GWAEA Digital Learning Update
to ensure success for all learners - May 2019
EP61: Freemium Edtech & EP62: Teaching Typing
Episode 61 is a recap on some of the "latest" edtech news and then dive head first into the world of freemium EdTech services. What's worth paying for? When should you consider buying a subscription service, and who should pay for it? Find out in this feature packed episode. Links for everything we talk about in the show can be found at: dlgwaea.org/podcast/61
In episode 62, Mindy and Jonathan tackle typing. Who should teach typing, when should you start, and what should you use? Do you have ideas? If so, we would love to hear them. There is also a bonanza of G Suite Updates to talk about as well as some tasty tech nuggets. Show notes and links for everything discussed in the show can be found at: dlgwaea.org/podcast/62
You can follow Jonathan (@jonathanwylie) and Mindy (@TeamCairney) on Twitter, and see all the tweets from the Grant Wood AEA Digital Learning Team at @DLGWAEA. You can also email us with questions or ideas, podcast@gwaea.org. If you enjoy the show please share it with your friends and colleagues and/or leave us a review on your podcast app of choice.
THANK YOU for listening. We really couldn't (or wouldn't) do this without the support of listeners like you!
May Challenge: Sphero as an Artist
Season 4: Episode 9
Sphero is so versatile! This month it becomes an artist! Check out how Clear Creek Amana Elementary students coded a painting! There are lots of learning moments in this challenge!
A big thanks to Manda Marshall for inviting us in to be a part of this fun makerspace opportunity with Think, Make, Innovate!
There are so many different ways you could complete this challenge and we've shared some ideas with our lesson plan--check it out! We want to see how you interpret this idea!
Join our Maker Community by sending us your photos or videos through social media and tag @dlgwaea or #havefunmaking OR send an email to makerspace@gwaea.org and we will post them on in our Online Maker Community on www.dlgwaea.org.
Updates to our Makerspace Page
If you haven't been to our Makerspace Page on dlgwaea.org in a while, we love to invite you to check it out! We have been working on adding content, like teacher interviews and makerspace tours. We'd love to know what you think. It's still a work in progress, so please let us know if there is anything else that you'd like us to add.
DLGWAEA 4Cs Summer Camp
Register Today!
Join us on June 11-13 for our DLGWAEA 4Cs Summer Camp. It's designed for educators who want to redefine their classrooms with meaningful integration of collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.
Come and learn how digital learning can leverage the 4Cs to evolve your classroom practices. Participants will engage in hands-on learning and application, while also reflecting and setting goals for implementation. Space is limited, so sign up today to reserve your place!
Grant Wood AEA is excited to welcome back Craig Badura as our closing keynote. The session will focus on the importance of fostering creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking to help give students the skills they need to thrive. Craig Badura is the K-12 technology coach at Aurora Public Schools in Nebraska. He is passionate about making technology ubiquitous in the classroom. He loves his family, coaching golf, teaching and technology! Follow Craig on Twitter @mrbadura and on Instagram @mrbadura.
The cost for the 4Cs Summer Camp is $125 for 2.5 days of learning & lunch is included. Participants taking this class can opt for one hour of recertification credit (for an additional cost).
#BCEdcamp 2019 (Teacher Leadership)
Benton Community is hosting our fourth annual Edcamp! Our vision is to have a Teacher Leadership focus, however, this is NOT only limited to educators who are in teacher leadership positions. We have confirmed that Dr. Ryan Wise, Director at the Iowa Department of Education, will again be welcoming us at our event and participating in the day's learning.
Benton Community is in planning for our sixth year of implementation of Teacher Leadership through Iowa's Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant. We have a lot to share, but we also know there are others out there who can contribute to allowing us to learn, share, and grow together!
Registration is limited to the first 175 participants. The cost is FREE. We will have lunch available for $10 per person - this includes lunch, snacks, and drink throughout the day.
Grad credit is being offered through Mount Mercy University.
You can register and learn more about the event here.
Tuesday, Jun 25, 2019, 08:30 AM
Benton Community Middle School High School, 1st Avenue, Van Horne, IA, USA
2019-2020 Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund
The Iowa Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund was established to assist schools in meeting the goal of the General Assembly, that by July 1, 2019, each accredited high school offer at least one high-quality computer science course, each accredited middle school offer instruction in exploratory computer science, and each accredited elementary school offer instruction in the basics of computer science.
Grant funds are made available to eligible Iowa school districts or accredited nonpublic schools, in a year in which funds are appropriated by the Iowa legislature, for the following two purposes:
- A school district or accredited nonpublic school, or a collaborative of one or more school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and area education agencies, may apply to the department to receive moneys from the fund to provide proven professional development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of computer science education.
- A school district or accredited nonpublic school may apply to the department to receive moneys from the fund to provide tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking endorsements or authorizations for computer science.
Initial Application in IowaGrants.gov are due by May 20, 2019. Please contact Corey Rogers or IDOE Computer Science consultant, Wren Hoffman, with questions or support.
Scratch Day!
Scratch Day is recognized each year around the globe with a network of gatherings designed to bring ‘Scratchers’ (coders who use Scratch) together to meet, share, and learn.
Event Information:
- Who? Students in grades 3-8, teachers, parents, ‘newbies’ or ‘veterans’ - Students must be accompanied by a sponsoring teacher or adult.
- What? A time to meet, share, and learn
- Where? Geonetric Building (NewBo District) 415 12 th Ave. SE
- When? Saturday, May 18 from 1:00 - 3:00pm
- How? Pre-register here: www.tinyurl.com/scratchday2019
- Cost? Free of charge – must pre-register at link above (event capped at 50)
Join us to learn about the Scratch online interface and how to create a project, create games, art, stories, animation, and music with Scratch, and connect MakeyMakey devices to use with Scratch Projects, and much more!
Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Opportunities
CSTA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Registration is open for CSTA's 2019 Annual Conference! Learn and network with Computer Science educators from across the nation July 7-10 in Phoenix, AZ. Attending the conference would be a wonderful way to provide teachers with high-quality professional learning and utilize CS PD Incentive funds.
INVITATION TO JOIN IOWA CSTA
The Iowa CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) Chapter invites anyone in the computer science education community to join the Computer Science Teachers Association and the Iowa chapter of the organization. We are in our second year of record and are working at building a community of computer science educators in Iowa. Come join us and together let’s build the computer science community. Join in and connect with others. Don’t teach in isolation. Join the newest, fastest growing educational community in Iowa.
The UNI Partnership for Computer Science Teacher Preparation
More details on this are available at csed.uni.edu/rpp/
DLGWAEA @ Iowa 1:1 Institute
Save the Dates for 2018-2019
ISTE - June 23-26, 2019
ITEC - October 13-15, 2019
VISIBLE LEARNING PLUS FEATURING JOHN HATTIE AND PETER DEWITT - October 16, 2019
About Us
Email: digitallearning@gwaea.org
Website: http://www.dlgwaea.org
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA, United States
Phone: 319-399-6700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dlgwaea
Twitter: @DLGWAEA