NCTIES2025

This popular make-and-take workshop is back! Come build a low-cost microscope from materials that we’ll bring. You’ll become an expert at using your new microscope and taking photos on it using your smartphone, iPad, or other tablet. And you’ll brainstorm a little about how best to use the microscopes with students (particularly in the NC grades 2-5 science curriculum). You'll walk away with your new microscope! And I’ll offer to run a teachers’ workshop in your school if it’s a Title I school.

Fishbowl is a strategy for organizing discussions in groups of medium to large size. In this strategy, students are divided into an inner circle, or fishbowl, and an outer circle. The students in the fishbowl discuss a topic, while the students in the outer circle listen and take notes. Students can take turns participating in the fishbowl and the outer circle to practice both listening and contributing to a group discussion. This strategy can be useful for ensuring that all students participate, helping students learn what makes a good discussion, and providing structure for discussing difficult topics.

This session will provide tools and examples to help teacher to use in the classroom.

In this hands-on workshop, educators will explore innovative, approachable ways to enhance student engagement and showcase learning through digital product creation. Focusing on two user-friendly platforms, Adobe Express and Canva, participants will learn how to guide students in crafting compelling visual learning artifacts that demonstrate understanding and creativity. Participants will leave with practical skills, lesson ideas, and the confidence to implement digital product creation in their classrooms, empowering students to become creators of digital content.

Talia R. Cotton, M.Ed., is a 16-year educator. She holds a Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. She is a doctoral student at Florida State University in Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies. She is a Literacy Coach at Millbrook High School, an adjunct professor at Tallahassee Community College and Wake Technical Community College, and the Digital Marketing Director for the North Carolina Reading Association.

This workshop merges AI with proven instructional routines and activities to enhance student engagement across diverse content areas and student backgrounds. Participants will experience AI integrated activities to promote curious-driven learning.

Join us for an interactive workshop designed to empower educators in leveraging the MagicSchool platform to enhance their teaching effectiveness. This hands-on session will guide participants through a variety of engaging activities, including tool exploration stations, collaborative lesson planning, and resource creation challenges. Educators will discover how to utilize over 60 innovative tools to streamline lesson preparation, foster student engagement, and create dynamic learning experiences. By the end of the workshop, participants will have practical strategies and resources ready to implement in their classrooms, ensuring they are well-equipped to thrive in today’s digital educational landscape. Come ready to collaborate, innovate, and transform your teaching practice!