CSTANJ CSPDWeek 2026

Bring Computer Science to Life: Fun & Easy CS for PreK-3
Ready to demystify computer science? Join us for an energetic, hands-on workshop designed specifically for early childhood and elementary educators! You don’t need to be a "tech expert" to build a strong foundation for your students in problem-solving, logical thinking, and creativity.

Grounded in active learning and constructivist theory, this session shows you how to seamlessly weave CS into the subjects you already teach, like Math, Literacy, and Science. We’ll explore a mix of "unplugged" activities—using movement and storytelling—and "plugged" experiences with kid-friendly robots and platforms.

What we’ll cover:
Foundational Skills: Simple ways to teach algorithms, loops, and events.
Device-Free Magic: Playful lessons from Barefoot Computing and CompuTales that work even when the Wi-Fi doesn't!
Standards-Aligned: See how these activities map directly to New Jersey’s CS standards.
Ready-to-Go Tools: Walk away with practical lesson plans and the confidence to foster digital citizenship and computational thinking from day one.

Whether you have a full lab or zero devices, you’ll leave with the tools to make CS the most exciting part of your students' day!

This session will start with the Makey Makey basics and progress to include creative projects and coding.

Welcome to the world of Makey Makey! We will begin with some basics of using Makey Makey by testing everyday items for conductivity and building simple circuits. We will proceed to incorporate project ideas that will get you thinking creatively, and end with how to integrate Scratch coding to level up your Makey Makey game.

This workshop is for teachers interested in starting a robotics class in the middle or high school setting. We will use Vex robots to learn how to build and program robots. Join us for an information session then go to the Robotics Playground to get some hands-on experience.

Gain foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to develop policy to integrate AI responsibly and effectively in educational settings with actionable strategies to inform classroom practices, staff expectations, and district-level decision-making.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the educational landscape, offering powerful tools to enhance teaching, streamline workflows, and personalize learning. However, along with the promise of AI come significant challenges that educators and school leaders must navigate carefully.

This professional development session, AI – Policy & Practice: Watch for the Pitfalls, equips participants with the foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to integrate AI responsibly and effectively in educational settings. Through an engaging blend of case studies, discussions, and practical examples, participants will examine the potential risks and ethical concerns surrounding AI use in schools—including data privacy, algorithmic bias, misinformation, and over-reliance on automated systems.

The session highlights the importance of clear, proactive school and district policies that guide AI adoption while prioritizing student safety, equity, and academic integrity. Attendees will explore model AI use policies, discuss real-world scenarios, and consider how to develop guidelines that balance innovation with caution. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to inform classroom practices, staff expectations, and district-level decision-making. Whether you’re an administrator or teacher leader, this session is designed to help you stay ahead of emerging issues while fostering a culture of thoughtful, ethical, and policy-aligned AI use in your school community.

Roll up your sleeves and dive into quick, tech-free STEM builds that spark creativity and engagement from the start. These playful engineering challenges are perfect for the STEM lab, makerspace, or classroom and can stand alone or extend into core learning goals across literacy, math, and science. After a high-energy, hands-on, team-based monster theme park build, we will explore a variety of ways to extend these quick builds into deeper learning aligned with classroom core learning goals. You will leave with inspiration, ready-to-use tools, and your very own monster.

In this highly interactive session, educators will experience how quick, tech-free STEM builds can serve as powerful entry points into deeper, standards-aligned learning across all teaching areas in the K–8 grade band. Participants will engage in a series of fast-paced, team-based engineering challenges using simple materials, beginning with a collaborative monster theme park build that incorporates elements of simple machines, design thinking, and spatial reasoning.

These “STEM Starters” are intentionally designed as low-floor, high-engagement experiences that can be implemented in STEM labs, makerspaces, or classrooms as stand-alone activities. They are accessible to all educators, regardless of STEM background, and scaffolded in a way that builds educator confidence and capacity over time. At the same time, they offer high ceilings and wide walls, allowing for deeper exploration and creativity for more advanced learners.

