Pendleton, OR -- The Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network and Intermountain Education Service District hosted an educational technology institute for K-12 educators on February 25th and 26th, bringing together 48 teachers from 14 regional districts. Representing a variety of grade levels and content areas, these educators gathered to explore innovative ways to integrate technology into their classrooms. The training focused on utilizing diverse applications to enhance teaching and learning experiences while also addressing strategies to combat unethical student use of artificial intelligence.
IMESD Instructional Coach Ayla Olson organized the event, which catered to secondary teachers on day one of the institute and elementary educators the next. Funding for the event came largely from a $15,000 grant that Olson received from the Oregon Department of Education in 2024. The grant awarded funds to cover costs for subs, teacher stipends, mileage reimbursements, and food for Olson’s tech-centered trainings. Olson secured other regional technology-savvy educators to help facilitate breakout sessions throughout the day, giving participants the opportunity to join sessions that best matched their interests and instructional needs. Educators were able to opt into sessions that addressed cheating and plagiarism in the age of AI, ethical student use of AI, and lesson planning using AI. Later in the day, those same educators learned more about Google Suite, Google Slides, and Canva. They were given an overview of what is possible in each of these applications, as well as time to experiment within each platform with facilitators nearby to assist.
Blaine Ganvoa, a Social Studies and Computers instructor at Stanfield Secondary School, attended the institute along with 28 other secondary educators on February 25th. "I really enjoyed the collegiality of the Ed Tech event and having the opportunity to engage with other professionals from rural Oregon,” Ganvoa said. “The information presented was relevant to many of our experiences and the tips and tricks shared throughout the day will greatly benefit my daily practices and my building as I share them."
Like Ganvoa, Echo educator Brytni Owen attended to learn more about technology platforms designed to enhance teaching and learning in her 4th grade classroom. “The IMESD/OTREN Tech Summit was such a valuable experience getting hands-on training in multiple technology tools,” she said. “I walked away from the day with multiple strategies and ideas that were ready to implement.”
As an Instructional Coach working in the Intermountain region, one of Olson’s training specialties is focused on helping teachers use AI – or artificial intelligence – as a tool to assist in lesson planning, designing presentations, creating rubrics, and more. She also teaches sessions on how to combat the unethical student use of AI. One of the pitfalls of AI student use is the temptation to rely on applications like Chat GPT, DeepSeek, and Snapchat AI to produce quick answers and essay responses. Teachers at the institute discussed their experiences with student AI use, noting the ways in which they have seen it hinder critical thinking and reduce opportunities for deep learning and skill development. During the session titled “Cheating and Plagiarism in the Age of AI,” presenter Zach Gaulke shared best practices for teachers to combat plagiarism. Gaulke, a math teacher at Pendleton High School, shared that students have even used AI to complete math homework assignments. Gaulke emphasized a series of best practices aimed at helping instructors create conditions to combat unethical use of AI.
Teachers earned professional development units for their participation in this event, as well as invaluable knowledge to bring back to their buildings. Olson provides regional educational technology professional learning to teachers on an ongoing basis, and also hosts spaces for educators to collaborate around ed-tech best practices.