IETA 2025: Full Schedule

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8:00am MST

Cybersecurity Basics for Educators: A Day in the Life of A Hacker

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST

Speakers

Dixie Harper

Dixie Harper has been an educator for 30+ years. She holds a Bachelors in Education, a Masters in Library Media Technology, and a Specialist Degree in Education Leadership. Throughout her career, she has been employed in three different school districts in Georgia as a teacher... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST
410B Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

8:00am MST

How One District is Supporting Diverse Learning Needs with Office 365

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST

110D

Attendees will learn how one district leverages the power of Microsoft Office 365 and Windows 11 to support diverse learning needs across their classrooms. The session will highlight specific strategies and tools that are used to create more inclusive and accessible learning experiences for all students. Features like Immersive Reader, Dictate, Live Captions, and Translator in Word, PowerPoint, and Edge as well as accessibility options in Windows 11 to support students with learning differences will be discussed. Bring your laptop and Microsoft Office login for this hands-on session. Attendees will walk away with practical, ready-to-implement ideas for using Office 365 and Windows 11 within the universal design for learning framework.

Speakers

Christy Butler

Assistive Technology Specialist, West Ada School District

Gaye Keith

Special Services Consulting Teacher, West Ada School District

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST
110D Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Intermediate

8:00am MST

Managing MTSS with Unified Insights/ Analytics/ Data/ Dashboards

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST

120B

Support Any MTSS Facet or Framework MTSS models can vary greatly from district to district. PowerSchool MTSS is a comprehensive solution that’s adaptable to any MTSS framework—helping districts ensure that all students have equal access to the support they need. Connect All Data and Leverage Intervention Analytics Bring together the data from your district’s SIS, behavior management, SEL, and assessment solutions in a single platform. Users can identify student needs and attach critical data to student plans and interventions. Connected data also provides educators with the intervention analytics needed to measure success.

Speakers

Cindi Jensen

PowerSchool

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST
120B Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

8:00am MST

The Think Do Thrive Variety Session: A Showcase of Curated Gems

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST

410A

Escape the ordinary at IETA with this one-of-a-kind variety session! This unique interactive session, curated by a seasoned educator, combines a variety show format with a curiosity-driven algorithm your students are attracted to on social media platforms. You will discover prompts, multi-modal tools, and strategies to enhance your teaching and ignite your student's interest. If you want a session palette cleanser, don't miss this opportunity to refresh your teaching toolkit, leave with artifacts to ponder post-IETA, and have fun!

Speakers

Darren Hudgins

Darren Hudgins is the founder and the heart and soul behind Think Do Thrive, an education consulting venture dedicated to nurturing educators and fostering vibrant learning communities. With over 20 years of experience in education, Darren's passion for empowering others shines through... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am MST
410A Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

10:15am MST

25 Innovative Assessment Resources in 45 Minutes

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

120C

Part of the barrier to innovative assessment practices is often just having the resources in place to facilitate new methods of grading and assessing students. In this blazingly-fast session, participants will be given 25 resources to support innovative assessment practices with an explanation of the purpose and function of each one.

Speakers

Tyler Rablin

Innovative Learning Coach, Sunnyside School District

Tyler Rablin is an award-winning instructional coach and former ELA teacher for Sunnyside School District in Sunnyside, WA. He is also the owner of Tyler Rablin Consulting, is the author of Hacking Student Motivation from Times 10 Publications, and has been a featured speaker and... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
120C Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

10:15am MST

AI Tools and How to Use Them in the K-12 Classroom

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

410A

The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and platforms for K-12 education. We will discuss the definitions and types of AI for education, identify and review currently available and popular AI tools, and provide a quick reference for teachers. Additionally, we will address ethical concerns such as data privacy and algorithmic biases. The goal of this session is to provide information for teachers to choose specific AI tools for different purposes. The use of AI tools and their associated concerns in the K-12 classroom will also be discussed, encouraging teachers to create more dynamic, inclusive, and effective learning environments while preparing students for the future. This session is connected with a submitted article under review in the AI, Computer Science, and Robotics Technology Journal.

