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PAST 2024-25 TRAINING EXPERIENCES
View past 2024-2025 training experiences and resources 
​Who: Open to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts
When: Wednesday, November 13 from 4:30 - 7:30 PM
Where: Online; you’ll receive a Zoom link for the session when you register
What to Bring: Computer/Chromebook/iPad/Kindle with internet connection​
Important! After clicking on this registration button, please make sure to also click on the November 13th date and 4:30pm time slot to fully complete the registration process.
Practical AI for Educators

​ABC CREATE is excited to bring a Practical AI for Educators professional development session to our educators! CodeJoy professional development is fully virtual and interactive to help guide teachers toward high-quality pedagogy.

In this course, you’ll use AI as a creative co-pilot, fueling innovative lessons and deeper student engagement. This hands-on PD session takes you beyond the hype, equipping you with practical AI tools and real-world applications for educators.

  • Get hands-on with AI
  • ​Explore and use powerful AI tools for students and educators
  • Build a portfolio of projects built with AI
  • Learn ethical and responsible AI integration
  • No prior experience with AI is required
  • Appropriate for teachers serving K-12 students
  • No Cost, Eligible for Act 48 hours​

2023-2024 TRAINING EXPERIENCES
View past 2023-2024 training experiences and resources 

Using Human-Centered Design to Meet the STEELS Standards

​At this Consortium of Public Education-led workshop, participants will explore a variety of ways that human-centered design (HCD) methods can support implementation of the new PA STEELS standards, providing structures and strategies for inquiry, problem-solving, critical thinking, and authentic exploration. Participants will receive an introduction to the design thinking mindset and human-centered design methods, including time to practice and to identify opportunities to leverage these design tools in their own curriculum. 
When:  Tuesday, June 25, 2024  from 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM 
Where:  Penn State New Kensington Campus (3550 7th Street Rd, New Kensington, PA 15068), Art Gallery
Who: Any grade level. Any subject matter. Any experience level. You decide if it’s relevant for you.
CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Memories 
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers, Chromebooks, or tablets, no robots required - open to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts only. (All other educators, subscribe to the CodeJoy newsletter to learn more about upcoming free opportunities with CodeJoy -- and more!). ​​
  • Tuesday, November 28
  • Wednesday, November 29

LEARN MORE
  • Thursday, November 30
  • Friday, December 1
CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Rovers
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers, Chromebooks, or tablets, no robots required - open to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts only. (All other educators, subscribe to the CodeJoy newsletter to learn more about upcoming free opportunities with CodeJoy -- and more!). ​​​​
  • Monday, December 11
  • Tuesday, December 12
 
LEARN MORE
  • Wednesday, December 13
  • Thursday, December 14
CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Aerobics
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers, Chromebooks, or tablets, no robots required - open to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts only. (All other educators, subscribe to the CodeJoy newsletter to learn more about upcoming free opportunities with CodeJoy -- and more!). ​
  • Tuesday, January 16
  • Wednesday, January 17
  • Thursday, January 18​​

​ LEARN MORE
CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Relaxation 
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers, Chromebooks, or tablets, no robots required - open to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts only. (All other educators, subscribe to the CodeJoy newsletter to learn more about upcoming free opportunities with CodeJoy -- and more!). ​​​​
  • Tuesday, January 30
  • Wednesday, January 31

​LEARN MORE
  • Thursday, February 1​
  • ​Friday, February 2
Introduction to Micro:bit CodeJoy Virtual PD                             LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • Registration limited to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts, attending educators will receive a $40/hour stipend
  • A free Micro:bit, Hummingbird, or Finch robot will be given to eligible participants (while supplies last). Click HERE to see if you are eligible to receive a free robot.

Emotions, Night Light, Tuesday, February 20, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
​Poetry, Wednesday, March 6, 5:00 - 8:00 PM EST 
Dance Party, Thursday, March 21, 5:30-8:30 PM EST
Introduction to Hummingbird CodeJoy Virtual PD                   LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • Registration limited to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts, attending educators will receive a $40/hour stipend
  • A free Micro:bit, Hummingbird, or Finch robot will be given to eligible participants (while supplies last). Click HERE to see if you are eligible to receive a free robot.

Dancing Robot, Thursday, February 22, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
LED Diorama, Tuesday, March 5, 5:00 - 8:00 PM EST 
Picking Game, Wednesday, March 20, 5:30-8:30 PM EST
Introduction to Finch CodeJoy Virtual PD                                  LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • Registration limited to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts, attending educators will receive a $40/hour stipend
  • A free Micro:bit, Hummingbird, or Finch robot will be given to eligible participants (while supplies last). Click HERE to see if you are eligible to receive a free robot.

