Red River College’s early childcare training took on a distinctly Italian flair last month, during a six-day conference aimed at teaching the value of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, and the importance of pedagogical research in early child development.

From April 20–25, students of RRC’s Early Childhood Education programs explored Reggio Emilia, a teaching method based on the principle that children are capable and competent, and should have some control over the direction of their learning.

Developed in Italy after the Second World War, the philosophy is making headway in Canadian schoos and daycares — transforming cultural assumptions about children and their intellectual abilities.

“What we want to achieve … is to see how other childcare centres in Winnipeg are benefitting from this type of early childhood education, and to also learn from the experts as to how we can further improve our implementation of the program and how to properly track children’s development through their early years,” says Sue Narozniak, Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at RRC, and chair of the Reggio Inspired Coalition of Educators.

During the conference, Italian childcare experts Filippini Tizianna and Laura Rubizzi (shown above) joined participants as they visited childcare centres across Winnipeg, where they evaluated programming and conducted roundtable discussions about Reggio Emilia and the importance of tracking children’s progress through the early years. Read More →

National Leasing has opened up new doors for students in Red River College’s Business Administration and International Business programs, through a $50,000 donation that has enabled research in the emerging area of social innovation.

The first step of the resulting student project — which culminated last week with a series of judged presentations — was for students to learn exactly what social innovation is, and to identify ways in which it can be implemented in different communities.

Tatjana Brkic, instructor of Applied Commerce and Management Education at RRC, says the ‘social innovation’ tag is one people are still struggling with.

“Social innovation is something that we as a global community have to figure out how to unravel,” Brkic said.

In its most basic form, social innovation occurs when an organization or concept meets a community’s needs. Social innovation fills gaps, addresses social issues, and develops the community. It’s about reducing negatives — like crime and poverty — and boosting economic development. Read More →

She’s devoted years to the development of a global online resource that links early childhood educators with the latest in research and knowledge.

So it’s no surprise that Red River College’s Janet Jamieson — Research Chair for the School of Health Sciences and Community Services, and the driving force behind the College’s world-renowned Science of Early Child Development (SECD) research project — has been nominated for a 2015 Women of Distinction Award.

Jamieson (shown above, at centre) was nominated in the category of Community Activism and Social Enterprise — a perfect match, given she’s been the principal researcher and lead developer on a series of projects for RRC that are grounded in the advancement of social equity, and have in turn led to the advancement of economic and environmental priorities.

The most notable of these is SECD, a knowledge mobilization initiative designed to make current research accessible to anyone interested in learning more about the profound impact of the early years on lifelong health and well-being.

First developed as a tool to help share the emerging science about early brain development and its implications for practice across sectors, SECD has grown and evolved into three online living textbooks, as well as other educational resources. Updated regularly, it brings research and concepts to life with hundreds of readings, videos, links and interactive activities. There have been many versions and modules developed to support its use with a variety of audiences throughout the world. Read More →

Congratulations to recent Continuing Education grad Fay Hartwick, this year’s winner of the Red River College and Project Management Institute (PMI) Top Student Award.

Hartwick, who graduated from RRC’s Project Management program in Fall 2014, picked up her award — and associated $1,000 cash prize — at PMI Manitoba’s annual Professional Development Days Spring Conference on April 15.

Each year, program instructors nominate one deserving graduate for the award, basing their decision on a mix of criteria that includes academic achievement, attitude, drive, determination, initiative and teamwork skills.

Hartwick currently works for the Life Science Association of Manitoba (LSAM), where she’s been the office manager since March — working closely with a program manager on event planning and general operations. Before that, she was the Program Director responsible for large conferences at NDG Financial Corporation, parent company to E-Care Contact Centers.

Hartwick, who also has her Management Development credentials from RRC, says she chose the College because of the convenience and comprehensiveness of Continuing Education’s delivery model. Read More →

Check out the ingenious creations and talents of Manitoba’s best and brightest as they compete in the 18th annual Skills Manitoba Competition on Thursday, April 9, from 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at Red River College’s Notre Dame Campus.

Approximately 500 young Manitobans will compete in over 40 Olympic-style, hands-on contests at the secondary and post-secondary/apprentice levels. You’ll see a showcase of skills in robotics and manufacturing, 3D character computer animation, construction trades, hairstyling, and many others.

Winners of many of the competitions will advance to the Skills Canada National Competition in Saskatoon from May 27–30, 2015.

Hosted by Skills Canada Manitoba, this event is designed to provide much needed awareness of Canada’s skilled workforce shortage. Maria Pacella, Executive Director of Skills Canada Manitoba, says most people are unaware of the merits of post secondary training in trades and technology. Notes Pacella, “The skilled trades offer opportunities for positions with great pay, job security and flexibility. There is a continuing significant worker shortage in many of these areas.”

While visiting the competition, you’ll also have the change to learn more about how Grade 8 girls are being introduced to career options in the trades and technology field, at this year’s Young Women’s Conference.

Also hosted by Skills Canada Manitoba, this one-day event features entertaining and informative keynote speakers and team activities, plus an opportunity to talk to mentors from employers such as Manitoba Hydro, Boeing, Standard Aero and Manitoba’s Apprenticeship Branch.

Creative Communications students proved their industry training has gone to the dogs (and cats) this month, while helping to find homes for neglected animals during the Winnipeg Humane Society’s annual fundraising telethon.

On Sunday, March 22, students took part in their fourth Liberty Tax 1001 Donations event, a live nine-hour telethon on Shaw TV that’s produced entirely by students from all four CreComm majors — advertising, journalism, public relations and media production.