A key focus of the session is how these quick builds can bridge STEM programs and classroom instruction. Educators will explore how highly motivating, hands-on builds created in a STEM lab or makerspace can be extended into the classroom to support core, standards-based learning goals. We will model a variety of ways to connect builds to literacy through storytelling and descriptive writing, to math through measurement, geometry, and scaled models, to science through forces, motion, and engineering design, and to technology through presentation tools such as ChatterPix, Book Creator, stop motion animation, and Canva.

Throughout the session, participants will experience strategies for differentiation, collaboration, and student-centered facilitation that support diverse learners and multiple entry points. The session will also highlight how these quick builds can transition from playful exploration to structured academic applications without losing student engagement.
Participants will leave with ready-to-use activities, practical strategies for integrating hands-on STEM into existing curricula, and a clear framework for extending quick builds into deeper classroom learning. Most importantly, they will walk away with inspiration, increased confidence in facilitating hands-on learning, and tangible model, and a STEM-Starter Challenge Card Deck they can immediately bring back to their students.

Robotics Playground offers a full‑day, open‑house learning experience designed for K–12 educators. Teachers are welcome to stop by at any time to explore robotics devices, engage in unplugged coding, and participate in hands‑on collaborative activities. With support from experienced facilitators, participants will uncover innovative strategies to strengthen computer science instruction and inspire student engagement in STEM.

Gain foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to develop policy to integrate AI responsibly and effectively in educational settings with actionable strategies to inform classroom practices, staff expectations, and district-level decision-making.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the educational landscape, offering powerful tools to enhance teaching, streamline workflows, and personalize learning. However, along with the promise of AI come significant challenges that educators and school leaders must navigate carefully.

This professional development session, AI – Policy & Practice: Watch for the Pitfalls, equips participants with the foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to integrate AI responsibly and effectively in educational settings. Through an engaging blend of case studies, discussions, and practical examples, participants will examine the potential risks and ethical concerns surrounding AI use in schools—including data privacy, algorithmic bias, misinformation, and over-reliance on automated systems.

The session highlights the importance of clear, proactive school and district policies that guide AI adoption while prioritizing student safety, equity, and academic integrity. Attendees will explore model AI use policies, discuss real-world scenarios, and consider how to develop guidelines that balance innovation with caution. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to inform classroom practices, staff expectations, and district-level decision-making. Whether you’re an administrator or teacher leader, this session is designed to help you stay ahead of emerging issues while fostering a culture of thoughtful, ethical, and policy-aligned AI use in your school community.

This session will give high school teachers a clear understanding of what vibe coding is, why it matters for the future of education, and how to begin building your own classroom tools. Hands-on segments will give participants the chance to start building a real project they can take back to their students.

This session will give elementary school teachers a clear understanding of what vibe coding is, why it matters for the future of education, and how to begin building your own classroom tools. Hands-on segments will give participants the chance to start building a real project they can take back to their students.

This introductory session will show how 3D design and printing can support computer science, engineering, and robotics in hands-on and meaningful ways. See a 3D printer in action and explore how students can use x, y, and z coordinates, design original solutions, and print robot parts or develop STEAM design projects that solve authentic problems while building skills such as sequencing, abstraction, decomposition, algorithm design, and debugging. This session is open to all attendees. A separate full-day deep-dive 3D printing workshop will also be available for those who want a more hands-on experience, and attending this introductory session is not required in order to participate.

Educators will get a practical look at how 3D design and printing can connect computer science to engineering, robotics, and hands-on problem-solving. Participants will explore how students can use 3D design tools to better understand x, y, and z coordinates, think spatially, and create original designs that can be printed, tested, and improved. A 3D printer will be on hand during the session so attendees can see the process in action while considering how these tools can work in real classroom settings.

