54th National Conference on Science Education - April 6-9 in Anaheim - Marks New Era for NSTA's Popular Professional Development Gatherings
Arlington, VA, October 26, 2005 - The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the world's largest organization of science educators, has unveiled a new name - and an enriched format - for its time-honored annual conventions. Long considered the premiere professional development events by science educators, NSTA's national and area conventions will now be called NSTA Conferences on Science Education. The change reflects the growth and evolution of conventions into deeper, more meaningful professional development experiences for teachers. NSTA will debut the new name at its 54th National Conference on Science Education, which takes place April 6-9, 2006, in Anaheim, California, and is expected to draw more than 13,000 attendees. Science, The Universal Language is the theme.
"We have been working strategically to enhance our conventions to provide teachers with professional development opportunities that are more expertly sequenced, focused, and extended over a longer period of time," said NSTA President Mike Padilla. "This is what research tells us is effective and can translate into meaningful learning experiences for teachers. As a result, we felt we needed a new name to showcase how these events provide this experience for teachers and cover more of today's important topics."
For 53 years, NSTA has been hosting national and area conventions that have attracted nearly 20,000 educators annually, offering the latest in science content, teaching strategies, and research. In recent years, NSTA has infused these events with state-of-the-art professional presentations on practices and methods to give science educators extended opportunities to grow professionally. National conferences now feature Professional Development Institutes (PDIs), which are focused, content-based learning events that explore topics in greater depth. First presented in 2004, they begin with a full-day session prior to an NSTA national conference, then continue with a focused four-day itinerary of related conference sessions. The PDIs have addressed important topics, including inquiry, the role of literacy in developing student understanding of science, assessment, and the analysis of instructional materials aligned to standards and state frameworks. Well-known professional development providers that have presented sessions include BSCS Center for Professional Development; Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC); First Hand Learning, Inc.; Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley; Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL); and WestEd.
Recent NSTA conventions have introduced day-long topical research dissemination conferences on focused topics. In 2004, NSTA presented Linking Science and Literacy in the Classroom, for preK-8 teachers and administrators. In plenary sessions and multiple small-group workshops, speakers presented findings from their NSF-funded research that described hands-on roles of literacy in science instruction. Science Assessment: Research and Practice Approaches will be the focus of the next NSF-funded conference, which will take place in conjunction with the 54th NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Anaheim.
In addition to PDI's and research dissemination conferences, NSTA has introduced NSTA Symposia, half or full-day learning events for conference participants, with "after conference" follow-up such as threaded discussion boards and interactive web seminars. Each symposium introduces participants to world-renowned experts presenting science topics - from Mars habitat to force and motion - that is aligned to the NSES. Symposia content is tightly coupled with hands-on activities that assist educators in translating symposia content into classroom practice.
The PDI's, Symposia, and research dissemination conferences all take an in-depth, coordinated approach to addressing teachers' professional development needs.
NSTA has also designed Conferences on Science Education around key strands that allow teachers to focus on specific areas of interest or need. Strands for the Anaheim event are Using Technology to Enhance Student Learning; Formative Assessment: How Will You Know What Your Students Know?; Science and Literacy: An Essential Partnership; Changing School Culture: Building Professional Learning Communities; The Many Faces of Inquiry; and Especially for Administrators: Supporting Quality Science Instruction.
The perennially popular Exhibition of Science Teaching Materials has been enhanced with new features and schedule changes that will give teachers more opportunities to see and learn about the latest products, materials, and state-of-the-art resources for the science classroom.
In addition to these exciting new features, NSTA Conferences on Science Education will continue to offer the traditional events and opportunities from past conventions that teachers have come to expect, including notable speakers; hundreds of workshops, sessions and short courses; educational field trips; networking opportunities; and exciting social events.
For more information and to register for the 2006 NSTA National Conference in Anaheim, click here.
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership includes more than 55,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
Contact:
Cindy Workosky
National Science Teachers Assn.
703-312-9248 (office)
703-798-8744 (cell)
cworkosky@nsta.org
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