Illinois Digital Educators Alliance | IDEA

New Partner Blog "Amplifying Student Voice in the Age of AI" by WeVideo. Illinois Digital Educators Alliance

Read the latest blog from our partners at @wevideo.bsky.social as they explore how video learning can be a powerful method for amplifying student voice and valuing original thought.

www.ideaillinois.org/amplifystude...

#EduSky #IDEAil #EdTech #education

IDEAcon Super Saver Registration Closing August 1

Tomorrow’s the final day for #IDEAcon 's Super Saver rate, our most discounted way to invest in staff PD.

You don’t need names now. You just need to commit to educator growth, even while federal Title II funding remains in limbo.

📅 Deadline: Aug 1 @ 11:59 PM CT ideail.org/IDEAcon26sup... #EduSky

IDEAcon Super Saver Registration Closing August 1

Bold action beats uncertain funding. #IDEAcon Super Saver registration ends Friday 8/1 at 11:59 PM CT. Prioritize PD, equity, and educator joy without needing names just yet. Every badge is a stand for staff development, despite unjust Title II withholding.
ideail.org/IDEAcon26sup... #EduSky #IDEAil

IDEAcon 2026 Answer the call

The heat index says "stay inside"—we say, "great, it’s proposal-writing season." 😎 #IDEAcon 2026 is looking for voices like yours to empower and engage educators from Feb 9–11 in Schaumburg. Deadline: Aug 4. Make this your coolest move of the summer. ideail.org/IDEAcon26CFP

#EduSky #IDEAil

wevideo ENGAGE 2025 Activate Learning with Video Register Now July 15-17, 2025 | Online | Free to Attend

Join our partners @wevideo.bsky.social at ENGAGE 2025, their first-ever annual conference for educators and creators using video to transform learning. 3 days online. 30+ sessions. 100% free. July 15-17. Register now to save your spot!

#EdTech #EdTechConference #ProfessionalDevelopment #EduSky

Advocacy Day is always an amazing way to see students in action and hear what they're passionate about. This year did not disappoint! These students, like all the rest of the student groups in attendance, were professional and knowledgeable, and we learned a lot from them.

#IDEAil #EduSky

Join @mrscford.bsky.social and @sturmdon.bsky.social as they sit down with @mandyfroehlich.bsky.social to discuss the importance of mental health for educators. It's not about self-care emails or jeans days, but real change.

Listen now at ideail.org/ThatsTheIdea...!

#IDEAil #EduSky #education

SLEdCon State Line Education Conference Let the Learning Flow July 29, 2025 Rockford University Illinois Digital Educators Alliance | Kishwaukee

Join the #IDEAil Kishwaukee Chapter for SLEdCon in Rockford, IL on 7/29!

✅ Free
✅ Discover the latest trends in ed-tech
✅ Participate in hands-on activities
✅ Connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for integrating technology in education.

ideail.org/SLEDCon2025

#EduSky

Thank you for all you do teachers. Teacher Appreciation Week May 5-9, 2025. From your friends at IDEA.

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and the time, energy, and innovative thinking teachers put into the classroom deserves to be celebrated. Although we appreciate teachers always, we want to be sure to say thank you for all you do, invest in, and endure to make a positive impact on your communities.

IDEAcon 2026. The call is here! Call for proposals is now open. Closing August 4, 2025.

2026 is the year IDEA will celebrate our 40th. All. Year. Long! Starting off with a bang with IDEAcon 2026 where we'll dive into our 40s being 40, fearless, and moving forward! And we want your voice to be heard.

Our call for proposals is now open at ideail.org/IDEAcon26CFP!

#IDEAcon #IDEAil

Get ready to redefine what play means in your life and to laugh along with @mrscford.bsky.social and @sturmdon.bsky.social as they sit down with @mrdearybury.bsky.social to discuss the importance of getting in the flow, finding joy, and embracing play in your life.

ideail.org/ThatsTheIdea...!

Great to see @ideaillinois.bsky.social engaging kids here in Springfield at the Career Spark STEAM Expo.

Girl standing in front of IDEA table with games on it.

Two girls making a giant card stack.

Girl standing in front of card tower.

I got to team up with my best pal (and @sturmdon.bsky.social) to run the @ideaillinois.bsky.social game table at a #STEM fair in the neighboring town! It was fun to play with the students, but it was even better to see my little girl acting all grown up with as she ran the games! 💕

An image of the 4/17 issue of the Big IDEAs Newsletter.

Catch up now on the 4/17 issue of the #IDEAil newsletter for tips on ways to help #neurodivergent students succeed, advice on helping students alleviate assessment stress, #EarthMonth activities with Makedo, and more!

ideail.org/BigIDEAs41725

#EduSky

in-person workshop: Meaningful Integration of Role-Playing Games into Your School Community - learn everything you need to build RPGs into your school environment - swag bag of useful materials for attendees - observe an RPG Summer Camp in action - learn RPGs from students - keynote: Adam Watson July 7 - July 8 8:30AM-3:00PM Brought to you by Washington High School in collaboration with Teachers in the Dungeon and IDEA

🎲 We're collaborating with Washington High School and Teachers in the Dungeon to bring you a 2-day summer workshop that will teach you everything you need to know in order to build RPGs into your school environment.

Take advantage of early bird pricing at ideail.org/RPGworkshop7...

