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Idaho Annual STEM Conference: The Magic of STEM 2026
Type: Technology clear filter
Wednesday, July 29
 

1:00pm MDT

AI in Idaho Education
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
Join Katie Bosch-Wilson from the Idaho Department of Education to learn about key AI updates. This session will cover the new AI legislation passed in early 2026, including requirements, how the Department is supporting new AI standards, a statewide framework, and discussion around available professional development opportunities. Walk away with hands on ideas of utilization of AI in your classroom. Time will also be included for questions and discussion on what these changes may look like in practice. 
Speakers
avatar for Katie Bosch-Wilson

Katie Bosch-Wilson

Current ICTM Member; Current CSTA Member, Idaho Department of Education
Computer Science and Secondary Math Coordinator
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
  Computer Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y

1:00pm MDT

Modernizing Mathematics: Integrating Future-Ready Skills into the Standards for Mathematical Practice
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
The Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs) were designed to describe how students engage with mathematics, yet in many classrooms they remain disconnected from daily instruction. This session introduces a modernized vision of the SMPs that integrates them directly with grade-level content, emphasizing coherence, student agency, and real-world application. Participants will explore practical frameworks for embedding the SMPs into lesson design, with a focus on sense-making, discourse, and purposeful use of representations—including data visualizations tied to audience and context. Through concrete examples, we will demonstrate how aligning content and practice creates richer learning experiences without adding instructional burden. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies and a visual planning tool to support immediate implementation in their classrooms or districts.
Speakers
avatar for Shelbi Cole

Shelbi Cole

None of the above, Leading Educators
Deeply committed to ensuring that children have opportunities to experience mathematics that is meaningful and relevant to the world that they will continue to shape.
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
  Math, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y

1:00pm MDT

If We Don’t Name It, Students Can’t Use It: Making STEM Skills Visible Through Competencies
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
STEM classrooms are full of problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking, but those skills are not always named or reinforced in a consistent way. When that happens, students complete the work without always understanding what they are building or how it applies beyond school.
This session explores how the Idaho Career Readiness Competencies can serve as a shared language for making STEM skills more visible and transferable. Participants will look at how competencies already exist within STEM instruction and how small shifts in language, reflection, and feedback can help students recognize and apply those skills across contexts.
Examples from K-12, postsecondary, and workforce settings will highlight how a common language strengthens alignment and clarity. Participants will leave with one practical way to name and reinforce a competency in their own classroom. The goal is not to add more, but to make what is already happening more intentional.


Speakers
avatar for Jacque Deahl

Jacque Deahl

None of the above, Idaho Department of Education
Jacque Deahl serves as the GEAR UP Idaho Statewide Coordinator at the Idaho State Department of Education, where she works with colleagues and partners across the state to support college and career readiness efforts for students. Her work focuses on strengthening career connected... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
  Out of School/Informal Education, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Engineering, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Math, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Environmental Education, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Computer Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y

2:15pm MDT

Attraction and Repulsion-It’s Magnetic
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
Become part of an amusement park design team as we explore the laws of 
repulsion and attraction through magnetic experimentation! Participants 
will experience a simulated elementary lesson using magnetic poles to 
exert pushes and pulls onto an object without touching it.


Speakers
avatar for Cameron Barger

Cameron Barger

None of the above; Conference Exhibitor, Imagine Learning: Twig Science
I’m Cameron Barger, and I’ve spent the last 20 years teaching STEM in K–12 classrooms in Kansas. Most of my work has focused on helping teachers create classrooms where students are actively thinking, problem‑solving, and making sense of learning together. I now work as a... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
  Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8 |   Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8 |   Engineering, K-2, 3-5, 6-8
  • global Y

2:15pm MDT

AI Literacy: Resources for Teaching Students
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
This session will explore practical strategies and resources for teaching AI literacy to students. I will share a range of open-source curriculum materials suitable for grades K–12, including those I use in my own classroom, as well as our schoolwide “Hour of AI” curriculum we designed for grades K–6.


