Teachers Attend STEM Workshop

KEENE, TEX. – Eleven teachers from the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference participated in a dynamic, hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workshop held July 15-17 at Southwestern Adventist University. The 2½-day professional development event was part of the On the Road with EXSEED initiative, designed to strengthen the integration of STEM through experiential education.

Led by Robert Henley, EXSEED associate director and director of innovation for the Florida Conference, the workshop was titled Innovate to Educate: Empowering K-12 Classrooms with Design Thinking and Mechatronics. It was developed in partnership with Loma Linda University, AdventHealth University, the Conductive Education Center of Orlando, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and the Versacare Foundation.

Teachers engaged in two different tracks tailored to their grade levels. K-8 educators explored Microbit technology and block coding to create adaptive toys for children with disabilities. Meanwhile, grades 7-12 teachers worked with Arduino microcontrollers and the C# programming language to prototype wearable medical devices for patients experiencing pusher syndrome, a project developed in partnership with Loma Linda University.

Throughout the event, participants were immersed in the design thinking process and explored practical applications of innovation, problem-based learning and mechatronics. They left with classroom-ready tools, a new curriculum and renewed inspiration to reimagine education in their schools.

To learn more about the workshop, see page 16.

By Tim Kripps

Education Superintendent