Cultivating STEM Curiosity Educator Workshop Series

Applications open NOW for our June 18-19 session on Invasive Species! Apply by June 2, 11:59pm ET, for priority consideration.

We are pleased to announce the start of a new series of workshops funded by USDA NIFA.

We are looking especially for educators of high school age learners in the rural northeast and northwest/Panhandle Florida regions. Educators from formal, informal, and nonformal contexts are all welcome.

The University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences is pleased to offer a workshop series focused on interdisciplinary science topics for STEM and Agriculture educators of secondary school age learners. The Cultivating STEM Curiosity: Adapting Lessons for Authentic STEM and Ag Connections (CSC) Workshops will help you re-work classroom lessons to incorporate science and agricultural research that is contemporary and relevant to your local context with an focus on increasing access for all learners. The instruction time will total 26 education hours.

What does the workshop look like?

Upon acceptance, the primary CSC workshop series will feature four instances on different topics. Each instance will have three parts:

A virtual, asynchronous, 6-hour component on Facilitating STEM for All Learners, completed through UF Canvas before the in-person sessions.
A synchronous, in-person evening and following day (12 hours total) focusing on discussions of goals, collaboration with scientists and education researchers and fellow teachers, lab and field research tours, and presentations of research content.
Choice of at least 2 synchronous 4-hour virtual sessions focused on re-designing a program session, lesson, unit, or longer curriculum piece (8 hours total). These dates will be determined by participants but held in the months following the in-person sessions.

How do I apply?

Complete a brief form, simply requesting name, learners, course(s), and learning setting information. We anticipate it will take no more than 10 minutes to complete and requires no additional documentation such as principal/supervisor approval (though we encourage you to make arrangements with your principal/supervisor for needed approvals before applying).

If you are in the process and have questions about whether your registration was submitted:

1. Check your email (spam, junk, or bulk) for email from conferences@mail.ufl.edu – this is the address from which confirmations from the registration system will arrive.

2. Try to submit a registration again – if the system doesn’t allow it, you should be registered. If we get any duplicates, we will remove them.

3. Try to “manage” (or similar wording) your registrations in the system. If you can see a registration there, you’re all set!

For any registration issues, please contact Lauren Keiser, lkeiser@ufl.edu

Who should consider applying?

For the CSC workshops, we are prioritizing 9^th-12^th grade science/STEM, agriculture, and CTE educators who work with non-U.S. majority student populations in rural areas in Alachua County, North Florida, and the NEFEC and PAEC regions. Teachers from rural Georgia and Alabama are welcome as well. Middle school age educators will be welcome as space allows.

Costs covered and stipends offered:

$75 for substitute teacher coverage (in summer, must be teaching summer courses to receive this reimbursement to the school)
Heavy hors d’oeuvres for evening; and Breakfast, lunch, coffee on full day workshop are included.
Hotel room available (double occupancy) for the evening overnight (hotel stay not required)
$500 stipend upon completion of all three components and research/evaluation activities during the following school year**.
Parking
Travel subsidy may be available for participants from further distances; please inquire.

**Stipend will be paid in installments: first $400 after the virtual live sessions completed, and final $100 after implementing the revised lessons and completing a final interview.

Workshop 1: Invasive Species

June 18 location, overnight hotel: Aloft Gainesville

June 19 workshop location: Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, Gainesville, FL. We will provide bus transportation to/from Aloft due to limited parking on site.

Hosts: Dr. Katie Stofer, UF Agricultural Education and Communication, Dr. Heather Kent, UF/IFAS 4-H

Scientist lead partner: Dr. Stephen Enloe, UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.

In-person portion basic agenda:

Evening Day 1

5:00pm EDT: Registration

5:30-9:00pm: Evening welcome reception and introduction to the workshop

Discussion of facilitating STEM teaching for all
Setting goals for re-designed lessons with teaching for all and authentic STEM focus

Day 2 Full Day

Breakfast at hotel. Check out of hotel and store or bring luggage.

8:00am – 5:00pm

Content presentations on authentic research on invasive species in Florida
Tours of research facilities
Lunch
Content presentations on authentic STEM lesson planning for all
Initial collaborations on lesson re-design
Sharing of initial plans
Introduction to the virtual follow-up sessions
Wrap-up and depart for home

Virtual follow-up sessions (Dates and times TBD)

Continue the collaborative lesson re-design and feature interim and final presentations of re-designed lessons. Participants will select at least two, 4-hour sessions (tentatively, but 8 hours total) to attend to work virtually with STEM professionals with expertise in authentic research content, UF Education experts, and fellow educators to re-design their lessons to feature authentic, local, and contemporary science content for all learners. Virtual sessions will take place in the months following the in-person sessions.

After completion of the workshop, teachers will receive certification of their completion and, if interested, may be invited to share their lesson at upcoming workshops with fellow teachers as an example of lessons on authentic STEM learning for all students. These workshops will be planned for later 2024 and 2025, such as at the Florida Association of Science Teachers conference in October.

Watch this space for updates on workshops in Marianna, FL, July 29-30 and beyond.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Katie Stofer, (352) 273-3690, especially for accommodation requests relating to disabilities, childcare, or any needs that will facilitate your participation. The June 18-19 workshop is at a site that may require accommodations for people with physical disabilities. We are committed to working with you to be accessible.

Funding provided by USDA NIFA 2021-67037-34216.