UCET Podcast with Kiera Beddes

Making DTL happen in Utah with Melanie Durfee, Michael Hakkarinen, and Rick Gaisford from USBE

Episode Summary

In this episode, we sit down with Melanie Durfee, Michael Hakkarinen, and Rick Gaisford, the Digital Teaching & Learning team at Utah State Board of Education to discuss the changing landscape of digital teaching & learning in Utah.

Episode Notes

Welcome back to the UCET podcast, where we talk about all things Utah, education, and technology. In this episode, we get the chance to chat with Melanie Durfee, Michael Hakkarinen, and Rick Gaisford, (the Digital Teaching & Learning team at USBE)  about digital teaching & learning in Utah and how teachers adjust to the rapidly changing nature of technology.

Over of the course of this episode, we discuss the following questions:

  1. What are you most passionate about with DTL? 
  2. What role does technology play in education?
  3. How do programs like PCBL work with DTL to support Utah education?

At the end of the episode, we spotlight the ULEAD, a research clearinghouse and repository of accessible electronic resources designed to improve practices in the public schools of the state. UCET + ULEAD announced a partnership for UCET23 called the Highlight Hive. We are providing a space for LEAs to share their innovative practices with the larger state community. Many leaders in this group are engaged in amazing practices within our state and we want to provide a space for you to share. If you know others that may be interested in presenting in a poster/table style presentation at UCET23, reach out to the ULEAD Director, Meghan Everette at meghan.everette@schools.utah.gov.

Special thanks to Matt Winters for the sound editing and Kiera Beddes for hosting.