The Digital Learning team at Grant Wood AEA is always looking at new ways to augment the professional development and work we do with staff. With that in mind, we have recently launched a brand new way for educators to stay current with the latest technology tools and trends for the classroom - The EdTech Take Out podcast. It can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, Macs, PCs and Chromebooks so teachers can listen to it anywhere, and at any time. More information about the show, as well as how to subscribe, can be found here: http://www.dlgwaea.org/blog/the-edtech-take-out-a-brand-new-podcast-for-teachers

We think that this could be a great opportunity for you and would be grateful if you could pass this along. If you have any questions, let me know.

If you have an agency iPad, download it and listen on a drive or listen on the Digital Learning Blog!

On July 6, 7 and 8, 2016, Grant Wood AEA will be hosting a conference to celebrate and expand upon innovative classroom integration strategies for the iPad. Join us for three days of learning that will include exciting, hands-on experiences that you can use to enhance teaching and learning in a K-12 classroom. This year, the theme of our conference is "Show What You Know".

Learn more about iPadU at the GWAEA Digital Learning site. Where you can get links to register and to submit a session if you would like to share!

Here is a flyer if you would like to share!

Episode 6: Stop Motion

This challenge asks students to create a stop motion video that will take a character from one location to another with a snap of their fingers. In this episode, we are able to feature Alburnett High School's ACE class. Check out how these students work together to create an elaborate stop motion video around their school. A big thanks goes out to those creative students and their teacher, Morgan Tjaden (@MorganTjaden), for collaborating with us.

New to making?

Feel free to reference our lesson plan for tips on implementation, extension ideas.

Our goal is to create a community of makers. We hope you will consider sharing student work to post to our Community Inspiration Board. Sharing is easy - send us your stop motion videos through social media and tag @dlgwaea or send an email to makerspace@gwaea.org or share links with us using this form.

We hope you enjoy the show - Have Fun Making!

Grant Wood AEA is offering schools a new online resource called Defined STEM. Defined STEM weaves curriculum strands into a personalized learning experience, unique for each student. Defined STEM provides real-world relevance and application opportunities to K-12 students through performance tasks, literacy tasks, constructed responses, and high-interest video. Contact Mindy Cairney or Amber Bridge if you are interested!

Join us for an interactive, hands-on class that is designed to take full advantage of the iPad's ability to create videos with students in your classroom. Participants will learn how to script, shoot, edit and share videos using an iPad. They will explore the use of iMovie, green screen effects, stop motion video, and other techniques in order to bring a rich, multimedia flavor to their existing curriculums. Participants are asked to bring an iPad to class.

February 29, 2016 9am-3pm, March 7, 2016 9am-3pm & March 22, 2016 9am -3pm

GWAEA Southern Facility 2301 Oakdale Blvd Coralville, IA 52241

Register Here: Course Number: 4678-15-01

The primary focus of this course is to introduce teachers to the full suite of Google Apps for Education tools. Participants will have the opportunity to explore, through hands-on experiences, the various features and aspects of Google Apps that support instructional strategies. This course will cover Drive, Docs, Forms, Sites, and much more. The course will also provide participants with opportunities to revise and revitalize current teaching tools and practices with the help of Google Apps for Education Tools.

March 1, 2016 & March 15, 2016 8:30am-4:00pm Face to Face

GWAEA 4401 6th St SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

March 8, 2016 4pm-6pm Synchronous Online Learning

Register Here: Course Number: 4782-15-02

Why This Matters

One of the most important ways teachers learn to integrate assistive technologies in their classroom is talking with peers about their individual classroom practices. In formal professional learning experiences, teachers learn most from presentations about specific tools and activities (Kiley, 2013).

Grant Wood AEA hosts a variety of learning opportunities around AT (Assistive Technology). We will be hosting our fifth Building Bridges conference this year (see flyer below). If you want to learn more about assistive technology support visit the GWAEA website.

Come for a hands-on day of learning about Code.org's free K-5 curriculum and learn how coding can be integrated into your school. This one day workshop will introduce teachers to an elementary computer science curriculum. Even with no prior knowledge of computer programming, this training will empower teachers to teach the concepts of programming in their classrooms. The curriculum introduced featuring three tiers of coursework. These three courses blend online, self-guided and self-paced tutorials with "unplugged" activities - lessons that teach computing concepts without a computer. Each level consists of about 20 lessons that may be implemented as one contiguous unit or one lesson a week for a semester. Each lesson may be implemented within a standard 45-50 minute class period.

The courses have been designed for students of all ages, but they reinforce math, science, and English education standards for elementary school students. The Computational Thinking Practices of: creativity, collaboration, communication, persistence and problem solving will be emphasized throughout. The workshop itself will be a mix of curriculum overview, introduction to the teacher/learner/observer (TLO) process, practice lessons, and discussions on implementation.

When: Tuesday, April 5th, 2016 - 8 am - 4 pm

Where: Grant Wood AEA, 4401 6th Street S.W., Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Sign Up Here

Aaron Maurer - www.coffeeforthebrain.com

This session is designed to help educators and anyone involved in the field of education understand what this makerspace movement is all about and how to find a way to make it work in the school setting. Through a variety of hands on learning, lively discussions, activities, and planning, participants will walk away with a sense of how to implement the ideas back at their school and classroom. Key ideas to be discussed will be learning spaces, PBL integration, how to manage the makerspace, easy activities to start, and how to blueprint change for your current space.

May 4, 2016

1:00-3:30 p.m.,

Cedar Rapids Educational Learning and Support Center

Course Number: 19368-15-01

Fees: $40 within AEA10 boundaries, $65 outside of AEA10

Registration Deadline: 1/27/16 at 6:00 a.m.

Registration information can be found here.

The GWAEA Digital Learning Team has some resources to get you started if you are considering a Makerspace! Contact your technology consultant if you want to stop by for a visit or have questions.

The Grant Wood Digital Learning Team works with AEA 10 schools to help them integrate technology in the classroom. We work with teachers and administrators on-site, and at Grant Wood facilities. Each school district is assigned a Technology Consultant from the Digital Learning Team to help facilitate the ways in which we can help schools improve teaching and learning with technology.

Email: digitallearning@gwaea.org
Website: http://www.dlgwaea.org
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA, United States
Phone: 319-399-6700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dlgwaea
Twitter: @DLGWAEA