The Utah Education Association's Technology and Education Conference began on a solemn note Thursday morning with a tribute to teachers killed in the line of duty - at school.
"These were all our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters. Everyone deserves a safe place to go to school," said UEA President Phyllis Sorenson, following a video tribute first played for delegates of the National Education Association assembly earlier this year.Her remarks fell upon a hushed crowd of about 450, some of whom were dabbing their eyes.
"This problem must get under control."
The UEA convention, "Connections: a Technology-In-Education Conference," will continue through Friday and is expected to draw 11,000 educators or more. Convention-goers can dive into instructional technology in breakout sessions, designed for the average teacher just beginning to explore multimedia instruction and addressing technology needs for all grade levels and areas such as curriculum and Internet use.
Gov. Mike Leavitt, in helping kick off the conference, told educators that technology is an opportunity for them to not only bring the world and its information to the classroom, but also to reach out to students and families like never before.
"This is the direction of the world; this is part of a quality education," Leavitt said. "Technology is not just a way to impart knowledge, it's a way to connect . . . a means (through which) you can connect with those 22 or 23 students you have in your class - or the maybe 28 or 29, but we won't go into that," he said in reference to Utah's high class size.
Kathy Ann Sedgwick, a special education teacher at Canyon View School in the Weber School District, was honored with the the Helen & Joe Buzas Excellence in Special Education Award. She was touched by the award and said, "I'm representative of all of the great teachers in the state of Utah."
Leavitt also spoke during a live broadcast of KSL radio's Doug Wright show. Michael Metz of Apple Computers joined Leavitt in discussing technology in education, while entertainer Alan Osmond and 3rd District Juvenile Judge Andrew Valdez touched on other education issues.
Osmond will unveil his children's literature series, "Twice Upon a Time," at the convention. The books offer contemporary updates to tales such as "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and "Cinderella," exploring adventures of Baby Bear's offspring and Cinderella's family. Maintained in the tales, of course, is the moral to the story.
The conference also features a "Meet the Candidates" rally, featuring political candidates, both Democrat and Republican, recommended by the UEA, and some 400 booths providing teaching materials, from traditional goods to computer software and hardware.