Students and teachers can learn about STEM in an immersive and risk-friendly environment? A regional student competition was developed to accomplish this feat.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Students will take risks in learning when they are set up for success; 2. Teachers and students can learn together; and 3. Professional Development does not have to be lecture in format.

SPEAKERS:
Patrice Semicek (Montgomery County Intermediate Unit 23: Norristown, PA), Ben DeSantis (Montgomery County Intermediate Unit 23: Norristown, PA)

See how early childhood educators at an urban charter school are revolutionizing their classrooms as makerspaces to promote developmentally appropriate practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how: 1. a makerspace for young children can be intentionally designed to allow for children to experience Seymour Papert's 8 Big Ideas of Contstructionism; 2. the young children can gain experience with the 8 Science and Engineering Practices in a makerspace-inspired Early Childhood Classroom; and 3. to facilitate child-directed learning in a developmentally appropriate manner in an intentionally designed makerspace.

SPEAKERS:
Sabrina Burroughs (Eagle Academy Public Charter School: Washington, DC), Karen Brooks-Bauer (Eagle Academy Public Charter School: Washington, DC)

Bring the world to your urban classroom with Global Science / Citizen Science. Experts will share their work and provide details on how to actively involve students in real-world science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage with educators who have led their school systems to meet various challenges; 2. Learn from successful programs; and 3. Discuss relevant issues related to urban science educators.

SPEAKERS:
Pat Shane (UNC-Chapel Hill Emerita: , NC), Mary Beth Berrien (Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School: Greenfield, MA), Michelle Ellis (Hunter Huss High School: Gastonia, NC), LeeAnne Jimenez (Wilson Teaching and Learning Academy: Tulsa, OK), Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Susan Meabh Kelly (University of Connecticut: Storrs Mansfield, CT), Brad Rhew (Guilford County Schools: No City, No State)

Through research conducted by the Growing Future STEM Teachers in Maine grant, this presentation explores the upsides, downsides, and enticements of secondary STEM teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. explore perceptions of careers in STEM secondary education; 2. understand factors that influence interest in STEM fields; and 3. identify evidence-based practices for preparation and retention of high-quality secondary STEM teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Waters (Saint Joseph's College of Maine: Standish, ME)

NSTA’s Committee on Postsecondary Science Teaching will examine best practices and the challenges in designing authentic assessments that not only measure learning outcomes, but remain inclusive to all students. A special emphasis will be placed on underserved populations and underprepared students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to: 1. explain the principles of Inclusive Authentic Assessment; 2. describe how underprepared and underserved students benefit from Inclusive Authentic Assessment; and 3. identify the challenges of using Inclusive Authentic Assessment in higher education.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ogle (Brevard Zoo: No City, No State), David Wojnowski (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA), Esperanza Zenon (River Parishes Community College: Gonzales, LA)

The purpose of our research is to investigate how teacher candidates’ experiences in STEM field studies with community partners can inform our work with an integrated practicum semester based on a curriculum of place. Place-based education is an approach to teaching that is grounded in the context of community and environment and seeks to help participants in solving community problems. Many Indigenous scholars are replacing the term place with land and argue that land-based pedagogies promote the decolonization of education by recognizing the intimate relationship that Indigenous peoples have with the land. One challenge with land-based pedagogies is the role non-Indigenous peoples have in this approach to the decolonization of education. Our research, in a western Canadian context, explores this tension as we come to a deeper and shared understanding of our co-responsibility within Treaty 7 relationships. Our project considers varying perspectives of place as it informs STEM teacher education pedagogy.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Land-based pedagogies;2. Indigenous ways of knowing; and 3. Integration of STEM curriculum and pedagogies.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin O'Connor (Mount Royal University: Calgary, AB)

Are you interested in creating a comprehensive, equity-focused, schoolwide STEM environment? If so, join this session to gain insight into Indiana’s road map for implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The “why” behind each element based on Hattie’s Visible Learning research; 2. Creating a comprehensive and equitable STEM environment is a two- to thre-year process, and the process is ongoing; and 3. Community partners are a critical component of providing a comprehensive STEM environment.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Hilton (Central Indiana Educational Service Center: Indianapolis, IN)

Explore a holistic snow curriculum built through collaboration between an Iñupiaq community and university educators. Learn development processes and access free STEM lessons and videos.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore the free and NGSS-focused Qanniksuq: It is Snowing resources targeting middle school; 2. Learn about an emerging research-based process for indigenous community-engaged STEM curriculum development applicable to K–12; and 3. Discover how curricula developed using this process impacted students, teachers, and community members in participating indigenous communities.

SPEAKERS:
Lori Schoening (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK), Lynda McGilvary (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK), Sean Asikluk Topkok (University of Alaska Fairbanks: Fairbanks, AK)

Students will see science concepts through the perspectives of characters in novels. Participants will leave with lists of book titles and ready-to-use reflective prompts.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A list of literature that is categorized by grade level and science topics covered; 2. Examples of how to use literature in the science classroom to promote student engagement and meaning-making; and 3. Ways to connect social justice topics to a science curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Prince (St. John's Prep: Danvers, MA)

The “quantum revolution” is on the horizon. What can we do today—through policies and programming—to ensure quantum computing education is accessible to all students?

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to: 1. explain why quantum computing is an important emerging technology and STEM discipline; 2. identify the barriers to accessible, widespread quantum education and describe actionable strategies to combat them; and 3. discuss ideas to increase diversity in quantum computing, starting at the K–12 level.

SPEAKERS:
Kiera Peltz (The Coding School: Studio City, CA)