Digital Citizenship 6-8 Students Learning Opportunity

Recently added to the Student Personalized Learning System is content that supports Digital Citizenship for students in grades 6-8.  The content in these Digital Citizenship modules was taken from Common Sense Media and can be used to keep your students safe and in support of your Bright Bytes data.  Teachers, administrators and counselors of school districts could assign any or all of them to their students and can check out the content by logging into the Student Personalized Learning system using the username and password that they use for the training system where they have taken mandatory trainings.

Once logged into the Student Learning system, click on Modules, Technology Literacy and look at Digital Citizenship (you will also see K-2, 3-5 and 9-12 content).  If you wish to use these with students or have any questions please contact Denise Krefting (dkrefting@aeapdonline.org) or Melissa Wicklund (mwicklund@aeapdonline.org).


Here is the 6-8 module listing:

• Digital Citizenship 6-8: Cyberbullying and Online Safety
• Digital Citizenship 6-8: Digital Literacy
• Digital Citizenship 6-8: Netiquette   

Mathematics of Voting Student Learning

A Mathematics of Voting module has been added to AEA PD Online's Student Personalized Learning system.  This module originally developed by Megan Balong of the University of Northern Iowa, supports the Iowa Core Math Standards. Teachers can check out the content by logging into the Student Personalized Learning system using the username and password that they use for the training system where they have taken mandatory trainings.

Once logged into the Student Learning system, click on Modules, Math and look at Mathematics of Voting.  If you wish to use these with students or have any questions please contact Denise Krefting (dkrefting@aeapdonline.org) or Melissa Wicklund (mwicklund@aeapdonline.org).

Upcoming Courses: April 1-May 15, 2016

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 AEA PD Online app at myapp.is/aeapdonline or click here to go to the AEA PD Online catalog.

Google Sites
Register at 22012899991605
Course Dates: Apri; 3-May 29, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Intro to Google Apps: Tools to Integrate
Register at 22014599991607
Course Dates: April 3-May 29, 2016
Credit(s): 2

How do You Teach Reading-Speaking the Language of The Book Whisperer
Register at 22019399991604
Course Dates: April 4-April 29, 2016
Credit(s): 1

Supporting Technology Literacy in Elementary Classrooms with Scratch Programming
Register at 22024299991604
Course Dates: April 4-May 9, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Assess Student Learning Using Technology

Register at 22026499991604
Course Dates: April 5-May 2, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Teaching Environmental Sustainability with ITSI-SU & MMW Resources (Part 2)
Register at 22032999991601
Course Dates: April 5-May 10, 2016
Credit(s): 2

The Mexican-American Experience: Introduction to Chicano Studies
Register at 22010099991601
Course Dates: April 6-May 4, 2016
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Multi-tiered System of Supports II: Implementation and Monitoring
Register at 22025599991602
Course Dates: April 9-May 17, 2016
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

iEvaluate 1.2
Register at 22017299991612
Course Dates: April 11-June 3, 2016
Credit(s): 2 (renewal only)

Examining Dyslexia: Remediation that Works!
Register at 22022899991604
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Examining: 7 Keys to Comprehension
Register at 22007099991602
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Examining: Bullying from Both Sides
Register at 22002099991606
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Examining: Differentiated Instruction: Taking Learning to a Whole New Level
Register at 22030999991602 
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Examining: How the Special Needs Brain Learns
Register at 22017599991603
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Examining: Literacy & Learning in the Content Areas
Register at 22012999991602
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Examining: The Gifted Brain: Science, Secrets & Synopses 
Register at 22022199991603
Course Dates: April 13-June 22, 2016
Credit(s): 2

French Essentials for Educators

Register at 22019499991601
Course Dates: April 6-May 11, 2016
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Effective Teacher Mentoring and Coaching
Register at 22025799991603
Course Dates: April 16-May 10, 2016
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Effective Formative Assessment Using Tech Tools

