March 2022

You've almost made it to spring break! Take a few minutes before you check out to plan your next Research & Technology training experience or find some new podcasts to add to your road trip playlist.

Seats are still available for Ambassador Academy

The spring Research & Technology Ambassador Academy was rescheduled due to February's winter weather! It will now be April 5-6 at the Embassy Suites Rogers Convention Center. Learn more and register online.

Earn professional development credit with SMACtalk

The first three SMACtalk for Teachers podcast episodes have been turned into professional development courses on ArkansasIDEAS.org!

Upcoming Training Opportunities

The next DEAL Day training will be Thursday, April 21 at 11:30 a.m. on the topic of podcasting! Sign up here for the Zoom details. Drop Everything And Learn (DEAL) with the Digital Learning Unit continues every third Thursday of the month. You can also check out recordings of past DEAL Day webinars. Please note that no PD credits are given for these events.

New Additions to Website

The Data Privacy Resources section of our Research & Technology webpages has upgraded to become Privacy Awareness, including the four steps you can take to make sure you are prepared to maintain appropriate data privacy safeguards and promote ethical data use. Information about State and Federal Laws is still included!

Recent Commissioner's Memos

RT-22-015  StudentGPS and ASIS to be Discontinued

OIT-22-014  My School Info | MSI: SIS Cycle 5 data updates completed

COM-22-128  What They Don't Teach Teens Book Study

Featured Podcast Episodes

SMACtalk for Teachers   Ebony Mitchell - Miss Dogwood
In this episode we have a conversation with Miss Dogwood, Ebony Mitchell. She has been working with the Arkansas Attorney General's office to help spread social media awareness and internet safety to schools all around Arkansas. Join us as we discuss what she has been doing and how you can also be a part of her statewide campaign to spread awareness to schools in every county in the state! (18:53)

Living in Beta Mode   Introducing "Living in Beta Mode"
This podcast is an opportunity for us to share information and ideas about digital learning. We know that as learners we have preferred ways of assimilating information and learning. Some like to read a book, others like to listen to audiobooks. Others like to read the transcript of a video while others like to listen. We have discovered that the more ways we offer information, the more ways we get the learning out there. (11:20)

Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.   Reflection as a Tool
Today we talk about the power of reflection and how it can help us to be more resilient, healthier, and have better relationships. Do you have space in your day, or even your week, for reflection? Any quiet? Any intentional time to contemplate, consider, and plan? (13:22)

G.U.I.D.E. For Life   Arkansas students share their experiences celebrating G.U.I.D.E. for Life Week
Students from Greenbrier Eastside and Greenbrier Westside Elementary, Oaklawn STEM Magnet School, and Cedarville High School share how they celebrated G.U.I.D.E. for Life Week 2021. The G.U.I.D.E. for Life program, with the support of Arkansas counselors and educators, is designed to give K-12 students a plan – a five-step process – that they can follow to achieve personal success. (22:55)