Primary Audience

Higher education science/science education instructors

We also welcome any professional scientists, informal science professionals, tertiary science instructors, and related industry professionals to join us.


As our K-12 pre-service and in-service teachers are enhancing their practices to meet the intent of the Kentucky Academic Standards in Science, we need to inform ourselves about how to best support those teachers. While all who support K-12 science educators are welcome, our goal for the Summit is to have representation from each higher education institution across Kentucky as we incorporate interactive features for networking and learning from each other.

Event Goal: Each higher education institution across Kentucky support a minimum of two attendees: higher ed science instructor and scientist who work with preservice teachers. 

Features

  • Stephen Pruitt, president of SREB and former KY Education Commissioner
  • Update from KDE science consultant Rae McEntyre and/or Erica Baker including the KAS-Science review and tentative implications for professional learning and development of new science teachers
  • Networking opportunities - including time for open discussion and questions
  • Resources for supporting high-quality science teaching and learning
  • Morning refreshments and boxed lunch

Early Bird price through September 30, 2022: $25

Regular price starting October 1, 2022: $50

Join the Discussion

We prefer you attend in-person as the most optimal way to network and participate. However, if you can't attend in-person choose our virtual attendance option when you register.

Bring with you to the Summit information on what you are doing at your institution or in your course to address any or all of the 3 session themes.

Sessions will be focused on 3 areas that will include networking time and intentional sharing of resources:

1.     Three-Dimensional Science Teaching
2.     Vetted Resources for Standards Implementation
3.     Science Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Focus

We will spend our time networking and learning together to raise our ceiling of support for in-service and pre-service teachers.

    1. Share our best approaches for supporting implementation of KAS-Science in response to compelling challenges identified in higher education.
    2. Continue to deepen our own understanding of how and why K-12 science instruction has shifted and how we can best support K-12 teachers – both pre-service and in-service.
    3. Explore organizational opportunities to create a state-wide approach for leveraging our collective expertise for continuing this work.

    Many different people share responsibility for preparing and supporting our state’s K-12 science teachers, including science educators, professional scientists, informal science professionals, and tertiary science instructors. As K-12 science teachers and their students align instruction and learning with the Kentucky Academic Standards for Science (KAS), the challenging task of thinking about and teaching science in more cognitively complex and rich ways requires us to continue to learn and inform our capacity to provide teacher support structures. There is a strong tendency for teachers to teach science in a manner like how they were taught. It is critical for higher education science instruction to evolve along with K-12 science instruction as we learn more about the most effective ways to teach – and learn – science. We should embody and enact approaches consistent with KAS-Science tenants as we work with classroom science teachers.

    Additional Information

    If you have questions regarding the Summit, contact Dr. Kim Zeidler-Watters.

    Summit Planning Committee

    Dr. Kim Zeidler-Watters, KSTA Executive Director

    Dr. Kristin Cook, Associate Dean of the School of Education, Bellarmine University

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    The Kentucky Science Teachers Association is an affiliated chapter of the National Science Teaching Association
    Mailing Address: P.O. Box 23918, Lexington, KY 40523
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