Speakers

Nicole Sarty

Teachers, West Ada School District

Nicole Sarty Bio Link:https://msd2-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/r/personal/sarty_nicole_westada_org/Documents/Professional/Goals/Sarty%20Resume%202022.pdf?csf=1&web=1&e=maWf9V

Gina Kwid

Teacher, West Ada School District

Gina Kwid is an educator in the West Ada School District. She has taught 2nd grade and elementary engineering at Galileo STEM Academy for the past 17 years. In addition to ISTA, she is an active member of the Idaho STEM Ecosystem, ARISS Education Committee, ITEEA, and 100Kin10. She... Read More →

Dazhi Yang

Professor, Boise State University

Dr. Dazhi Yang is professor in educational technology with joint/adjunct appointment in the College of Engineering at Boise State University. Her current research interests include technology- supported STEM education, engineering and computing education, online and distance learning... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
410A Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

10:15am MST

Distinctive Stories from Amazing Projects

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

430A

Education is not about the number of minutes we have our students, but rather the number of great moments we craft for them to experience. In this session, we'll look at innovative approaches from students and how they are making the world better, with attention to what kind of learning allows them to build confidence, explore cool, connect with students globally, and pursue personal excellence. Examples will be taken from the Creative Solutions for the Global Good class taught by the presenter, though the ideas can be incorporated into individual projects for other classes or activities specific to school clubs.

Speakers

Rushton Hurley

Executive Director, NextVista.org

Rushton Hurley is a former high school teacher, former principal of an online high school, author of three books on learning and schools, and founder and executive director of an educational nonprofit. Rushton has spoken to and trained over 100,000 teachers and school leaders around... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
430A Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

10:15am MST

Empowering Educators with AI-Infused Solutions for the Modern Classroom

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

110A

Educators and school leaders, join us to explore how Gemini for Education and Merlyn Mind can revolutionize your teaching practices. Gemini helps generate personalized learning experiences, streamline administrative tasks, and integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace tools to enhance your classroom workflow. Merlyn Mind further elevates your teaching by offering voice-activated control over technology, including within your Google Drive, freeing you to focus more on instruction and student engagement. With Merlyn Chat and PrepTime AI, you can effortlessly interact with technology, lean into those 'teachable moments', and optimize lesson planning. In this session, you'll see how both tools can save time, boost student engagement, and create a more inclusive and efficient learning environment.

Speakers

Anna Hanrahan

Teaching and Learning Consultant, Trafera

Anna Hanrahan has been a classroom teacher for more than 20 years and currently serves as a Teaching and Learning Consultant with Trafera. Anna is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and her expertise includes STEM education, promoting literacy within STEM instruction, instructional... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
110A Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

10:15am MST

Power up With PBS

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

440

What if there were just one website you could use for all of your lesson planning that holds a variety of resources, tools AND is easy to use? Sound too good to be true? Think again! The PBS LearningMedia site is a powerful FREE tool for teachers who are interested in using video, online games, primary sources and self-paced digital lessons with their students. If you are a teacher in a K-12 classroom, a librarian, a technology specialist or an administrator there is something for you on PBS Learning Media. The real power comes when PBS LearningMedia is paired with your favorite digital assessment and presentation tools to create engaging and fun activities for students of all ages and abilities. Join IdahoPTV for this session and get ready to launch the power of PBS in your classroom!

Speakers

Kari Wardle

Director of Education, Idaho Public Television

Kari Wardle currently works as the Director of Education for Idaho Public Television where she leads the education department and provides training and support to teachers throughout the state. Before joining the IdahoPTV staff in 2017, she worked as an elementary school teacher for... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
440 Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, All

10:15am MST

Project STEM Coding for MS / HS

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

110D

Teaching Computer Science: How I use Project STEM in my classroom and what it can offer. How to use a program that offers coding lessons that are easy to follow and easy to understand. This program is very scaffolded and can be taught / used in a variety of ways. Includes : Scratch, Micro:bit, and Earsketch, python and block coding.

Speakers

Michelle DiPaula-Craig

Technology Teacher, Nampa School District / Lone Star Middle School

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
110D Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

10:15am MST

STEM Career Profiles and Skills

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

110C

This session is focused on what some may characterize as non-traditional STEM careers, ranging from healthcare to technology to other industries that are not commonly recognized as such. The goal is for attendants to learn cohesive ways to present STEM careers (and the paths to achieving those careers) for students of all ages. These careers are not found within linear confines but are characterized by skills (hard and soft), networking, and academic trajectories.

