Monday, October 14, 2013

AEA PD Online Updates to Moodle 2.5


In early September AEA PD Online updated its server to Moodle 2.5. With the update came some delightful improvements. The video below highlights the image “Drag and Drop” feature.


Want to be highlighted in an upcoming blog post? Create a screencast of your favorite Moodle 2.5 update, post it on youtube, and post the link in the comments.

AEA PD Online is looking forward to featuring your favorite Moodle 2.5 update in a future post.

AEA PD Online Training System



Level One Investigator Training
Level One Investigator training has a new home.  It has been moved from the Moodle server to the online training system (http://training.aeapdonline.org). This new system will be more efficient at producing records of completion and certificates.  


Training Description: Level One Investigator training provides educators with guidance about the differences between a school employee's mandatory reporting responsibilities and the procedures for investigating allegations of abuse of students by school employees. It includes detailed explanations and examples about the roles and responsibilities of school authorities and level one investigators. This training also provides participants with sample policies that school boards are encouraged to review when determining their own policies regarding the handling of allegations of abuse of students by school employees.

Intended Audience:  This training is intended for school employees who serve as the level one investigator for their district.

Upcoming Courses



See below for a list of upcoming online professional learning opportunities. To register, click on the activity number listed with each course. To conduct your own search for professional development classes, download the AEAPD Online app at myapp.is/aeapdonline or click here to go to the AEA PD Online catalog.


Blueprint for Common Core Foundational Skills
Dig into the literacy Iowa Core Foundational Skills and find out how understanding the phonetic basis of English can help students be successful.
Register at 22016699991403
Course Dates: Nov. 3-Jan. 5, 2014
Credit(s):  2


Glogster: Project-based Learning with Multimedia
Discover how help students create and use interactive posters (glogs) that combine text, images, sound, video clips, graphics, and hyperlinks.
Register at 22009099991402
Course Dates: Nov. 4-Nov. 24, 2013
Credit(s):  1


Introduction to Preparing and Teaching in a 1:1 Environment
Gain insight and ideas on how to transition to a 1:1 environment.
Register at 22018499991401
Course Dates: Nov. 4-Dec.8, 2013
Credit(s):  2


Photoshop Elements: Digital Imaging in the Classroom
Find practical ideas about how to use digital cameras, scanners, and images from the web to enhance student learning.
Register at 22000499991402
Course Dates: Nov. 4-Nov. 24, 2013
Credit(s):  1


Introduction to Google Apps
Harness the power of Google Apps and create learning environments that support collaboration.
Register at 22007899991406
Course Dates: Nov. 11-Dec. 15, 2013
Credit(s):  2


Latino Lit
Discover how Latino literature can give you and your students some inside perspectives on the world of Latino culture in the United States.
Register at 22006399991401
Course Dates: Nov. 13-Dec. 29, 2013
Credit(s): 1 (Renewal Only)


iPods and iPads for the Classroom
Learn to implement Apple's iPods & iPads into your classroom.
Register at 22004199991405
Course Dates: Nov. 18-Dec. 15, 2013
Credit(s):  2



MOLLIE: Blended Learning
Discover how to blend classroom instruction so that students have the flexibility of online learning and the benefits of face-to-face instruction.
Register at 22015099991403
Course Dates: Dec. 4-Jan. 7, 2014
Credit(s):  2


MOLLIE: Designing Online Lessons, Including Softchalk
Dig deep into how to design and build text-based and spoken lessons for an online environment.
Register at 22017999991402
Course Dates: Dec. 4-Jan. 7, 2014
Credit(s):  2


OLLIE: Online Facilitation
Learn about the differences between online and face-to-face instruction and online facilitation strategies that will increase student learning.
Register at 22009699991402
Course Dates: Dec. 4-Jan. 7, 2014
Credit(s):  2


iEvaluate
Learn the critical elements of the teacher evaluation system in Iowa.
Register at 22017299991404
Course Dates: Dec. 6-Jan. 31, 2014
Credit(s):  2 (Relicensure)


Developing Student-Directed Learning
Design instruction that moves from teacher-directed to student directed learning.
Register at 22010499991402
Course Dates: Dec. 10-Jan. 21, 2014
Credit(s):  2 

External Partners



Making Learning Connected (#clmooc) Tweet Chat
October 17, 2013
7:00-8:00 p.m.
More information here.


The 1:1 Connected Classroom Webinar
October 22, 2013
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Brought to you by: EdTechTeacher
More information here.


How do you bring together best practices with effective technology? Where do you begin? How do you move forward and what is the final destination? Come join the conversation.


Creative Classroom Activities: eLearning Webinar
October 22, 2013
4:00-4:30 p.m.
Brought to you by: Adobe
More information here.


This week's guided tour of the Adobe Education Exchange highlights two projects that utilize eLearning tools to extend the classroom beyond the school walls. About the Series: Creative Classroom Activities: Highlights from the Adobe Education Exchange. Adobe Education is pleased to announce a new e-seminar series for teachers who want to re-create their classrooms. Join us weekly for a guided tour of some of the very best activities, lesson plans, and resources on the Adobe Education Exchange. Each week, you’ll meet two of the world’s most creative educators and learn how they use Adobe tools to unleash student creativity. Each thirty-minute session will equip you with new ideas you can use immediately in your teaching practice.


Creating Communities of Online Learners and Enhancing Online Course Content with Social Media
October 23, 2013
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Brought to you by EdTech Leaders Online
More information here.
During this interactive webinar, Dr. Alexiou-Ray will discuss strategies to help infuse online courses with social media tools such as Twitter, blogging, Facebook, and Edmodo. She will also explore what laws govern people of all ages and their use of social media and how learning the legalities behind the use of social media with students can create opportunities for teachers to discuss netiquette and other important “digital life lessons” with students.


Middle East in Transition: Peace and Conflict Video Conference
October 24, 2013
10:00-11:30 p.m.
Brought to you by: TakingITGlobal and The Centre for Global Education
More information here.


This two part event on October 24th and 31st will explore how we think about the choice between violence and non-violence, both in terms of how we remember the history of these movements and in the current context of transition in the Middle East. Students will explore their personal and moral responses to violence, and how they view the difference between terrorism and self-defense, or between appropriate and inappropriate violence. Students will explore the balance of violence and nonviolence involved in key historical transitions in order to better understand current resistance movements across the Middle East


Connected Administrators Webinar
October 29, 2013
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Brought to you by EdTechTeacher
More information here.


Come join Tom Daccord, Carl Hooker, and Patrick Larkin as they address strategies for administrators to build connected learning environments in their schools and districts.


#gamemooc tweetchat
October 30, 2013
8:00-9:00 p.m.
Brought to you by Games MOOC
More information here.

This a 60 minute tweetchat using the hashtag #gamemooc. The topic of this week's tweetchat is Makers, Hackers and Gamers: Learners and 21st Century Pedagogy. We'll be looking at the online learning trends and even pedagogy coming out the Maker, Hacker and Gamer communities. BYOD and actively engage in a lively discussion of trends from the Maker Movement, Hack-a-thons as learning projects and the Gamer Disposition. Our tweetchat format is the following: We start by asking you to introduce yourself and your associations and affiliations. We do a quick vocabulary quiz over twitter to make sure everyone is familiar with the terms we are using. Then we do 4-5 questions on the topic. If this is your first time doing a tweetchat, you may want to use a tweet aggregater like twubs at www.twubs.com.