IDEA Commits to Climate Action Education 

Dr. Jennifer Williams, Take Action Global, International Educator Community and IDEA Community Member

We know to tackle the climate crisis, we will need the hands, hearts, and best ideas from every person at every age from everywhere. Take Action Global is proud to partner with IDEA to offer the Climate Action Schools Program for Illinois PreK-12 schools.

Ready to take action for the planet through project-based learning, global collaboration, digital agency and environmental justice? We’d love to invite you to join our IDEA Cohort for the 2022-2023 school year! 

Each participating school will:

• Be matched with three other global schools for virtual exchange and guided action 

• Engage in environment across-the-curriculum activities enabling students to use edtech for a purpose 

• Integrate social-emotional learning, wellness, innovation, and student-centered practices in teaching and learning 

• Participate in tree planting experiences, school climate audits, Global Earth Day Celebrations

• Access school-to-home and school-to-community outreach opportunities and an educator community portal with professional development and teacher certification 

• Become a designated Climate Action School (school banner included!) 

• Join for a Student Showcase in May at the State Capital 

 

Program information:

• Climate Action Schools: https://www.takeactionglobal.org/climate-action-schools/ 

• Webinar Wednesday Info Session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvcV6jLNjSA 

• Example of a school-wide initiative: https://www.ideaillinois.org/blog/12908417

Interested in learning more? Contact Lindsay Zilly at lzilly@ideaillinois.org. 

Photo Credit: Dr. Mary Meadows, Andrews Academy

Dr. Jennifer Williams is the Co-Executive Director of Take Action Global. She has joined IDEA as a speaker for IDEACon, IDEAU, and IDEA Webinar Wednesday. Her ISTE book, Teach Boldly: Using Edtech for Social Good has been featured by IDEA and included in the IDEA Book Club. Connect with Jennifer and Take Action Global at www.takeactionglobal.org and @TakeActionEdu on social media. 

Every Coach Deserves a Coach

by Jennifer Waldvogel

Snow was falling, Thanksgiving break was peeking around the corner, and my role as instructional coach had officially been stuck in flux for the past year and a half. Prior to the pandemic, I never had trouble finding purpose in my role. Whether it was mentoring new teachers, building our blended program, running PD sessions, or working alongside teachers to try something new, I believed in my work and I felt happy as a coach. But like so many educators, the pandemic blew that sense of self right out of the water. Suddenly, every day was triage and no one had the time or the capacity for professional development, growth projects, innovation, or co-teaching. It was survival mode, and with that came a new demand for “making it work”. I found myself furiously onboarding digital tools, creating structures to support online & hybrid instruction, teaching part-time in a middle school classroom, and working without my team. Everything I loved about coaching was put on pause. I was drained, and so were my colleagues. 

I was looking for more. I was looking for a spark, and so when IDEA offered their first Coaching Academy in November 2021, I jumped at the opportunity. To meet in person again with fellow Illinois coaches, to talk about our jobs and find inspiration sounded promising. I grabbed two of my teammates and we signed up. On the morning of November 11th, we walked into the Professional Development Alliance in Joliet, and I immediately saw faces I recognized. Coffee wafted through the air, chatter filled the session rooms, and it felt so good to be in the energy. Session to session, I felt renewed. Coaching is all about filling the cups of educators so they can fill the cups of students. Coaching Academy was the perfect refill. Zuica Donev helped me understand human motivation, offering strategies to tap into what drives teachers and students. Lindsay Zilly sent me into a world of games, icebreakers, and playfulness, offering methods to engage educators. Kim Darche helped me practice the art of conversation, a reminder that simple connection goes a long way. Michael Earnshaw painted a whole new picture of school climate, one that placed joy and personal connection front and center. I left the day remembering how much I loved coaching, excited to be a better support for the teachers in my district. On the drive home, my teammates and I shared insights from our sessions and made plans. 

IDEA’s Coaching Academy caught me at a pivotal moment in my career. I was looking for answers, wondering if my role had value, wondering if I still wanted to be a coach. Talking with fellow coaches in sessions, chatting with conference directors Lindsay Zilly and Amber Heffner in the hallway, and listening to the advice of the caring educators presenting was a truly bright moment during the winter of the toughest year of my educator career. So if you’re feeling anything like me, a little lost and a lot tired, find a bright spot in this year’s Coaching Academy because every coach deserves a coach.

IDEA’s Coaching Academy is now the Conference for Educational Coaches (CEC)! Join IDEA and fellow coaches for two days of in-person or online learning!

