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TAS

Hands-on Exploration of the Operating System Layer

Explore Field Effect’s Ottawa cloud-based cyber range – the same one that the Canadian Forces uses for cyber training! On a Chromebook you can work in Windows or Linux virtual machines and develop the hands-on IT and networking skills required to approach interdisciplinary cybersecurity challenges – all provided freely by ICTC through federal Cancode funding. Any web-based device will work but a keyboard and mouse are handy for navigation. Introductory activities raise awareness of operating systems and build fundamental navigation skills on popular OSes. Interdisciplinary advanced cyber activities assume these fundamental skills and provide a framework for getting into concepts like firewalls, encryption and defensive operations.

Learning (& Teaching) Electronics through Simulation

Learn how to use Tinkercad’s powerful electronic circuits simulator to demonstrate and teach everything from Ohm’s law and electrical fundamentals all the way to advanced circuits and microcontroller programming. This hands-on session is designed to help you get started using Tinkercad as an electronics teaching tool, as well as to show you some best practices for creating useful Tinkercad circuits for the classroom.

Design Thinking approaches to STEM courses – Computer Science and Technology

Design Thinking is an approach to solving difficult problems, widely adopted in industry and healthcare. This interactive presentation will introduce the topic and discuss how it can be integrated into the high school curriculum, particularly in ICD2O and TAS1O. DT is used in many technology areas, and we welcome input from teachers in all areas of technology, but our examples will mostly be related to software—our area of expertise.

  • What is Design Thinking, and why is DT used from startups to IBM and Apple?
  • History of Design Science and Design Thinking.
  • Role of empathy.
  • Failure modes we have observed and how to avoid them.
  • Characteristics of a good design problem and one which has worked for us: “This is your grandfather’s gaming app.” 
  • What do professionals use for DT, and should you introduce students to them? 
  • Design Journey Dashboard: Our research project addressing bottlenecks to scaling up teaching of design.
  • Reading list for delving deeper.

Implementing Unreal Engine in TAS, ICD, and TGJ

This workshop will empower TAS, ICD and TGJ teachers to integrate industry-standard tools into their classrooms. Participants will explore how Unreal Engine bridges technical problem-solving and creative storytelling, aligning with curriculum expectations for both the Skilled Trades, Computer Studies and Media Production.

Through a project-based approach, we will cover:

  • Unreal Engine Fundamentals: Navigating the interface and project setup.
  • Game Logic & Design: Game components and level design (TAS and ICD design requirements).
  • Media & Virtual Production: Digital storytelling, animation, and real-time gameplay capture (TGJ production workflows).

Whether your focus is engineering a functional game or the cinematic possibilities of a virtual set, this workshop will provide a framework for the use of Unreal Engine to meet curriculum expectations and help develop student skills using professional-grade digital tools.

This will be a hand-on workshop. Attendees of this workshop must have a downloaded and installed version of Unreal Engine to participate fully. ( https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download ) 

Reclaiming Thinking: Crafting AI-Resilient, Student-Centered Assignments

Generative AI has revealed a persistent issue in assessment design: many traditional assignments can be completed without sustained student thinking. Instead of attempting to make assignments “AI-proof,” this session examines how to design AI-resilient, student-centered tasks that make thinking visible, authentic, and accessible. Grounded in the ADAPT framework (Authentic, Dynamic, Active, Personalized, Transparent), the session introduces the Assignment Strengthener custom GPT as a practical design aid for stress-testing and strengthening assignments. Participants will see concrete examples across subject areas and leave with clear strategies for creating assignments that function effectively in AI-rich classrooms.

TAS 1O1: A Roadmap for Teachers

TAS presents a challenge at schools where you don’t have an established tech program with shops and tech qualified teachers. This year at Riverdale we faced running the largest course by section with almost no qualified teachers. We will share our model and resources for our four unit program touching on robotics, circuits, graphic and tech design. And how we embedded learning skills and safety routines throughout the course.

Practical Machine Learning with micro:bits

This hands-on session explores a practical, beginner-friendly approach to introducing machine learning in the classroom. By using micro:bits and the CreateAI platform, we will transition from “Rule-Based” Computational Thinking 1.0 to “Data-Driven” Computational Thinking 2.0.

Participants will engage in the full machine learning lifecycle—collecting, filtering, and “massaging” data to train custom models. We will also discuss the critical role of representative data and how non-representative samples lead to model bias. Discover how to use the micro:bit to enhance lessons across various curriculum areas, bridging the gap between hardware and intelligent software.

Labyrinth Game with Kid.js

The activity uses the motion sensors in a tablet or smartphone to recreate the classic wooden labyrinth game. A fun introduction to JavaScript, starts off simple and builds to cover more complex topics including arrays, objects and algorithms. More information on the activity can be found here: https://kidjs.app/activities/labyrinth