These design experiences support important computer science concepts and practices found in the standards, including sequencing, abstraction, decomposition, algorithm design, and debugging. As students plan, design, test, and revise, they break larger problems into smaller parts, focus on key features, follow and refine steps, and learn from failure through iteration. They also see how digital design connects to real-world applications when they create prototypes, print robot parts, or develop STEAM design projects that solve authentic problems.

This session will share classroom examples, practical entry points, and manageable ways to bring 3D design and printing into computer science instruction. It is intended as an introduction that can be attended by anyone interested in the topic. A separate full-day deep-dive 3D printing workshop will also be available for educators who want a more hands-on experience with the tools, design process, and classroom applications. Attendance at this introductory session is not a prerequisite for participating in the full-day workshop.

Ready to launch a robotics program but not sure where to start? This hands-on workshop provides a comprehensive roadmap for bringing VEX Robotics into your middle or high school classroom. After a foundational briefing on curriculum integration and equipment logistics during the morning session, we’ll move to the Robotics Playground for an immersive build-and-code experience. You’ll gain practical experience assembling hardware and programming movement, leaving with the technical confidence and instructional strategies needed to transition from an empty lab to a fully functional, student-led robotics environment.

Join LEGO Education for a hands-on session that brings Computer Science and AI to life through engaging, accessible learning experiences. Explore how to support all students with tools that make complex concepts approachable, while building critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Participants will work directly with new LEGO Education Computer Science & AI solutions and leave with practical, classroom-ready strategies to integrate meaningful, standards-aligned learning into any environment.

This engaging, hands-on session is designed to explore how educators can effectively support all students with accessible, inclusive solutions for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. As schools continue to navigate the increasing importance of computational thinking, digital literacy, and AI awareness, this session will provide practical strategies and tools to bring these concepts to life in meaningful and equitable ways.

Participants will have the opportunity to work directly with LEGO Education’s newest Computer Science & AI solutions, experiencing firsthand how hands-on, inquiry-based learning can deepen student understanding and engagement. Through guided exploration, educators will discover how these tools empower students to move beyond passive learning—encouraging them to build, test, iterate, and problem-solve as they develop critical skills aligned to modern standards and future-ready competencies.

This session is intentionally designed to model instructional practices that promote active learning, collaboration, and creativity. Educators will learn how to scaffold complex CS & AI concepts in ways that are approachable for diverse learners, ensuring that every student—regardless of background or prior experience—can participate and succeed. From foundational coding principles to emerging AI concepts, participants will explore how to integrate these ideas into existing curricula through flexible, standards-aligned pathways.

By the end of the session, attendees will walk away with actionable insights, classroom-ready strategies, and a clear understanding of how to implement iterative, student-centered learning experiences that make Computer Science and AI both accessible and impactful. Whether you are just beginning your CS journey or looking to expand and enhance your current programming, this experience will equip you with the tools and confidence to bring meaningful, hands-on innovation into your classroom.

This session will start with the Makey Makey basics and progress to include creative projects and coding.

Welcome to the world of Makey Makey! We will begin with some basics of using Makey Makey by testing everyday items for conductivity and building simple circuits. We will proceed to incorporate project ideas that will get you thinking creatively, and end with how to integrate Scratch coding to level up your Makey Makey game.

This session will give middle school teachers a clear understanding of what vibe coding is, why it matters for the future of education, and how to begin building your own classroom tools. Hands-on segments will give participants the chance to start building a real project they can take back to their students.

During COVID-19 some students logged on. Others disappeared. The digital divide did not create that gap. It revealed it. Artificial intelligence is doing the same thing right now.

This session uses the Art as the Classroom framework to examine how the absence of AI curriculum functions as a systemic failure and offers educators practical strategies for building AI literacy before the gap becomes a canyon. Participants will leave with concrete tools they can implement immediately without waiting for district permission.