But this was just a name change. It’s still the same fantastic conference offered by IDEA, in partnership with TCEA, for anyone and everyone who is leading professional development and/or coaching and supporting educators.

To register, click HERE!

IDEA Partners make it possible for IDEA to achieve its mission. 

And in case you didn’t know -- Our mission is to inspire, connect and provide the educational community with opportunities that transform teaching and learning through technology. 

That is why we are thrilled to welcome our newest Gold Partner, Vivo! 

Vivo is an ergonomic office furniture brand that uses innovation, creativity, and efficiency to produce cost-effective products that anyone can enjoy without sacrificing quality. VIVO is committed to helping educators with products such as height adjustable desks, mobile workstations, IT mounting hardware, and unique student seating to assist in the classroom and throughout the school. VIVO’s products are proven to be reliable, affordable, and accessible. 

VIVO products are a primary support of technology in educational settings, and they understand the importance of supporting all aspects of education from teachers to administrators to students. VIVO also proudly hires local high school students in their continuous work program that takes place during the summer and throughout the school year.

Vivo believes that by delivering a wide variety of ergonomic furniture that is both high quality and cost-effective and that fits the unique educational setting, they can help improve the way people work.

Vivo has a mission to build a brand known for innovation, integrity, and customer service that continues to give back in a BIG way. Build. Innovate. Give.

Learn more about Vivo here!

Welcome Our New Bronze Partner, TeachersFirst!

IDEA Partners make it possible for IDEA to achieve its mission. 

And in case you didn’t know -- Our mission is to inspire, connect and provide the educational community with opportunities that transform teaching and learning through technology. 

That is why we are thrilled to welcome our newest Bronze Partner—

TeachersFirst is a collection of free, teacher-reviewed, classroom-ready K-12 resources and professional learning offerings focused on edtech integration. Offerings include:

• OK2ASK, a series of free, interactive virtual professional learning and development workshops for teachers at every technology comfort level. Led by experienced edtech coaches, workshops introduce ways to engage students with digital tools, explore student-centered pedagogical approaches to teaching with technology, and share strategies for implementing technology in a variety of learning environments. IDEA provides IBSE-approved professional development hours (PDH) to Illinois educators who fully participate in live OK2Ask workshops.
  

• OK2ASK Twitter Chats, live professional learning events designed to help educators learn how to participate in an educational Twitter chat through hands-on practice.
  

• The TeachersFirst Blog, which features posts written by veteran educators and technology coaches. Content includes lesson ideas, strategies for using edtech resources in the classroom, and ways to apply pedagogical frameworks to your teaching.

• MYSCILIFE, an educational, safe, free social media platform that helps students grades 5–9 build deeper connections to content and get excited to learn. Create a private learning community where students engage, collaborate, and think critically about the concepts their learning while using technology they know and like!   
  

Get free resources and upcoming professional learning opportunities delivered to your inbox by signing up for the weekly TeachersFirst Update.

TeachersFirst is provided for free by The Source for Learning, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create and deliver high-quality, technology-based content and services that enhance learning for all children, and to empower teachers, child care providers, and parents to support that learning. An important part of our mission is to increase access to these services for underserved children and adults.

Presenting at Conferences: 

Why you should present at IDEAcon

We sat down with two past IDEAcon presenters for their perspectives on the experience of presenting at a conference like IDEAcon. Would they present again? Keep reading to find out!

There are many reasons why educators should attend a conference – to learn, find inspiration, and connect with others. 

And that is just a handful of the reasons!

Those benefits can be multiplied, though, when you not only attend a conference, but attend as a presenter! 

Fun fact: Did you know that our brains learn information best when we know we’ll need to teach it later? 

That means when you present and teach others, you are bettering yourself, too! 

Don’t just take our word for it. We spoke with two past IDEAcon presenters about their experiences with the process. 

Meet Matthew Tombs (IDEA member since 2015) and Abigail Kime (IDEA members since 2014).

 

Matthew is the Director of Innovation and Technology for River Trails School District 26 in Mount Prospect. He first presented at IDEAcon in 2017.

Abigail is the Director of Instructional Technology at a private high school. She first presented at IDEAcon in 2020. 

See how they got involved and why. 

Presenting at conferences leads to more connections

Abigail submitted a proposal to present at IDEAcon after she completed her ISTE Certification with IDEA. 

“One of the (ISTE) standards for educators is to actively participate in a local or global digital network. What better way to participate in my local network than to present at IDEAcon?” said Abigail. 

