The Holiday Season is upon us and that means it is time for traditions with friends and family, while we look forward to what 2024 has in store for all of us. This month's edition of the MACUL Newsletter is filled with learning resources, opportunities to get involved and other tools to help you close out the year.

Each year the MACUL Awards recognize outstanding members for their achievements, impacts and innovations in education from all across Michigan. Nominate an innovative educator by 1/9.

Registration for the 48th Annual MACUL Conference is open. We have a full slate of workshops, featured sessions, expo hall and other fun things planned for you to make this the best conference yet.

Serving as a Board member or Learning Area delegate is the most rewarding experience. There will be multiple open seats this year among the Board and the Delegate roles. Applications open until 1/8.

MACUL is excited to partner with REMC and MASL to bring you the Student Podcast Challenge. Teachers can submit their students' original podcasts by 1/9 to win podcasting hardware for their classroom.

Join MACUL's Tech for All Learning Area for an X Chat with Ron Rogers on 12/6 at 9:00 PM. Follow #UDLchat and #TechforAll and engage with our team around UDL and making learning more accessible.

ASU+GSV invites K-12 education system leaders from around the globe advancing innovation in their community and fostering meaningful change at the systems level to submit their innovative idea or breakthrough impact for a chance to be one of 10 finalists (5 per category) at the 15th Annual ASU+GSV Summit. All 10 finalists will receive complimentary registration and hotel accommodations (one per application) to the Summit. At the Summit, we will celebrate the impact of all finalists, with some invited to pitch live during the Showcase event!

Digital well-being requires a whole-community approach! Attend this edWebinar with Common Sense’s Jasmine Hood Miller and Tali Horowitz to explore nurturing genuine family/school partnerships.

As an educator, empowering your students and enhancing your professional growth are paramount. Gain a deeper understanding of your school’s evaluation framework and access practical resources that will elevate your teaching practice. In this course, you will embark on a personalized learning journey, exploring key areas of the evaluation framework and equipping yourself with the necessary skills to excel. Discover pathways tailored to your needs, maximize your teaching potential, and unlock new possibilities for student success.

Project Tomorrow is hosting a webinar for those that might be interested in applying for the computer science/computational thinking professional development grant funds (99b). Join Dr. Julie Evans on this 30 minute webinar to learn more on designing a computational thinking program with 99B.

December is a great time to learn new tech skills, connect with other educators and explore ways to increase student engagement. All REMC courses offer 10 FREE SCECHs and can be taken from the convenience of your home and when the time is right for you. Check out topics such as blended learning environments, coding and building global professional skills.

We (U of Michigan, U of Missouri, and SUNY New Paltz) are conducting a national study to find out how well prepared you were (from teacher prep) to integrate technology into your teaching? The survey is pretty short, less than 10 minutes, and it will greatly inform our teacher preparation institutions for the future! Please feel free to share the survey widely with your K-12 teachers and colleagues!