI detection, and look at what the research is telling us about where to actually spend your time (and not).
You'll leave with clarity on next steps - whether that's your classroom practice, your building's approach, or your division's path toward smart AI guidelines. Whether you're a skeptic, a believer, or somewhere in the middle, you'll walk away with both practical direction and a renewed sense of possibility, with the full picture in view.

Speakers

Rebecca Bultsma

Director of Communications, Westwind

Rebecca lives in the messy space between AI hype and AI reality, helping education leaders cut through the noise to find what actually works for students and educators.With 7 years of experience working directly with school boards and district administration, over 100 AI in Education... Read More →

Thursday February 19, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP MAIN STAGE/ AC117 (ARTS CENTRE)

1:00pm MST

Creating Videos with Canva

Thursday February 19, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

In classrooms, video is one of the most powerful tools for capturing attention, reinforcing learning, and making concepts stick. This hands-on session will guide you through Canva’s video features, showing how to use templates, text, images, and music to design professional looking videos with ease. We will go through transitions, tailor content to specific subjects, and quickly export and share their finished product. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with a polished video ready to use in your classroom and the confidence to create more on your own—no prior editing experience required.

Speakers

Jennifer Mahal

Thursday February 19, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP ROOM AC148 (ARTS Centre Studio C) 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Technology (TQS/LQS 2), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Learning Commons & Makerspaces (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

10:20am MST

Wake Up "Insert School Name Here"

Friday February 20, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM 1437 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

This professional learning session introduces educators to Wake Up St. Pat’s, a student-led morning announcement and media production program designed to build leadership, communication, and digital literacy across grade levels. The session will examine how the program operates in practice, including student roles, production workflows, scheduling, and assessment strategies, while demonstrating how a school-based broadcast can support curriculum outcomes across multiple subject areas. Participants will also explore how AI is now used within the program to support planning, scripting, organization, and reflection, enhancing efficiency while maintaining student voice and creativity. The session highlights practical considerations for sustainability, inclusion, and scalability, offering educators a realistic model for implementing student-led media within their own school communities.

Speakers

Michael Saretzky

Teacher

I am a middle school teacher with Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, with nearly 20 years of teaching experience across Alberta, including roles in Fox Creek and Hinton. I completed my Master’s in Educational Technology through University of British Columbia, focusing on the meaningful... Read More →

Friday February 20, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM 1437

Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

10:20am MST

Bienvenue à Scratch Junior! Votre plateforme de codage.

Friday February 20, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP ROOM AC222 (ARTS Centre) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Scratch est la plus grande communauté de codage pour enfants au monde ainsi qu’un langage de programmation visuel simple qui permet aux jeunes de créer des histoires, des jeux et des animations numériques. Développé et animé par la Fondation Scratch, un organisme à but non lucratif, Scratch favorise la pensée computationnelle, la résolution de problèmes, l’apprentissage créatif, l’expression personnelle, la collaboration et l’équité en informatique. Scratch sera toujours gratuit et est disponible en plus de 70 langues. Pendant cette session, vous apprendrez à coder avec cette plateforme (Scratch Junior) et à faire le lien au curriculum de Sciences. Aucun prérequis en programmation n’est nécessaire. Merci d’apporter votre propre ordinateur (Chromebook, Windows, Mac), car il s’agit d’une session main à la pâte. Vous repartirez avec de nombreuses ressources ainsi que la confiance nécessaire pour faciliter l’enseignement de l’informatique.

Speakers

Rock Larochelle

Consultant, Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortium

Friday February 20, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP ROOM AC222 (ARTS Centre)

French & International Languages (TQS 3), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3) | Science (TQS 3), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3) | Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3)

11:40am MST

CTRL + ALT + TEACH: My Time-Saving Sidekick AI

Friday February 20, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP ROOM 2602 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

From lesson planning to student engagement, AI has become my quirky but reliable classroom partner. I’ve used it to create student-focused poems and stories, design spiral math reviews, map out the new Social Studies curriculum, and even help with my daybook. In fact, AI even helped me put together this presentation proposal! In this session, I’ll share how I’ve used AI to save time, spark creativity, and bring fresh ideas into my teaching practice.

Speakers

Michael Saretzky

Teacher

Friday February 20, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP ROOM 2602

11:40am MST

Bienvenue à Scratch! Votre plateforme de codage.

