If you have any questions or concerns, please email our Conference Coordinator, Jessica, at jking@njteea.org!

RETURNING THIS YEAR - President's Reception!

The President's Reception will be held after the conference at the Rutgers Club. At this event, award recipients will be recognized for their achievements, and educators will have an opportunity to mingle with peers and the NJTEEA Executive Board. Please RSVP for this event when registering for the Annual Conference - there is a limited number of people that will be able to attend!

WORKSHOP SESSIONS:

Start an ACE Mentor Program Chapter at Your School

Therese May, Winifred May

JP Stevens High School

ACE Mentor Program is a national program with affiliate states, and chapters within the affiliates. The program aims to connect professionals in Architecture, Construction and Engineering professionals with student groups in order to teach them about the professions while facilitating the students with creating reality in their design competitions. It can be run as part of the curriculum, however most chapters run it co-curricular. Besides meetings in which the mentors, present lessons and concepts and work with the students, there are opportunities for field trips to construction sites and professional offices, an end of year gathering/presentation for ACE NJ teams at NJIT, summer externship, special summer programs, scholarships for seniors, and ACE Alumni connections in college and beyond. I have been running the ACE Middlesex chapter for 9 years with LoriAnne Jones and Architect at DI Group as my lead mentor who would be in attendance. My co-presenter would be Winifred May (a TCNJ Technology and Engineering teaching student). Winifred was a 4 year member of ACE during high school and participated in the CIRT competition, the externship program, and was a scholarship recipient. Winifred will offer the student/Alumni perspective.

Coding is Elementary

Holly Romahn

Hardyston Township Elementary School

The session would present unplugged coding activities for elementary school teachers incorporating the new standards. It would include literature ideas, hands on activities, and games.

Continuity in K-12 STEM Education

Matt Garrera, Michelle D’Amico, Ellie Barkin-Baron

Madison Public Schools

Teachers from Madison Public Schools K-12 TED department share tips and best practices on how they aligned their course content for a streamlined experience throughout the district.

STEM Experiences and Learning with Garden State Compat Robotics League

Rick Anderson, Adam Cunard

Rutgers University

This presentation introduces STEM educators to the educational potential of combat robotics in New Jersey through the Garden State Combat Robotics League. It covers how students can develop physics, mechanics, electronics, 3D printing, and iterative design skills through hands-on projects and competitions. With practical insights into getting started, sourcing parts, and safety procedures, this session equips teachers with tools to bring combat robotics into the classroom. A live demo and open Q&A provide real-world context, making this a comprehensive resource for enhancing STEM education with engaging, experiential learning opportunities.

Raising the Stakes: Meeting Advanced Concepts with Student Choice & Creativity

Brooke Garrera

High Point Regional High School

Dive into ways to engage students in difficult or advanced topics and projects while meeting them with creative opportunities and choices

CAD, CAM, and Manufacturing in K-12 Makerspaces

Jason Erdreich

MrErdreich

In this workshop, we look at instructional techniques and resources to educate students on how our world is made. In addition to utilizing real-world software and machinery, we must also foster a mentality for manufacturing and prototyping through engaging learning experiences that can be differentiated for students of all learning levels and needs. Presented by educational leader @MrErdreich, lesson ideas, key resources, and takeaways for K-12 educators will be shared throughout this presentation.

Using Robotics to Engage Student Interest in CS

Benjamin Hamilton

ExCITE

A major ITEEA initiative is to enable Technology and Engineering teachers to broaden their students’ participation in Computer Science Principals courses and thereby become prime providers of computer science instruction in the nation’s schools. To accomplish this mission (Exploring Computation Integrated into Technology and Engineering, ExCITE I and II) has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF award #1923552, CNS 2318343) and implemented in 12 states. It will be expanded in 2028 by ITEEA to a much larger group of T&E educators nationally. The uniqueness of the ExCITE approach is that students easily learn to program by putting together simple blocks of code, using the Snap! programming language and a block-based curriculum called the Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC). BJC has been enhanced by ExCITE to use inexpensive robotic kits of materials including sensors, actuators, and controllers to enable students to write programs to control external devices that they design and build, like traffic lights, railroad crossings, emergency medical vehicles, and turnstiles. The approach aligns well with the design-based pedagogy used by T&E professionals. Come join us to learn how this can benefit your program and students!

Maker Education: Transforming Educators’ Approach

Edward Cohen

Rutgers University

This presentation will introduce the state-approved Graduate Certificate Program in Maker Education, designed to empower educators with the skills and knowledge needed to create and manage makerspaces, develop interdisciplinary maker-based projects, and explore maker-centered pedagogy. The program’s curriculum includes courses on design thinking, developing a maker mindset, makerspace safety, and facilitating maker-centered learning environments, culminating in a capstone project. Participants will gain hands-on experience with tools such as 3D printers and laser cutters, learning to integrate maker projects into STEM/STEAM curricula to enhance hands-on, discovery-based learning. Graduates of the program will be equipped to establish and manage makerspaces, develop and implement maker-centered learning activities, conduct professional development workshops, and effectively engage students in critical thinking and innovative problem-solving. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to network with a diverse community of educators, including librarians, artists, STEM teachers, and administrators from around the world. The presentation will feature testimonials from past participants, highlighting the program's impact on their educational practices, as well as detailed information on the application process, tuition, and available scholarships. A Q&A session will follow, providing attendees with the opportunity to ask questions and gain deeper insights into the program and its implementation.

