Big ideas in education

Education faculty present workshops on STEM education at national teachers convention

Four faculty from the Walla Walla University School of Education and Psychology presented workshops and assisted with breakout sessions at the 2018 North American Division (NAD) Teachers’ Convention held in Chicago last August.

“Engineering for Elementary STEM Learning” was the title of a workshop presented by Brian Hartman, assistant professor of education.

“The new NAD science standards make it clear that engineering is an important part of K-12 science. I felt it was important to support teachers in developing skills to teach engineering,” said Hartman. “Participants were very interested in ways to integrate engineering into their science classes. They would love to have a whole library of engineering activities that was integrated with the Seventh-day Adventist science curriculum.”

Hartman also partnered with Debbie Muthersbaugh, professor of education and dean of the school, to present a workshop titled “Leonardo da Vinci in the Classroom: Using Renaissance Thinking to Inspire STEM Education.”

Also representing WWU at the convention were Maria Bastien, assistant professor of education; Neria Sebastien, assistant professor of special education; Andrea Betts, junior history and secondary education major; Brittany Flud, junior elementary education major; Micaela Featherston, junior elementary education major; and Talea Shupe, junior music education and secondary education major.

More than 6,000 Adventist teachers and university students attended the convention, which provided opportunities for professional development, spiritual encouragement, networking, brainstorming, and inspiration.

Betts said that attending the convention appealed to her because she liked the idea of “being surrounded by and engaging in conversation with people who were like me—who felt called to the ministry of teaching.”

“The focus on sharing Jesus was refreshing and inspiring; the breakout sessions were helpful and applicable in giving me ideas, tips, and methods to become a good teacher; and the camaraderie among the people there, as well as the positive energy about Adventist education, made me incredibly excited about teaching—more excited than I ever have been before!” said Shupe.

“Not only will my time at the NAD Teachers’ Convention affect my future life as a teacher,” said Featherston, “but it also will affect my current life as a student. In my classes I am constantly making connections from the professor, text, or in-school observations to something I learned at the convention. I am so grateful for the overall applicability of the convention and was fortunate to attend.”

The WWU School of Education and Psychology seeks to equip education majors with the necessary skills to teach with excellence and purpose. The department provides many opportunities for growth and development.

“Young people have been entrusted to us by parents and by God for an education of heart and mind that extends upward, beyond the boundaries of book learning. It’s our privilege and responsibility to fulfill that trust with excellence in every area,” said Muthersbaugh.

Posted March 5, 2019

 

"Engineering for Elementary STEM Learning" was the title of a workshop presented by Brian Hartman, assistant professor of education.

More than 6,000 Adventist teachers and university students attended the convention, which provided opportunities for professional development, spiritual encouragement, networking, brainstorming, and inspiration.