LEWISTON, Idaho – Idaho educators will learn about science, technology, engineering and math-based topics and how to use the information in their classrooms during an expense-paid workshop held at Lewis-Clark State College later this month.
Nearly 700 educators are expected to attend this year’s i-STEM (Idaho Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) Teacher Institutes throughout the state, one of which is taking place June 16-19 at LCSC.
The goal of the i-STEM Summer Institutes is to support educators as they learn how to integrate STEM materials and lessons into their curriculum and schools. The 2014 i-STEM focus is integrating STEM topics as an integral part of the Idaho Core Curriculum.
The workshops are organized by the Idaho STEM initiative or i-STEM - a partnership of educators, government agencies, community organizations, and private companies working to improve STEM education in the state. I-STEM members include Idaho National Laboratory, universities and community colleges, the state Department of Education, Idaho State Board of Education, Micron, Idaho Forest Products, Lewis and Clark State College, Battelle Energy Alliance, Spencer Hardware, Home Depot, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Clearwater Paper.
This is the fifth year i-STEM has sponsored the K-12 teacher professional development summer institutes. Since 2010, the number of workshops has expanded from two to five and hundreds of teachers and administrators have participated.
“We’ve added an institute in Lewiston at Lewis-Clark State College so we can train as many educators as possible,” said Anne Seifert, executive director of i-STEM and INL’s K-12 education coordinator. “One of the goals of the regional workshops is to help educators learn about the STEM resources in their own backyard.”
The institute is for teachers, counselors, and administrators. Lewiston is the sixth and newest addition to the i-STEM Summer Institute locations which include: Coeur d’Alene, Nampa, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Twin Falls.
During the workshops, participants choose a specific topic to study such as energy, forestry, or mining. They attend sessions taught by STEM experts. Educators also participate in general sessions to learn how to integrate STEM into all the subjects they teach. Participants receive continuing education credits and resource kits.
The i-STEM institutes are funded by an Idaho State Math and Science Partnership Grant and industry supporters such as Micron, Hewlett Packard, Idaho Power, Intermountain Gas, ON Semiconductor, Simplot, Battelle Energy Alliance, and others.
For more information or to find out about attending next year’s event contact Ken Wareham at Lewis-Clark State College.