Mazes, Wednesday, February 21, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Drawing, Thursday, March 7, 5:00 - 8:00 PM EST
​Jousting, Tuesday, March 19, 5:30-8:30 PM EST
Hummingbird Inputs CodeJoy Virtual PD                                   LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • Registration limited to ABC CREATE partner and pilot school districts, attending educators will receive a $40/hour stipend
  • A free Hummingbird Robotics Kit will be given to eligible participants (while supplies last). Click HERE to see if you are eligible to receive a free kit.
​
Memory Box, Tuesday, March 12, 4:00-7:00 PM EST
Dial Diorama, Tuesday, April 2, 5:30-8:30 PM EST
Botlucks: Robot Potlucks                                                                LEARN MORE
These are 2-hour, professional development workshops for teachers to gather together, in-person, to learn more about Micro:bits, Hummingbirds and/or Finch robots. ​
One Botluck at Penn State New Kensington, Thursday, March 14, 5 - 7 PM
OTHER PAST TRAINING EXPERIENCES
View past training experiences and resources 
Botlucks: Robot Potlucks! LEARN MORE
These are 2-hour, professional development workshops for teachers to gather together, in-person, to learn more about Micro:bits, Hummingbirds and/or Finch robots.
  • Free, 2-hour, in-person professional development 
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a $40/hour stipend

3 sessions @ Penn State New Kensington
Thursday, February 9, 4:15 - 6:15 PM
Tuesday, February 28, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, March 22, 4:15 - 6:15 PM
2 sessions @ ARIN IU
Thursday, March 30, 4:15 - 6:15 PM
Tuesday, April 4, 4:15 - 6:15 PM
Educator in the Workforce (EIW)
Participants meet with professionals, at their workplaces, and hear the stories of their educational and career pathways. They learn about local companies, their products and services, and the variety of job opportunities available.
Free, in-person site visits to a variety of industry locations
  • Range of dates from mid- to late-June 2023
  • 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM (lunch included)

Educator in the Workforce Webinar - May 3, 2023 at 10:00 AM - Live
​(Will also be recorded for asynchronous viewing)

​ABC CREATE educators from partner districts can earn $40/hour stipends for attendance.
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
The Consortium of Public Education (CPE) will provide both a foundational understanding of PBL while also offering specific supports, resources, and strategies so that educators develop the knowledge and skills necessary to begin implementing PBL in their classrooms.

​Free, 2-day, in-person training at Penn State New Kensington
  • Wednesday, June 14  from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Wednesday, June 21  from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

​ABC CREATE educators from partner districts can earn $40/hour stipends for attendance.
More Virtual PD! Hummingbird Inputs LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for intermediate level teachers
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a free Hummingbird Robotics kit. 
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 ​teachers who attend will receive a $40/hour stipend
Distance Sensor, Light Sensor
Wednesday, March 1, 5:45 - 8:45 PM
Dial, Accelerometer
Tuesday, March 14, 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Intro to Finch Sessions w/ Code Joy LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a free Micro:bit, Hummingbird, or Finch 
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a $40/hour stipend
Finch Drawing February 1, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Finch Mazes February 23, 5:45 - 8:45 PM EST
Finch Jousting March 7, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Intro to Hummingbird Sessions w/ Code Joy LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a free Micro:bit, Hummingbird, or Finch 
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a $40/hour stipend
Tiny Drummer January 31, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Robot Mini Golf February 22, 5:45 - 8:45 PM EST
Little Bot March 6, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Intro to Micro:bit Sessions w/ Code Joy  LEARN MORE
  • Free, 3-hour, virtual professional development for beginner level teachers
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a free Micro:bit, Hummingbird, or Finch 
  • All ABC CREATE and ARIN IU 28 teachers who attend will receive a $40/hour stipend
LED Animations, Starry Night January 30, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Music Party, Dance Party February 21, 5:45 - 8:45 PM EST
Emotion Badges, Poetry Generator March 8, 4:00 - 7:00 PM EST
 CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Rovers LEARN MORE
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders, 14 Sessions
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers or Chromebooks, no robots required - priority given to ABC CREATE and ARIN IU districts
  • Monday, January 9
  • Tuesday, January 10
  • Wednesday, January 11
 CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Memories LEARN MORE
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders, 14 Sessions
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers or Chromebooks, no robots required - priority given to ABC CREATE and ARIN IU districts
  • Monday, December 5
  • Tuesday, December 6
  • Wednesday, December 7
 CodeJoy Virtual Student Sessions Robot Romeo LEARN MORE
  • Ideal for 3rd-8th grade - Beginner to intermediate coders, 14 Sessions
  • 30-45 minutes - 30 mins learning time, 15 mins of Q&A time
  • Up to 400 participants with computers or Chromebooks, no robots required - priority given to ABC CREATE and ARIN IU districts
  • Tuesday, November 1
  • Wednesday, November 2
  • Thursday, November 3
  • Friday, November 4
ABC CREATE L.E.A.D.S. + the Consortium for Public Education
Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Kick-off with a full-day Education-Workforce-Community Partnership Training. Forty-five participants representing ABC CREATE school districts and their community and workforce partners will explore school-business-community partnerships and how they can help improve educational and workforce outcomes.
MORE INFO
Teachers' ​Summer STEAM Retreat 2022
Summer 2022

