This will give information that will enable participants to replicate a STEM outreach event with various theme ideas. The activities are all low-cost and adaptable across student ages and generations of family members. The activities are meant to provide opportunities for students and families to experience success in a fun and enriching way while engaging with STEM concepts from the NRC K-12 Framework. We will also discuss how we used this event as a way for our preservice teachers to experience and practice implementing informal education strategies. This event was hosted at our local STEM Center, but we will also discuss ways that it can be implemented at school STEM nights, at community events, or even as neighborhood "pop-up" events to reach diverse learners in equitable ways.

TAKEAWAYS:
STEM Outreach events can be a way to engage students and families in equitable STEM learning to encourage and support all learners. This will provide information on how to replicate a STEM outreach event we hosted at our local STEM Center along with ideas about implementing it in different formats.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Content will be delivered through Google Slides: participants discuss what bias is and the different types of biases that can show up. Participants will be asked to share biases they may hold (inside or outside of the classroom). We will watch a short video clip, then participants will engage in an activity called "How diverse is your universe?" Several prompts will be read and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. An example prompt: "the people I grew up with in my household were...," and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. Next, as a group, we will come up with our own definition of bias, and come up with examples of the different types of biases and what they look like in the classroom. We will then look at strategies on how to keep these biases in check. Next, we will discuss how to apply anti-bias work in STEM classrooms. We will develop and share content-specific lessons that we can implement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anti-bias work in the classroom can be implemented in all curricular areas, especially in STEM/STEAM.

SPEAKERS:
Anissa Williams (Niper Middle School: Kirkwood, MO)

Effective teaching and learning require language, whether written in textbooks or delivered orally in classrooms. With a notable increase in linguistically diverse population in a Higher Ed., there is a need for a comprehensive strategy to address this both at an institutional and curricular/classroom level. Linguistic diversity can be due to differences in cultural/language needs, age, or education history of the student. Many educators might find it challenging to build a community and educational lesson plans that are equitable to this diversity. This workshop will look at possible classroom scenarios and offer tools and course scaffolding strategies that can be incorporated at institutionally and at course/curriculum level. This is a presentation for faculty, program directors, curriculum developers and instructional strategy developers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Take home strategies for scaffolding effective teaching and formative assessment in a class with 'English Language Learner' diversity, educational history, or age diversity.

SPEAKERS:
Manisha Sharan (Baker College of Royal Oak)

Throughout teaching Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) and General Biology, students often face academic challenges surrounding these two foundational courses. One intended method to overcome these challenges is to implement a preliminary online course that students can complete before starting the academic year. Attendees will discuss how to design their own preliminary online course through an interactive workshop (in electronic and hard-copy formats) with group-based activities (e.g., discussions and demos) for any college-level biology course. We will also demonstrate various methods and assessments (e.g., recorded videos, quizzes, virtual escape rooms) best suited for students who choose to take the prep course through our findings at our current college. A sample of our current preliminary online courses can be found via this link: https://sites.google.com/springfieldcollege.edu/bioprepcoursessc/general-biology-online-course

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about our experience using a preliminary online course for undergraduates. Attendees will then learn how to design their own prep courses focusing on what students require in general biology and anatomy.

SPEAKERS:
Gemma Bartha (Instructor: Springfield, MA), Joseph Kele (Professor of Biology)

Participants will start with two STEM design challenges- paper airplanes and oil rig. They will read a clip from Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (O'Brien) and discuss possible design challenge ideas for fourth or fifth grade students. They will explore a year long elementary plan of units and how to add STEM projects at regular intervals, as well as identify resources for ideas and grant opportunities for funding. They will be given a handout of children's literature and potential STEM project connections.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to integrate STEM throughout the year in elementary classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Boulden (Warner University: Lake Wales, FL)

Protein visualization using computer modeling software is a powerful educational tool to illustrate and explore the connection between protein structure, function, chemistry, and biology. However, using these tools in the classroom requires prerequisite knowledge of macromolecules, small molecules, chemical bonds, and in some cases the use of the tools themselves. This workshop will demonstrate resources that can be used to illustrate chemical bonds, polypeptide structure, drug interactions and other resources to teach protein structure and function at the introductory biology level. The worksheets will introduce and explore real-world examples. Resources are adaptable and stem from more detailed teaching resources that direct students to explore the science of protein structure visualization, disease and treatments. The approaches use freely available materials and internet resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about approaches and resources for integrating 3-D protein visualization into introductory biology courses at multiple topics – including polypeptide structure, membrane orientation, and inhibitor binding. Teaching materials are available for multiple levels of integration.

SPEAKERS:
Keith Johnson (Bradley University: Peoria, IL)

Looking for ways to integrate engineering in your science curriculum? Join us to become familiar with freely-available, high-quality instructional materials that create opportunities for students to apply science ideas to solve real-world problems, gain confidence and see themselves in STEM careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to engage students in learning that centers on addressing pressing social challenges and be able to describe transdisciplinary approaches to education.

SPEAKERS:
Rob Wallace (: Kenner, LA)

Part 1: We'll demonstrate how to use the ChatGPT to create dynamic curriculum & lesson plans that encourage student curiosity and foster a love for scientific inquiry. We'll demonstrate how to use the AI to generate thought-provoking questions, design hands-on activities, and provide real-time feedback to enhance student learning. Part 2: Learn how ChatGPT can assist you in designing assessments that effectively measure student understanding and track progress toward learning objectives. We'll cover strategies for generating AI-powered quizzes, tests, and projects, as well as using ChatGPT to analyze student performance and provide personalized feedback. Part 3: Navigate the potential challenges and ethical considerations of using ChatGPT in the classroom. We'll discuss best practices for responsibly and transparently integrating ChatGPT into your teaching, while maintaining student privacy and addressing potential biases in the AI's output.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to effectively integrate ChatGPT into science education, enhancing lesson plans, curriculum, and assessments while addressing ethical considerations for responsible AI implementation.

SPEAKERS:
Ren Mendoza (University of Nebraska at Omaha: , NE), Noah Glaser (Assistant Professor: COLUMBIA, MO)