CATCA 2025: Full Schedule

9:00am MST

AI Prompting for Teacher Success

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

Discover how to harness the power of AI chatbots like ChatGPT to enhance your teaching practice! In this hands-on professional development session, you’ll learn how to craft effective prompts to get tailored, high-quality results including generating engaging lesson plans, creating differentiated instructional materials, or brainstorming new pedagogical strategies. Perfect for beginners and seasoned tech users alike, this session will equip you with practical skills to use AI as a creative collaborator and thinking partner. Leave with ready-to-use examples, prompt templates, and confidence to make AI work for you in the classroom.

Speakers

Terra Kaliszuk

Executive Staff Officer, Professional Development, The Alberta Teachers' Association

Terra Kaliszuk is an Executive Staff Officer in the Professional Development program area of the Alberta Teachers' Association. She brings a passion for understanding and supporting the human journey of learning to all of her work. Terra has led professional learning work for the... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1400 (MP Theatre)

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

9:00am MST

The Soul of AI: Do Artificial Intelligence machines have souls?

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

RDP Room AC222 (Arts Centre)

Increasingly sophisticated displays of artificial intelligence such as CHATGPT has elicited variegated responses ranging from experts decrying the need for regulation to educators embracing new possibilities for lesson planning and student learning. While many marvel at the alacrity by which AI churns out elaborate responses, AI is forcing people to ask themselves questions such as “what exactly divides humanity from machines?” This talk, designed for religious educators, delves into that question. One obvious answer is that machines don’t have souls. But is that really the case? And if so, why? Here we look at what exactly is a soul in light of Sacred Scripture as well as ancient and modern philosophy with the aim of better grasping what human-AI distinctions.

Speakers

Gerard Mclarney

Teacher, Elk Island Catholic Schools

Dr. McLarney teaches at St. Isidore Learning Center in Sherwood Park AB., and serves as a sessional instructor at St. Joseph's College, University of Alberta. His academic interests include Religious Education, World Religions, J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as Sacred Scripture. His doctorate... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room AC222 (Arts Centre)

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

10:20am MST

Using AI to Enhance Human-Centered Work

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP Room 2501

Join this workshop to explore strategies that leverage AI to enhance communication and connection. We will explore the intersection of AI and our social and emotional world, professional considerations for leveraging AI tools for human-centered work, and versatile strategies that work with a variety of AI tools. Participants are encouraged to bring a device, such as a laptop or tablet, for the hands-on activities included in this workshop.

Speakers

Terra Kaliszuk

Executive Staff Officer, Professional Development, The Alberta Teachers' Association

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 2501

11:40am MST

Hands-on Minds On: The Intersection of Trades and STEM in K-12 Education

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP Room 2303

Dive into an Alberta-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiative in partnership with Lethbridge Polytechnic that enriches K-12 education with practical trades experience. The session features an interactive opportunity for you to be in your students’ shoes to explore and engage with our free digital and hands-on resources. We'll start with a brief overview of the project and its connections to the mathematics and science curricula and industry. You will then spend the majority of the session interacting with the activities and resources that can be immediately implemented into your practice. We will seek your feedback on classroom application and potential resources. You’ll leave better equipped to answer the question of “Why do I need to learn this?” by connecting mathematics and science concepts to students’ everyday lives.

Speakers

Jöelle Lavergne

Kiri Stolz

Your Partner in STEM - Lethbridge Polytechnic

Lethbridge Polytechnic

Lethbridge Polytechnic: Your Partner in STEM are passionate advocates for the intersection of trades and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects in K-12 education. They play pivotal roles in developing and implementing an innovative STEM initiative in collaboration... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 2303

Mathematics (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 1 (Gr 1-3) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 1 (Gr 1-3) | Science (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 1 (Gr 1-3)

11:40am MST

Game On! Teaching K-6 Computer Science with MakeCode Arcade

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 2:00pm MST

RDP Room 2601

Discover how to bring the new K-6 Computer Science curriculum to life through engaging game development projects using MakeCode Arcade! In this hands-on session, educators will explore the basics of game design and coding, all while aligning with key curriculum outcomes. No prior experience in coding or game development is required—participants will learn how to guide students in creating their own pixelated games using an intuitive, block-based coding platform. By the end of the session, you’ll walk away with practical strategies and lesson ideas to inspire creativity and computational thinking in your classroom.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All attendees must have a laptop for this session as we will be building a game together.

Speakers

Scott Blenkhorne

Scott Blenkhorne is currently a Specialist with the Teaching and Learning with Technology team at the Calgary Board of Education and has been an educator for the past 17 years, teaching Math, Science, and Computer Science to students from grades 6 - 12. He learned how to code websites... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 2601

Science (TQS 3), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6) | Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6)

9:00am MST

Computational Thinking 101: Foundations for Every Educator

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

RDP Room 1328

Unlock the power of computational thinking for you and your students! Discover how computational thinking can enhance problem-solving skills while connecting with storytelling, nature, art, and more. This session provides a gentle introduction to core concepts found in the new curriculum such as decomposition, abstraction, and algorithms. Through exploring a variety of activities, both plugged-in and unplugged, you’ll learn how to seamlessly incorporate these principles into your classroom regardless of subject or grade level. No prior experience in teaching computer science needed!
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 →

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1328

Science (TQS 3), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6)

1:00pm MST

Build Conceptual Understanding Using Online Math Simulations - Grades 1 and 2

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP Room AC160 (Arts Centre)

Discover how Gizmos online simulations can encourage young students to think like mathematicians. Explore the use of online simulations to enhance conceptual understanding, fostering student confidence in mathematics. Engage in a structured lesson aligned with the new Division 1 math curriculum, and access ready-to-use Gizmos classroom resources. Access to Gizmos for K-6 teachers has been provided by Alberta Education. Teachers are encouraged to bring a device.

Speakers

Karen Blumhagen

Implementation Coordinator, Alberta, ExploreLearning

Karen Blumhagen is an Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning. She has over thirty years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, learning facilitator, and administrator. Karen has observed firsthand the positive impacts of online simulations on student understanding... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room AC160 (Arts Centre)

Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 1 (Gr 1-3) | Mathematics (TQS 3), Division 1 (Gr 1-3)