#EduSky #gaming

LEGO Education Workshops - Cracking the Code: From Icons to Word Blocks - Full Stack STEM: Advanced Coding for Real-World Problem Solving - April 15 - Free - Arlington Heights Illinois Digital Educators Alliance

There's still time to register to attend our in-person pop-up PD with LEGO Education happening in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 15. Seating is limited, and the spots are almost full, but you can see more information about both three hour workshops and register at www.ideaillinois.org/events

Illinois Digital Educators Alliance Wednesday Webinar Help Students Make Healthy Choices with Vaping: Know the Truth with EVERFI

6.2 million young people are using some type of tobacco product. That number represents 31.2% of high schoolers and 12.5% of middle schoolers. Find out what educators can do to address tobacco usage with students and help them learn the truth about vaping.

ideail.org/EVERFIww41625

#IDEAil #EduSky

An image of the 4/3 issue of the IDEA newsletter.

If you missed the 4/3 issue of the #IDEAil #newsletter, catch up now with a webinar featuring @sjeducate.bsky.social as a panelist discussing how to meet the needs of our Arab students, resources from @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social for National Library Week, and more!

ideail.org/BigIDEAs4325

#EduSky

Xerox + ITsavvy, VIPRE Security Group Empowering K-12 Students with Online Safety Skills

🚨 Online threats are everywhere—are your students prepared? Xerox + ITsavvy and VIPRE Security Group’s self-paced, interactive courses help K-12 students recognize phishing, malware, and social media risks. Let’s build smart cybersecurity habits together! #EduSky

pages.itsavvy.com/hubfs/VIPRE_...

“It was cool to look around and see what other people were doing.” - Bailey, a student who has presented at multiple conferences, including #IDEAcon, with her teacher on what it’s like presenting at a conference.

#IDEAil #EduSky #education

Greg McDonough and a group of four students discussing why students should help present at conferences with the educator.

“If you’re presenting at a conference, why not have the learning co-designers with you.” - Greg McDonough, educator and #IDEAil member leading a session on including students in conference presentations.

#EduSky #innovation

Illinois Digital Educators Alliance Wednesday Webinar. Digital Detectives: Growing Healthy Habits in K-2 Classrooms with Common Sense Education.

Join us on Wednesday April 9 at 3:30 PM CST as @jehehalt.bsky.social with Common Sense Education explores the highlights of the recently released 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight. For PreK-5 teachers, admin, and librarians. #IDEAil #EduSky

ideail.org/CommonSense4....

Join @mrscford.bsky.social and @sturmdon.bsky.social as they sit down with @jehehalt.bsky.social from Common Sense Education and Dr. Sonal Patel to discuss AI and how our approach and attitudes toward AI can shape the landscape of AI use in education.

ideail.org/ThatsTheIdea...

#IDEAil #EduSky

Screenshot of the 3/27 issue of the IDEA newsletter.

Did you miss the last issue of the #IDEAil #newsletter? Check it out now for using the Classroom Zen website, how to close read in any subject with @cultofpedagogy.bsky.social, financial literacy toolkits from EVERFI for 4-12 graders, Advocacy Day, and more! #EduSky

ideail.org/BigIDEAs32725

a screenshot of the March 20th issue of the IDEA newsletter

Did you miss the latest #IDEAil #newsletter last Thursday? Take a look for tips on embedding YouTube videos, AI and the future of teaching and learning reports, the Stripling model for inquiry-based learning, LEGO Education workshops, and more.

ideail.org/BigIDEAs32025

#EduSky

New Partner Blog "IDEAcon: A Partner's Perspective" Common Sense Education Illinois Digital Educators Alliance

@jehehalt.bsky.social from Common Sense Education shares her session recaps and takeaways in this latest #IDEAil blog where she reflects on her time at #IDEAcon, "a thought leadership conference focused on current education topics and innovative practices."

www.ideaillinois.org/commonsensea....

Join @mrscford.bsky.social and @sturmdon.bsky.social for the first episode of the official IDEA podcast, That's the IDEA! as they sit down with @evohannan.bsky.social to discuss innovation, the ripple effect of education, the weight of words, and more.

ideail.org/ThatsTheIdea...

#IDEAil #EduSky

a screenshot of the latest issue of the Big IDEAs Newsletter

Did you miss the new #IDEAil #newsletter that dropped yesterday? Take a look for quick sorts formative assessment strategy, math history breakouts by @imperfectsquare.com, a podcast about integrating AI into Genius Hour, #WednesdayWebinar with @codehs.bsky.social, and more!
ideail.org/BigIDEAs31325

A photo montage of 2024's Students for Innovation: Advocacy Day, the Students for Innovation: Advocacy Day logo, and a text box that says, "Students for Innovation: Advocacy Day. Tuesday, May 13. 9:30am-11:45am and 12:45pm-3:00pm."

Student Advocacy Day showcases innovative and creative thinking being done in classrooms across the state of Illinois. #IDEAil has been providing this opportunity for students to speak with education stakeholders at the Capitol Building for decades. Join us! #EduSky
www.ideaillinois.org/AdvocacyDay

We love Makedo and the non-tech STEAM work they're doing that paves the way for design thinking that can be used when students move into using tech tools for their creations. And they do some cool collaborations with tech like Sphero. Thanks for capturing this @mariagalanis.bsky.social!

#EduSky