Her first presentation was about planning for remote learning days. 

“My school had just completed a plan to continue instruction on days when our building had to close due to inclement weather,” she said. “We had no idea the lockdown would occur a few weeks later.”

For Abigail, presenting at IDEAcon has helped her expand her PLN in ways she hadn’t before as an attendee alone.

“In my experience, presenting has led to more connections with educators than experiencing the conference as an attendee,” she said. 

Building a professional learning network was one of the main reasons Matthew decided to submit a proposal to present at IDEAcon in 2017. 

“I had just finished my first year as a Digital Learning Coach, and I believed strongly in sharing the work that we were doing in my district with the larger educational technology community,” he said. “I also wanted to build my PLN with other people in my field.”

Amplify your learning (and others, too!)

We all know you can learn a LOT at a conference. 

And presenting allows you to learn on an entirely new level. 

“I also love learning from all of the participants/attendees who have attended my presentation sessions,” said Matthew. 

Beyond your own learning, IDEAcon provides you with an opportunity to share your knowledge and skills to help other districts and classrooms all over the Midwest. 

“I think that everyone should take the opportunity to present at IDEAcon - it allows you to showcase your skills in the field and for others to learn from the amazing things you are doing,” said Matthew.

Why YOU should present at IDEAcon, too!

Both Abigail and Matthew have presented at IDEAcon multiple times. 

The reason why?

“Presenting at IDEAcon is great!” says Abigail. “It’s a very welcoming and collaborative environment.”

And Matthew loves it so much that he has zero doubt he will present again in the future. 

“I will ABSOLUTELY present again!” he says. “I strongly believe that everyone has their own skill set and unique abilities that others should hear about and learn from.”

What are you waiting for? Submit a proposal today!

You know you have ideas and skills to share. Help other districts learn from your experiences by presenting at IDEAcon 2023!

Submitting a proposal is easy! Simply fill out this form before August 29, 2022. 

The IDEAcon Conference Committee, IDEA Governing Board, and IDEA Team will blindly review all proposals and make selections on Selection Saturday in early September. 

Selected presenters will be notified in September 2022. 

And if you are selected, you’ll get free admission to IDEAcon on your presentation day!

Learn more about the process here.

Share with us!

What topic do you want to present on at IDEAcon?

Tell us by sharing on social media! Tag us @ideaillinois and use #IDEAcon!

Why Focusing on Computer Literacy Is Key to Closing the Digital Divide

By Rhys Jane

The pandemic opened up many societal problems, and one of the most glaring ones is the digital divide. It limits earning, learning, and communication opportunities for those without access to the internet. Pew Research Center found that the percentage of Americans in each income tier who have smartphones and home broadband has not significantly changed – despite the pandemic increasing the need for more digital resources and access. They also highlighted how people with lower incomes are more likely to experience this divide since they don’t have the financial capacity to purchase tech products.

Those without access to digital resources are being left behind. The need to address this gap is needed now more than ever as digitization is becoming a lifeline that provides opportunities for all citizens. But before talking about how people can close the digital divide, there is a need to discuss and explore what exactly the digital divide is.

Understanding the Digital Divide

The digital divide refers to the gap between populations that have access to modern technology and

those that don’t. The term also includes the technical and financial ability to utilize the technology available. Moreover, it also encompasses the access, or the lack thereof, to the internet. This divide often exists between developing and developed countries. However, the urban-rural gap is usually what contributes to the digital divide.

A professor from the University of Florida revisited the negative correlation between rurality and internet speed and found that this plays a part in the widening digital divide. This is supported by further studies from other institutions, with Maryville University citing digital divides, like geographical restrictions and the lack of physical access to technology, as factors that contribute to the problem. It's further explained that areas that lack infrastructure and have low economic development can’t support high-speed internet connections in the first place. In addition, low literacy levels are said to contribute to the divide since those with lower levels of education are less likely to access the internet and reap its benefits. The lack of access to technology also plays a key part because people who don’t have computers are disadvantaged in terms of developing the skills needed to use digital devices.

Why Is Computer Literacy Important in Closing This Divide?

Computer literacy is the understanding of the basic processes of computers and technology, and how people can utilize these processes. Having basic computer skills and knowledge of how technology works can help industries close the digital divide and create more opportunities for a diverse workforce.

Computer literacy enriches people’s lives and creates a positive impact on their day-to-day lives. For instance, improving one’s technological skills can help people access information online about their health, education, and work. Having technological skills for creating spreadsheets, presentations, and basic word files can instantly lower technological constraints and improve people’s livelihoods.

