After several years filled with memories, meetings and discoveries, there comes a time to look back and take stock of how the original goals of a project such as Profweb have been met. These moments are times of joy realizing that notwithstanding all the difficulties, a great wealth of experience and information has emerged.
Two Important Profweb Events
For the first time, the ability of Profweb to reach out to its target clientele is being evaluated by MELS (Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport). This activity arrives as Profweb approaches its fifth birthday in June 2010.
Designed to support teaching staff in their process of IT integration, Profweb’s anniversary will be celebrated by all those who recognize the value of IT and have contributed to its use. Without teachers, there would be no IT, and there are fewer and fewer teachers not using IT. The Profweb Team will be celebrating this milestone as part of the upcoming AQPC Symposium.
A New Feature on Profweb’s Personal Space
We at Profweb are continuously in awe of the great creativity that teachers have lavished in the production of pedagogical resources. In an effort to promote the sharing of this wealth, we have created a new feature in Profweb. It is now possible to have an academic site not hosted on the Profweb Personal Space listed on its Site Index as an External Site Listing.
An External Site Listing is simple to arrange. Once you are in Profweb’s Personal Space, click on ‘Create An External Site Listing’ in the menu at left. Fill out the short form that appears, and the job is done! A confirmation is sent by email which also includes a ‘Profweb’ address that automatically redirects browsers to your site. The address will appear as an External Site Listing in the Personal Space’s Site Index. External Site Listings are indicated with this symbol 
. They are included in the data base used by Profweb’s research engine. We are convinced that this feature will encourage a greater sharing of academic resources and increased cooperation among teachers looking to find innovative course material.
A New Member of the Profweb Team
Émilie Lavery
We couldn’t end this column without welcoming Émilie Lavery. She replaces Françoise Marceau whose contagious enthusiasm and strong commitment to the development of Profweb will be missed. A French literature teacher at Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, Émilie is no stranger to the pedagogical use of information technology in her classes. She was part of the team that produced Performer (CCDMD) and then produced a library for this software called Littérature québécoise. She has also written two Profweb stories in French. Émilie’s motivation is best expressed in her own words: “The Profweb community is above all a place for teachers who have a desire to share. I would like to announce my arrival with the same community spirit by encouraging you all to come and and give of yourselves. Teaching is an art, a game and a link! Information Technology is one of the best ways of orchestrating it. Think of IT as a ray of spring sunshine or a breath of fresh air. It is a source of lively inspiration, innovation and creativity.”