The absence of artificial intelligence literacy in K-12 curriculum is quietly replicating the conditions that produced the COVID-19 digital divide. During the pandemic, students without access to devices and reliable internet disappeared from their own education while their peers advanced. Research now confirms that the same pattern is emerging around AI literacy. According to The 74 Million, 68% of teachers received no formal AI training during the 2024 to 2025 school year. Only 14.13% of U.S. school districts had established formal AI policies as of May 2024 (Zhou et al., 2025). A RAND Corporation study found that teachers and principals in higher-poverty schools are significantly less likely to use AI tools or receive guidance, and only 6 in 10 high-poverty districts will have trained teachers by fall 2025 compared to nearly all low-poverty districts. This is not only an economic divide. It is a curricular and institutional one that affects students across income levels whose schools have not yet integrated AI literacy into classroom practice.

This session applies two original frameworks developed by the presenter to examine and respond to this growing gap. Glass House Conditioning, a positional model of conditional belonging, provides a theoretical lens for understanding how institutions condition students from marginalized communities to accept exclusion from emerging technologies as normal rather than as a systemic failure requiring intervention. Art as the Classroom, a pedagogical framework examining culture and creativity as vehicles for learning when formal institutions fall short, offers a practical bridge for educators seeking to introduce AI literacy through the cultural touchpoints students already inhabit including music production, content creation, social media, and gaming.

Participants will examine current national data on AI literacy gaps across K-12 education, explore the intersection of Glass House Conditioning and digital equity, and apply the Art as the Classroom framework through structured discussion, individual reflection, and a collaborative scenario-based group activity. The session closes with a commitment exercise designed to help educators identify one concrete AI literacy strategy they will implement before the next school year begins.

Join LEGO Education for a hands-on session that brings Computer Science and AI to life through engaging, accessible learning experiences. Explore how to support all students with tools that make complex concepts approachable, while building critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Participants will work directly with new LEGO Education Computer Science & AI solutions and leave with practical, classroom-ready strategies to integrate meaningful, standards-aligned learning into any environment.

This engaging, hands-on session is designed to explore how educators can effectively support all students with accessible, inclusive solutions for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. As schools continue to navigate the increasing importance of computational thinking, digital literacy, and AI awareness, this session will provide practical strategies and tools to bring these concepts to life in meaningful and equitable ways.

Participants will have the opportunity to work directly with LEGO Education’s newest Computer Science & AI solutions, experiencing firsthand how hands-on, inquiry-based learning can deepen student understanding and engagement. Through guided exploration, educators will discover how these tools empower students to move beyond passive learning—encouraging them to build, test, iterate, and problem-solve as they develop critical skills aligned to modern standards and future-ready competencies.

This session is intentionally designed to model instructional practices that promote active learning, collaboration, and creativity. Educators will learn how to scaffold complex CS & AI concepts in ways that are approachable for diverse learners, ensuring that every student—regardless of background or prior experience—can participate and succeed. From foundational coding principles to emerging AI concepts, participants will explore how to integrate these ideas into existing curricula through flexible, standards-aligned pathways.

By the end of the session, attendees will walk away with actionable insights, classroom-ready strategies, and a clear understanding of how to implement iterative, student-centered learning experiences that make Computer Science and AI both accessible and impactful. Whether you are just beginning your CS journey or looking to expand and enhance your current programming, this experience will equip you with the tools and confidence to bring meaningful, hands-on innovation into your classroom.

These informal, end‑of‑day meetups give K–12 educators a dedicated space to connect with colleagues who teach similar grade levels. Teachers can share insights from the day’s sessions, compare classroom experiences, discuss challenges, and exchange practical strategies that support computer science and AI learning. Whether you’re looking to reflect on new ideas, troubleshoot with peers, or build ongoing professional relationships, these meetups offer a supportive environment for meaningful conversation and collaboration.

What if students didn’t just use AI—but directed it? In this hands-on session, educators will learn how to guide K–5 students in creating 3D-style characters and stories using simple, accessible AI tools. This approach blends creative writing, storytelling, and computer science in a way that’s engaging, developmentally appropriate, and aligned to NJSLS-CS standards. Participants will leave with a ready-to-use lesson they can implement right away.

