2019 ITEM Fall Conference

In this session two assistive technology specialists from PACER’s Simon Technology Center will give an overview of tools to support literacy for students with diverse needs. Demonstrations will include low-tech to high-tech tools, mobile apps, Chrome extensions, and other online reading supports. Tools demonstrated will include some free and low-cost solutions. These reading accessibility tools can support the needs of individuals with a range of disabilities, including dyslexia, other learning disabilities, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and vision impairment. Join us to learn about technology that supports literacy by helping to perceive content through magnification, visual settings, and auditory reading support. The presentation will include formats such as print material, e-books, audiobooks, and other digital content. The target audience for this presentation includes teachers and librarians for 1st grade through post-secondary, as tools can be helpful for a wide range of skill levels. This will be a fast-paced session to expose you to as many tools as possible in a short amount of time.

If you want to launch or level up your coding programs, State Library Services is here to support you! Our partnership with Girls Who Code can offer support, curriculum and even money to start a club or afterschool program for male and female students. Are you looking for a foundation in Computational Thinking? Come learn about how the national YALSA Transforming Teen Services program can help -- what the program is, how it can help you serve your students, and how you can get involved!

This panel will feature authors who write for elementary-aged students in a variety of genres. They will discuss their work, books and school visits as well as answer audience questions.

eLibrary MN (ELM), formerly known as Electronic Library for Minnesota, is the statewide database collection. Every five years we ask for your input to gauge if these databases are meeting your patrons’ needs. We invite you to be part of this process by attending this session to learn more about the decision-making process, provide feedback on current databases, and share ideas for new resources. This will be an active, discussion-driven session. Bring your ideas to help craft the new ELM!

In this session participants will become familiar with the new standards, make connections to lessons and activities that you currently doing that align with the new standards, and develop a plan to start implementing the standards.

Presentation

This session will guide you step-by-step to create your own Digital Breakout! Come with a topic you would like to use for your own breakout. We will be using Google Sites, Google Forms, and Google Slides, so some knowledge of these topics will be helpful, but not required.

The #readwoke trend swept high school libraries nationwide and has helped drive the need for diverse literature and collections, but what about younger readers? They need to see themselves on our shelves and in the pages they turn too! If you are looking for resources and tools for diversifying your collection, want to learn about and preview new diverse titles for elementary level students, or just love talking about the power of books, this session is for you! Extra bonus: many of the featured titles are also great for social emotional learning.

Participants learn about the opportunity to take a leadership role in a school design experience developed to help your school reimagine the purpose and focus of school to meet the needs of all students in today’s world. An individualized approach to learning makes education more culturally relevant for all students, instructionally relevant (how they learn) and career relevant (what they want to do). In this session, we will work with staff from 2Revolutions to describe the design process from ideation to implementation. You will learn about individualized learning, the process of building a design team and what you need to do to apply for grant funding from the Bush Foundation to help bring your designs to life. The Bush Foundation School Design for Individualized Learning Grant process is designed to help educators develop and implement individualized learning plans in their schools. Bush Foundation education initiative.

Learn about the process of becoming a National Board certified media specialist. This intensive program is some of the best reflective and personalized staff development you’ll ever encounter. You’ll be a better media specialist as a result of this work.

Presentation link