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Are you ready to learn at the NICE Mini-Conference?

2012-01-27T03:01:31-06:00

Thank you to all of our NICE Members who pre-registered for the NICE Mini-Conference. We are expecting a record attendance this year, and hope that the day provides great opportunities for learning! Our schedule of sessions can be viewed online at: http://tinyurl.com/2012NiceSched. Resources from our presenters are posted on our NICE website: http://iceberg.org/nice/resources.

Pre-register now for the 18th Annual NICE Mini-Conference

2012-01-04T16:27:52-06:00

Join us for the eighteenth annual

Mini-Conference sponsored by

Northern Illinois Computing Educators.

Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012

8 am to 1 pm

Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Lincolnshire, IL.

Registration and refreshments will begin at 8:00 a.m. in the East Building (park in Lot C or D). We will gather in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center. During this time, you can meet our 2011 Mini-Grant winners and learn about their projects.

We’re kicking off our day with a keynote by Steve Dembo, Discovery Education’s Online Community Manager, followed by three 50-minute breakout sessions. We will conclude the day with a great raffle! For those who would like to try an “unconference” experience, we’re setting up areas for that, too! You’re sure to come away with some great new ideas, and maybe a raffle prize, too. Admission is $5.00...pay @ the door!

FIRST: Download a copy of the "Mini-Conference NICE News" to view the session descriptions and presenter information.

THEN: We ask that you pre-register before Jan. 25 by going to: http://tinyurl.com/nice-mini2012. This will greatly help us to schedule rooms and sessions, (but does NOT guarantee you a seat in any one session) ... so, please help us out!

Pre-registered attendees can also reserve an iPad to use while in attendance. (iPad supplies are limited, so register early to reserve one!)

Please feel free to bring your wi-fi enabled devices to our mini-conference! If you plan to blog or post information on Flickr, Twitter or Plurk, etc, please apply the hashtag #nice2012 to your tweets, blogs, photos, and links.

For more information contact the Mini-Conference Co-Chairs: Helen Lazzarro,lazz04@gmail.com, or Stephanie Cardella, scardella@nssd112.org

Hope to see YOU on Jan. 28!

Stellar Sessions Planned for the NICE Mini-Conference on Jan. 28!

2011-12-17T14:58:19-06:00

Mark Your Calendars!! NICE will host its 18th annual mini-conference on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, from 8:00 am to 1 pm, at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.

This year's stellar line up includes...

Steve Dembo: Keynote Address
Jon Bergmann: The Flipped Class
Katie Cardella: More with iPads
Tricia Fuglestad: Creative Digital Art Projects~Elementary and Beyond
Ryan Goble: Media Circles: Cooperative Learning for Media-Savvy Teachers
Jodi Greenspan: Community 2.0--How Technology can Enhance the School Community
Jodi Greenspan: Google Earth--Students can do more than just find their house
Jim Gubbins: Untangling the Web
Jan Hackman: What's Blooming in the iCollaboratory?
Lynda Hartman: Accessible Worksheets. It’s a Win-Win–-Differentiate Access and Save Paper
Cynthia Karabush: Give Your Surfers a Paddle: QR Codes in the Classroom
Caren Kimbarovsky: Above and Beyond: More Interactive Whiteboard Resources
Karen Ladendorf: Songs My Family Taught Me, and Beyond
Amy Lamberti: Web 2.0 Tools for Creativity
Jill Maraldo: An introduction to social media for administrators
Maureen Miller: The 21st Century Administrator
Laura Montgomery: Building a website with Weebly ("the Wonder-Tool")
Nick Nicholson: SMART Response VE: Your Internet Enabled Device is Now A Student Responder
Nick Nicholson: Working Smarter w/SMART Boards
Nadine Norris: Adventures in a a 1-1 iPad Classroom
Christine Pfaffinger: iPad learning in the Science classroom, from APPs to lessons
Linda Pribyl: Creating iPad Content
Anthony Reibel: Closing Learning Gaps With Powerful Technology
Melissa Rosen: Web 2.0 Tools For The Classroom
Melissa Rosen: If It's Online, It Must Be True
Jeff Shaw: ActivInspire Tips & Tricks
Bonnie Thurber: When will I Ever Use This? -- Career

Session descriptions will be published in the January NICE Newsletter. Participants will attend the keynote address and 3 breakout sessions. Admission is $5. Pre-registration will be available online beginning early in Jan. Stay tuned for more details!

Time to nominate your peers for Educator of the Year!

2011-12-04T18:33:11-06:00

Each year, ICE recognizes the extraordinary education efforts of ICE members through the Educator of the Year Program. There are two categories for this award: ICE Educator of the Year Award, for Pre K-12 Classroom Teachers; and ICE Outstanding Technology Using Educator Award, for Media & Technology Staff, Administrators and College/University Faculty.

To nominate a colleague, please download and complete the nomination form and email the completed form by December 12, 2011, to the ICE Educator of the Year Chair, Charlene Chausis, at cchausis@iceberg.org.

For info about the ICE Educator of the Year award, visit http://iceberg.org/grants_awards/educator.