AI is quickly becoming part of everyday life, and elementary students need early, meaningful experiences that help them understand how it works and how to use it responsibly. This session introduces a classroom-tested, “creative first” approach to AI literacy that makes complex ideas accessible for young learners.

Using a simple, structured workflow, participants will learn how students can use AI tools (text, image, and voice) to create 3D-style characters and short story scenes—connecting naturally to skills in writing, design, and computational thinking.

Throughout the session, we will focus on practical strategies teachers can bring directly into their classrooms, including:
Prompting as a process
Teaching students that prompts are clear, step-by-step instructions—helping build early understanding of algorithms and logical thinking

Storytelling through design
Supporting students in developing characters, settings, and narratives while using AI as a creative tool—not a replacement for thinking

Human-centered AI use
Helping students understand their role as the creator, with an emphasis on decision-making, ownership, and responsible use

This is a highly interactive session where participants will experience the lesson as learners, then reflect as educators. Time will be built in for discussion, adaptation across grade levels, and planning for classroom use.

Participants will leave with:
A ready-to-use lesson plan
A clear, repeatable workflow
Strategies for integrating AI into existing curriculum without needing advanced tech skills or materials"

This virtual two-session professional development helps K–12 educators integrate computer science (CS) into their existing curriculum through interactive storytelling and AI-supported lesson design. Teachers explore how students can create and share projects such as choose-your-own-adventure stories, escape room games, and app-style experiences that combine writing, visuals, audio, and interactivity to deepen content learning across subjects.

Educators begin by experiencing a student-facing project and then use the Elementari AI lesson generator to create a standards-aligned lesson tailored to their grade level, topic, and instructional time. Each lesson includes a structured student writing organizer, built-in scaffolds (such as sentence starters and word banks), and assessment tools to support multilingual learners and diverse student needs. In the second session, teachers test and refine their lessons through peer feedback. By the end they will leave with a tested, classroom-ready lesson and a free upgrade to use Elementari will all their students.

This virtual 2-day (6-hour) professional development helps K–12 educators integrate computer science (CS) and artificial intelligence (AI) into their existing curriculum through interactive, cross-curricular lesson design. Using Elementari, teachers design lessons where students create and publish projects that connect coding with writing, storytelling, and content learning. The focus is on making CS integration practical, accessible, and aligned to diverse student needs, including multilingual learners.
By the end of the PD, educators will create a tested, classroom-ready Elementari lesson. Each lesson includes a standards-aligned plan, a student writing organizer with built-in scaffolds (such as sentence starters and word banks), assessment tools, and a clear strategy for classroom implementation.

Session 1: Experience Learning and Generate a Classroom Lesson
Educators begin by working through a guided Elementari activity from a student perspective. This experience demonstrates how coding supports writing and storytelling while introducing key CS concepts such as sequencing, events, functions, interactivity, and debugging.
Participants then explore how students create interactive projects such as choose-your-own-adventure stories, escape room games, and app-style experiences. These projects combine writing and coding with built-in supports such as structured organizers, scaffolded prompts, illustration libraries, and options for recorded voiceovers, music, sound effects, and multiple story paths. They will also review a range of student published projects from multilingual learners to students with diverse needs to see how all students can succeed and express themselves through writing and coding.
In the second half of the session, educators transition from learner to designer. Using the Elementari AI lesson generator, they input their grade level, topic, and instructional time. The tool generates a complete lesson, including writing supports, organizers, assessment materials, and standards alignment.

Session 2: Test, Refine, and Plan for Implementation
Educators review and analyze their AI-generated lessons, focusing on clarity, alignment, and accessibility. They evaluate how effectively the lesson supports student writing, content learning, and differentiation, and identify areas for refinement.
Participants also examine how the AI lesson generator works, including prompting strategies, how structured lesson components are generated, and how to evaluate outputs for accuracy, bias, and alignment to instructional goals.
Through peer feedback and collaborative testing, educators revise their lessons and strengthen scaffolds, differentiation, and student supports. They also explore classroom strategies such as peer feedback routines, group roles, and collaborative structures.
The session concludes with implementation planning. Educators determine where the lesson fits within their curriculum, how it will be delivered, and how it will support their students. Teachers leave with a tested, classroom-ready lesson and a clear plan for implementation.