Speakers

Carina Minardi

STEM From LLC

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
110C Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Intermediate

10:15am MST

Transforming Computer Science Education in Idaho with ‘Coding in Minecraft’

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

410B

Do you want to teach coding in a game-based environment but are not a gaming or coding expert? In this session, you will learn how teachers in Idaho have already begun using ‘Coding in Minecraft’ to create a student-led, highly engaging learning experience where the educator becomes the facilitator, and the students lead their own learning to learn how to code in Blocks, JavaScript or Python. In addition, they can earn a credential through our Capstone Credential Exam. See how the immersive curriculum and credential pathway has all the resources you need to teach your students how to code.

Speakers

Melanie Drown

Melanie Drown is a Product Specialist for ‘Coding in Minecraft’ and has 11 years of experience as both an educator and a trainer. She is a Minecraft Certified trainer and has trained hundreds of teachers on game-based learning through Minecraft Education. As a former STEM and... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
410B Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

10:15am MST

What is a Power Buddy?

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST

120B

All About PowerBuddy! AI-powered assistant for Everyone in Education PowerBuddy is PowerSchool's AI assistant uniquely developed for students, families, teachers and administrators to deliver personalized education and individualized insights, foster engagement, and create a supportive environment for everyone in education at every step unlike ever before.

Speakers

Cindi Jensen

PowerSchool

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am MST
120B Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

1:45pm MST

Decrypting Cybersecurity: Hand’s On Learning with the CYBER.ORG Range

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST

410B

With the rise of online threats and the increasing significance of technology in our lives, cybersecurity education has become more vital than ever before. Join us as we highlight the CYBER.ORG Virtual Range to teach engaging lessons and labs while exploring the methods of various cybersecurity related events. These cybersecurity events will be demonstrated by CYBER.ORG staff and performed by attendees within the CYBER.ORG Range. Methods used to mitigate attacks will be discussed as well. Participants will receive an introduction to the curricula, explore tools used by security researchers, and step through cyberattacks against a target system on the cyber range. U.S. K-12 Educators will gain free access to the curriculum from CYBER.ORG as well as access to the CYBER.ORG Range to use in their classrooms. Participants will leave the session with the tools and resources needed to teach cybersecurity concepts at many grade levels.

Speakers

Charlene Cooper

Director of Curriculum, CYBER.ORG

Charlene Cooper is a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Early Adolescent Science with over 20 years of experience as a public school educator. She has a masters degree in Educational Leadership and a Cyber Education Graduate Certificate from Louisiana Tech. Charlene taught... Read More →

Jeff Ramsey

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST
410B Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

1:45pm MST

Learning to Search: A Critical Digital Literacy Skill

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST

110B

Children are increasingly interacting with resources online, often outside of controlled environments in which teachers can curate, guide, and scaffold how they access information. Developing search literacy skills and effective strategies for locating and utilizing information on the internet has become essential. Each step of the search process (choice of search tool, task definition, query formulation, search result evaluation, etc.) presents specific challenges for children that adults do not often face, so additional scaffolding and support is needed to provide children with the tools they need to become better searchers. In this workshop, we will explore the obstacles encountered by children at each of these steps in the search process and discuss strategies for addressing these aspects across different search tools. We highlight the importance of learning to search and the necessity of providing tools that empower children to determine what is appropriate for them and their unique and individual information needs.

Speakers

Jerry Alan Fails

Department Chair and Professor, Boise State University

Jerry Alan Fails is a Professor and the Chair of the Department of Computer Science at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. He has been researching and designing technologies with and for children using participatory design methods for more than twenty years.

Christine Pinney

Boise State University

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST
110B Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

1:45pm MST

Microsoft AI: Saving teacher and administrator time, while optimizing student learning outcomes.

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST

430B

Please join us as we discuss the new AI innovations from Microsoft. We elaborate on how districts are using AI to save teachers and administrators significant time on a weekly and monthly basis. We will also dive into how AI is improving student outcomes.

Speakers

Dale Perrigo

Director--Windows in Education, Microsoft

I lead the Microsoft Windows business for K12 in the US, Canada, and Latin America.

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST
430B Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

1:45pm MST

Next-Gen Tools for Next-Level Learning: Mastering Diffit and NotebookLM in Education

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST

410C

Join us for "Next-Gen Tools for Next-Level Learning: Mastering Diffit and NotebookLM in Education," a dynamic professional development session that empowers educators to utilize cutting-edge tools for creating interactive, visually engaging instructional materials. This workshop will explore how to differentiate instructional content by adapting language and reading levels, integrating multimedia, and employing best practices such as Thinking Maps and Eduprotocols for enhanced learning outcomes. Participants will gain practical skills to enhance lesson engagement, improve material quality, and foster a collaborative classroom environment, all aimed at elevating student learning experiences.

