Crossing Boundaries for STEM Teaching through Mini-Conferences
Shande King, University of Tennessee, The
Program Description
Partnering with other STEM faculty members across the university campus, the our center hosted their first mini-conference, open for K-12 STEM educators as well as university faculty members, researchers, and other community outreach organizations. In this abbreviated PechaKucha-style conference, speakers from all university STEM and education departments, local K-12 schools, and other local STEM organizations presented different research highlighting educational practices that focused on advancing K-12 and undergraduate student engagement and inquiry into STEM fields. Concurrent sessions of 10 minutes allowed various departments and other education representatives to highlight their specific fields of interest, followed brief question-and-answer sessions. Sessions were grouped according to similar themes, and upon the completion of each theme's presentations, connections were made to underline the practices already advancing STEM education. Further, presenters and attendees provided helpful feedback for continued improvement in STEM education, and in this comfortable environment, they exchanged information for future collaboration.
Program Purpose
Find an avenue to unite various education specialists in all representatives of STEM across the university campus to efficiently share ideas and current research projects that can advance undergraduate STEM education. Further, we wanted to find a way to invite K-12 educators and other community members to gain from the current practices going on at our undergraduate STEM education level.
This PechaKucha-style mini-conference provided a central location and time to efficiently share ideas and successful research and education practices across all departments in the STEM fields in our university and local community.
Program Goals
Provide a space to share information and resources with others in our own community without having to schedule around busy meeting schedules and other obligations of university faculty members. Also, network with others and find others to partner with for future research and educational endeavors.
Program Activities
1. Find a location and time/place for the mini-conference.
2. The planning committee meets to discuss potential speakers, ensuring a variety that represent all STEM fields.
3. Contact speakers and confirm their ability and topic of speech.
4. Book venue, snacks, meals, and other details for presentations (materials for presentations like screens, dongles, power outlets, projectors, screens, etc.).
5. Contact vendors to exhibit.
6. Schedule and finalize all speakers and vendors.
7. Create registration (online or paper) and stage the venue for placement of rooms, snacks, registration, and vendors.
8. Send out final reminders (regularly before and right as the event is about to happen) on social media, websites, etc. Use both personal and professional as you see necessary.
9. Arrive early to venue for set-up.
10. Enjoy the event, and break down all set-up at the end.
Necessary Resources
Use a small team of leaders/organizers so that they can specify certain responsibilities. One person was largely responsible for contact with and scheduling of speakers, another was in charge of details concerning booking of the venue, venue materials for presentations, and food. One person was in charge of registration and set-up/clean-up of the event. All people helped with outreach and publicity of the event.
Notes and Tips
DO:
1. Use collaborative e-mails/Google documents to update regularly about changes in speakers.
2. Split up tasks as listed above (Any necessary resources or infrastructure).
3. Plan for "back-up" speakers (normally people on the leadership team) in case of last-minute cancellations.
DO NOT:
1. Use various personal or procurement cards for payment - less is more!
2. Be afraid to e-mail regularly and often to contact speakers in case of necessary changes.
Evidence of Success
Several attendees, including on-campus faculty members, have commented on making new connections for future research and educational practices with people they might not have otherwise met.
Program Costs and ROI
Cost of this initiative in its first year (including start-up costs): (Estimated) $300 for food and snack supplies. All other materials available at the STEM center, including presentation materials and paper/copies for the event.
Average yearly costs to maintain this initiative: $300 (see above)
Average number of individuals served per year by this initiative: Around 75 (this was the first year for this event.)
Average annual rate of success for individuals meeting this initiative's goals: N/A
Future Work
We will work to build in more time for presentations and networking, as well as find a more central location to allow for all people to engage with each other easier. Also, with feedback from this year, we will improve logistics of registration (move to online registration with Google forms or similar platform).
References and Accessory Materials
N/A