This week we talk with Dr. Pablo Riboldi, Assistant Director of Instructional Design at Brigham Young University, about how and why technologies fail to get adopted. During our discussion we explore the four elements of diffusion in technology, the role that politics play in educational technology, and how social capital is just as important as technical skills with successful technology rollouts.

Jared and Dani are thrilled to talk with Dr. Ray Timothy, CEO of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network, this week in UEN Homeroom. Our conversation focuses on building relationships with community leaders and we discuss the following topics: how UETN plays a role in procuring funding for education in Utah, the role UETN will play in the future of technology needs in schools, how school or district leaders can build relationships with their local communities, and how UETN makes a difference for students and families in Utah.

UEN Homeroom is excited to welcome the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Syndee Dickson, to be the final guest in our Learn @ Home series. As part of her role in guiding K-12 schools we talk with Dr. Dickson about the decisions leading up to the soft close of schools and the eventual decision to close in-person instruction for the rest of the school year. We also cover topics like preparing the state for distance learning for the past several years through the DTL program, how to help families and communities through services provided at the schools, and how to help schools return, recover, and reimagine education for the future.

UEN Homeroom welcomes Gabbi Young, an EdTech coach with Washington County School District, to our Learn @ Home series. As part of the discussion we focus on the need to be on the same team with teachers and students, the impact of the Digital Teaching and Learning Grant in preparing our schools for distance learning, and how to support teachers with their current needs.

In the next installment of our Learn @ Home series, Jared and Dani connect with Hilary Linton, a 5th grade teacher at Oakwood Elementary, to discuss the impact of moving to an online curriculum. Hilary shares her insights on the importance of letting students know they are cared for, working with your team to be successful and how to juggle working from home with helping you own family cope with everything going on.

This week UEN Homeroom is rebroadcasting our conversation with Holly Todd, the Project Aware Coordinator for Jordan School District. This episode shares ideas on social and emotional learning in schools. We also discuss the need to help students understand their emotions, how to provide self-care for teachers, and the need to teach kids "soft skills" that can prepare them for real life.

This week Holly Todd, the Project Aware Coordinator for Jordan School District, joins Homeroom today to share ideas on social and emotional learning in schools. We discuss the need to help students understand their emotions, how to provide self-care for teachers, and the need to teach kids "soft skills" that can prepare them for real life.

UEN Homeroom hits the road for this episode as Dani visits with Kelly Witkowski's students at Newbridge Elementary in Ogden School District. These students are the producers and hosts of a brand new podcast, Bookcast, in which they provide summaries and reviews of the books they are reading.

In honor of International Podcast Day, Jared and Dani kick off season three of UEN Homeroom with a discussion on innovation during COVID. They discuss topics such as: the innovative ways in which Utah teachers are instructing students, what innovation looks like in our current classrooms, and how to help struggling teachers to adapt the "new now" they are facing in schools.

In this episode of UEN Homeroom,Jami Gardner - UEN's Utah Futures guru, drops in to share her insights on the Utah Futures program, how Utah students can prepare for their careers, and what the job market in Utah will be for our students.

Jared Fawson moves from UEN Homeroom SuperSub into our featured expert this episode as we discuss professional learning. In this discussion we look at how learning has changed for educators, the need to have more diverse opportunities for professional growth, how tech plays a role in the changes, and golf.

This week in UEN Homeroom we are pleased to welcome Jason Eyre, Technology Department Coordinator for Murray School District. Our conversation this week includes topics such as: how Murray district has created a wireless LTE network for students to use at home for schoolwork, the impact of the digital divide in rural and urban school districts, the role the district can provide in overcoming the digital divide for students, and providing a model to help other district provide more access to homes.

Dani and Jared welcome Jeff Van Hulten, Director of Public Affairs for the Utah State Board of Education, to UEN Homeroom this week. Our discussion focuses on the 2021 Utah Legislative Session and how teachers can get involved. Some of our topics include: what all educators in Utah should know about the legislative process, the need to communicate with your local law makers, bills specific to education in 2021, and the need for teachers to be advocates for education.

This week UEN Homeroom is pleased to welcome Jenny Nicholas and Holly Reynolds, Social Studies teachers from West High School, to the podcast. Our discussion centers on the role teachers can play in talking with students about the recent protests and political unrest at the U.S. Capitol. We covered topics such as: how teachers can talk about the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol, the role teachers play in addressing sensitive and passionate subjects, advice for teachers who don’t teach social studies or are elementary teachers in discussing current events, and how to help students to rebuild confidence in our democracy.

In our latest Learn @ Home episode, Jared Covili and Jared Fawson (Homeroom Super Sub) check in with Joe B. Wright, Executive Director of the Southwest Educational Service Center (SEDC) to learn more about the impact that distance learning is having on the students and faculties of Southern Utah. In our discussion we cover topics like: how rural Utah is helping all students receive broadband internet service, the need to balance work and home life for educators, and how to help school districts connect with their communities.

UEN Homeroom is pleased to welcome John Kelly, principal of Washington Elementary in Salt Lake School District, into our Learn @ Home series. During this episode we discuss the important role schools play in providing for the needs of the community, how to connect with your faculty and students while distancing, and the importance of communicating with your stakeholders.

This week Jared and Dani connect with Justin Anderson, an educational technology team lead from the Canyons School District. As part of the episode they explore what digital citizenship looks like for today's students. We discussion issues such as: What it means to be a good digital citizen. Beyond cyberbullying, what else does digital citizenship entail. How digital citizenship has changed in 2020. How teachers can model digital citizenship and more...

This week Jared and Dani meet with Karen Sterling, Director of Student Advocacy in Canyons School District, as we continue with our Learn@Home series. We focus this episode on the equity issues brought up through the switch to distance learning. Our topics this week include: how to maintain relationships with parents and students while separated (including old school mail), how is the digital divide being addressed for those families who don't have access to technology, helping students with special needs cope with all the changes to their learning environments/schedules, and the importance to meet the social, emotional, and physical needs of students during times away from in-person education.

Kaite Blunt, Educational Technology Specialist from Canyon School District, drops by the Homeroom to share her insights from a recent educational tour of China. During this episode we discuss the impact of learning about culture through travel, the difference between classrooms in the US and China, and the need to expand your PLN globally.

In the next installment of our Back to School series, Jared and Dani talk with Katie Dewey Hill, an educator development specialist from the Utah State Board of Education. To help teachers get ready for a new school year, we discuss the impact the instructional coaching can have on improving teaching. Our conversation also addresses the relationship between an educator and their instructional coach, how teaching will be different this year, and Katie shares some resources to help teachers prepare for school.