CDW Canada's Teaching with Technology Contest Enters its Third Year Promoting
Technology in Education

K-12 classrooms across Canada can enter to win IT packages from CDW Canada; school board IT managers also have a chance to win this year

ETOBICOKE, ON, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - CDW Canada, a leading provider of technology solutions for Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors, today launched its third annual Teaching with Technology™ Story Contest and Sweepstakes, offering Canadian* educators and administrators opportunities to win information technology (IT) for their classrooms and schools by entering a three-tiered contest. With a total prize value of over $20,000 this year, the contest begins today and runs until Monday, February 28, 2011.

Educators and administrators can enter the Teaching with Technology contest in three ways:

• The 'Story Contest' asks entrants to describe how incorporating IT into school classrooms enhances the learning experience for their students.
• The 'Tweet UR Tech Tale' contest asks teachers to submit their technology story via Twitter in no more than 140 characters.
• A 'Sweepstakes' is open to all Canadian educators, administrators and — new this year — IT managers/staff at school boards.

"Inspired by the many terrific technology stories from devoted educators during the first two years of the Teaching with Technology contest, CDW Canada is proud to include IT managers at school boards for the first time this year," said Mary Ann Yule, General Manager, CDW Canada. "Educating students is a process that requires dedication from those in all levels of education, from the classroom, where committed teachers and administrators fill young minds with knowledge, to the school boards that provide the technology and infrastructure policies for imparting that knowledge. We appreciate the value that technology adds to this process and are excited to keep bringing this contest to Canadians." 

Entering its third year, the contest has received exceptional support from a number of CDW Canada's technology partners. Sponsors of this year's contest include the following: premier sponsors HP and AMD; gold sponsors Epson, Lenovo and Microsoft; silver sponsors BenQ, Cables To Go, Cisco, InFocus, Kodak, Netgear, OKI Data, Polycom, PolyVision and Watchguard; and bronze sponsors Sony, Targus and Xerox.

CDW Canada developed the Teaching with Technology contest in recognition of the need for educational institutions to have the best available IT tools to enhance students' education. Each year the contest presents an opportunity for Canadian educators and administrators of K-12 schools to win partial or complete IT packages to enrich the learning environments of their students. Started in 2008, the contest features three tiers of prizing each with a different entry method. Participation is easy and incorporates interactive elements providing an in-depth look at the contributions of technology to the education system.

"These tools will help me improve students' safe social networking skills by demonstrating responsible Internet behaviour and creating positive learning-based communities online," said Richmond, B.C. teacher Grace Ho, a grand-prize winner in last year's contest. "They will also enable me to hold video conferences with students across the globe, opening my classroom to the world, giving students an authentic experience and stimulating their interest in language."

Story contest submissions - Story contest submissions must be between 200-500 words and describe the role technology plays in that entrant's school or classroom.

For example:

• How have students been more engaged in the learning process since the introduction of IT equipment into the classroom?
• Discuss the role technology will play once integrated into lessons and how it will enhance the learning experience.

Stories can be submitted online at www.TeachingwithTechnology.ca, e-mail ([email protected]) or via postal mail. Online and e-mail entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 28, 2011. Mail entries must be postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 28, 2011.

A panel of IT experts will judge entries according to educational value and distinctiveness of the described technology solution. Three winners will be selected from all entries to receive one of three prize bundles. Each bundle includes a desktop computer, laptop computer, projector, printer, pocket video camera, e-reader, digital camera, document camera and hardware and laptop accessories.

Sweepstakes contest entry - Entrants for the sweepstakes have to visit www.TeachingwithTechnology.ca to be entered to win one of five prizes. Entries can also be sent via e-mail ([email protected]) or postal mail. Online and e-mail entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 28, 2011. Mail entries must be postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 28, 2011. Entrants must provide their full name and contact information along with title, school and board of current employment.

A random draw will select the five winners. Each will receive a prize consisting of either a printer, hardware bundle, e-reader, projector or netbook.

New this year, six sweepstakes prizes will be awarded to IT managers at Canadian school boards.

Tweet UR Tech Tale Contest Entry - Submissions must be made through Twitter, within the 140-character limit and include the hashtag #twtcda. The tweet must describe how the technology has been, or will be, used in the classroom or school. Tweets must be posted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 28, 2011.

The contest can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/teaching_w_tech. The winner will be selected by a panel of judges based on the creativity, relevance and educational value of their tweet. One winner will receive an interactive whiteboard.

Complete rules and regulations for all three contests are available at www.TeachingwithTechnology.ca.

For more information about the contest and to read last year's winning submissions, please visit www.TeachingwithTechnology.ca.

For holiday lesson ideas and to read the article 12 Holiday Websites that bring the Spirit of the Season into your Classroom, visit http://www.teachingwithtechnology.ca/tipsandtools2.php

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/teaching_w_tech.

Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeachingwithTechnology

For more information about CDW Canada, please visit www.cdw.ca.

* The Contest is open to legal residents of (who are currently living in) Canada. Residents of (who are currently living in) Quebec are not eligible to enter the Contest.

About CDW Canada

CDW Canada Inc. (http://www.cdw.ca/) is a leading provider of technology solutions for organizations in the public and private sectors. As a trusted advisor for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), CDW Canada provides a single destination for organizations to research, inquire or purchase virtually any technology solution that they require. Customers benefit from one-on-one relationships with knowledgeable account managers who are backed by a team of highly certified IT specialists. Through successful partnerships with over 350 leading technology manufacturers, CDW Canada draws from a comprehensive selection of 160,000 technology products to help customers find the best technology to meet their unique business needs. Headquartered in Etobicoke, Ontario, CDW Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vernon Hills, Illinois-based CDW Corporation.

For further information:

Cassie Prosper/Jennifer Rideout
StrategicAmpersand Inc.
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