National Conference 2016

2016 RiSE National Conference

Integrating STEM Education Research and Teaching: Understanding and Strengthening Student Reasoning, Critical Thinking, and Communication Skills

To be held at the University of Maine, Orono, ME
Beginning Sunday, June 26th, with dinner and keynote at 6:00 PM and ending Tuesday, June 28th, at 3:30 PM

The Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) will host its eighth biennial national conference of researchers and educators Sunday evening, June 26th, through Tuesday, June 28th, at 3:30 PM. The conference program will consist of a keynote address, invited talks, workshops, panels, and ample opportunities for discussion and participant interaction. This conference brings together discipline-based education researchers and STEM educators at the elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary levels. The focus is to share recent findings from STEM education research and learn effective strategies for bringing evidence-based teaching to students at all levels.

The following themes will be part of the conference:

  1. understanding and enhancing student reasoning
  2. building students’ oral and written communication skills through science, mathematics, and engineering instruction
  3. formative assessments and strategies for using them to deepen student understanding
  4. increasing student engagement with content in introductory science, mathematics and engineering courses
  5. implementing active learning instruction for maximum student learning and engagement
  6. supporting learning for all students in science, mathematics, and engineering classes (differentiating instruction, teaching very heterogeneous groups, broadening participation in STEM)

Conference registration information

Registration fee: $200 (includes full conference participation and meals and snacks provided as part of the conference; does not include lodging or other costs)

Registration fee is waived for in-service elementary, middle, or high school STEM teachers, curriculum coordinators and other administrators, University of Maine System (UMS) STEM or STEM education faculty, postdoctoral research associates, and staff, UMS undergraduate or graduate students in STEM or STEM education programs, and conference invited speakers.

Stipends of $500 and on-campus meals will be provided to the first 75 in-service PK-12 teachers (25 elementary, 25 middle, 25 high school) who register and participate fully in the entire conference, from Sunday evening through the end on Tuesday afternoon. Complimentary housing will also be provided for teachers in this group living more than 30 miles from campus. Please note that stipends and complimentary housing can only be provided to teachers who are able to participate in the entire conference. Prorated stipends for partial participation will not be available.)

Registration deadline: June 1st, 2016, but space is limited so we encourage you to register early. If you are registered but unable to attend, please email Travis.M.Hall@maine.edu so that the space reserved for you can be used by another participant.

Graduate students and postdoctoral research associates presenting posters are eligible for travel awards of up to $500 for documented expenses for travel and local expenses related to the conference. For these ten awards, the registration fee will also be waived. Travel award recipients are required to participate in the full conference and present their poster at the poster session on Monday evening.

We encourage all educators and researchers to consider submitting a brief description for a poster to be presented for Monday evening’s poster session. Poster descriptions, including title, authors and their affiliations, and a brief summary of the work to be presented, should be sent to Travis Hall (travis.m.hall@maine.edu) by 4:30 PM on Wednesday, June 1st.

Registration includes the banquet on Sunday evening, the reception and poster session, continental breakfasts, two lunches, and full participation in the conference program of talks and workshops. Information on CEUs will be available at the conference.

Lodging: If you are a stipended teacher with confirmed, RiSE-provided housing, you do not need to reserve housing. Housing at the Edith Patch apartments on campus will be provided for you. All other conference participants are responsible for making their own reservations. A limited number of rooms has been blocked for conference participants at the University Inn (207 866-4921). Mention the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) Summer Conference to receive the special room rate of $102.00. Reservations at the hotel must be made by Wednesday, June 1, in order to obtain this rate. If you have problems with your reservation, please contact Travis Hall at (207) 581-4664.

Questions: Please contact Travis Hall, Conference Coordinator, at (207) 581-4664 or travis.m.hall@maine.edu

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation (Grants

#DRL 0962805 and #DUE1340033), the Maine Department of Education (Contract

#20150727*0363), the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, the Hearst Foundation, and

Jean and Donald Richards. The very generous funding from these external sources

has made this conference possible. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or

recommendations expressed during this conference are those of the speaker(s) and

do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation, the Maine

Department of Education, or other sponsors.