The Supercomputing Challenge
Summer Teacher Institute (STI)

Announcements

The Supercomputing Challenge is making plans for the 2014 Summer Teacher Institute (STI). STI is a two-week long workshop focused on the important roles computer science and modeling play in the new math and science standards. Supercomputing Challenge teams develop computational science-based projects over the course of a school year. STI prepares you to be a teacher-sponsor.

We invite you to join us at NM Tech in Socorro the weeks of July 13th-25th. You will receive a stipend plus room and board. You will become part of an established, professional learning community. You will receive mentoring throughout the Challenge year for you and your teams.

Modeling links classroom mathematics and statistics to everyday life, work, and decision-making. Modeling is the process of choosing and using appropriate mathematics and statistics to analyze empirical situations, to understand them better, and to improve decisions. Quantities and their relationships in physical, economic, public policy, social, and everyday situations can be modeled using mathematical and statistical methods.

The STI curricula include multiple opportunities to practice inquiry skills, to develop teams, to plan, develop and implement a modeling project and to learn an agent-based computer programming language.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please let us know if you are interested in spending the weeks of July 13th - July 25th at NM Tech with the Supercomputing Challenge facilitators and returning teacher-sponsors. Set in the context of a vibrant community, STI prepares teachers new to modeling and gives those with experience additional practice in Project Based Learning.

The primary goals of the Supercomputing Challenge Summer Teacher Institute are to:

1. introduce teachers to complexity science and computational tools and methods,
2. advance teachers' knowledge, understanding, and skills in Computer Science and STEM domains,
3. prepare teachers to support Supercomputing Challenge teams, and
4. provide ongoing support to teachers who will recruit and assist students in Computer Science and STEM endeavors.

Registration

To register, drop an email to consult1415 @ supercomputingchallenge.org and let us know you are interested.

Credit

The STI will be a three-credit graduate-level course. See page 121 of the NMT course catalog for information on ST 537.

Housing

Out of town participants will be provided housing in West Hall.

Times

STI begins at 5:30 July 13th with a barbeque at the Joseph Fidel Student Union building. Dorm checkin can begin at 3:00 pm. The daily schedule will be 8:30 to 4:30 or so on the 14th through the 18th and the 21st through the 25th with all classes held in the Cramer building on the NMT campus. West Hall is number 45, right by the cafeteria in Fidel Center, number 14. All our classes and evening activities are in Cramer Hall. Sunday evening we will be in Workman Hall 101 near Fidel. During the week, we will be using Cramer classrooms 213 and 239.

About

Each summer we plan an institute for high school and middle school teachers so that they can learn about the Challenge and how to become a better Supercomputing Challenge TEACHER sponsor. Participants plan and implement a project in the context of a mini-Challenge. Getting to know and work with like-minded teachers from around the state is a real benefit of this professional development opportunity. Tours and recreation activities supplement the curriculum and enhance the collaboration that is an essential component of the Challenge.

STI Wiki

See the STI 2014 Wiki page for the schedule, lecture notes and resources, and more.

Past STIs

1. August 1995, 27 teachers, Los Alamos
2. June 1996, 26 teachers, Portales
3. July 1996, 27 teachers, Las Cruces
4. July 1997, 47 teachers, Socorro
5. June 1998, 16 teachers, Highlands-Las Vegas
6. August 1998, 15 teachers, Highlands-Las Vegas
7. June 1999, 15 teachers, NMSU-Las Cruces
8. June 2000, 12 teachers, WNMU-Silver City
9. June 2001, 19 teachers, NM Tech-Socorro
10. June 2002, 14 teachers, San Juan College-Farmington
11. July 2003, 23 teachers, San Juan College-Farmington
12. June 2004, 11 teachers, Webinar/Highland High-Albuquerque
13. July 2005, 19 teachers, Alamogordo High School
14. July 2006, 15 teachers, Santa Fe Indian School
15. July 2007, 15 teachers, CNM-Albuquerque
16. July 2008, 34 teachers, New Mexico Tech
17. July 2009, 32 teachers, New Mexico Tech
18. July 2010, 19 teachers, New Mexico Tech
19. July 2011, 33 teachers, New Mexico Tech
20. July 2012, 34 teachers, New Mexico Tech
21. July 2013, 52 teachers, New Mexico Tech
22. July 2014, 30 teachers, New Mexico Tech