Assignment of Professional Development for Non-licensed Personnel
ArkansasIDEAS accounts are assigned according to the individual's designation in the Arkansas Educator Licensure System (AELS). There are two types of designations in AELS, Non-Licensed and Certified Teacher.
- Certified teachers have access to all courses available from ArkansasIDEAS.
- Non-Licensed accounts have a limited number of courses available.
Before assigning ArkansasIDEAS professional development courses to non-licensed personnel, please check the list below. If the course is not listed, it is unavailable to non-licensed account holders. As more courses are made available, this list is updated, so be sure to check back periodically.
Attention: Individual courses cannot be added to non-licensed accounts, nor can non-licensed accounts be upgraded to certified teacher or given access to the Certified Teacher Audience courses. This is based on intellectual property rights and copyrighted materials provided by subject matter experts at the time the course was created.
SMACtalk for Teachers: Establishing an Online Presence
As students spend more time learning and socializing online, we all need to work together to ensure our students stay healthy and safe. The social media awareness campaign, SMACtalk, was formed in response to this need. SMACtalk for Teachers is a series featuring an audio podcast published by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. The purpose of SMACtalk For Teachers is to raise awareness, provide resources, and increase communication for parents, teachers, and students.
SMACtalk for Teachers: Online Etiquette
As students spend more time learning and socializing online, we all need to work together to ensure our students stay healthy and safe. The social media awareness campaign, SMACtalk, was formed in response to this need. SMACtalk for Teachers is a series featuring an audio podcast published by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. The purpose of SMACtalk For Teachers is to raise awareness, provide resources, and increase communication for parents, teachers, and students.
This course is the first in a SMACtalk for Teachers series. The host, Cassandra Barnett, has been a school librarian for 42 years and is currently the Program Advisor for School Libraries for the Arkansas Department of Education. As advocates for digital citizenship, school librarians teach students how to behave ethically and responsibly when online.In episode one of the podcast series, Cassandra and Dr. Robin Finley discuss ways to partner with students to help them positively engage with the digital world and become better digital citizens.
In episode two of the podcast series, the focus is online etiquette, specifically, how educators can model appropriate online behavior for students and encourage students to interact responsibly in online communities.
Professional Licensure Standards Board (PLSB): Social Media Guidelines
In this course, renowned author, attorney, computer forensic specialist, and social media expert Frederick S. Lane discusses several social media pitfalls, including the difficulties of merging the professional and personal lives of an educator and the dangers that students often face online. There are many obstacles present when navigating the often-ambiguous and ever-evolving social norms of online communications. Mr. Lane provides educators with practical tips for communicating professionally while simultaneously advocating for an adequate cyberethics policy in their schools.
This course was recorded on July 8, 2014 in the AETN studies in Conway, Arkansas.
Professional Licensure Standards Board (PLSB): Digital Citizenship Curricula K-12
This course is designed to discuss the use of technology in all grades beginning in pre-kindergarten and continuing until the end of high school. All students will be using technology from now until the end of their lifetime. Author, attorney, and educational consultant Frederick Lane explains how to instruct students to use technology in an appropriate way that will support their becoming valuable citizens.
This course was recorded on July 8, 2014 at the AETN Studios.
Micro:Bit in the Library
Micro:Bit in the Library may serve as an alternative to the face-to-face training required for K-8 Library Media Specialists who wish to receive the micro:bit kit through ADE. Although only K-8 Library Media Specialists are eligible to apply for the micro:bit kit, this course is a great resource for any educator who is interested in learning how to use the BBC micro:bit in the classroom.
In this course, Tammy Glass, Leslie Savall, and Kelly Griffin, three computer science specialists for the state of Arkansas, provide training on the use of the BBC micro:bit. The specialists begin by sharing some background information on computer programming and explaining why Arkansas is known as the leading state in computer science education. Ms. Glass and Ms. Griffin provide tutorials on handling the micro:bit safely, on coding programs for the micro:bit using Microsoft's MakeCode Blocks Editor, and on uploading programs to the device itself. The MakeCode Blocks Editor contains an emulator, making it easy to work along with the tutorials even without access to a micro:bit. The specialists also discuss lessons that use children's literature and the micro:bit to embed computer science across the curriculum. Projects presented within this course address literacy, math and science concepts, data collection, coding, computational thinking, and problem solving.
Micro:Bit in the Library was recorded on February 8th, 2018 at AETN studios in Conway, Arkansas.
Computer Science Initiative - Overview
This course is an overview of the Arkansas Computer Science Initiative. Anthony Owen, State Director of Computer Science Education, and panel members, Russellville Superintendent Dr. Mark Gotcher, Lake Hamilton 8-12 Computer Science Teacher Karma Turner, and Bryant K-12 Science Specialist Greg Wertenberger discuss the need for an appropriate computer science education. They explain the responsibilities of districts, schools, and teacher licensure requirements, discussing the opportunities presented by the CS Flex Credit and Completer Pathways. Diversity in computer science is a key area for growth in our state and across the nation, and the panel shares information regarding the wealth of resources available to help build a strong, diverse computer science program.
Computer Science Initiative - Overview, which was recorded at AETN studios in Conway, Arkansas on April 4, 2018, is a pre-requisite training required for many state provided face-to-face computer science professional development offerings. If required for face-to-face trainings, it will be listed in the registration description and/or an email notification of that requirement will be sent to all registered participants.
Coding Block: Exploring the Basics
What is computational thinking? What are algorithms and programs? What tools are out there that can help me teach these concepts? These are questions you may be asking yourself if you are new to teaching computer science. Exploring the Basics is the first course in a three-part series intended to provide teachers of the seventh and eighth grade coding block with essential information regarding relevant computer science standards and programming skills. In this course, you will join Zack Spink, Computer Science Specialist for the state of Arkansas, in exploring the fundamental basics of computer programming.
In Coding Block: Exploring the Basics, Mr. Spink defines several content-specific terms and discusses things to consider when choosing the tools students will use in class. He also provides a brief tutorial for using JavaScript within Pencil Code, a free, browser-based programming environment. This course is intended for teachers who are new to the concepts of computer programming.
Section 504 vs. IDEA: Understanding the Fundamentals
Though Section 504 and IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) both exist to serve students with disabilities and have similar requirements, they have some fundamental differences as well. In this course, Jose Martín, a lawyer with years of experience working with schools, explains these differences and what schools need to do in order to be compliant with both. He discusses big picture concepts and minute details such as specific eligibility criteria. Mr. Martín also includes a discussion about challenging situations that may arise in determining a student's eligibility under Section 504 or Special Education.
This course was recorded on September 20, 2016 at AETN studios in Conway, AR.
Discipline and the Section 504 Student
Navigating behavior and discipline issues regarding students with disabilities can be challenging and adding federal regulations to the mix can make it feel even more difficult. In this course Jose Martín, a lawyer with years of experience in disability law, explains the provisions and guidelines for Section 504 and IDEA in terms of behavior and discipline. Mr. Martín begins with a brief discussion of the fundamental rules for short- and long-term disciplinary removals, then moves on to a variety of other topics related to discipline and the Section 504 student.
This course was recorded on September 20, 2016 at AETN studios in Conway, AR.
OCR's Resource Guide on ADHD
In July of 2016 the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a resource guide in the form of a letter. This letter addresses various modern Section 504 legal compliance issues with a focus on ADHD. In this course, Jose Martín, a lawyer with years of experience in disability law, discusses the broad guidance included in the letter. He briefly outlines the guide's basic reviews of Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and then delves more deeply into other topics included in the guide.
This course was recorded on September 20, 2016 at AETN studios in Conway, AR.