Students were responsible for filling every moment of screen time with alternately heart-breaking and heart-warming content, shooting and editing nearly 30 behind-the-scenes stories depicting how WHS staff and volunteers care for injured, abused and abandoned animals.

Students were also responsible for creating all graphics and promotional materials, and on the day of the telethon, for all control room and camera work, as well as on-air hosting and live interviews.

“The show was such a success, almost every available animal was adopted,” says CreComm instructor Joanne Kelly.

Fundraising totals are still being tallied, but the telethon has already drawn raves from the Canadian broadcasting industry.

In May 2014, Kelly’s Live TV Production class earned the Best Student Special/Live Remote award from the Broadcast Educators Association of Canada (BEAC), for their work on the 2014 telethon, which raised a record $72,000 for the Humane Society.

Red River College’s Hospitality and Culinary students served up a very special surprise to diners at their downtown restaurant this month — treating guests to an impromptu performance by former Winnipeg rockers The Watchmen.

The alt-rock quartet was in town for a reunion show at the Burton Cummings Theatre on Sat., March 21, but made a detour through our restaurant Jane’s a night early, much to the delight of diners and invited guests.

On the night in question, around 50 guests were gathered at Jane’s — enjoying meals of pan-seared duck breast, stuffed pork tenderloin and cedar-grilled salmon — when Christine Crowe, RRC’s acting vice-president Academic and Research, rose to welcome the Watchmen and invited them to play a short set.

The bandmates happily obliged, delivering acoustic versions of new track Trampoline and fan favourites All Uncovered and Any Day Now. Following the performance, they stuck around to mingle and sign autographs for fans — many of whom had received special invitations to Jane’s, but weren’t told their dinner would include a surprise show.

The event was made possible through a partnership between RRC and Tourism Winnipeg, whose reps were in attendance to help showcase the sort of one-of-a-kind cultural opportunities that occur “only in The Peg.”

(Not surprisingly, the corresponding hashtag #onlyinthepeg was trending sixth in all of Canada the night of the show, as guests shared photos and video clips through social media.)

“We’re all about doing unique things in this city, and that’s what #onlyinthepeg is all about,” says Cody Chomimak, director of marketing for Tourism Winnipeg. “Working with Red River College, Jane’s and The Watchmen made for some seriously fun times. You could tell everyone had a blast — and how could you not, when the food, service and entertainment was so brilliant?”

Jane’s will soon re-open for lunch and dinner service. Click here to explore the menu, or to make a reservation.

You know what they say about March: In like a lamb, out like a linebacker. (Out like a line dancer? Lion tamer? Something like that.)

Anyway, March is well underway, the snow is starting to melt, and as always, the Red River College Students’ Association has a full slate of activities on tap to help students and staff celebrate spring.

From pub nights and karaoke jams to cultural showcases from around the world, there’s no shortage of seasonal events in store. See below for details, or visit rrcsa.ca for more.

St. Patrick’s Day Pub Night

Tuesday, March 17
Kings Head Pub
Cover: $5

Sample from the Kings Head’s extensive selection of draft beer, while enjoying sets by local Celt-rockers Dust Rhinos and Celtic Way. Read More →

It could be a while before it’s warm enough for tents and trailers, but here at Red River College, camp season is already in full swing.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll host a number of specialized camps and workshops designed specifically for younger students interested in exploring the following areas:

Electronic/Electrical Engineering Technology

First up are the Saturday Kids Kamps offered by RRC’s Electronic and Electrical Engineering Technology programs. From now until April 4, students in Grades 7 and 8 can take part in day-long sessions that introduce them to basic concepts and theory, while also giving them the chance to put their new knowledge into practice through fun activities and assignments.

In the Electronic Technology camps (9 a.m.-noon at the Roblin Centre), kids learn about basic electrical concepts such as voltage, current and resistance; work with lab instruments like digital multimeters and oscilloscopes; and study pitch, volume and timbre by observing sounds created by guitars and amplifiers.

In the Electrical Engineering Technology camps (1-4 p.m. at Notre Dame Campus), kids are introduced to robotics and robotic programming via the Lego NXT-G system. After learning about sensors and actuator functions, they’ll work in groups to program solutions to increasingly difficult problems, before building their own robots using a selection of available materials.

Both camps are free of charge; click here for more information or to register. Read More →

An advertising student from Red River College’s Creative Communications program will showcase extraordinary stories about ordinary lives, when he launches a new book about Manitobans with Down syndrome this weekend.

Second-year student Jordan Power has spent the least year compiling stories of work, love and accomplishment into a series of eight profiles called Extra-Ordinary: Stories of Manitobans with Down Syndrome.

“They’re [stories] about getting fired and making friends. They’re about winning and losing and swimming and skiing. They’re about laughing and loving and looking forward to sex,” says Power, who’ll complete CreComm and receive a BA in Communications from the University of Winnipeg this spring.

“Everyone has a story to tell. You just have to ask.”

Among those profiled is Ruth Elizabeth Joseph, a student in RRC’s Academic and Career Essential Skills program, which launched last year with funding from the College’s Transforming Futures campaign.

Power will read passages from the book this Saturday at a launch and discussion from 7-8 p.m. at McNally Robinson. Proceeds from the new book, which Power wrote as part of his year-long Independent Professional Project (IPP), will be donated to the Manitoba Down Syndrome Society.

Click here to learn more about Extra-ordinary, and here for more on RRC’s Creative Communications program.