Speakers

Dr. Melyssa Ferro

Digital Integration and Innovation Specialist, Caldwell School District #132

After transferring college majors from lab scientist to science educator and graduating from Boise State University with a B.S. in Biology, Secondary Education, Melyssa has spent the last 25 years of her career dedicated to providing hands-on and enriching science and engineering... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST
410C Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Intermediate

1:45pm MST

Telling the Stories of Your School or Program

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST

110A

Most schools do an abysmal job of promoting their stories in a way that prompts people to share and support what happens on campus. The perceived hurdles are technological, logistical, and psychological, and in this session, participants will learn how these hurdles are far less formidable than one might imagine. We will look at how to foster, gather, and share stories to build support for programs that can make one's school truly distinctive.

Speakers

Rushton Hurley

Executive Director, NextVista.org

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:30pm MST
110A Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

3:15pm MST

AI Game Changers and Time Savers: Everyday Tools for Teachers

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST

410B

Speakers

Dixie Harper

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
410B Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional

3:15pm MST

Morning Meetings In Elementary Classrooms

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST

440

This presentation explores the critical role of morning meetings in fostering a positive classroom environment. Morning meetings are a foundational practice that sets the tone for respectful and engaged learning, creating a sense of community among students and teachers. We will discuss how these gatherings facilitate the modeling and practice of essential social and emotional skills, enabling students to develop empathy, communication, and collaboration abilities. By merging social, emotional, and academic learning, morning meetings enhance individual growth and promote a cohesive classroom culture. Join us to discover the effective use of technology to create strategies for implementing morning meetings and their profound impact on student relationships and overall classroom dynamics.

Speakers

Erika Willsey

Elementary Counselor, Twin Falls School District

I create content for elementary educators to facilitate teaching social and emotional skills with a focus on morning meetings.

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
440 Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Beginner

3:15pm MST

The NEW Idaho technology standards!

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST

410C

Did you know Idaho has new technology standards K-12? Come to this session for an overview of the K-12 technology standards and spend some time diving in and taking a look at what these standards mean for our learners. We will also look at how these standards can be integrated into other subject areas.

Speakers

Andrea Baerwald

Science and Technology Coordinator, Idaho Department of Education

Tell me about all the wonderful science and technology things you are doing in your classroom! Running into roadblocks? I want to hear about those as well.

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
410C Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Intermediate

3:15pm MST

Validating Student's AI, Cloud Computing and Data Science Skills with Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications.

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST

110C

You may be able to receive Microsoft Fundamentals certifications, offered through Certiport, at no charge to you or your school through the Idaho Statewide Certification programs. Join us to learn more about the Idaho Certification Programs, how to join the program and the Microsoft Fundamental certifications that are provided to the members.

Speakers

Jason Majors

Director of Global Deployment, Certiport

Jason Majors is the Director of Global Deployment for Certiport. He leads the Certiport Deployment team, who works with large accounts to ensure teacher and student success with certification programs. He and his team provide guidance to teachers on the entire certification process... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
110C Boise Centre West - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Intermediate

3:15pm MST

Writing with AI: A Teacher’s Guide to Leveraging Technology as a Tool

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST

430A

As AI becomes increasingly prevalent in our students’ lives, it’s time to shift our perspective from seeing it as a threat to academic integrity to viewing it as a powerful tool for enhancing learning. In this session, we’ll explore how AI can be integrated into writing instruction to support creativity, critical thinking, and skill development. We’ll discuss practical approaches to teaching students moving beyond detection and prevention toward empowering students to harness AI’s potential. Attendees will leave with some lesson plan ideas and strategies for incorporating AI in your classroom, as well as an introduction to Class Companion, a program designed to help students receive targeted feedback on their writing.

Speakers

Danielle Bainbridge

English Teacher, Bishop Kelly High School

Danielle currently teaches 9th grade English and AP Language and Composition at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise. She also serves as a faculty liaison for the IT department.

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:00pm MST
430A Boise Centre East - 850 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Teachers/Instructional, Intermediate