To do this, government policies must be implemented to advocate the importance of computer literacy. Having information centers and self-developing programs, like the digital literacy initiatives launched by the LINCS Learner Center, can help people gain the skills they need to use the technology. Training in the form of webinars, reading materials, and learning platforms will also be instrumental in bridging the digital divide. As we discussed in our blog post on ‘Season of Learning’, one of the pillars of IDEA is equity – and this means that we want innovative training to be accessible for everyone to have the chance to get the learning experience they deserve. To support this, infrastructures must be built so that people can have access to the internet wherever they are.

People can bridge the digital divide through computer literacy. To do this, there must be equal access to technology and the internet for everyone. People should also be able to acquire knowledge of how technology works in training programs so that they can mitigate technological constraints and rise above digital illiteracy.

Written by Rhys Jane

Exclusively submitted to ideaillinois.org

 Season Of Learning

By Lindsay Zilly

Can you feel it? The shift in the air. The changeover of wardrobes. The buzz and excitement is nothing short of….

Summer Pathways Program

The IDEA team has been hard at work throughout this winter and spring season curating some phenomenal content for your summer learning pleasure. We are excited to announce three learning pathways have been added to our summer series. Why now? Well, we have been listening to YOU, the teachers in the classrooms who are shouldering the weight of the world. We have heard you loud and clear. You are looking forward to some R & R and are also searching once again for your why. It is with that in mind that we’ve created three different professional learning options: 

• Micro PD

• Workshops

• Cohorts

 

 

Our Why

These last few years have been tough and the IDEA team would like to honor your feelings by helping reignite your passion for learning. So, we have designed the summer pathways program to help fit whatever learning adventure lies ahead for you. These personalized experiences have been designed with teachers at the heart of it. 

 

Let’s Break It Down

You may be asking yourself, what will I gain from these experiences? I’m so glad you asked. Let’s unpack what each offering has in store for you!

• Micro PD: These sessions are designed to be quick, engaging learning experiences. They are asynchronous and help get learners familiarized with a particular content area. Once participants have established the prerequisite knowledge from the virtual sessions, we invite them to join a full day capstone event. The goal of the capstone is to work with leading experts in a particular area to create a dynamic toolkit, unique to your learners that you can use to help implement a topic of study in your classroom next year. Have a busy summer already? Our Micro PD’s are the perfect way to continue learning without overly committing.

 

• Workshops:  One of the pillars of IDEA is equity. For us this is not only incredibly important but also needs to be consistent. Equity work to us means a great many things but in the case of our workshops it means equitable access to innovative and authentic training no matter where you are located in Illinois. We’ve worked with some powerhouse educators to create full day workshops that will come to YOU! Our traveling workshops will be hosted three times throughout the summer at a location in the Northern part of Illinois as well as Central and Southern Illinois as well. IDEA is committed to removing as many barriers as possible to make learning accessible and equitable for everyone!

 

• Cohorts: Our cohorts are for those educators looking to stay connected and skip the summer slide this year. We have month long, asynchronous cohorts available focusing on various subject matters. The best thing about the cohort options is that it comes with an accountability group. Ideas are great, but they come to life when they are shared. We’ve partnered with some incredible educators to lead a variety of cohorts to help you continue your life long learning journey. 

 

Who is this for?

In case we haven’t gotten you hooked yet, we’ve done even more work to ensure you get the learning experience you deserve. In addition to taking into account time constraints, topics of interest and incredible facilitators, we’ve also aligned our professional learning offerings with the role you play in your school or district. We have specific pathways for teachers, coaches and administrators. You can take one based on your job or take them all! We understand that professional learning is a community effort and for it to work, we have to connect all the pieces together. 

Call To Action

With that being said, take the time for you this summer. That may mean closing your laptop and not opening it again until August (in that case, we will see you at idea U!). But if you are finding yourself in need of a reminder as to why you are a part of the greatest profession in the world, take a peek at some of the options awaiting you within IDEA’s summer pathways program.

Whether it is attending a Wednesday Webinar, registering for a Wellness Event or starting a journey towards once again finding your why, we hope you find something here that feels right for you. As always, thank you for all that you do changemakers! 

We are switching things up here at IDEA to give members like you a better experience!

You’ve probably joined one of our webinars via Zoom at least once.

Well, that is about to be a thing of the past. 

Drum roll, please …

This month we are switching to a new platform:Kino by Kinetx.

All joking aside, we are pumped to be hosting our webinars on Kino - a proud IDEA partner.

