Utica High School teacher honored statewide as technology leader

A Utica Community Schools high school science teacher has been honored statewide for her leadership to give all students the tools and support to effectively use technology in their classrooms and lives.

Karyn McConachie, of Utica High School, received the Frank Miracola 21 Things Educational Excellence award from The Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) and REMC Association of Michigan.

“Earning an award like this is such an honor, and it reaffirms for me that the ways in which I incorporate technology in my classroom are meaningful for student success,” McConachie said.

The award is given annually to a Michigan educator who espouses the values of a global 21^st century education, integrating the international technology standards at the classroom level as modeled through implementing the 21Things for Educators program in the classroom.

Furthermore, the award honors an exemplary educator who integrates the principles of "Free is Good", and highlights the importance of finding a variety of resources to reach all learning styles in a challenging educational environment.

McConachie has taught in Utica Community Schools for more than 26 years.  She is an ISTE certified educator who earned a second master’s degree in educational technology during the pandemic, has participated in the 21 things 4 project, completed the Macomb Area Digital Educator (MADE) program on blended learning and is an original member of the Utica Community Schools Geek Cohort. 

As a life-long learner at heart, McConachie strives to create engaging and innovative experiences in her science classroom and believes that technology can enhance student’s ability to think and work like scientists.  She knows that true learning means empowering students to investigate appropriate technology tools that allow students to set goals, reflect on their progress, and choose creative ways to demonstrate what they know. 

In her classroom, shared digital notebooks and collaborative spaces give students a place to compare data from investigations, revise their ideas, and communicate their thinking.

McConachie integrates design thinking by guiding students through real-world science challenges that require them to collect data, analyze their findings, and refine their ideas over time. She creates meaningful opportunities for collaboration through virtual conversations with experts that give students insight into the work of engineers, researchers, and science professionals. McConachie’s work shows how technology can open new paths for students and help them grow into confident, capable learners.

Frank Miracola was an educator who spent his 30+ year teaching career advocating for the integration of technology in the classroom. Known nationally as the "Free is Good" guy, Miracola presented at local, state, and national conferences on the free web tools available to educators.

An elementary teacher for 23 years, he became an Interactive Learning and Instructional Technology Consultant for the last 10 years of his life. Known far and wide for his prowess as a digital storyteller, Frank did numerous workshops on creating, editing, and posting digital stories. He was also a pioneer in promoting educator use of personal learning networks such as Twitter, FaceBook and Plurk.

The 21Things4Educators is a network of teachers created to provide a single site of free resources and tutorials.