Utica High School teacher honored statewide as technology leader

UTICA — Karyn McConachie, a science teacher at Utica High School, received the Frank Miracola 21 Things Educational Excellence award from the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning and the Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan.

Frank Miracola was an educator for more than 30 years who promoted technology in the classroom. He became known as the “Free is Good” guy as he made presentations at local, state and national conferences about free web tools for teachers.

“I think he started his career as an elementary teacher and then went on to finally end up at MACUL-IST,” said Sue Schwartz, executive director with REMC Association of Michigan. “Unfortunately, he passed away about 10 or 11 years ago, and Frank’s motto was ‘Free is Good,’ and he believed that if you could get something — use something — at no cost, that was a good thing, and you sought out things that were free to use in the classroom that didn’t require expenditures.”

The award is given annually to a Michigan educator who works to integrate international technology standards at the classroom level through implementing the 21 Things 4 Educators program — a network of teachers created to provide a single site of free resources and tutorials — in the classroom. On top of that, the award honors an educator who follows the principles of “Free is Good” and who finds a variety of resources to reach all learning styles.

McConachie has taught in Utica Community Schools for more than 26 years. She is an International Society for Technology in Education certified educator who earned a second master’s degree in educational technology during the pandemic. McConachie also completed the Macomb Area Digital Educator program on blended learning and is an original member of the Utica Community Schools Geek Cohort.

“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 in a Utica Community Schools press release.

McConachie gives her students the opportunity to compare data and revise ideas using shared digital notebooks and collaborative spaces. She guides students in science challenges that require data collection, analysis and revision of their ideas. Students gain understanding of the work that engineers and other science professionals do through virtual conversations.

“Technology fills our world and will continue to be a part of the lives of the students in my classroom,” McConachie said in an email. “I feel that it is part of my job to create opportunities where my students are able to learn about and utilize technology tools in an appropriate and productive way that can help them engage in learning and find success.”

For more information, visit uticak12.org.