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If you’re a career and technical education (CTE) teacher or administrator, you may have heard that iCEV held a free back-to-school seminar on August 7th. Perhaps you heard about it from a fellow educator, or even signed up to attend but couldn't attend.
The good news is that you can still watch this year's seminar session recordings!
But why should you still consider attending the seminar this year? What sessions are available, and how will they benefit you as a CTE educator?
In this article, you’ll find five reasons you should attend the 2024 iCEV Back to School Seminar:
- Discover Content and Strategies You Can Use in the Classroom
- Hear the Keynote Speaker
- Attend Tailored Sessions for Teachers or Administrators
- Earn Professional Development Credit
- Learn What’s New at iCEV
After reading, you’ll know all about what you've missed so you can sign up and watch seminar recordings!
1. Discover Content and Strategies You Can Use in the Classroom
The first and best reason to attend iCEV’s 2024 Back to School Seminar is the chance to learn new teaching strategies and information you can use in your CTE classroom.
The entire idea behind hosting a professional development seminar is to encourage teachers and administrators as they work to provide a high-quality education that inspires learners and even changes their lives.
Signing up for and watching the Back to School Seminar gives you free access to CTE-specific information from fellow education professionals and the iCEV team so you can confidently jump into the new academic year.
For every seminar, iCEV chooses expert speakers that highlight concepts relevant to career and technical education, ensuring that you have up-to-date information that you can use to help your students today.
No matter if you’re able to watch a single panel or the entire day, you’ll learn a wealth of content to enrich your classroom and program.
2. Hear the Keynote Speaker
Each year, iCEV selects an engaging keynote speaker to lead our Back to School Seminar. This year, attendees hear from Ming Shelby, a featured TED-Ed speaker, current Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and former Instructional Coach with a wealth of experience inspiring administrators, teachers, and students.
Her keynote address builds upon the Four Cs of 21st Century Skills, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. When you attend the keynote, you’ll learn about how to foster a secure and nurturing learning environment where students are willing to take risks and invest in learning.
During the session, attendees will discover five concrete strategies effective educators embrace to empower their students and help them cultivate the Four Cs of 21st Century Skills.
You’ll also be equipped with knowledge and confidence you need to meet your CTE classroom goals including:
- Fostering student courage
- Enhancing learning engagement
- Boosting student skill acquisition
- Preparing students for the future
Regardless of whether you are currently a CTE teacher or an administrator looking to better empower instructors on your team, watching the recording of Ming Shelby’s keynote will provide the information you need to build 21st-century skills in your CTE program.
3. Attend Tailored Sessions for Teachers or Administrators
In addition to general sessions designed for all educators, the iCEV Back to School Seminar includes special panels intended just for teachers or administrators. When you sign up, you’ll be able to select the sections that are the best fit for the role you play in your CTE program.
This year, teachers and administrators can choose from three separate sessions designed just for them.
For teachers, iCEV is offering these three sessions intended to make life in the CTE classroom easier:
- Best Foot Forward: Kicking Off the First Week of School with iCEV
- Future-Ready Teaching: Nurturing 21st Century Skills in the Classroom
- Discover New Certification Updates
Meanwhile, administrators can attend these sessions designed around CTE program goals:
- Command Your CTE Data with Eduthings
- Recruit and Retain: Strategies for Finding and Keeping Quality Educators
- Funding First: Unlocking Resources for Career and Technical Education Programs
Regardless of which sessions best fit your position, you’ll receive a wealth of information that can translate to improving CTE and empowering lifelong learners.
4. Earn Professional Development Credit
Engaging in professional development and earning credit is a leading way for teachers throughout the United States to keep their knowledge and skills current. In many states, educators are required to complete a certain number of professional development hours within a given time period.
One of the best reasons to join iCEV’s Back to School Seminar is that you can still use this time to earn professional development credit.
Teachers who watch seminar sessions will receive certificates of participation to verify their participation. iCEV issues separate certificates for every session, so you’ll receive a certificate for each session you attend. Attending a session in each time slot can earn you up to five hours of professional development credit!
Educators should note that any professional development credit you receive is at the discretion of your individual school district. To confirm that your district will recognize certificates from iCEV, be sure to reach out to your administrator.
Educators will have 30 days after the seminar to watch any additional sessions on-demand for professional development credit.
5. Learn What’s New at iCEV
Finally, the Back to School Seminar is your opportunity to learn about what’s new at iCEV. During a dedicated seminar session, you’ll hear about the latest curriculum releases, platform updates, and certification opportunities now available from iCEV.
Attending this part of the seminar will help you get the most out of an iCEV subscription and stay ahead of what’s available to administrators, teachers, and students this coming school year.
This year, you’ll learn about these exciting developments during our What’s New at iCEV session:
- Discover new and updated courses added to the iCEV platform, including curriculum updates to six subject areas.
- Learn about the SFMA Turfgrass Science Certification, the newest certification on the iCEV Testing Platform.
- Explore new certification alignments, including Adobe and AutoCAD certification preparation materials.
- Discover new platform features, such as custom exams, simulations/gamification, pre- and post-tests, text-to-speech, time-on-task, and standards-based grading.
Watch the recording to find out more about these new opportunities so you can implement these features in your CTE program or individual classroom.
Make Plans to Attend the iCEV Back to School Seminar
iCEV’s annual back to school seminar offers CTE teachers and administrators an exciting opportunity to learn more about the latest developments in CTE, hear from recognized speakers and fellow educators, and prepare for the new school year.
Even if you weren't able to watch the seminar live, you can still attend seminar sessions through September 7th!
When you sign up for this year’s seminar, you’ll be able to choose specific sessions to attend based on your interests and role in your CTE program. You’ll be able to watch recordings of sessions you've missed so you don’t miss a minute!
