📰 ITEC January 2022 Newsletter

News and Updates

January 2022

📅 Dates on Deck:

January Webinar Series

January 11 & 25 from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. (CST) (more information in Upcoming Webinar Series section)

February CSTA Iowa Virtual Chapter Meeting (in partnership with ITEC)

February 17, 2022 from 7 to 8 p.m. (more information to follow in next month's newsletter or check out the registration link)

ITEC Conference

April 13-14, 2021 at the Iowa Event Center

Tech Tool of the Month

Jamboard

Google's free Jamboard tool provides a digital whiteboard that lets students easily collaborate with each other in real time, all within a browser! Students can write, draw, add images and webpages, and more! To learn more, visit Google's Jamboard site .

Tip / Strategy To Try Out

Google Slide Filmstrip

Check out this tip for hiding the filmstrip in Google Slides to create more space while presenting while also being able to edit in real-time.

Google Slides Filmstrip

Tech Fair Judges Needed

ITEC sponsors technology fairs for K-12 students. This is an opportunity for students to showcase their technology-based projects and gain experience presenting to an adult. If you enjoy working with youth and have an interest in student-centered activities, please consider being a volunteer judge at our fairs.

The judging window will be March 11-24, 2022. During this judging window, you will be given specific presentations for you to judge and provide feedback along with another judge. The specific judging time is flexible as long as it falls within the judging window.

Please fill out the ITEC Student Tech Fair Judge Request Form to volunteer.

📧 ITEC Statewide Listservs 📧

We realize the AEAs have listservs for their constituents. ITEC believes that it would also be beneficial to have access to a statewide group. To help connect our members, we have created three groups:

Technology Directors

Technology Integrationists

Instructional Coaches

If you wish to join one, two or all three of these lists, send an email to Lance Lennon with your name, email and list(s) you want to join.

🌟 Rockstar Recognition 🌟

Name: Kyle Seidl

Position: 6-12 Technology Integrationist / Bluejay Digital Instructor

District: Bondurant-Farrar CSD

Years Served: 9 years

Favorite "Blast from the Past" Tech Moment: Playing Number Munchers & The Oregon Trail on 90s era Macintosh computers

Favorite Quote: "To define is to limit." --Oscar Wilde

Colleague Comments: "Kyle works tirelessly to help our secondary students and staff with technology, as well as teaching the Bluejay Digital courses at our Middle and High Schools. He sets up our live streaming for athletic events and various activities involving our students, guides our students into creating graphics and promotional material for our student involved in athletics and activities, and helps our students produce our news channels at each building (The Pulse and The Rant). It's been exciting watching our students' capabilities with content creation and sharing grow since he started the program!"

Know a colleague who deserves some recognition for the incredible work they are doing to support students and staff with technology in a digital learning environment? Consider giving that colleague a "Shout Out!" and help ITEC recognize rockstar Iowa educators!

Upcoming Webinar Series

Igniting Student Engagement and Agency

It's not too late to join!

In this two part series, we will explore two digital resources that ignite student engagement and agency by infusing creative ways for students to make their thinking visible.

During today's session, participants will explore innovative ways that Pear Deck can be leveraged for both synchronous and asynchronous learning. We will surface some hidden gems that will level up your Pear Deck game.

During the January 25th session will dive into the new kid on the block known as Whiteboard.chat. From collaborative groups and creative tools to escape rooms and self-paced awesomeness, walk away with a digital resource to supercharge student engagement and agency.

Dates: January 11 (today) & 25 from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

Learning Recommendation

UDL & Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes

If the events of the last few years have taught educators anything, it's that our educational landscape is ever changing and requires agility and flexibility in order to support and engage our learners.

In their book UDL & Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes, educational heavy-hitters Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker share not only foundational information about the mindsets and practices of designing with Universal Design for Learning and Blended Learning, but a plethora of practical implementation ideas that can help educators manage the demands of our current classroom contexts.

Although the book itself is not focused on technology, both authors fully recognize that digital learning plays a vital role in the learning landscape and advocate for embracing tools and resources that help both teachers and students navigate fluidly between learning environments.

ITEC 2022 Spring Conference Call For Sessions

Due to the postponement of the Fall 2021 Conference till April 2022, the call for sessions is still open if you are interested in presenting.

Our ITEC conference will be back in person. Presenters will be granted 50% off registration.

Before filling out this form, have a pre-recorded 30-45 second video promoting your session ready to share. If you have any questions, please contact Carrie Hillman.