In 2012, the state of Utah began the formal Digital Teaching and Learning (DTL) initiative and created Utah Master Plan, both of which focus on preparing students for success in the ever-changing economy, while at the same time situating Utah as a leader and innovator of the future. As a result, in the past ten years there has been much effort in Utah to provide all students and teachers with infrastructure, devices and applications for effective learning. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, however, has thrown many Utah teachers in the deep end of online and distance teaching. Some early studies revealed certain vulnerabilities when it comes to educational technology usage, but they also pinpointed many opportunities for future professional development and other state initiatives. To assess the state of educational technology usage in Utah, we conducted a statewide online survey from January to July 2021. 902 teachers completed the survey reporting the frequency of usage for over 60 computer applications and classroom technologies. We followed the survey with ten in-depth interviews where among other things, teachers discussed challenges that they faced at the outbreak of the pandemic, as well as changes in their approach to teaching and technology as a result of the pandemic. In this lecture, we will present the results of that survey and discuss our interview findings.

Students will work together to prepare and perform a Readers Theatre using classic Dr. Seuss stories.

Ten Strategies That Will Turn Every Teacher Into a Literacy Teacher provides teachers and school leaders with a variety of simple-yet-innovative literacy strategies that will enhance the learning within any classroom. Topics to be addressed include differentiated methods for increasing content-specific vocabulary, how to build rapport with students and parents through writing, and engaging ways for students to demonstrate their learning. Participants will leave with a clear vision of how to not only increase, but also improve, the literacy within their classes.

Teaching is hard, and at times, it seems like no one understands the struggles of a teacher. In this keynote, Mike Roberts connects some of the challenges of teaching to some of your favorite songs from the past fifty years. In doing so, he shares stories, strategies, and insight from his twenty-two year teaching career. Get those singing voices ready…this is a fun one!

Time for professional development has been difficult since Covid has affected the school system. This session will explore using alternative ways to deliver professional learning for teachers. This will include setting up ways to do weekly screencasts, using an existing Newsletter to become a professional learning opportunity, and transforming social media channels to smaller, "Bite Sized" learning opportunities. Examples from Canyons School District will be shared that you could use for your school and/or district.

Come learn how the Utah's Online Library tools, Gale Reference Collection and eMedia, can be used to get incredible content into your Canvas course!

An historical image of -- Hill Air Force Base women workers -- is provided in conjunction with the articles from the book UTAH HISTORY ENCYCLOPEDIA, published in celebration of Utah's Centennial (1996) and edited by Allan Kent Powell. The Utah State Historical Society generously granted rights to display hundreds of images from their collections.

Gwen Ifill was an American journalist, television newscaster, and author. Her loss was felt acutely by young journalists in the PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs. In this video, four graduates of that program who went on to be Gwen Ifill fellows at their local PBS stations share the letters they wish they could have shared with Gwen.

This lesson plan explores the contributions of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II, and their aviation legacy.

70 men were chosen to attend the Constitutional Convention of 1787, only 55 attended, and of that 55 only 39 signed. Many of them left wives and families in order to be there, a sacrifice that was difficult, but necessary for the development of the government of the United States. On this webpage is a list of the women that were left behind, the individuals who supported the Founding Fathers, and took care of their affairs while they were away.

Set in the Dominican Republic during the rule of Rafael Trujillo, In the Time of the Butterflies fictionalizes historical figures in order to dramatize the Dominican people's heroic efforts to overthrow this dictator's brutal regime. In the following activities, students will examine the actions of the characters in the novel and discuss an all encompassing definition for courage.

This brief article summarizes the contributions of mathematicians Ada Lovelace and Mary Somerville and relates some of the societal obstacles they had to overcome. Caroline Herschel and Florence Nightingale are also featured.

The heritage of women represents one-half of the history of the United States; for that reason alone it is worthy of closer scrutiny than it has received in standard history courses. The movement of women for social, political, and economic equality represents the longest and most far-reaching civil rights movement in U.S. history, yet it is a movement that has received minimal space and attention in standard history courses. This class is an attempt to bring to the foreground a history that we all share but perhaps have until now lacked the opportunity or information to focus on. It is a history that I find both maddening and inspiring, and one whose study is challenging, difficult, and ultimately so rewarding that it is worth every bit of effort, and then some.

With 2020 marking one hundred years since ratification of the 19th Amendment that gave some women the right to vote in the United States, women's history is about more than just looking back. Our Teacher's Guide provides compelling questions, lesson activities, and resources for integrating women's perspectives and experiences throughout the school year.

eMedia is a digital library of free educational resources created specifically for Utah educators. eMedia allows you to explore, create, and collaborate with educators around the state to improve curriculum. In this session, learn the basics of exploring eMedia resources using search functions, filters, curated collections, and hubs. Learn how to create and share your own resources using the Open Author tool and UEN's lesson plan template. And learn how to use eMedia's collaboration and feedback tools to build your online professional learning network.