Join IDEA, Otus, and colleagues from around the state of Illinois for a unique conference format that combines participant-driven conversation with thoughtfully selected topics, moderated by leading educators.

Featured topics focus on the ongoing paradigm shift in instructional, assessment, and grading practices. Collaborate with prominent local educators and walk away with strategies to support your teaching and learning initiatives.

• Standard-Based Learning moderated by Jim Pardun
• Personalized Learning moderated by Rae Hughart
• Effective Use of Space and Time moderated by Kristen Howell
• Data-Informed Instruction moderated by Phil Collins

This unique conference format ensures you get to attend the sessions you want and work with the moderators that are most relevant to you!

For more information about the day, visit the A Conversation on Modern Measures of Learning conference website.

Illinois educators will earn five (5) PDHs at the conclusion of the conference.

Join the IDEA Two Rivers Chapter for a FREE workshop on Pear Deck on October 17th at the JWCC SouthEast Education Center in Pittsfield! 

Participants will learn how to use Pear Deck to engage students in meaningful presentations that allow teachers to engage all students. Using Pear Deck, you can quickly and easily assess student work and provide meaningful feedback to all students. 

Educators attending will earn 1 PDH hour for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

We hope you’ll join the Central Illinois Valley chapter of IDEA for the October educator board game event, hosted at Titan Games in Peoria Heights. This event provides us with a chance to relax, have some fun, build our networks, and brainstorm how to adapt these games for use in our classrooms or schools. This month’s event will be held on Saturday, October 19, from 4:00-6:00pm. 

Don't forget, the event is free! We hope to see you there. Simply RSVP here so that we have enough space and enough board games set aside for our group.

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree.

Illinois educators will earn (2) PDHs at the conclusion of this event.

Illinois Digital Educators Alliance is the official Illinois Makey Makey training partner. Get ready for a fun hands-on workshop where you’ll learn about Invention Literacy, Making, and Design Thinking using the award winning Makey Makey invention kit. With the Makey Makey, students can make any conductive material act as the input device for a computer. Because it comes preprogrammed, students with no coding experience can use it and learn to experiment with it as they start to learn coding.

This workshop is intended to help educators who work with students in grades K-12 explore Inventing, Design Thinking, and Making using the Makey Makey.

Tynker for Schools is excited to partner with Illinois IDEA for a webinar entitled: Micro:bits and Tynker: Physical Computing Made Easy!

Remember with Tynker, any teacher can teach coding. Micro:bits (with Tynker) are the best and simplest way to get K-8 coding with hardware! This Webinar is for any and every teacher who is interested in taking their next steps with hardware (micro:bits) and software like Tynker blocks (and Python!).

To All Who Attend Live: We’ll be raffling off micro:bits!

With this FREE professional learning opportunity you will experience:
+ Many of Tynker’s ready-made coding templates for Tynker Blocks and Python!
+ Preview both of Tynker’s 2 new coding courses: micro:bits 101 and micro:Python 101
+ Tynker innovation- 1 click upload to micro:bits and 1 button deploy for Python!

What are micro:bits?
If you’re familiar with Makey Makey, Arduino, or Raspberry Pi- micro:bit tops them all! Micro:bits (https://microbit.org/) are a programmable microcontroller, with sensors, LEDs, pins, bluetooth, accelerometer- all built in. It’s super-accessible for K-5+, and gives opportunities for very young students to program hardware in an efficient and innovative manner. They’re also much cheaper than any of those other options.

About Daniel Rezac:
Daniel Rezac worked most recently as the Director of Academic Technology for Quest Academy, in addition to serving students at Northbrook/Glenview District 30, Fremont District 79, and Chicago Public Schools as a Technology Integration Specialist and science teacher. He is currently the Senior Education Partnerships Lead for Tynker for Schools (Tynker.com) and a long-time member and volunteer for IDEA (formerly Illinois Computing Educators), an ISTE Affiliate.

About Tynker:
Tynker’s award-winning creative computing platform helps children develop computational thinking and programming skills in a fun, intuitive and imaginative way. The platform is used by one in three U.S. K-8 schools and 60 million kids across 150 countries. Global partners include brands such as Apple, Microsoft, Mattel, PBS, Sylvan Learning, and more. Tynker is accessible from any computer with an internet browser, as well as via the Tynker iPad app, and offers both a free and paid subscription option.

RSVP for the webinar here.

Illinois educators will earn one (1) PDH at the conclusion of the webinar.

Join the IDEA Two Rivers Chapter for a FREE workshop on Quizlet, October 24th at the JWCC SouthEast Education Center in Pittsfield! 

