The Best STEM Conferences for Teachers
The following is a guest post from Dr. Jacie Maslyk.
Just as advances in the STEM industry occur over time, improvements in STEM education change the work that we do with our students.
In addition to reading to keep current and staying connected on social media, educational conferences are a great way to keep improving our professional practice.
Top 6 STEM Conferences for Elementary Teachers:
STEM Teacher Summit
FETC
NSTA
ISTE
TCEA
PBL World
With so many conferences, both online and in-person, how do you know which ones will be the most beneficial?
1. STEM Teacher Summit
The Summit provides both pre-recorded online sessions on a variety of topics along with live sessions throughout the day. The day usually begins with a live introductory session with Carly and Adam followed by a keynote with an inspiring speaker to kick off the conference.
The pre-recorded sessions are created by classroom teachers, librarians, and educational leaders. Full of innovative ideas and cool projects, the sessions are about 30 minutes--just the right amount of time to get some inspiration for classroom application.
Midday, the summit has another live session. Sometimes this includes a panel of educators and other times its an interactive session with a creative guest. There are also lots of great giveaways from Summit sponsors. Better yet, the Summits (usually twice a year) are FREE to STEM Teachers Club members.
2. FETC
For over 40 years, the National Future of Education Technology® Conference has brought together educational professionals from around the world to connect and learn together. The multi-day event held every year in January, is a great way to kick off the new year. Recently held in Orlando, Miami, and New Orleans, this is a collaborative event where educators can explore new technologies, discuss best practices and connect face-to-face with their professional learning network.
FETC is one of the best places to engage with the thought leaders and dynamic educators who are at the forefront of educational innovation.
The conference offers five different tracks, although attendees are free to choose any sessions that interest them:
Future of Ed Tech Administrator
Future of Ed Tech Information Technology
Future of Ed Tech Educator
Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist
Future of Ed Tech Coach
With incredible keynote sessions, hands-on workshops, and interactive sessions, FETC has something for everyone. Networking events and time to talk with colleagues, authors, and educational companies, this conference is a must-attend event!
3. NSTA
The National Science Teaching Association annual conference “ is perfect for pre-service/new teachers and classroom veterans (K-12), professors, informal educators, administrators, and curriculum specialists who want to explore best practices, innovative instructional strategies and techniques, and next-level engagement approaches for inspiring students in science and STEM.”
NSTA offers pre-conference workshops that focus on justice-oriented learning, designing equitable assessments, and using problem-based learning in the science classroom.
Sessions include poster sessions, “speed sharing” 10-minute sessions, and 30-60 minute concurrent sessions. Conference strands include STEM/STEAM, Technology and Media, Science and Engineering Practices, and Integrating Literacy and Science, to name a few.
4. ISTE
“The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems in education and inspire innovation.” This focused mission is at the heart of their annual conference, bringing together educators from across the globe to connect with one another and share ideas.
ISTE Live is a way for educators to discover what’s next in educational technology and innovative instructional strategies.
It’s a place to view real-world projects from educators (and their students) that are creative and empowering.
The annual conference (in Philadelphia this year June 25-28th) offers hundreds of strategy-packed sessions. In addition to great keynotes and interactive sessions, you can touch, test and tinker with technology and other educational tools at Playground sessions and in the expo hall.
Sessions focused on emerging technologies, cool new apps, and advances in STEM education make it a great conference for elementary, middle, or secondary teachers and leaders.
5. TCEA Convention & Exposition
TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) is a global, nonprofit with a mission to advance teaching and learning through the use of technology. The annual convention and exposition held over five days offers over 700 sessions on topics like STEAM, leadership, mathematics, digital citizenship, and literacy. It’s the largest state convention in the United States!
Whether you’re a novice or an expert when it comes to teaching and technology, the TCEA conference has something for you.
With poster sessions, hands-on experiences and interactive sessions on esports, Lego robotics, and incorporating makerspaces, there are so many opportunities for teachers to learn.
6. PBL World
Hosted by the Buck Institution for Education and PBL Works, PBL World is in its 13th year. This multi-day event brings together K-12 teachers, instructional coaches, school and district leaders to learn about project-based learning.
Held in California, the conference is an opportunity to explore PBL through a variety of different lenses including sustainability, social emotional learning, and equity.
PBL World doesn’t follow the format of other conferences, with a variety of short sessions by many different presenters. Instead, they aim to provide an immersive professional learning experience facilitating the creation of projects and plans for implementing PBL in classrooms, schools, and districts.
The deep, focused workshops support educators as they dig into the real work of project-based learning in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Plan for Learning
All of these conferences have different costs, time commitments, and locations, but all will provide you with new ideas in STEM learning.
Find a conference that fits your interests, your schedule, and of course, your budget. If you choose a conference that is face-to-face, be sure to bring your most comfortable walking shoes. If you choose an online event, get your favorite notebook and get ready to write down all of the awesome new ideas that you will hear about.
If there are other conferences that you enjoy, share it in the comments below so others in our community can benefit from it, too.
Have more questions or need additional resources?
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An educator for the last 23 years, Dr. Jacie Maslyk, has served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, elementary principal, and assistant superintendent. She is the author of STEAM Makers: Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Elementary Classroom, Connect to Lead: Power Up Your Learning Network to Move Your School Forward (ISTE), Remaking Literacy: Innovative Instructional Strategies for Maker Learning and Unlock Creativity: Opening a World of Imagination With Your Students. You can read more on her blog, Creativity in the Making, at www.jaciemaslyk.blogspot.com. Connect with Jacie on Twitter @DrJacieMaslyk or email her at jaciemaslyk@gmail.com .