Please note: this session does not focus on using AI tools to streamline teaching tasks. Instead, it centers on helping students understand what AI is, how it works, and how it will shape their future. Participants are encouraged to bring a computer for hands-on exploration.
Speakers
AR

Allyson Randall

Current ISTA Member; Current IdEEA Member, Riverside Elementary
GATE Faciliator at Riverside Elementary in Boise, Idaho.
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
  Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Computer Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y
 
Thursday, July 30
 

9:35am MDT

Igniting Innovation: Fusing Digital Design and Hands-on Engineering for Future-Ready Minds
Thursday July 30, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am MDT
TBA
Innovation is sparked when students move beyond the screen and into the real world. This session explores how to bridge the gap between digital theory and physical creation through a Research, Design, and Proposal framework.
Educators will step into the role of the innovator, participating in a lesson that highlights each phase of the engineering lifecycle. You’ll walk away not just with a plan, but with a dynamic, classroom-ready activity designed to fuel student curiosity and transform your classroom into a hub of future-ready breakthroughs.
Speakers
avatar for Cassondra Kauppi

Cassondra Kauppi

Conference Exhibitor, Amplify
Senior STEM Product Specialist, Amplify
Thursday July 30, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am MDT
TBA
  Engineering, 6-8, 3-5 |   Technology, 6-8, 3-5 |   Science, 6-8, 3-5

10:45am MDT

Workforce Development Council + STEM: A Practical Guide to Funding, Programs, and Career Connections
Thursday July 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA
If you’ve ever thought:
  • “There are so many programs… where do I even start?”
  • “How do I connect what I teach to real careers?”
  • “What opportunities are  worth my time and my students’ time?”
This session answers that.


You will walk away with:
  • A clear map of Workforce Development Council + STEM's key programs and how they connect
  • Practical ways to bring career relevance into your classroom immediately
  • Direct access to opportunities like  LAUNCH, I STEM, (IDSF) Science fairs, externships, and grants
  • Ready to use tools and a practical guide for all WDC + STEM Programming
  • Insight into how Idaho is aligning education with workforce needs
And just as important, you’ll have space to share your ideas, challenges, and needs so this work continues to improve with educator voice at the center.
Speakers
avatar for Branzell Porchia

Branzell Porchia

None of the above, Workforce Development Council
This interactive session offers a clear and practical look into Idaho’s STEM and workforce ecosystem, designed specifically for educators, school leaders, and career advisors.Participants will gain an inside perspective on key statewide initiatives including LAUNCH, I STEM, Idaho... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Paterson

Amanda Paterson

None of the above, Workforce Development Council
This interactive session offers a clear and practical look into Idaho’s STEM and workforce ecosystem, designed specifically for educators, school leaders, and career advisors.Participants will gain an inside perspective on key statewide initiatives including LAUNCH, I STEM, Idaho... Read More →
Thursday July 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA
  Out of School/Informal Education, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Engineering, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Math, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y

10:45am MDT

Beyond Compliance: A Social Model for Neuro-Inclusive STEM
Thursday July 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA
As the Idaho STEM Action Center joins the Workforce Development Council in July 2026, the focus on a "STEM-literate workforce for all" has never been higher. However, systemic cognitive barriers, especially in online classes, often sideline neurodivergent learners. STEM rigor should not be a barrier to STEM access. Drawing on the Social Model of Disability, this session reframes learning struggles in online STEM as design misalignments. We will explore how cognitive load and split-attention tasks in digital labs disproportionately affect neurodivergent learners. Rather than waiting for a 504 or IEP adjustment, attendees will learn to implement Universal Design strategies that benefit all students, focusing on the off-screen scaffolding with physical tools that bridge the gap between the screen and the student’s working memory.
Speakers
avatar for Merrie Rampy

Merrie Rampy

None of the above, Southern Utah University
Merrie Rampy is an instructional designer at Southern Utah University’s Center for Teaching Innovation and a doctoral student in Educational Psychology and Technology. With over 30 years in STEM education, including leadership roles in curriculum and statewide initiatives, she focuses... Read More →
Thursday July 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA
  Science, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Technology, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Engineering, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Math, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y