Participants will learn to use Quizlet to create interactive study material for all students. This is a great way to move beyond flashcards and engage students in more interactive studying.

Educators attending will earn 1 PDH hour for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

Join the IDEA Three Rivers Chapter for Bots & Bevs at the Steam Hollow Brewery in Manteno on October 24th from 4:30pm-6:00pm.

Come play with some robots at Steam Hollow Brewery! Talk with peers about edtech, bring curriculum ideas/questions, and build a robot with the Hummingbird Bit Robotics Kit. You can also take a look at Sphero Bolt, and Makey Makey.

This is an educator community event for adults. If you are a teacher, administrator, or community member come join us for this fun relaxed event! No programming/robotics experience required.

Robotics kits will be provided, but do bring a Laptop or Tablet to program on! All platforms work with Hummingbird.

Beverages will be available for purchase at Steam Hollow Brewery. Please no children unless supervised. Educators attending will earn 1.5 PDH hours for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

Tynker for Schools is excited to partner with IDEA for a half-day workshop entitled: Micro:bits Made Simple- with Tynker for Schools! Remember with Tynker, any teacher can teach coding. This FREE workshop is for any and every teacher who is interested in taking their next steps with hardware (micro:bits) and software like Tynker blocks (and Python!).

With this professional learning opportunity you will be able to: 

• Code a simple project using Tynker coding blocks 
• Assign lessons and projects using the Tynker Teacher Dashboard. 
• Create numerous micro:bit projects using Tynker project templates (for Tynker Block coding). 
• Practice micro:bit: Python programming (for beginners), using Tynker’s Python micro:bit projects. 
• Preview Tynker’s micro:Bit 101 and micro:Python 101 courses. 
• Have fun! 

Illinois educators will earn three (3) PDHs at the conclusion of this workshop.

Join IDEA Abe Lincoln Chapter teachers for our Educator Meet-Up on October 26th from 3:00pm-5:00pm at Decatur Brew Works!

Kick back, relax, and create some robots with educators from the Springfield area! Talk with peers about edtech, bring curriculum ideas and questions, or just use a Hummingbird Robotics Kit to make your own robot. No programming/robotics experience required! Technology and craft materials will be provided if you want to build your own bot. Brews are available for purchase at the bar. Decatur Brew Works encourages you to bring your own food.

Attendees can earn two (2) PDHs at this event. 

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

Join the IDEA Two Rivers Chapter for a FREE workshop on Google, October 29th at Liberty High School!

Participants will increase their productivity by using Google tools. Tips and tricks will be shared about Google Slides, Forms, and Classroom.

Educators attending will earn 1 PDH hour for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

Join the IDEA South Suburbs Chapter for a FREE night of Digital Citizenship Trivia!

Join us for some pizza, trivia, and collaboration on October 29th at the Joe Daniels Bar and Grill in Palos Heights from 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM. 

Educators attending will earn 1.5 PDH hours for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

Join the IDEA Northern Suburbs Chapter for a FREE workshop on Assistive Tech and Differentiating with Technology.

Learn more about how to support students with Assistive Technology and differentiate instruction/output with general technology tools. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn with guidance from Hyde Park Day School staff including Sarah Imboden, Instructional Coach; Kirsten Kohlmeyer, Transition Coordinator; and Jen Gilbert, classroom teacher. Facilitators will share about the Assistive Tech tools used at Hyde Park Day School and how they support the transition part of their mission. Additionally, participants will have an opportunity to explore several tools, including those that allow students to demonstrate what they know in a variety of formats.

Light bites are included and PD hours are available. Please RSVP to help get a count for food.

Find the map here (http://bit.ly/HPDSdirections) to determine the best route and get a visual for the parking lot and entry door. Please use the marked entrance (shown on the map) to get into the building. Plenty of parking is available on the blacktop in the marked spaces.

There is no charge to attend! We look forward to seeing you there!

Educators attending will earn 2 PDH hours for this event.

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree.

Join us for a #WebinarWednesday on October 30th @ 5:30 pm CDT for a webinar on Digital Citizenship!

Digital media has been perpetually evolving for more than 20 years, when the terms digital literacy and digital citizenship were first coined. Both of these terms have been called "moving targets" as educators aim to prepare learners for an unknowable future. But what kinds of knowledge, competency and skills are involved with each? What are the similarities and differences between these concepts? How are educators and librarians learning about these practices? How are they implementing them in their work with learners? 

