2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to URSA 2026 at Southern Utah University! All sessions will be in buildings on the upper campus (east end). Here’s the Campus Map if needed.

WiFi: eduroam or SUU-Conference, password "summertimefun"

PLAN AHEAD - Tentative Future Conference Dates
July 7&8, 2027 - Price, UT
July 17-19, 2028 - Richfield, UT

1:30pm MDT

Craft Your Digital Teaching Assistant: Building Custom AI Assistants with Google Gemini Gems

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202

Come discover how to move beyond basic prompting and start building your own specialized AI team. Using Google Gemini Gems, you will learn how to "program" custom AI assistants tailored to your specific classroom or administrative needs—no coding required. You'll also learn about an existing library of pre-made Gemini Gems you can easily copy and start using right away! Make sure to bring your own laptop or Chromebook to this session and leave with a personalized digital assistant ready to tackle your unique tasks. Here's a link to the slides for this session: bit.ly/uengems

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers

Rob Bentley

Instructor and Adobe Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network

Rob taught secondary Spanish and Language Arts for 6 years. For the last 19 years, he's been teaching teachers how to integrate technology effectively into their curriculum. During his time at UEN, he's presented at URSA, UELMA, UCET, ISTE, FETC, UFLA, SUMS, and the CTE conferences... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Subject Area Any Subject Area

1:30pm MDT

AI, Bloom, and the Cognitive Gap in Educational Technology

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level)

Most technology integration frameworks—SAMR, TPACK, TIM—focus on tool function, not on how students think and learn. As a result, even well-intentioned ed tech use can bypass the most important question: What kind of thinking does this tool actually support?This session explores how AI and other digital tools intersect with cognition and learning. Participants will revisit Anderson and Krathwohl’s revised Bloom’s taxonomy as a cognitive framework to evaluate technology use, recognizing common pitfalls such as surface-level engagement, cognitive overload, and misplaced focus on tool novelty over mental processes. Together, we’ll analyze practical classroom examples and discuss how ed tech and AI tools can either enhance or inhibit student thinking, depending on how they’re designed into instruction.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Valarie O'Bryan

Trainer, UEN - Utah Education Network

Val has a passion for educational technology and works for the UEN - Utah Education Network as a senior trainer. At UEN, she provides training on ed tech tools and pedagogy to teachers all over the state of Utah. She earned a doctorate in education in 2022 from Kansas State University... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Instructional Coaches, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Subject Area Instructional Coaching

2:50pm MDT

Want to make a Canvas Quiz in three minutes? You can.

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level)

Putting a few tools together, you can use AI and sites such as the New York Institute of Technology to help you create a a QTI file (which...five people have ever heard about) to drop it into Canvas and make a quiz in just a few minutes. I timed myself. Where was this when I was teaching for years?

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Steve Weller

Technology Coach, South Sanpete School District

An English teacher for 17 years at Ephraim Middle School and now a district tech trainer, Steve has seen a few things and learned a few tips and tricks along the way.

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Subject Area Any Subject Area

9:45am MDT

Canva Reimagined: Unlock the Magic

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102

Move beyond static slides and embrace active learning! Join us for an immersive look into Canva’s Magic Studio. We’ll show you how to use Magic Media and Magic Design to transform K-12 lessons into personalized, interactive experiences. Plus, discover "next level" tools like Magic Activities, Canva Sheets, and Code for me—empowering students to build apps and games without writing code. Turn students into creators and unlock a world of magic that makes school future-ready.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Android Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone; Windows Tablet / Smartphone; Chromebook

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers

Kayla Towner

Senior Product Trainer, UEN - Utah Education Network

Kayla Towner is a Senior Product Trainer at the Utah Education Network (UEN) and, first and foremost, a passionate educator. She loves spending time with her family—playing soccer ⚽️, reading books 📚, hiking 🥾, and adventuring across Utah 🏔️. Kayla is dedicated to... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level 3-4, 5-6, Middle School / Jr. High - grades 6 - 8, High School - grades 9 - 12
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches
Subject Area Any Subject Area

9:45am MDT

Making Sheets Work For You

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203

Go beyond the basics and learn some ways to have Google Sheets do some of the busy work for you so that you can narrow in on the important things. We will talk about several formulas for organizing data and even throw in some AI helps to get things just how you want them!

