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May 2015 - In This Issue:
   
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 28, 2015 8:00-9pm

June 5, 2015

(discount for ICE members)
June 11-12, 2015
June 12, 2015

June 28-July 1, 2015

 FlipCon15
(discount code ICE50)
July 13-15, 2015
 
CORPORATE PARTNERS
The Qualitative Formative Assessment Toolkit

By Reshan Richards

I have recently been refining an idea called the qualitative formative assessment toolkit (QFAT for short) which has come about following my research on and practice with mobile technologies, multimedia authoring, and formative assessment. The QFAT is made up of four approaches available on most smartphones, tablets, and laptops: making photos, taking screenshots, filming videos, and screencasting.


I believe that assessing learning is about understanding where the learner is in a given moment and time and then providing the guidance and structure to develop that learning further. Each of these approaches allow teachers and learner to capture and create moments of learning, excerpts of understanding, and reflections of experience. These can be used to document the learning process while also creating artifacts for reflection and demonstrating growth over time. 



 
Your Digital Toolbox
By Amanda Pelsor
It is very important to have a digital tools, which is why this month the ICE Communications and Professional Development teams are focusing on helping our members build and share their digital toolbox. If you don't have tools ready to support your teaching, it can be very difficult to use technology. Having tools available to you make it easier to focus your efforts on the content and instruction. 

But, just like with any toolbox, the tools that are available to us are only helpful if they are used in a meaningful way. Hammers are vital to the building process, unless, of course, you are trying to paint the walls. In that case, you really need a paint brush. As you build your digital toolbox, make sure to add a variety of different tools. Consider ways you can those tools in meaningful ways so that they improve your instruction.
ICE Leader You Should Know: Shannon Soger

Shannon Soger is a hard working, dedicated, and passionate educator who believes in improving teaching and learning through the use of technology. Shannon's experience resides in South Berwyn School District 100, as a 4th grade teacher, an Instructional Coach, and the Instructional Director. She is known for pioneering the 1:1 Apple Distinguished Program and sharing best practices around the globe. She loves traveling, attending and speaking at conferences, teaching teachers, and spending time with her niece. As an ICE member, attendee and presenter, she is excited to join the 2015 ICE Conference on the Member Networking Committee. You can connect with Shannon on Twitter @ShannonSoger and read her blog iteachabovetheline.blogspot.com.  
The Editors You Should Know
By Margaret Johnson, ICE Executive Director

You may know that almost all ICE events and resources are produced for ICE members by other ICE members volunteering their time and talent.  We have tried to highlight many of these generous educators in the "ICE Leader You Should Know" feature in recent newsletters.  What you may not know, however, is that the ICE Newsletter that has been arriving in your email inbox on a monthly basis for just shy of two years, is the product of two wonderful volunteers, Amanda Pelsor and Michael Johnson, who are the talent and inspiration behind the scenes.
 

The change in format from a quarterly printed document to a more frequent digital version was proposed by ICE Conference Committee member and active volunteer, Amanda Pelsor.  In addition to proposing the new format, Amanda created a prototype and offered to serve as newsletter editor.  The ICE Governing Board accepted Amanda's proposal for monthly issues built around one substantial article on a topic of high-interest to ICE members.  Based on your response and data on the number of newsletter "opens" and clicks on links within the newsletters, ICE members have embraced the new format.