Baylor SOE science educators Dr. Suzanne Nesmith (left) and Dr. Madelon McCall are co-chairs of the Southwest ASTE conference for science educators in Waco on the Baylor campus.
Baylor School of Education (SOE) will host the regional conference of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) on Sept. 29-30 at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC). The seven-state Southwest region is composed of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
Baylor SOE science educators Dr. Madelon McCall, Clinical Assistant Professor and University Liaison at Midway High School, and Dr. Suzanne Nesmith, Associate Dean and Associate Professor, are co-chairs of the conference bringing science educators to Waco.
“Dr. McCall and I are excited to welcome such a diverse group of individuals interested in promoting excellence in science teacher education,” Nesmith said. “The quality and depth of presenters and attendees at the 2017 SW-ASTE Conference clearly indicates that members of the organization have responded to the ASTE charge to ‘actively engage in the debate regarding how best to prepare highly qualified science teachers to meet the demands of the 21st century learning environment.’”
Nesmith is president-elect of SW-ASTE and will take office as president during the conference.
Presentations on Saturday include 27 concurrent sessions throughout the day at the BRIC. Presenters will come from universities including TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, University of Oklahoma, Fort Hays State, Tarleton State, Texas A&M Commerce, Texas State, and Wichita State. Waco area educators are well represented with presenters from Baylor School of Education, Region 12, and teachers from Waco ISD, Midway ISD, and Palmer ISD.
On Friday, attendees — including university faculty members, graduate students and classroom teachers — will enjoy Waco attractions and may participate in group tours of the Waco Mammoth National Monument and the Mayborn Museum.
The Association for Science Teacher Education is a non-profit professional organization composed of over 800 members from countries around the globe. The mission of the ASTE is to promote excellence in science teacher education world-wide through scholarship and innovation. The international association of science teacher educators, scientists, science coordinators and supervisors, and informal science educators provides professional development for teachers of science at all grade levels.
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Founded in 1919, Baylor School of Education ranks among the nation’s top 20 education schools located at private universities. The School’s research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation, while graduate programs culminating in both the Ed.D. and Ph.D. prepare outstanding leaders, teachers and clinicians through an intentional blend of theory and practice.
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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.