WHY IT MATTERS
The University of Iowa’s STEM Innovator® professional development program equips educators with the tools needed to partner with business and industry. STEM Innovator® prepares teachers to have their students work in teams employing an entrepreneurial mindset and innovative thinking to solve authentic, community-driven, real-world problems. STEM Innovator® students identify a problem of interest, verify and validate the problem through customer discovery, and establish and implement a solution. STEM Innovator® students gain the skills needed to thrive in a 21st century global economy.
TRAINING PATHWAYS
Professional development opportunities with us include online training, face-to-face training at the University of Iowa, and custom face-to-face training in your school district. STEM Innovator®professional development is a three-year program, providing each cohort with University of Iowa training and support, as well as access to a network of educators across the country.
STEM Innovator® Onsite Professional Development
STEM Innovator® Onsite Professional Development consists of a week-long, in-person, summer workshop in Iowa City, IA. Secondary teachers based in Iowa have the opportunity to cover the cost of this graduate level program by applying for funding through the Iowa Governor's STEM Council Scale-Up programs list.
Audience: Iowa educators only
Cost: Apply for scale-up funding
Apply Jan. 21 - Mar. 4, 2019
Workshop held July 15 - 19, 2019
STEM Innovator® Online Professional Development
STEM Innovator® Online Professional Development consists of 12 two-hour, weekly sessions beginning in January and June each year. This graduate level program is available to secondary teachers wanting strategies and methods for infusing STEM innovation and entrepreneurship into their curriculum.
Audience: nationwide
Cost: $1,500 per teacher
STEM Innovator® Onsite Ed Camp
STEM Innovator® Onsite Ed Camp consists of a two-day, in-person workshop in Iowa City, IA. This graduate level program brings STEM Innovator® teams at various stages of implementation together to collaborate, network, share ideas, and learn from one another to advance their implementation models.
Audience: nationwide (current STEM Innovator® teams)
RSVP Mar. 1 - May 31, 2019
Workshop held July 16 - 17, 2019
STEMINARS WITH EXPERTS
During and after completing certification, educators have ongoing access to STEMinars® with national thought leaders in research and the sciences. Many of these sessions are open to the public.
INCENTIVES
Secondary teachers engage in extensive professional development, receive mentoring, and expand their networks. Teachers are able to earn up to five University of Iowa graduate credits at a discounted rate, offer college credit to high school students, and access the STEM Innovator Toolkit (curriculum, instruction, and assessment resources).