At the DSBN, we offer every student access to a variety of digital learning tools that are designed to support and enhance their learning. These digital learning tools have been carefully selected based on their educational value as well as their compatibility with the current Ontario curriculum:
G Suite for Education is a suite of web-based productivity tools, many also exist in iOS and Android app form. All DSBN students have a G Suite account. In addition to all of the privacy and security that comes with the Education version of G Suite, all school boards in Ontario have an addendum to the standard agreement that further enhances student privacy and security aligned with provincial regulations. You can read more about G Suite for Education here and their privacy and security practices here.
DSBN students have access to these core G Suite apps:
- Assignments – submission through classrooms
- Calendar - individual calendar
- Classroom - online classroom
Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms - word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, survey
Drive - store, access and share files
- Gmail - email
- Meet – online meeting platform
- Jamboard
- Keep - notes
- Sites - websites
- Tasks - organization
- Earth - geobrowser that accesses satellite and aerial imagery, topography, ocean bathymetry, and other geographic data
- Maps - detailed information about geographical regions and sites around the world
- Photos – photo and video storage
Microsoft 365 is a suite of business standard, web-based applications previously known as Microsoft Office, with some new tools added to support learning either in the classroom or remotely. All DSBN students have a Microsoft 365 account. In addition to all the privacy and security that comes with the Education version of Microsoft 365, all school boards in Ontario have an addendum to the standard agreement that further enhances student privacy and security aligned with provincial regulations. Read more about Microsoft 365 here and their privacy practices here and their security practices here.
DSBN students have access to these core M365 apps:
- Calendar – individual calendar
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Forms – word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, survey
- OneDrive – store, access and share files
- OneNote – notes and organization
- People – contact management
- SharePoint – sharing and collaboration space
- Stream – video storage and sharing
- Sway – interactive reports and presentations
- Teams – online meeting platform, used as part of synchronous remote learning
- ToDo – task tracking
- Whiteboard – digital freeform collaboration
Brightspace is an online learning management system provided to all school boards in Ontario through the Ministry of Education. It includes an online classroom, a portfolio tool to help students document and share their learning with teachers. All DSBN students have a Brightspace account. Read more about Brightspace here and their privacy practices here and their security practices here.
Follett Destiny is the library management system used by DSBN for brick-and-mortar library resource management, as well as digital resources. Students can access all print and digital resources, including eBooks, audiobooks, and interactive books, as well as free and paid DSBN subscriptions. All collections, print and digital, are approved by DSBN staff prior to being made available to students. Read more about Follett Destiny here and their privacy and security practices here.
Medianet is an internal resource sharing and booking application that provides online access to a collection of curriculum relevant, digital tools and media that support literacy, research, and inquiry. All media available through Medianet (Curio, Learn 360, On-Core, the National Film Board of Canada, and Khan Academy) are specifically for education and have been approved for use by DSBN staff. DSBN Medianet is only available to DSBN students and staff.
The use of all DSBN technology resources is governed by policy D-01: Digital Technology Use by Students and D-06: Electronic Learning.
Some digital learning tools require that the DSBN share limited personal information such as the student’s name and school email address for the purpose of creating an account to use the tool or service, and for children twelve (12) and under, pursuant to the American Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, American digital learning tools that might be utilized by the DSBN to support and enhance learning require that parents or guardians provide their consent prior to the child’s personal information being shared. Any content created in and/or stored in a district provided digital learning tool remains the property of DSBN. Personal information (e.g., name and email address) is used and shared by the DSBN for the above-noted purposes under the authority of subsection 11(3) and section 20 of the Ontario Regulation 298, R.R.O Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.E.2. The information is retained in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M. 56.
If your question is not answered by the resources on this page, please contact your school principal.
In addition to the Digital Learning Tools listed above, there are many additional unique educational software applications geared to specific age groups or specific school subjects that may be utilized in schools.