Session slides

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers

Stacey King

Teacher, Utah Online School

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required. | Assessment & Data Management, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches
Subject Area Any Subject Area

9:45am MDT

Taming the AI Dragon: Practical Gemini & Notebook LM for Educators

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202

Ready to ditch the digital drudgery and inject some AI awesomeness into your teaching toolkit? This session dives into the dazzling world of Google Gemini and Notebook LM – your FREE secret weapons for boosting productivity and student engagement! Forget endless searching; we'll explore how Gemini can brainstorm ideas faster than you can say "artificial intelligence," speed up writing tasks, and even conjure up "Goldilocks" resources perfectly tailored to your students' needs.

But wait, there's more! Discover why Gemini stands out from the AI crowd (hint: we're serious about data privacy!), and unlock the power of "Gemini Gems" – your reusable prompts for maximum impact. Plus, journey into the realm of Notebook LM for next-level insights and podcast summaries that will blow your mind. Whether you're an AI newbie or a tech-savvy guru, come join the fun and leave with practical strategies and a treasure trove of resources (including some amazing free courses and toolkits!) to transform your teaching practice. Let's unleash the power of AI, the Google way!

Session slides: sedck12.org/tamedragon

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Chromebook"

Speakers

Clint Stephens

Educational Technology Innovation Specialist & Coach, Southwest Educational Development Center

During his twelve years teaching secondary Science, Regional Technology Integration Specialist Clint Stephens was awarded the Utah Middle School Science Teacher of the Year award in addition to several technology innovation grants & awards. Currently, Clint is a Level 1 & 2 Certified... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Technology & AI, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Subject Area Any Subject Area

9:45am MDT

Commemorate America250 Utah with History, Civics, and Heart

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

GC 306 - General Classroom Building, Room 306

It's been 250 years since the pivotal events of 1776. The student activities, lesson plans, and resources from America250 Utah will help you connect to the our nation's founding and our state's rich history no matter what content you teach! This session will introduce key resources for elementary, middle, and high school, with a focus on events that connect to Utah in 1776, and the individuals, groups, ideas, and actions that shaped the Revolutionary Era.America250 Utah offers hands-on opportunities to explore history, create shared experiences, and engage with this milestone celebration. You can create powerful opportunities for your students and school community to reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look together toward the future. Presenters: Wendy Rex Atzet, PhD, and Rebecca Kirkman, Curriculum Specialist, Utah Historical Society.

Session slides

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Rebecca Kirkman

Curriculum & District Coaching Specialist, Jordan School District & Utah Historical Society

Rebecca Kirkman is an accomplished District Instructional Coach for Jordan District, specializing in Instructional Coaching methodologies and teacher professional development. An award-winning former classroom teacher, she translates her successful practices into scalable professional... Read More →

Wendy Rex Atzet

Manager of K-12 Initiatives, Utah Historical Society

Wendy Rex Atzet earned her doctorate in U.S. History at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she also served for four years as a coordinator for the state National History Day program. She was thrilled to return to National History Day in 2013 when she took the helm of this... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
GC 306 - General Classroom Building, Room 306 152 South 300 West, Cedar City, UT 84720

Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Curriculum Specialists, Everyone, Technology Coordinators / Facilitators, District / School Administrators, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Counselors or School-based Ment
Subject Area Social Science, Language Arts

11:10am MDT

Scam Academy - Teaching Students to Outsmart the Algorithms

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level)

This session moves beyond basic digital safety checklists to teach students the crucial skill of healthy skepticism. We will introduce \"Scam Academy\" resources, which implement Civic Online Reasoning’s Three Questions. These questions help move students from being vulnerable to online manipulation to being digital detectives. Resources available for all grade levels (K-12). Let’s teach students to be smarter than the bots, influencers, and algorithms that exist to trick them!