NICE iPads in Education Workshop 12-3-11 Resources

2011-12-04T00:21:24-06:00

NICE Members gathered at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL today to explore the use of iPads in education. Special thanks to Jan Stoner and Loyola Academy for hosting today's workshop, and to Gail LeGrand for bringing her delicious home-baked chocolate bundt cake! Congratulations to Michelle Russell, winner of the portable video camera!! (We are raffling off a camera at each of our meetings this year.)

Today's session began with brainstorming to schedule "topics of interest" for 2 breakout sessions (in an "unconference" style), then a "share out" of favorite apps. Several online resources are available with notes and ideas presented today:

A back-channel of links and ideas: http://todaysmeet.com/NICE-ipadsined

A shared Google-doc spreadsheet of notes.

A shared Google-doc ..."What's your 1 thing?" ... please add your ideas and solutions to this!

View the opening session posted to our uStream Channel:

Be sure to mark your calendars for our NICE Mini-Conference, Sat. Jan 28 at Stevenson High School. Our list of sessions, and online pre-registration will be posted when school resumes after winter break.

Dec. 3: iPads in Education Workshop: BYOD

2011-11-07T01:37:46-06:00

Who: NICE Members
What: iPads in Education Workshop: BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
When: Sat. Dec 3, 2011, 9 am to noon
Where: Loyola Academy, Wilmette, IL

Details: Bring your iPad and discover and share how these devices are being used in education. We will begin with a “There’s An App for That” share out, and break into smaller groups based on individual learning needs and interests. A light breakfast will be served beginning at 9 am.

This workshop is exclusivley for NICE members. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/NICE-Dec3

The 2011 Global Education Conference is Coming.....

2011-10-23T14:05:57-05:00

Steve Hargadon and Lucy Gray are ramping up for the second annual Global Education Conference, scheduled for November 14th through November 18th, 2011. Sessions will be held around the clock to accommodate time zones, and the best part is that the entire event is free!

via www.lucygray.org

New to PLNs? Looking to build your PLN? Join us!

2011-10-17T18:27:02-05:00

Join your fellow educators on Tuesday, October 25 for “Building Your Professional Learning Network” and learn what a PLN can do for you! We will hear from a panel of educators who will share how their PLN has helped them learn and keep up to date in the fast-changing world of educational technology.

Jim Gubbins, Dist. 207 Technology Coordinator
Margaret Johnson, ICE Executive Director
Nadine Norris, ICE President and Palatine District 15 Instructional Technology Coordinator
Scott Meech, Dist. 58 Director of Technology

Come enjoy good conversation-- and a FREE dinner too. Bring your friends...the more the merrier!

We will meet at 4:30 p.m. in the school library at Edgewood Middle School in Highland Park.

View Larger Map

So that we may get an accurate count for food ordering, please take a moment to RSVP if you plan to attend. Visit: http://tinyurl.com/nicemeeting.

See you on the 25th!

Call for NICE Mini-Conference Presenters!

2011-10-16T15:17:21-05:00

We are now accepting proposals to present at the NICE Mini-Conference in January 2012.

Do YOU (or someone you know):

have an innovative/engaging technology-integrated unit or project?
use STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) real-world projects in your room?
have an idea for a session that shows best practices, innovation, student engagement using technology for teaching and learning?

If so....PLEASE SHARE with other teachers!

WHERE?
-- Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, IL
WHEN?
-- Saturday, January 28, 2012, from 8:30 am-1:30 pm
HOW MUCH?
-- Registration = $5 (the BEST deal in town!)
WHAT ELSE?
-- Hear from our 2011 mini-grant recipients.

The NICE Mini-Conference consists of 15-18 concurrent sessions. Sessions are 45 minutes long. Submit your proposal online today at http://goo.gl/gjZLu -- Deadline for proposals is Friday, Nov. 4, 2011.

Thanks!

Share-a-Rama Share-out

2011-09-25T20:34:33-05:00

This year's NICE meetings are off to a wonderful start! We had over 40 people at our annual Share-a-Rama! A huge thank you to all who attended, especially those who shared wonderful new technology integration tools, websites, strategies and cool apps! From assistive iPad cases, to simple eBook publication online and tools to manage your evergrowing PLN, the Share-a-Rama is always filled with a plethora of great ideas.

A few of those who shared resources included...

Tricia Lazzaro of Hinsdale High School who shared ePub Bud, an online eBook tool which now includes group management for teachers.

Beth Heile of North Shore School District 112 who shared how Google Forms have increased data collection in her STEP classroom. Beth also shared how Factime and VTok have allowed for unobtrusive parent visits and classroom observations of students.

Cynthia Karabush of Greyslake North High School who shared a wealth of QR Code ideas.

And, Jill Maraldo of Deerfield 109 who shared how Google+ (now open to anyone) has been a valuable tool for building her PLN.

You can view the entire list of resources shared HERE or watch the entire meeting on the NorthernICE Ustream.

Speaking of PLNs, our next meeting on October 25th is What Can a PLN Do? at Edgewood Middle School in Highland Park. This session will help you discover and build your own PLN. Details to follow!