Join Renee Hobbs in an online webinar to get answer to these questions and consider the implications of digital citizenship and digital literacy for teaching and learning.

RSVP for the webinar here.

Illinois educators will earn one (1) PDH at the conclusion of the webinar.

You are registering for the ISTE Certification for Educators presented by Illinois Digital Educators Alliance.

Through the ISTE Certification process, teachers will participate in 30 hours of dynamic in-person and online professional learning based on the ISTE Standards and transformative pedagogy. After completing the training, participants have six months to apply their learning and compile artifacts and reflections into a competency-based portfolio which will be evaluated by ISTE, the only organization that awards the certification.

Illinois Digital Educators Alliance has been selected by ISTE to be an authorized provider of the ISTE Certification for Educators because of their commitment to high quality edtech professional learning and the ISTE Standards as a guide for transforming teaching and learning.

Please note that this is an 8-week blended learning course. You are required to spend two days of learning onsite. The additional seven weeks of online learning will begin one week prior to the onsite training. The dates noted in this registration are for the two onsite learning days.

You are registering for the ISTE Certification for Educators presented by Illinois Digital Educators Alliance.

Through the ISTE Certification process, teachers will participate in 30 hours of dynamic in-person and online professional learning based on the ISTE Standards and transformative pedagogy. After completing the training, participants have six months to apply their learning and compile artifacts and reflections into a competency-based portfolio which will be evaluated by ISTE, the only organization that awards the certification.

Illinois Digital Educators Alliance has been selected by ISTE to be an authorized provider of the ISTE Certification for Educators because of their commitment to high quality edtech professional learning and the ISTE Standards as a guide for transforming teaching and learning.

Please note that this is an 8-week blended learning course. You are required to spend two days of learning onsite. The additional seven weeks of online learning will begin one week prior to the onsite training. The dates noted in this registration are for the two onsite learning days.

Join the IDEA Two Rivers Chapter for a FREE workshop on Google, November 20th at Payson High School!

Participants will increase their productivity by using Google tools. Tips and tricks will be shared about Google Slides, Forms, and Classroom.

Educators attending will earn 1 PDH hour for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

Computer Science and programming are finding their way into more and more classrooms. This increased focused on STEM fields provides new opportunities for schools to incorporate meaningful problem solving across all content areas. With Sphero Edu, teachers can engage students like never before. Join this discussion around what CS Foundations and Sphero Edu can look like in your classroom!

RSVP for the webinar here.

Illinois educators will earn one (1) PDH at the conclusion of the webinar.

Join the IDEA Two Rivers Chapter for a FREE workshop on December 5 at the JWCC SouthEast Education Center in Pittsfield!

Participants will learn how to introduce basic coding into their classroom for all students to learn. CS First provides numerous activities to engage students in computer coding. Teachers can monitor and assess students to earn badges. 

Educators attending will earn 1 PDH hour for this event!

Not a member of IDEA? No problem. It's free to join at bit.ly/joinIDEAfree. 

IDEAcon is a teaching and learning conference designed for all educators, including educational leaders, technology specialists, IT professionals, librarians, instructional coaches and pre-service teachers from pre-K through higher education. The conference engages these professionals in an exploration of pedagogical strategies and resources connected to instructional technology.

Districts, schools, classrooms, and libraries will all gain valuable insights at one of the Midwest's largest educational technology conferences. In 2019, over 5,000 unique visitors joined us across four days making it our biggest conference to date.

IDEAcon features nationally recognized speakers along with a plethora of leading local presenters through a program that contains over 400 formal and informal learning opportunities. Nearly 200 corporate sponsors & exhibitors will be on-site to showcase their support for the conference and technology in education.

IDEAcon will be held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Register to join us at IDEAcon on February 24-27, 2020.

You are registering for the ISTE Certification for Educators presented by Illinois Digital Educators Alliance.

Through the ISTE Certification process, teachers will participate in 30 hours of dynamic in-person and online professional learning based on the ISTE Standards and transformative pedagogy. After completing the training, participants have six months to apply their learning and compile artifacts and reflections into a competency-based portfolio which will be evaluated by ISTE, the only organization that awards the certification.

Illinois Digital Educators Alliance has been selected by ISTE to be an authorized provider of the ISTE Certification for Educators because of their commitment to high quality edtech professional learning and the ISTE Standards as a guide for transforming teaching and learning.

Please note that this is an 8-week blended learning course. You are required to spend two days of learning onsite. The additional seven weeks of online learning will begin one week prior to the onsite training. The dates noted in this registration are for the two onsite learning days.