Click here for the slides.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Dani Sloan

IT Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network

Dr. Dani Sloan helps educators lead, research, and teach digital citizenship. She's a UEN Product Manager and Instructor at the University of Utah. She is a former Elementary Teacher and current mom to a seventh grader. Dani is passionate about preparing students for a digital world... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, Counselors or School-based Mental / Behavioral Health Professionals, District / School Administrators, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Everyone, Technology Coordinators /
Subject Area Media Literacy

11:10am MDT

Intro to PCBL: Guiding Principles & Strategies for Improving Learning

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102

Join us for an insightful presentation on Personalized Competency-Based Learning (PCBL) to explore effective strategies for enhancing student learning. You'll learn to set clear learning goals, establish measurable objectives, and leverage intrinsic motivators to foster a personalized learning environment. The session will also cover goal-setting, progress monitoring, and curating resources, providing practical strategies you can immediately implement in your classroom.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Android Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone; Windows Tablet / Smartphone; Chromebook

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers

Kayla Towner

Senior Product Trainer, UEN - Utah Education Network

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, District / School Administrators, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Technology Coordinators / Facilitators, Curriculum Specialists
Subject Area Other

1:50pm MDT

Great Grading!

Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT

CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level)

In this session, we will share how data, assessments, and grading can be intentionally designed to focus on student centered learning, provide an accurate picture of student strengths and areas for growth, and accurately communicate student proficiency to stakeholders using systems and processes each clearly understand and connect with.

Session slides

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Tony Campbell

Director of Learning & Innovation, Washington County School District

I am the Director of the Learning & Innovation Technologies Division for the Washington County School District. I serve on the National Future Ready Schools Advisory Committee, the Utah Digital Learning Advisory Committee, & the National McGraw-Hill Literacy Advisory Committee. I... Read More →

Jared Wilkinson

Learning & Innovation Coordinator, WCSD

Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Assessment & Data Management, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, District / School Administrators
Subject Area Leadership

1:50pm MDT

Top Ten Ways to Differentiate in Canvas

Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT

ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203

Unlock the full potential of the tool you’re already using.

Canvas: Top 10 Ways to Differentiate Your Planning, Instruction, and Assessment! This lively, practical session reveals easy-to-implement strategies — including new features and powerful but underused tools — that help you personalize learning for every student. From planning to instruction to assessment, you’ll walk away with ready-to-use ideas that save time and boost engagement. Even if you’re not currently using Canvas, many of these approaches adapt beautifully to other platforms. Join us for a fun, hands-on exploration packed with real classroom examples and immediate takeaways!

Copy of Slide Deck

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers

Jason Snow

Digital Teaching and Learning Coach, Northeastern Utah Educational Services

Jason a reformed middle school science teacher and the last 7 years spreading the good NUES to North Eastern Utah Teachers as a regional trainer. Trying to personalize the PD to only what matters in your classroom.

Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level Middle School / Jr. High - grades 6 - 8, High School - grades 9 - 12
Audience Curriculum Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Teachers
Subject Area Any Subject Area

9:50am MDT

NUES TAP: Building Better Questions Together with the NUES Teacher Assessment Project

Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT

CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level)

Discover the power of NUES TAP: Building Better Questions Together!

This engaging session invites K-12 educators across all grades and subjects to share your needs and wants while learning how to create high-quality, RISE-style questions for low-stakes classroom use. Using the familiar Canvas Quizzes tool (available to all Utah educators), you’ll explore how to build, share, and contribute to a growing database of standards-aligned questions. Whether you want to become a confident user, a creative builder, or simply understand “how the sausage is made,” this fun and collaborative session welcomes everyone. The more voices, the merrier — come help create practical resources that make assessment meaningful and manageable!

Bonus: Math Clusters will be thrown in for no additional cost

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers

Jason Snow

Digital Teaching and Learning Coach, Northeastern Utah Educational Services

Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Curriculum Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, District / School Administrators, EdTech Coach/Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Teachers
Subject Area Any Subject Area

9:50am MDT

Courtside Culture - Lessons in Leadership from Basketball's Greatest Minds

Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT

CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level)

Think there isn't anything that translates from the hardwood to the hallways? Think again. This session breaks down the leadership strategies used by basketball's greatest minds and applies them to the educational setting. You will leave with a concrete set of principles to foster safety & purpose, and transform even the most challenging classes or faculties into a cohesive, championship-level team.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Dani Sloan

IT Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network

Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level Not Applicable
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, Counselors or School-based Mental / Behavioral Health Professionals, District / School Administrators, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Technology Coordinators / Facilitato
Subject Area Leadership, Instructional Coaching

