Take Five for Tech

All certified secondary staff has been added to EdgeU, our flexible and teacher-learner-centered professional development delivery system. EdgeU is a self-directed and self-paced badging system.

What's so cool about EdgeU? Staff chooses:

• what to learn,
• when to learn it and
• how to apply what they learn.

An important step of badge completion process is making something that can be used with students or on the job. That's what I love most about it. It forces you to apply the information in a practical way so that the concept sticks with you.

New badges are added and enhanced all the time. EdgeU also constructs badgework in curated collections. More on that in a bit. . .

Sometimes the diffence between EdgeU and PDExpress is confusing to staff, so let's take a minute to clarify.

• EdgeU is our professional development delivery system.
• PDExpress is our professional development documentation system. (This is used if you have an existing 5-year license.)

In other words, EdgeU teaches you stuff while PDExpress is where you submit proof that you did something.

With that distinction in mind, since we have a district account, LPDC will submit your EdgeU hours to PDExpress for you annually. That means with EdgeU PD, you NEVER NEED TO WRITE A PREAPPROVAL OR SUBMIT HOURS! Can I get a whoop whoop?! LPDC grants credits at the beginning of each year. Last year the accrual period went from August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024 to allow teachers to accumulate credits throughout the summer. All 2023-24 EdgeU work has been submitted and is being entered into PD Express right now!

If you want college credit (let's say for a salary lane change), you can also "buy" college credit for work. Four points equals 1 graduate credit! For more information on how to pay for graduate credit hours, please contact: jdubois@forward-edge.net

Okay, know you know all about EdgeU badges, but how do you get started?

• Previous EdgeU users sign in with their WCCC Google credentials at edgeubadges.com.
• New users click on the Google icon at edgeubadges.com and then use Badges4u247! (Once a person has signed in using the generic password, it will ask for it to be changed.)
• EdgeU admins can never see your new password, so if you forget it you will have to request to have it be reset.
• If it doesn't recognize you as having an account, please email Winnie Milner.

Complete the AI for Students badge in the months of August and September and the Forward Edge Company adds you to a drawing. Four lucky winners will win a $50 Amazon e-gift card in each monthly contest. I hope to see your name announced as a winner soon! (And Yes, we've had a few winners in our district!)

EdgeU badges are organized into "curated collections" or groups of badges that involve a similar theme or tool. This August and September's curated challenge is AI in Education. If you complete any of the 20+ AI- related badges you will be entered into a drawing to win a prize in May. Last year's prizes were more Amazon gift cards, Bose Bluetooth Speakers, a Fire Tablet and Echo SHow to name a few!