Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who can participate?

This program is for practicing educators working to adapt instruction in emergency response to COVID-19. You must be an educator currently working in a Utah school, district, or public institution of higher education and complete at least four instructional hours (clock) of qualifying professional learning.

This program is also for public library staff working to adapt services in emergency response to COVID-19. To qualify, you must work in a Utah public library as a member of your library’s staff.

2. What course topics will qualify?

This program is designed to support educators and public library staff in the current pandemic situation. Therefore qualifying courses should match those aims. For example, effective use of educational technology, remote teaching strategies, student engagement strategies, software that is licensed for education in Utah, tools that assist with remote teaching such as video conferencing, strategies to differentiate instruction for blended learning, strategies to assure courses are inclusive and accessible, strategies to assist with pandemic-related issues such as conducting science labs online or assisting students with mental well-being.

Additional qualifying courses for public library staff include: virtual library patron engagement strategies, tools that assist with virtual library services and programming, strategies to assure services are inclusive, equitable and accessible, creating COVID-19 policies and procedures for safe services and other strategies to assist with pandemic-related issues within the scope of librarianship.

3. Can I count training that I’m being paid for? 

No. This program is to compensate for additional work – beyond your regular employment, no double dipping. The online form asks you to verify the professional learning occurred outside your paid employment as an educator or as a staff member in a public library. 

4. Whose courses will qualify?

Qualifying professional learning for educators must be sponsored by a Utah public institution of K-12 or higher education, USBE, USHE, a Rural Regional Service Center, a community partner listed on reimagine.uen.org, a Utah academic or public library, or a national educational technology organization such as ISTE. 

Qualifying professional learning for public library staff may be sponsored by local library administrators, Utah State Library division, professional providers like WebJunction. Other qualifying providers include library vendors who produce webinars on qualifying topics and professional library organizations such as ALA, ULA, PLA, ARSL, etc. 

5. Where can I find courses? 

A directory of courses and professional learning opportunities is linked on reimagine.uen.org. Workshops from area libraries, districts, schools, and institutions may also qualify and can be located on their websites and our partner resources page.

6. Do webinars qualify? 

Yes, webinars from qualifying entities that meet the professional learning criteria will qualify toward the four clock hour minimum requirement.

7. What topics qualify? 

The project is designed to assist with adapting to today’s teaching and learning challenges. Content that helps educators design and adapt instruction, gain technical skills for teaching, or design effective learning environments will be allowable. 

Additionally, for public library staff, content that helps staff design and adapt library services, gain technical skills that advance library services or implement best practices in response to COVID-19 will be allowable. 

8. How do I submit my proof of completion? 

After completing four hours (240 minutes) of qualifying professional learning complete an online submission form. The form will include information to verify who you are and proof of completion.

9. How do I prove I completed the four clock hours? 

The organization offering your course or webinar should provide a certificate or letter of completion. If you don’t have one, contact the course provider to obtain one. An email from the provider that shows your name, course name, and date of completion is also acceptable. 

10. Can this be a combination of courses or all one course? 

Any combination of qualifying professional learning is acceptable. For example, if you have two hours on Canvas strategies and two hours on teaching with Zoom, that qualifies. 

11. What are the eligible dates? 

Professional learning completed between June 1, 2020 and December 1, 2020  and meeting all other criteria will qualify. The earlier the better so we have time to verify and process your participation before the semester ends. Applications will not be accepted after December 1, 2020.

12. Can I submit a request for two compensation e-cards if I complete more than four hours? 

No. While we encourage continued professional learning, the program is limited to one per participant. 

13. Do paraprofessionals qualify?

No. Although we value the important work of paraprofessionals, the program is limited to licensed educators with primary classroom responsibilities.

14. Do you have to be a teacher? 

Credentialed school staff members such as tech specialists, counselors, library-media teachers, and special education teachers qualify. For higher education, adjunct faculty and teaching assistants may also qualify. All participants will be asked to submit their CACTUS or institution ID number for verification. 

15. Do all the classes need to be technology classes? 

Webinars or workshops from Utah science and arts organizations may also qualify if they help an educator adapt content for remote teaching. For example, a webinar explaining a museum’s virtual field trip and lesson plans adapted for the COVID-19 situation would qualify.

16. Do well-being classes qualify? 

Content designed to support educator well-being, or teach educators how to assist students to address their well-being in response to the current situation may qualify. The Utah Department of Health, USBE’s Safe and Healthy Schools, SafeUT Crisis and Tip Line, and Utah Education Association offer resources for mental health. 

17. Does my Tennis class qualify? 

No.  This class would only qualify if you are teaching a tennis class in a Utah school and adapting to online teaching. But good for you – exercise is important!

18. Who is paying for this? 

The project uses federal CARES Act funding to help with emergency distance learning challenges and the need to adapt instruction for unpredictable remote and blended learning in response to COVID-19 pandemic health restrictions.

19. Why is UEN doing this?

Our service role includes supporting our education and library partners with high quality resources and tools. This is a time for our state to come together to help educators at all levels and we are pleased to support this important work. 

20. What about state laws prohibiting gifts for public employees? 

Utah law prohibits public employees from accepting a gift that could improperly influence them in the performance of their public duties. Reimagine Learning is not considered an inducement designed to influence. It is a remuneration program to compensate educators after they have voluntarily completed additional professional learning, on their own time, to improve their craft and respond to pandemic emergency circumstances.

21. Will I be informed if there is a problem on my submission? 

If there are issues with your submission, you’ll be contacted so you can provide additional information or clarification.

22. How will I receive my gift card? 

Once approved you will be sent an email from Amazon with your gift card code. You will also receive an email from UEN letting you know you should be receiving your card soon.

23. What if I have more questions? 

Feel free to complete our handy Contact Us form and we will respond as quickly as possible.