January 5, 2017

Dear MACUL Awards Committee,

It is our great honor to nominate Deidre (Deedee) Stasiak for the 2017 MACUL
Technology Using Teacher Award. Deedee exemplifies the best of Michigans teachers.
She uses technology not only to enhance her students learning but also to encourage them
to create rather than be passive users of digital tools. She is an advocate for her students, a
leader, a sharer, and and innovator. Deedee is an outstanding technology using teacher and
deserves the recognition of this award.
As a graduate of the Master of Arts in Educational Technology program (MAET) at Michigan
State University, we have seen first hand how Deedee carefully considers affordances of
various digital tools to engage her 1st grade students. Over the last several years, we have
observed Deedee's knowledge and skills on meaningful uses of technology deepen as she
gained valuable teaching experience within her classroom as well as through formal training
in educational technology.
As you see evidenced in her supporting artifacts, Deedee has developed an impressive
curation of curricular and pedological innovation. She constantly seeks out technology tools
that support her young students in their academic, social, and personal development. From
designing a welcoming and student-centered classroom environment with opportunities for
movement and choice to allowing students the freedom to access their classroom
makerspace when they feel the need, Deedees classroom shows her deep understanding
of how student needs, the physical space, and technology interact together. Another aspect
that sets Deedee apart from her peers is her constant reflection about her instructional
practices on her blog. She passionately shares what she does with her students because
she is proud of them, but that, in turn, is inspiring teachers all over the world to follow her
lead.

College of
Education
Department of Counseling,
Educational Psychology,
and Special Education
Richard S. Prawat
Chairperson
Michigan State University
Erickson Hall
620 Farm Lane Room 447
East Lansing, MI
48824-1034
517-353-6417
Fax: 517-353-6393

To bridge communication barriers with parents, Deedee has developed systems to support
families so they can be active in their childs learning. She has a robust, but easy to
navigate, classroom website that can be translated into various languages. In addition, she
organizes individual student portfolios by using Seesaw and shares team accomplishments
via Twitter and Instagram. With a focus on making learning transparent in her classroom,
Deedee has created an inclusive environment for parents to share in their childs education
in mediums that work for them. Deedee continues this outreach and community involvement
by by spearheading activities like the Day of Play, the Global Cardboard Challenge, and by
serving as an original member on a human-centered design team to reform education in her
district. As you can see, Deedees vision is valued at the district level, demonstrating the
impact of her leadership.
In sum, we strongly believe that Deedee is highly deserving of this award. Please do not
hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,

Candace Marcotte, Liz Owens Boltz, Mary Wever and Aman Yadav
Masters of Arts in Educational Technology, Michigan State University