10:45am MDT

Beyond the Ban: Ethical & Effective AI Use in Secondary Classrooms
Thursday July 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA
As generative AI tools become more accessible to students, many educators are asking big questions about ethics, academic integrity, and instruction. This spring, a new credit-approved course—EDIN50772: Beyond the Ban: Ethical & Effective AI Use in Secondary Classrooms—will focus on helping middle and high school teachers move beyond banning AI and instead teach students to use it responsibly and productively. Participants will explore current research, ethical considerations, classroom AI policies (including a 🟢🟡🔴 stoplight model), and redesign assignments using the SAMR framework so AI supports thinking, not copy/paste.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Melyssa Ferro

Dr. Melyssa Ferro

Current ISTA Member; Current IdEEA Member, Caldwell School District
Caldwell School District #132K-12 Digital Innovation and Integration Specialist, STEM coordinator, Middle School Science TeacherCaldwell, Idaho
Thursday July 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA
  Science, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Technology, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Engineering, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 |   Math, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • global Y

1:00pm MDT

From “Screwing Around” to Science: Reflection & Note-Taking in STEM
Thursday July 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
“Remember kids, the only difference between science and screwing around is writing it down.”—that famous MythBusters quote reminds us that the magic of science isn’t just in the doing, but in the documenting. In this session, we’ll explore how reflection practices and simple recording strategies can turn everyday STEM activities into authentic scientific thinking. You’ll walk away with classroom-ready tools to help students capture ideas, track discoveries, and connect learning over time—so their “screwing around” becomes real science.
Speakers
avatar for Misti Newby

Misti Newby

None of the above, Black Canyon Elementary School
See bio below
Thursday July 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
  Science, K-2, 3-5, 6-8 |   Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8 |   Engineering, K-2, 3-5, 6-8
  • global Y

1:00pm MDT

Cybersecurity Building Blocks for the K-8 Classroom
Thursday July 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
In today's digital landscape, both digital citizenship and cybersecurity are crucial for protecting our students. Join us for a dynamic and engaging professional development designed for K-8 educators. This session from CYBER.ORG will explore how cybersecurity concepts can be meaningfully integrated across subjects. Participants will engage with classroom-ready lessons that empower students to become safe, informed, and critical users of technology, while also developing awareness of how emerging fields like AI impact security.
Speakers
avatar for Georgette Price

Georgette Price

Conference Exhibitor, CYBER.ORG, Academic Division of the Cyber Innovation Center
Georgette Price is the Deputy Director for CYBER.ORG, the academic division of the Cyber Innovation Center. As Deputy Director, she oversees all managerial and operational logistics as assigned by the Director. She is an accomplished project manager and enjoys supporting the CYBER.ORG... Read More →
Thursday July 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA
  Technology, K-2, 3-5, 6-8
  • global Y

2:15pm MDT

micro:bit Essentials: Fast, Fun, and Classroom-Ready Activities
Thursday July 30, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
This fast‑paced, hands‑on session introduces educators to the power and simplicity of the micro:bit as a tool for engaging, standards‑aligned STEM learning. Participants will explore easy‑to‑implement coding and engineering activities designed for K–12 classrooms, with a focus on creativity, problem‑solving, and real‑world application. No prior coding experience is required, educators will learn by doing as they experiment with sensors, LEDs, and block‑based programming to build quick prototypes they can immediately bring back to students. Attendees will leave with ready‑to‑use lessons, classroom management tips, and strategies for integrating micro:bit projects across content areas, from science and math to literacy and the arts. This session is ideal for anyone looking to boost student engagement, expand STEM opportunities, and build confidence with microcontrollers in a supportive, fun environment.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Gina Kwid

Dr. Gina Kwid

Current ISTA Member; Current CSTA Member, Galileo STEM Academy
I am an elementary educator continuously developing a hands-on, project-based learning environment for my students. I have experience presenting STEM, AI integration, coding, and robotics skills to educators across Idaho. I am committed to preparing future-ready learners and the educators... Read More →
Thursday July 30, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
  Science, 3-5 |   Technology, 3-5 |   Engineering, 3-5 |   Math, 3-5 |   Computer Science, 3-5 |   Out of School/Informal Education, 3-5 |   Environmental Education, 3-5
  • global Y
 
Idaho Annual STEM Conference: The Magic of STEM 2026
From $82.51

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