A hands-on look at how teachers can use Apple Intelligence to reclaim hours lost to planning, grading, and email each week.

Ever finish a school day and wonder where it went? Between planning, grading, and emails home, teachers are stretched thin. In this session, I'll share how I use Apple Intelligence Writing Tools, Siri, and Notes to claw back time during the week. Bring your iPad and follow along.

An overview of JuiceMind's AP Cybersecurity, including course structure and classroom implementation.

The session introduces JuiceMind's AP Cybersecurity curriculum aligned with College Board standards and designed to help teachers teach real-world security concepts in an engaging way. As cybersecurity continues to grow in importance within computer science education, teachers need resources that are both structured and flexible enough to fit different student needs.

The session will include an overview of how the curriculum is structured, including editable lessons, built-in assessments, and exercises. We’ll also walkthrough how teachers can easily track student progress, give feedback, manage student work without jumping between multiple tools and prevent cheating to maintain classroom integrity. The goal of the session is for teachers to have a clear sense of how the curriculum can support both effective teaching and strong student engagement in AP Cybersecurity.

This course will introduce learners who have little to no text-based programming knowledge to java syntax and concepts via a hands-on workshop. Topics include the history of java, the structure of a java program, basic syntax, primitive data types, mathematical operators. Conditional expressions and loops may be introduced as time permits. The goal is to create confident novice java programmers!

This virtual two-session professional development helps K–12 educators integrate computer science (CS) into their existing curriculum through interactive storytelling and AI-supported lesson design. Teachers explore how students can create and share projects such as choose-your-own-adventure stories, escape room games, and app-style experiences that combine writing, visuals, audio, and interactivity to deepen content learning across subjects.

Educators begin by experiencing a student-facing project and then use the Elementari AI lesson generator to create a standards-aligned lesson tailored to their grade level, topic, and instructional time. Each lesson includes a structured student writing organizer, built-in scaffolds (such as sentence starters and word banks), and assessment tools to support multilingual learners and diverse student needs. In the second session, teachers test and refine their lessons through peer feedback. By the end they will leave with a tested, classroom-ready lesson and a free upgrade to use Elementari will all their students.

This virtual 2-day (6-hour) professional development helps K–12 educators integrate computer science (CS) and artificial intelligence (AI) into their existing curriculum through interactive, cross-curricular lesson design. Using Elementari, teachers design lessons where students create and publish projects that connect coding with writing, storytelling, and content learning. The focus is on making CS integration practical, accessible, and aligned to diverse student needs, including multilingual learners.

By the end of the PD, educators will create a tested, classroom-ready Elementari lesson. Each lesson includes a standards-aligned plan, a student writing organizer with built-in scaffolds (such as sentence starters and word banks), assessment tools, and a clear strategy for classroom implementation.

Session 1: Experience Learning and Generate a Classroom Lesson
Educators begin by working through a guided Elementari activity from a student perspective. This experience demonstrates how coding supports writing and storytelling while introducing key CS concepts such as sequencing, events, functions, interactivity, and debugging.

Participants then explore how students create interactive projects such as choose-your-own-adventure stories, escape room games, and app-style experiences. These projects combine writing and coding with built-in supports such as structured organizers, scaffolded prompts, illustration libraries, and options for recorded voiceovers, music, sound effects, and multiple story paths. They will also review a range of student published projects from multilingual learners to students with diverse needs to see how all students can succeed and express themselves through writing and coding.
In the second half of the session, educators transition from learner to designer. Using the Elementari AI lesson generator, they input their grade level, topic, and instructional time. The tool generates a complete lesson, including writing supports, organizers, assessment materials, and standards alignment.