Scaling a Flight Unit K-12

Don Reinertsen

Frankford Township Middle School

*This will be a 2 session event*

We will be going over one of my most successful lessons on Flight. I will cover how to implement this unit with your classes starting with the history and necessary elements of flight, how it works. Covering gliders and helicopters and how they relate to modern flight and drones. This unit contains three main building projects including paper airplanes, balsa gliders, and fully RC student built airplanes. I will cover everything from how to setup the unit to how to fund it in your program. I teach this to my 7th graders but I can show how to scale it to a variety of different grades elementary to high school.

Tile Me Crazy - Make & Take Project (Part 1)

Tyler Roses

Eastern Regional High School

*This is part of a 2 session event*

During this two part make & take workshop participants will design and create their own Tile Trivet Project. This portion of the workshop will cover everything you will need to bring this project to life in your classroom. Topics will include general safety, tool safety, material lists, rubrics, methods, overall cost, and best practices. This workshop is geared towards middle and high school students. *Limited to the first 25 participants.*

Grout With Me - Let’s Frame it! - Make & Take Project (Part 2)

Tyler Roses

Eastern Regional High School

*This is part of a 2 session event*

Part II of this make & take workshop will include grouting techniques, framing using a brad nailer, and finishing touches. Nail gun safety and management within a classroom will be highlighted. *Limited to the first 25 participants from Tile Me Crazy - Make & Take (Part I).*

Drone Education

Chris Miller

Eastern Regional High School

An overview of our drone aviation program including: Programmable indoor drones to teach controls and programming skills for autonomous flight. Content necessary for students to pass FAA part 107 certification which would allow them to be a commercial drone pilot. An introduction to larger outdoor drones for videography, photography, and autonomous flight applications.

Revamping the Lens: Innovating High School Graphic Design & Photography

Jennifer Hier

Howell High School

This presentation will explore the use of DSLR cameras in high school photography education. By integrating advanced techniques in macro photography, depth of field and long exposure photography, educators can foster a deeper understanding of both technical skills and creative expression among students. Incorporating innovative DSLR photography techniques into lesson plans, educators can enhance their photography curriculum, encouraging students to experiment with advanced concepts while expressing their creativity. Educators will gain hands-on experience by experimenting with abstract oil and water photography, bokeh photography, and light graffiti to help effectively integrate these techniques into their classrooms.

NJ SLS 8.2 Design Thinking

Mike Buttitta

NJ Department of Education

Join us for an engaging session on Design Thinking as outlined in NJ SLS 8.2. This session will provide educators with a comprehensive understanding of integrating Design Thinking into their curriculum to enhance problem-solving skills and foster creativity. The session, will assist educators with practical strategies to implement Design Thinking in their classrooms, empowering students to become critical thinkers and effective problem solvers. This session offers valuable insights and actionable takeaways for all educators.

Fostering Student Involvement: Developing a High School Television Broadcasting Program

Joseph Gerardi 

Manalapan High School

The Bravecast is Manalapan High School's live broadcasting program that recognizes student achievement and shares school information to further foster student involvement. Our philosophy is to highlight our talented and hardworking students to encourage greatness within our school community. Bravecast students are able to acquire hands-on experience within a variety of fields within television and broadcasting. The broadcast is entirely student run and staffed with producers, script writers, anchors, camera operators, audio engineers, graphic designers, stage managers, and more. Learn more about what went into the creation, design, and development of this program.

Teaching Tomorrow: Understanding Uncrewed Systems and Artificial Intelligence

Peter Miller

Warren County Community College

Join faculty from WarrenUAS (Warren County Community College) for this dynamic workshop designed for educators eager to explore the intersection of technology and education. Participants will dive into the rapidly evolving fields of uncrewed autonomous systems, examining their applications across various industries. We’ll discuss how artificial intelligence enhances these technologies and the implications for future careers. Educators will leave with a better understanding of how to integrate these concepts into their curricula, inspiring students to engage with cutting-edge developments and prepare for a future where these skills are increasingly vital. 

Make and Take Boxes: A Modern Approach to a Traditional Project (Double Session)

Steve Richards, Mark Dotta, Taylor Boehmer

Ridge High School

Participants will assemble, finish, and take home small wood boxes using simple but elegant joinery. The project will be approachable and easy to replicate in other settings. A router jig will be used to cut joinery and we will discuss some ideas for design, construction, assembly, and finishing. Video instruction and CAD models will be part of the package.

*Limited to the first 20 participants* 

Brainstorming with Morph Charts

Chris Anderson

Rutgers University

In this demonstration lesson, you will learn how to tap into your students' capacity for divergent thinking, and give them a "powerful" strategy for the Brainstorming/Imagine step of the design process, that they will never forget. 

Multiple Levels of Safety

Chris Anderson

Rutgers University

Due Diligence and In Loco Parentis can be intimidating terms for teachers with tools and machines in the classroom. But they apply to you, even if you only give kids scissors and hot glue guns.  In this session, you will learn about the “multiple layers of safety” approach to classroom safety. 

Electronics Roundtable

Theresa O’Connor

Union County Vocational-Technical Schools

An opportunity for those teaching digital and analog electronics and control technology to collaborate and share successes and best practices. Educators will be able to share experiences, projects, best practices and pick up some helpful tips for their classrooms.

Administrator Roundtable

Matthew Konowicz

Northern Burlington Regional Schools

Chance for administrators to discuss current concerns and ideas within technology & engineering education.

…and more!