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Friday, March 11, 2016

INL helps sponsor i-STEM seminars

The Idaho Science, Technology, Engineering and Math initiative, or i-STEM, is offering six low-cost teacher institutes this summer, to be held around the state in June and July.

i-STEM is a partnership lead by INL in collaboration with educators, government agencies and private companies working to improve STEM education in Idaho. The lab’s daily operations require skilled technical workers educated in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

“The program helps educators enhance their STEM content knowledge through context,” said Anne Seifert, executive director of i-STEM and INL’s K-12 STEM manager. “We are proud to support a wonderful team from across the state that is helping sponsor and support this important professional development opportunity.”

The schedule is as follows:

June 20-23 at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene
June 20-23 at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston
June 21-24 at Idaho State University in Pocatello
June 27-30 at Eastern Idaho Technical College in Idaho Falls
June 27-30 at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls
July 27-30 at the College of Western Idaho in Nampa

Interested teachers can register for the i-STEM Teacher Institutes by visiting the following website: http://sde.idaho.gov/academic/istem/events.html.

During the workshops, participants choose a specific topic to study, such as clean energy, environmental sustainability, nuclear science, chemistry, computer science, manufacturing, agriculture, gaming and others. They attend sessions taught by STEM experts and participate in general sessions to learn how to integrate STEM, 21st-century skills, career awareness, and the practices of the Idaho Core Standards into the subjects they teach. Participants receive continuing education credits and resource kits.

i-STEM members include INL, Idaho universities and community colleges, State Department of Education, Idaho State Board of Education, Intermountain Gas, Micron and Idaho Power, and others. More information is available at http://sde.idaho.gov/academic/istem/.