9:50am MDT

Unplug and Play: Teaching Computational Thinking Skills Through Game Play

Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT

SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129

Learn how to use board games, card games, and pony beads to teach Computational Thinking skills and add some (more) fun back into your classroom. During this session, you will learn how to use games to teach and reinforce Computational Thinking skills. Worried you don't teach Computational Thinking? You do! Computational Thinking (CT) is taught and used in almost every subject. By the end of this session, you will know what CT is, how to use it, and you will have got to play a game or two. So, win-win all around.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Traci Rindlisbach

Elementary Computer Science Specialist, Jordan School District-Digital Teaching and Learning

Traci Rindlisbach is the Elementary Computer Science and Digital Specialist in Jordan School District. She has been an educator for 17 years. She has helped create and implement Computer Science rotations into Jordan District elementary schools: K-6. Traci loves talking about and... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Instructional Coaches
Subject Area Computer Science

11:10am MDT

Navigating the Noise: Empowering News-Literate Students with Checkology

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level)

In a digital landscape filled with "fake news," deepfakes, and algorithmic bias, how do we teach students to verify instead of just vilify? Enter Checkology, a powerful, browser-based platform that brings real-world journalists into the classroom to teach the core skills of news literacy.This session will guide educators through the platform’s interactive modules, which challenge students to distinguish between news, opinion, and propaganda. We will explore how to use the "Check Center" to verify viral claims and how to integrate these lessons into ELA, Social Studies, and Library Media curricula. Participants will leave with a ready-to-implement strategy for building a more skeptical, informed, and civically engaged student body.
Link to presentation.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Chris Haught

Media Specialist, SEDC - Southwest Educational Development Center

Chris Haught is the Technology/Media Mentor at Southwest Educational Service Center (SEDC), a regional Service Center that serves six district and seven charter ELA’s.Chris works closely with the region’s librarians providing support and training

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level Middle School / Jr. High - grades 6 - 8, High School - grades 9 - 12
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Subject Area Media Literacy

11:10am MDT

Bringing Characters to Life Using Adobe Character Animator

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202

Discover the magic of Adobe Character Animator as you step into the future of storytelling. Learn how to create engaging, animated characters that can lip-sync in real-time with your own voice (or your students' voices), bringing lessons to life in an interactive and fun way. You'll learn how to make characters sync to your face, shoulders, and hands so you can both speak and act in character. Adobe Character Animator is provided free of charge to Utah public school teachers in grades K-12, and to public school students in grades 7-12. Join us and transform the way you connect with your students through the power of animation!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop

Speakers

Rob Bentley

Instructor and Adobe Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists, EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Subject Area Any Subject Area

11:10am MDT

In Our Google Era: 50 Tools Shaping the Future of Learning

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

SC 016 - Science Center, Room 016

This session explores 50 powerful Google features and integrated tools categorized by six essential future-ready teaching needs: AI, Creation, Collaboration, Creativity, Accessibility, and Personalization. Our focus is on utilizing Google tools to build skills for tomorrow's world. Leave with a ready-to-use plan for instructional change.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Slide Deck Link
https://canva.link/ursagoogle

Speakers

Kelli Cannon

Digital Learning Specialist, Jordan School District

Kelli Cannon has been an educator for 12 years, teaching upper elementary students prior to her current role as a Digital Learning Specialist. Kelli holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, as well as endorsements in STEM, Teaching English as a Second Language and Instructional... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
SC 016 - Science Center, Room 016 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Everyone
Subject Area Other

11:10am MDT

Norms of Collaboration: Fostering Belonging On and Offline

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level)

In this presentation, we’ll explore the Seven Norms of Collaboration through the lens of digital collaboration and digital citizenship, empowering educators to foster respectful, inclusive, and effective communication—both in person and online. Participants will engage in thoughtful discussions and practical activities that highlight how these norms can strengthen relationships and build a sense of belonging within digital learning communities. Learn to create meaningful connections and foster collaborative cultures that thrive in both physical and virtual learning environments.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Dani Sloan

IT Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience EdTech Coach / Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists, Technology Coordinators / Facilitators
Subject Area Any Subject Area

1:30pm MDT

1:30pm MDT

2:50pm MDT

9:45am MDT

9:45am MDT

9:45am MDT

9:45am MDT

11:10am MDT

11:10am MDT

1:50pm MDT

1:50pm MDT

9:50am MDT

9:50am MDT

9:50am MDT

11:10am MDT

11:10am MDT

11:10am MDT

11:10am MDT

Get help with the event