Montana State University conference for science and technology teachers to be held virtually Aug. 12-14
From MSU News Service
BOZEMAN — A Montana State University summer conference for science teachers known as the Sci-Tech Summit will be held virtually Aug. 12-14. The summit is hosted by the MSU Science Math Resource Center in the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development and School Services of Montana.
The annual event – which last year was called Science Summer Institute – was originally scheduled to be held in MSU’s Strand Union Building. This year’s virtual event will retain its original schedule, but sessions will be shortened, and the registration fee has been reduced. Sessions will be live and interactive but will also be recorded so participants can review them later in the school year. Teachers can earn Office of Public Instruction renewal units or one continuing education credit from MSU.
MSU land resources graduate student Jason Baldes is trying to restore buffalo to the plains in Wyoming.
MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.
The theme of the summit is Full STEAM Ahead, with sessions celebrating the integration of the arts with science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. Many sessions are appropriate for teachers of all grade levels with several focused breakout sessions specifically for elementary, middle and high school teachers.
Keynote speakers are MSU alumnus Jason Baldes, who will speak about his role in the return of the buffalo to tribal lands, and technology coordinator Kyle Calderwood, who will speak about his school district’s experiences with educational technologies such as Skype, merge cubes, microbits and Minecraft. Baldes, who lives in Wyoming, is the tribal buffalo coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation’s Tribal Partnerships Program, Region 1 director of the Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council and buffalo representative for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. Baldes has both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in land resources and environmental sciences from MSU. Calderwood is technology coordinator at Tuckerton Elementary School in Tuckerton, New Jersey, and has presented to teachers across the country on how to integrate gaming into their classrooms.
In addition, a panel called MSU Research in Action will feature cutting-edge STEM research projects presented by MSU faculty.
The conference will also include networking opportunities, exhibitors, raffle prizes and Montana Science Center’s virtual networking happy hour featuring activities to engage with colleagues and “The Science of Whiskey: From Grains to Glass” demonstration and tasting opportunity.
Educators and administrators from Montana and other states are welcome to attend, as are informal and home-school educators, university students and professionals from STEM education organizations.
The conference is $100 for all three days, and several scholarship opportunities are available.
To learn more and register, visit http://www.montana.edu/