Register at 22030699991604
Course Dates: April 17-May 14, 2014
Credit(s): 2

Using Google Docs to Improve Students Writing
Register at 22032599991603
Course Dates: April 17-May 14, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Introducing Asian Literature
Register at 22011099991602
Course Dates: April 19-May 17, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Doing More with Google Drive-Classroom Application
Register at 22029499991603
Course Dates: April 21-May 15, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Standards-Based Teaching II Assessment and Grading
Register at 22025899991604
Course Dates: April 23-May 17, 2013
Credit(s): 1 (renewal only)

Pinterest in the Classroom
Register at 22019999991612
Course Dates: April 25-May 22, 2016
Credit(s): 2

Advancing Minds: An Educator's Guide to ADHD
Register at 22029399991602
Course Dates: May 1-July 8, 2016
Credit(s): 3

Reading in the Content Areas
Register at 22022499991604
Course Dates: May 2-June 10, 2016
Credit(s): 2

MOLLIE: Blended Learning
Register at 22015099991605
Course Dates: May 4-June 7, 2016
Credit(s): 2

OLLIE: Online Assessment, Feedback, and Evaluation
Register at 22009899991602
Course Dates: May 4-June 7, 2016

Credit(s): 2

OLLIE: Technology for Online Instruction: MOODLE
Register at 22005399991603
Course Dates: May 4-June 7, 2016

Credit(s): 2

Pinterest: Using Pins, Boards, and More in Your Classroom
Register at 22022299991613
Course Dates: May 4-May 31, 2016

Credit(s): 2

What Great Teachers Do Differently
Register at 22020399991606
Course Dates: May 9-June 17, 2016

Credit(s): 3

Designing and Using Performance Tasks Webinar

On March 22, 2016 (starting at 2:00 pm) edWeb.net is hosting a webinar with educational consultant and author, Jay McTighe.  This hour long interactive webinar will focus on design and use of performance tasks. Here is the description of edWeb.net's upcoming webinar.

Curriculum-embedded performance tasks are intended to engage students in applying their knowledge and skills in authentic and relevant contexts. Authentic tasks can serve as both rich learning activities and assessments of understanding and transfer. Such tasks enable the integration of 21st century skills (e.g., critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication) with subject area content. At this webinar, Jay will introduce some of the principles and best practices for creating and implementing ELA, science, and social studies performance tasks.
Educators who attend this webinar can expect to:

• Learn the characteristics of authentic performance-based tasks and assessments

• Examine practical design tools for creating such tasks

• Receive a list of valuable recommended resources

This webinar will be very helpful for ELA, social studies and science teachers of grades 3-12 as well as school and district leaders, including curriculum and assessment specialists.

Click this link to register http://home.edweb.net/webinar/designing-and-using-performance-tasks/ (if you register and can't make the actual time, edWeb.net will send you the link to the webinar)

How to Choose Tools to Use in an Online Course

As an online instructor, it is sometimes difficult to know which tools to chose/use to best enhance online instruction. There are so many to choose from and it is difficult to know which ones will actually do what you expect them to do. How do you choose? I set about trying to find an answer. Of course there are so many "answers" to this question that I found myself spending a lot of time trying to figure it out.

The LMS you use may have some great tools--like discussion boards/forums, journals, a way to submit assignments directly online, chat features, video and audio options. But what if it doesn't have the exact tool you need to enhance/enrich the online experience for your content and your students? There are some things you need to consider when trying to select the best ed-tech tool for your course.

A blog post called "How to choose the best Ed-Tech tools for Online Instruction" by Debbie Morrison, 2012, has some examples, reasons to use ed-tech tools, and a 5-step Ed-Tech integration strategy that is well worth reading and digesting. 

"The ultimate goal of the 5 step Ed-Tech Strategy is to act as a guide for educators in order that their courses are kept current and relevant by using emerging technology, yet at the same time ensuring that the instruction continues to be effective so that students are learning the content."

Education Week also has some great resources for finding tools to use with students online.

Five Tools and Tips for Working with Students Online

When is an Educational App Classroom Worthy?

The following resource has a listing of 10 free to use technology tools. You may be already using some of them. The author, Lara EnglishHIll, has divided them into two groups--Teacher Tools and Student Tools.

My Holiday Gift to Teachers: My Top 10 List of Free Educational Technology Tools

What is your favorite ed-tech tool to use in an online environment?


Peggy Steinbronn, Ed.D.