Friday February 20, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP ROOM AC222 (ARTS Centre) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Scratch est la plus grande communauté de codage pour enfants au monde ainsi qu’un langage de programmation visuel simple qui permet aux jeunes de créer des histoires, des jeux et des animations numériques. Développé et animé par la Fondation Scratch, un organisme à but non lucratif, Scratch favorise la pensée computationnelle, la résolution de problèmes, l’apprentissage créatif, l’expression personnelle, la collaboration et l’équité en informatique. Scratch sera toujours gratuit et est disponible en plus de 70 langues. Pendant cette session, vous apprendrez à coder avec cette plateforme et à faire le lien au curriculum de Sciences. Aucun prérequis en programmation n’est nécessaire. Merci d’apporter votre propre ordinateur (Chromebook, Windows, Mac), car il s’agit d’une session main à la pâte. Vous repartirez avec de nombreuses ressources ainsi que la confiance nécessaire pour faciliter l’enseignement de l’informatique.

Speakers

Rock Larochelle

Consultant, Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortium

Friday February 20, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP ROOM AC222 (ARTS Centre)

French & International Languages (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Science (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

11:40am MST

Empowering Students to Move, Learn, and Thrive. Novel Solutions to Health and Wellness Education That Stick!

Friday February 20, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP Room AC142 (Arts Centre) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Empowering Students to Move, Learn, and Thrive: Health and Wellness Education That Sticks Across Alberta, classrooms are reaching a critical tipping point. Teachers are seeing the impact of learned inactivity, rising stress, and declining focus. Anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and suboptimal academic performance are becoming the new normal — symptoms of a larger health crisis that begins long before adulthood. The reality is sobering: 40% of today’s graduating students are projected to prematurely develop late-onset diabetes, and 60% will be diagnosed as pre-diabetic in their forties — all due to lifestyle patterns acquired and entrenched during their years in grade school. These outcomes are not inevitable; they are addressable and preventable.Through the Healthy Habits Start Here® initiative, we’ve built something far more powerful than traditional health education — a complete, field-tested behaviour-change ecosystem grounded in 29 validated Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs). Developed within education, and refined with educators, transforming K-12 wellness learning from passive knowledge into measurable, lasting action that reaches beyond the classroom, at home where real lifestyle change has to happen.We don’t just help kids move more — we help them own their health journey.

Speakers

Peter rawlek

Friday February 20, 2026 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room AC142 (Arts Centre)

1:00pm MST

Press Start: Launching Your School Esports Program

Friday February 20, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP ROOM 1437 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

In this session, I’ll share our journey of transforming an after-school esports club into a successful, competitive team. What began with a mix of systems and casual games has since evolved into a structured program focused on league play. Along the way, we’ve built a team culture, refined our approach, and found success at both the provincial and national levels. This session will highlight the steps, challenges, and strategies that helped us level up from casual play to championship competition, offering insights that other schools can adapt to their own programs.

Speakers

Michael Saretzky

Teacher

Friday February 20, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP ROOM 1437

Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), All Divisions, Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

1:00pm MST

Initiez vos élèves à l’IA avec Teachable Machine et micro:bit.

Friday February 20, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP ROOM AC222 (ARTS Centre) @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Dans cet atelier interactif, vous découvrirez à quel point il est facile d’intégrer l’intelligence artificielle en classe. Les participants apprendront à coder avec Teachable Machine de Google, à créer et entraîner leur propre modèle d’IA, puis à le transférer sur un micro:bit afin de réaliser un exemple pratique et concret d’IA en action. Il s’agit d’une session main à la pâte - merci d’apporter votre propre ordinateur (de préférence un Chromebook) ainsi qu’un téléphone intelligent. Les micro:bits seront fournis pendant l’atelier, et vous recevrez ensuite toute l’information nécessaire pour savoir où vous en procurer. Tous les logiciels utilisés sont gratuits, disponibles en français, et conçus avec un codage visuel, ce qui les rend accessibles à tous les élèves, sans expérience préalable. Vous verrez aussi comment ces activités s’arriment directement au curriculum de Sciences. Aucun prérequis - il suffit de retrousser vos manches et d’explorer!

Speakers

Rock Larochelle

Consultant, Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortium

Friday February 20, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP ROOM AC222 (ARTS Centre)

2:15pm MST

EDCAMP: K-12 Technology [Maximizing AI in your teaching]

Friday February 20, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm MST

RDP ROOM 2602 @ 100 College Blvd, Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5

Edcamp session where you will have the opportunity to share and collaborate with other teachers in Central Alberta. Do use the following document to share your progress:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ybv2WbO_80t9zWDm_Hhu3cMhN_MzEcMtuPBbbkKQPvk/edit?usp=sharing

Speakers