Kino offers exciting new features that make gathering online a more personal and enjoyable experience. 

For example - when you separate into different rooms or groups, you can still hear background chatter from other groups, bringing that in-person element. 

It also provides us with an extra layer of security. 

Due to these extra security measures, if you plan to join us on one of our many webinars, you’ll need to create a free Kino account here.

It’s super easy to create an account! Just click the “Sign Up” button in the top right corner of the website. Fill in your information, and you are all set! 

We will also be live streaming our free webinars on our YouTube channel! Make sure you are subscribed to the IDEA YouTube channel so you’ll be notified anytime we go live.

We will begin using Kino and live streaming on all free webinars after April 6. Click here for all of our upcoming events. 

Questions? You can reach us at info@ideaillinois.org. 

Mini Grant Winner story: Doodling. It’s Not Just “Kid-Stuff”

By Janine Feil and Molly Siegel

Three-dimensional design is a hot topic. Can we design something useful and functional? Can we create something artistic in 3D? Can we use technology in creative ways to express student views? Kids have great imaginations and given proper tools, they can truly innovate. Can we inspire our students to unleash their creativity in new ways? These big questions inspired the collaboration of school Art and Tech teachers to propose a grant for 3Doodler pens. We felt that infusing some tech into our Art room would allow us to meet both Art and Technology teaching standards while boosting the creativity and enjoyment of our students.

Our art program at Ivy Hill incorporates TAB art methodology (Teaching Artistic Behavior) which allows for students to experiment, choose media and themes for their own art projects. This freedom of choice in materials is one piece of the design process where collaboration was able to give students a taste of STEAM in their art class. Having 3Doodlers is a perfect media for our 5th graders to experiment with and later move onto really impressive personal art pieces ranging from Sponge Bob to geometric earrings to cubes!

We introduced the 3 Doodler pens with some general instructions on care and use and then let students explore. We could immediately see the excitement in many students at the opportunity to work with a new medium. Students doodled, constructed, and designed. Some tried writing words, some made earrings and some started sculpting. It was powerful to watch the problem-solving process evolve in an authentic setting. One student was working on making a nameplate and had to figure out the best way to support it into a standing position. Another worked on a 3D cube and had to adjust angles and determine how best to connect the sides. This is tinkering at it’s finest.

It took most students a while to get used to figuring out the most effective grip to use while creating with the doodler. They also learned to make adjustments in manipulating and ending a strand of doodler plastic, since a little extra “string” of run-off happens when you turn off the pen. Students truly figured out things by trial and error fairly quickly. Many students shined through big time with this media, students who haven’t with other media introduced in the art room.

It’s been rejuvenating to see students excited about trying out something new. Most kids naturally want to try new things which we love to see. The 3Doodler has definitely expanded our art studio to new possibilities and lots of creative, fun energy! 

We would be remiss if we did not include a couple of tips for care and feeding of your 3Doodlers. We have the Start model, which is recommended for ages 6-13. They are cool to the touch, eliminating the chance of burning skin. Even the extruded plastic is only warm, not hot.

We highly recommend writing on the device with Sharpie which color will be used with each pen. It helps keep the color of pens even and it is much easier to know which color is loaded in which pen. Also, charging after each use has been helpful. The batteries last well for our 1 hour art classes and getting into that routine of charging when done using them makes sure that they are ready to go for the next class.

The 3D doodler pens are a big hit with our 5th graders and we can’t wait to introduce them to younger artists! We also hope to incorporate other STEAM elements into our Art studio and can’t wait to see what our students will create next.

IDEA Partners make it possible for IDEA to achieve its mission. 

And in case you didn’t know -- Our mission is to inspire, connect and provide the educational community with opportunities that transform teaching and learning through technology. 

That is why we are thrilled to welcome our newest Silver Partner, Wakelet!

Wakelet is a free to use content curation platform that allows you to save, organize, present and share all kinds of online content into visual, engaging collections. It supports independent learning, group based learning, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and digital citizenship.

Wakelet allows educators to create visual, engaging learning environments for their students, classes, and communities. Educators across the world are using Wakelet to organize, create and share resources, lesson plans, presentations, newsletters, digital storytelling assignments, online portfolios, journals and much more! The flexibility and usefulness of the platform provides for some of the most creative, engaging, and memorable learning experiences that can be had both inside and outside the classroom. Wakelet integrates with all of your favorite tech tools, so educators quickly find Wakelet becoming an essential part of their workflow!

Check out more about Wakelet here.