SIM News
 - We're so excited to welcome Bonnie Palasak to the SIM Team!
- We felt very lucky to be a part of Dr. Lisa Lowen's Journalism/Marketing/Communications 640 Capstone Course project this semester. The students presented us with some fantastic SIM marketing plans and great ideas to build upon.
 - Some things we've already implemented from this group:
- An expanded SIM Social Media Calendar
- Increased SIM social media presence and updated SIM social media posts
- New SIM Mnemonics page
- New How to Buy SIM page and handout
- Updated SIM FAQs page
- We'd love to have your help gathering testimonials and content for posts. These can be short 5-10 sec. video clips of you walking into school saying something like "I'm going to be working with teachers on the SIM Sentence Writing Strategies today", photos (with permissions), or even just some words you'd like us to post. You can also send us longer stories about how SIM has impacted your teaching and your students (here's a great example: https://www.facebook.com/KUCRL.SIM/videos/579015081619307/). Please feel free to share any words, videos, pics, or graphics, or tag us in a short 5-10 sec. selfie video the next time you're doing SIM PD. simpd@ku.edu Thanks!
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SIM in the Field
The 2025 Florida Virtual Conference has begun and runs through the end of February.
Congratulations to SIM Professional Developers, Mandy Horton Walker and Kristen Redding, this year's recipients of the Don Deshler Making a Difference Legacy Award and the Jane Langenbach Award. We were so happy to celebrate all their amazing work during the opening session!
 
- Recent Publications by KU CRL Staff and SIM Network Members:
- Mosher Ph.D., Maggie & Carreon, Adam & Lane, Kathleen & Sailor, Wayne & Smith, Sean & Frey, Bruce & Rowland, Amber & Jackson, Haidee & Goldman, Samantha & Ruhter, Lindsay & Williams, Angie & Bhattashali, Ankita. (2025). The Social Validity of Video Modeling Versus Virtual Reality for Improving the Social Communication Skills of Middle School Students. Issues and Trends in Learning Technologies. 12. 10.2458/itlt.5830.
- Dukes, Lyman & Faggella-Luby, Michael & Gelbar, Nicholas & Mendoza, Melissa & Charles, Shea & Madaus, Joseph. (2025). Getting Global with It: The Rapid Growth in Higher Education and Disability-Focused Professional Literature. Disabilities. 5. 13. 10.3390/disabilities5010013.
- Coleman, Olivia & Kunemund, Rachel & Waterfield, Danielle & McClain, Suzanne & McDonald, Sean & Welker, Nathan & Kennedy, Michael. (2025). Using Multimedia Instruction to Improve Science Vocabulary Knowledge: Investigating Impact of Three Formats. Journal of Special Education Technology. 10.1177/01626434251314006.
- Join the SIM Professional Developer Facebook Group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SIMPDers
- Have an idea for a SIM StoryCorps to highlight your work with SIM? please feel free to share it simpd@ku.edu
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SIM Resources & Reminders
Reminders:
- As we mentioned in the last edition of StrateNotes, we were required to change the pricing structure for KU CRL products, due to new KU guidelines. You can find the new prices in the Online Store or on the Order Forms.
- Update your StrateDirectory information so that others in the network can find you and/or we can contact you with referrals for PD in your area.
- Report your SIM PD work - We use this information to help us apply for grants and to share the impact SIM is having around the world. This is especially important right now with everything that is happening in the broader landscape of US education.
Resources:
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SIM Update Conferences for PDers and Specialists
- Do you know someone who wants to Become a SIM Professional Developer? Tell them about the Content Literacy Leadership Institute (CLLI), a one-year path for those with some SIM experience.
- Next session: June - October, 2025
- Intent to apply form due: March 1, Application due: April 1
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SIM Online PD Classes for educators (self-paced courses on Canvas, with follow-up coaching time)
- Content Enhancement Routines:
- Learning Strategies:
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