Session 2: Test, Refine, and Plan for Implementation
Educators review and analyze their AI-generated lessons, focusing on clarity, alignment, and accessibility. They evaluate how effectively the lesson supports student writing, content learning, and differentiation, and identify areas for refinement.
Participants also examine how the AI lesson generator works, including prompting strategies, how structured lesson components are generated, and how to evaluate outputs for accuracy, bias, and alignment to instructional goals.
Through peer feedback and collaborative testing, educators revise their lessons and strengthen scaffolds, differentiation, and student supports. They also explore classroom strategies such as peer feedback routines, group roles, and collaborative structures.

The session concludes with implementation planning. Educators determine where the lesson fits within their curriculum, how it will be delivered, and how it will support their students. Teachers leave with a tested, classroom-ready lesson and a clear plan for implementation.

This is part 2 of a two part session you must attend part 1 to attend part 2.

In this full-day, hands-on workshop, educators will explore the complete journey from virtual design to physical creation through CAD design and 3D printing. Participants will design their own 3D models, prepare them for printing, and print hands-on during the session. They will also be introduced to coding in 3D and AI-assisted 3D object generation as emerging pathways for creativity, computational thinking, and design. With multiple 3D printers on hand, educators will experience the full workflow from idea to object and leave with practical skills, sample project ideas, and greater confidence using 3D design and printing in their teaching.

Join this hands-on workshop to explore how micro:bits and Forward Education’s Climate Action Kit can bring climate change concepts to life in your classroom. Participants will engage in interactive activities, build simple sensor-based projects, and discover practical strategies for integrating climate science and coding across the curriculum. No prior experience with micro:bits required.

This interactive workshop helps middle and high school educators transform foundational AI concepts into practical classroom experiences. Participants will explore selected AI tools through hands-on applications, design student-ready activities, and learn how inviting a guest AI expert can strengthen both conceptual understanding and real-world relevance. The session offers a theory-to-practice model that educators can directly adapt for engaging classroom instruction.

This workshop presents a classroom-ready model for helping middle and high school educators move from foundational AI concepts to direct classroom application. The session begins with a concise conceptual overview of how AI tools can support creativity, critical thinking, and student-centered learning across different subject areas. Participants will then engage in guided hands-on activities using selected AI tools to design student-ready classroom tasks and mini-projects.

A distinctive component of the workshop is the integration of a live guest AI expert, demonstrating how real-world voices from academia or industry can strengthen relevance, increase student motivation, and connect classroom learning with authentic applications. The session concludes with strategies for adapting this theory-to-practice model into participants’ own classrooms through reusable activity structures, guest speaker formats, and age-appropriate AI learning experiences for students ages 11–18.

Hackathons are an educational tool, because not only does a problem get identified but the solution to the problem is often one that requires vast research. When the solution is implemented using student interest, it can provide the community with awareness to the problem posed and the solution created.

Running a Hackathon may sound overwhelming, especially if one has not been run in your school before. This workshop will provide you with details and guidelines necessary to run a hackathon in your school. Hackathons are an educational tool, if implemented using student interest and community problems can be very effective in educations attendees on solving problems using computer science. Hackathons should be passion driven, propose a solution to a problem in the community and educate the community members on the problem and proposed solution. From this workshop, you will gain knowledge on how to create, implement and improve a hackathon in your school.

Microsoft MakeCode to control Finch Robots, modeling climate data, simulating environmental challenges, and designing solutions. This hands-on experience connects coding to real-world issues while building data literacy and problem-solving skills.

Participants will apply computer science and coding with purpose, using Micro:bit coded in Microsoft MakeCode to control the Finch Robot, modeling climate data, simulating environmental challenges, and designing solutions. This learning experience emphasizes real-world relevance by connecting coding to meaningful climate challenges that students can understand and care about. It promotes data-driven thinking as participants use sensors and coding logic to collect, interpret, and represent environmental data. At the same time, it builds problem-solving skills by encouraging learners to design, test, and refine solutions to complex, real-world issues.