This ABC CREATE summer experience focused on supporting teachers as they  reconnected with peers, as they gained perspective about systemic shifts in education, the workplace, and society, and as they tapped into the expertise, resources, and support from ABC CREATE.
STEAM Showcase Show & Tell 2022
Spring 2022

​Teachers and students shared BRIEF, CASUAL and RELEVANT professional development sessions highlighting ways in which classroom teachers are connecting with/to STEAM! Educators showed how embedding STEAM and technology into the Arts, World Languages, and Humanities adds depth, relevance, and perspective to the learning experiences of local teens and how they playfully infuse STEAM learning into their 3rd-8th grade classrooms.

Explore and/or view all Show & Tell sessions HERE.​
ABC CREATE Micro:bit Training
December 2021

Kelsey Derringer and Matt Chilbert of CodeJoy guided educators through some of the many exciting uses for micro:bits in the classroom! Attendees practiced using micro:bits, collaborated with colleagues and developed lesson plans.
Teachers' ​Summer STEAM Retreat 2021
Summer 2021

This ABC CREATE summer experience focused on supporting teachers as they reflected upon their experiences teaching through the challenges of the past year+, as they refreshed understandings of the changes in work, education, and society, and as they designed pathways for STEAM integration and the teaching of future ready skills. 

Watch the Day 2 'Shifting Paradigms' Conversation
Get handouts and links to retreat resources
STEAM Showcase Show & Tell 2021
Spring 2021

​Inspired and inspiring teachers came together to reflect, connect and honor the persistence and resilience of educators within the ABC CREATE community and beyond! Teachers and/or our education partners shared tech tools and pedagogical approaches that have helped them to resolve challenges that arose while teaching through a global pandemic. 

​Explore and/or view all 27 Show & Tell sessions are viewable HERE.
Get your own copy of our Kickoff Interactive Notebook and/or Celebration Interactive Notebook
Teaching Hands-On Learning in Virtual and Hybrid Learning Environments
Early Fall 2020

Educators joined Kelsey Derringer of CodeJoy, an online coding, robotics, and engineering classroom, to learn tips, tricks, and tools for teaching engaging, hands-on lessons via Zoom.

​Hummingbird in the Virtual and Hybrid Learning Age
Early Fall 2020

​Educators joined Kelsey Derringer from BirdBrain Technologies,  to learn the basics of coding, building, and teaching with the Hummingbird Robotics Kit.
Finch 2.0 Training
Winter 2021
​
In this 2 hour, hands-on, virtual PD workshop, participants learned to use the brand new Finch 2.0! They learned basic programming and also did a few fun, hands-on activities. Kelsey Derringer and Matt Chilbert of CodeJoy made sure all participants received a personalized, hands-on experience!
Racial Equity Book Study
Summer 2020

A group of ABC CREATE educators explored their understanding of race through personal reflection and discussion. Participants used what they learned and developed an action plan to share their learning and impact policies and practices in their school/district.
OBS/Multiple Cameras Training from CodeJoy
Fall 2020

Facilitated by Kelsey Derringer and Matt Chilbert of CodeJoy, these virtual sessions taught educators how to use OBS Studio, a free, open source software. Participants learned how to use the split screen, share screen, and seamless video integration features of OBS to improve their virtual/hybrid teaching.

Learn more about OBS features from THIS 90 second video.
Summer STEAM Virtual Retreat 2020
​June 2020

This experience focused on supporting teachers through the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic with online/distance learning. Focal points for discussion, dissemination of resources, and areas of exploration focused on helping educators to be better prepared for integrating online learning and/or STEAM education into their teaching repertoire to best prepare students to navigate a digital world. 

View Our Retreat Journals: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4
Access Valuable Shared Resources: STEAM Summer Resource Central
STEAM Showcase 2020: Integrating STEAM for Life in a Digital Economy
​March 2020

Educators learned how ABC CREATE and Nextovation are collaborating with local businesses and providing innovative opportunities for teachers and students, discovered how schools are using voice and agency to promote equity and authentic learning, explored educational approaches that focus on student-centered learning, connected with peers and more!

 Learn more about our 20+ breakout sessions and presenters!

Connect with us:

 Melinda Spampinato
ABC CREATE Educational Consultant
​[email protected]
Penn State New Kensington
3550 7th Street Road
New Kensignton, PA 15068