Since I am located in Pennsylvania, the following STEM education advocacy resources are all related or tied to PA in some way.
- For educators looking for hands-on experience with STEM, new ideas, or have experience in STEM/STEAM and want to share, the Pittsburgh Fab Institute is the place to be! This is an amazing experience hosted by Elizabeth Forward School District (near Pittsburgh)! This is a four-day experience (usually in June) that is packed full of creativity, making and learning! The Pittsburgh Fab Institute was started in 2015 to support the growth of the maker movement in schools across western Pennsylvania but has grown to encompass the surrounding states. The Fab Institute offers training on software, hardware, creativity, and offers professional development opportunities. I had to opportunity to attend the Pittsburgh Fab Institute in 2017 and I highly recommend it! I spent four days creating with CNC routers, laser engravers, vinyl, soldering to create circuitry and using the tools in the wood shop for a challenge. They even had an escape room designed by students in the school, how amazing is that! The presenters are amazing and it is a great experience for novice STEM educators to the most experienced. If you or your district is looking for STEM support or hands-on experience with STEM this is a must attend! Check out their website (below) for more information or follow them on Twitter using the hashtags #PittFAB19 or #NationOfMakers
- A few of my projects from the Pittsburgh Fab Institute 2017.
2. Project Accelerate STEM Pennsylvania Out-of-School Time is an organization dedicated to promoting STEM learning and experiences for students after-school, on weekend, and over the summer. This group offers links to resources, events (some are at a location, others are webinars), finding STEM programs for students/your child, contests, and even jobs/internship opportunities. The homepage offers several STEM-related articles on varying topics such as girls in STEM, use of technology, maker learning, or an article about STEM advocates. The site is helpful for keeping up of STEM news and finding programs/challenges that are available to students outside of the school day!
3. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania offers an extensive list of links that support STEM learning, not only in the classroom but at home as well. All of the resources offered on this page are free of charge and range in interest level from elementary to post-secondary. The university adds new links and resources periodically, so it’s worth keeping an eye on! They also over related links to STEM Camps (located in Pennsylvania), the Regional STEM Education Center at Bloomsburg University, and Teacher STEM Resources. For those who are unfamiliar with Bloomsburg University, it is part of the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education and an accredited university supporting the integration of STEM learning in elementary and secondary schools and preparing students for careers in STEM fields.
The Adventures of a Public School Teacher 