Join this hands-on workshop to explore how micro:bits and Forward Education’s Climate Action Kit can bring climate change concepts to life in your classroom. Participants will engage in interactive activities, build simple sensor-based projects, and discover practical strategies for integrating climate science and coding across the curriculum. No prior experience with micro:bits required.

Following this session, educators teaching Kindergarten through second grade will be instructed on how to input student information into the Computales dashboard and monitor student progress within this complimentary curriculum designed to reinforce reading skills through computer science concepts.

Introduce your students to the foundational concepts of computational thinking and digital literacy through an engaging, standards-aligned curriculum. Join Martin and his friends as they explore Computer Land, where each chapter offers meaningful activities designed to strengthen computational reasoning and enhance literacy skills. Developed for students in Kindergarten through second grade, CompuTales is designed to complement your current reading instruction while fostering essential skills that lay the groundwork for future learning in coding and computer science.

What if every student had a “Design Thinking Buddy” to guide them through coding, debugging, and creative problem solving? This hands-on session explores how student-facing AI agents—customized for CS classrooms—can scaffold design thinking, UDL, and inclusive CS practices for diverse learners.

Participants will experiment with an AI Coding Buddy, learn core prompt‑engineering strategies, and explore adaptable templates for building their own classroom bots using platforms such as Flint, MagicSchool, SchoolAI, Gemini, ChatGPT, Canva AI, Makers Empire, Coding Makers, Tinkercad, or Qweebi.

Through open-ended challenges and reflection, we’ll examine how AI supports English learners, reluctant writers, and neurodiverse students while strengthening confidence and independence in CS.

Attendees will leave with practical integration strategies, alignment to CSTA and UDL frameworks, and ready-to-use resources for launching their own Design Thinking Buddy in any grade level.

This Intermediate Java workshop is designed for learners who have completed the Java for Teachers course or who have basic experience with the Java programming language, including declaring variables, printing to output, writing conditional statements, and using loops. To build on this foundation, learners will be introduced to key object-oriented programming concepts in Java, such as using objects as data types, understanding the structure of a class, writing and calling instance methods, and—time permitting—basic inheritance.

An introduction to JuiceMind’s AI creator, including how teachers can instantly generate content using a prompt or by uploading a PDF/Google link.

The session introduces JuiceMind’s AI Creator, a new tool designed to help teachers generate classroom-ready content in seconds using a prompt, PDF, or Google link. As teachers continue to balance planning, instruction, assessment, and differentiation, JuiceMind's AI Creator provides a faster way to create teaching materials while still giving teachers control over the final content.

The session will include an overview of how teachers can use AI Creator to generate assignments, lessons, reviews, assessments, and JuiceMind Quizzes. We’ll also walk through how teachers can create content aligned with state-specific standards. The goal of the session is for teachers to understand how AI Creator can help save time, support classroom instruction, and make it easier to create engaging learning materials for students.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming how we collect, analyze, and act on data—but how do we translate this into meaningful classroom experiences?

In this interactive session, participants will explore practical strategies for integrating AI into Data Science instruction using real-world datasets and accessible classroom tools. Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming how we collect, analyze, and act on data—but how do we translate this into meaningful classroom experiences?

In this interactive session, participants will explore practical strategies for integrating AI into Data Science instruction using real-world datasets and accessible classroom tools. Drawing from my immersive experience at the University of New Mexico, diving into Data Science + AI with Bootstrap as the sponsor (June 22nd-27th, 2026), this session highlights how educators can move beyond theory and empower students to:
1. Analyze real datasets using AI-supported tools
2. Identify patterns, trends, and anomalies
3. Make ethical, data-driven decisions
4. Understand bias, limitations, and responsible AI use
5. Participants will leave with ready-to-use lesson ideas, student project frameworks, and tools that support equitable and engaging AI learning experiences aligned to CSTA standards.