Extra Credit (Spring)

You can earn up to 20 points extra credit by completing one of the options on this page and submitting a short essay that addresses all three of the following points:

Summarize the event and the topics covered.
Explain how those topics impact teaching and learning.
Describe how you will be able to use these ideas in your future classroom.

Begin your essay with the title and date of the event in which you participated.

Each option below is worth 20 points. You may not earn more than 20 points extra credit in the course.

Options (choose one)	Description
Participate in a PD Location: Schindler Ed Center	Feb 29 - March1 Free but you need to register Carlton-Mellichamp Lecture in Education This year's focus: "Using AI to Support Well-Being in Education."
Attend Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival Location : UNI Dome	March 19 4-7PM Free https://neiowastem.com/cedar-valley-family-stem-festival Attend STEM festival. The goals of the STEM festival are to promote, inspire and engage youth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activities and to introduce children and parents to STEM careers. Organizations will present exhibits and hands-on activities for kids Pre-K through12 and their families.
Visit Iowa FRC Regional Competition Location: McLeod Center & the UNI-Dome	March 22- 23 Free https://robotics.uni.edu/ Attend FIRST Robotics Competition Iowa Regional will bring together more than 60 Midwest & International FRC teams to compete in the University of Northern Iowa McLeod Center. Each high school team has had just 6 weeks to design, build, and program their robot to compete in a themed game Saturday is the perfect day for family participation in FRC. Watch a competition Take a tour of the pits (where the teams work on their robots) during your visit. talk to the kids, ask them how they got involved, what they wish to see more in their schools...learn from them If you can't make it Saturday, the event is open on Friday from 8:00 am through 5:00 pm.
Learn from Educational Podcast	Subscribe and listen to educational podcast (Podcast can be part of your PLN) You are no limited to these lists, but here is a good start 10 of the Absolute Best Podcasts for Teachers by We Are Teachers: www.weareteachers.com/must-listen-podcasts 30 Best Education Podcasts by Mission.org: medium.com/the-mission/30-best-education-podcasts-d8acf604ccdb List of 40 Educational Podcasts by College Info Geek: https://collegeinfogeek.com/best-podcasts/ Podcasts That Expand Our Hearts and Minds. A collection of podcasts that aren’t about education but can still help teachers find new ways to think about their work: www.edutopia.org/article/podcasts-expand-our-hearts-and-minds
Complete Digital Citizenship and Safety Google Training	Complete Google Digital Citizenship and Safety Course - When done take a screenshot of the course page showing your login and when the course was passed. (free)
Complete Support English Language Learners Google Training	Complete Google's Support English Language Learners training. This activity provide strategies for educators to create culturally responsive learning environments. - When done take a screenshot of the course page showing your login and when the course was passed. (free)
Learn from EdWeb and TechTool Webinar	Join the edWeb.net community and participate or watch recorded webinar organized by TechTool for the Classroom PLC Here is a calendar with the scheduled edWebinars (Free)
Create a short reflective essay	"ISTE standards - What's in it for me? " What are ISTE standards? Why do we have them? From what perspective are the standards written? What vocabulary from the standards do you find most useful for your professional development? How can technology enhance the achievement of the standards? Can standards enhance teacher or students performance? Can you see the connection between ISTE standards and what we did in our course? Provide at least two examples. ISTE standards for students ISTE standards for educators
Other	Your instructors may find other opportunities to help you earn an extra credit in which case you will receive an email with the details. Stay tuned!

Options (choose one)

Description

Participate in a PD

Location: Schindler Ed Center

Feb 29 - March1
Free but you need to register

Carlton-Mellichamp Lecture in Education This year's focus: "Using AI to Support Well-Being in Education."

Attend Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival

Location : UNI Dome

March 19 4-7PM
Free

https://neiowastem.com/cedar-valley-family-stem-festival

Attend STEM festival. The goals of the STEM festival are to promote, inspire and engage youth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activities and to introduce children and parents to STEM careers. Organizations will present exhibits and hands-on activities for kids Pre-K through12 and their families.

Visit Iowa FRC Regional Competition

Location: McLeod Center & the UNI-Dome

March 22- 23
Free
https://robotics.uni.edu/

Attend FIRST Robotics Competition Iowa Regional will bring together more than 60 Midwest & International FRC teams to compete in the University of Northern Iowa McLeod Center. Each high school team has had just 6 weeks to design, build, and program their robot to compete in a themed game

Saturday is the perfect day for family participation in FRC.

Watch a competition
Take a tour of the pits (where the teams work on their robots) during your visit.
talk to the kids, ask them how they got involved, what they wish to see more in their schools...learn from them

If you can't make it Saturday, the event is open on Friday from 8:00 am through 5:00 pm.

Learn from
Educational Podcast

Subscribe and listen to educational podcast (Podcast can be part of your PLN)

You are no limited to these lists, but here is a good start

10 of the Absolute Best Podcasts for Teachers by We Are Teachers: www.weareteachers.com/must-listen-podcasts
30 Best Education Podcasts by Mission.org: medium.com/the-mission/30-best-education-podcasts-d8acf604ccdb
List of 40 Educational Podcasts by College Info Geek: https://collegeinfogeek.com/best-podcasts/
Podcasts That Expand Our Hearts and Minds. A collection of podcasts that aren’t about education but can still help teachers find new ways to think about their work: www.edutopia.org/article/podcasts-expand-our-hearts-and-minds

Complete Digital Citizenship and Safety Google Training

Complete Google Digital Citizenship and Safety Course - When done take a screenshot of the course page showing your login and when the course was passed. (free)

Complete Support English Language Learners Google Training

Complete Google's Support English Language Learners training. This activity provide strategies for educators to create culturally responsive learning environments. - When done take a screenshot of the course page showing your login and when the course was passed. (free)

Learn from EdWeb and TechTool Webinar

Join the edWeb.net community and participate or watch recorded webinar organized by TechTool for the Classroom PLC

Here is a calendar with the scheduled edWebinars (Free)

Create a short reflective essay

"ISTE standards - What's in it for me? "

What are ISTE standards?
Why do we have them?
From what perspective are the standards written?
What vocabulary from the standards do you find most useful for your professional development?
How can technology enhance the achievement of the standards?
Can standards enhance teacher or students performance?
Can you see the connection between ISTE standards and what we did in our course? Provide at least two examples.

ISTE standards for students
ISTE standards for educators

Other

Your instructors may find other opportunities to help you earn an extra credit in which case you will receive an email with the details. Stay tuned!

Point Structure (20 points)

Criteria	Points Possible
Content addresses all three points above	20
Accurate spelling and grammar throughout	(up to 10%)

Special Notes

For specific submission requiremnts follow instructor's suggestion or the instructions in an assignment submission drop box