2020
2019
Video Discussion: Online Courses in Dyslexia Screening and Bullying Prevention
On May 31, 2019 Dr. Erica Lembke and Dr. Chad Rose of the University of Missouri Department of Special Education gave a Facebook Live presentation in which they discussed new online courses available through eMINTS eLearning for Educators.
Screening for Dyslexia and Other Related Disorders, developed by Erica Lembke, Ph.D. and Jennifer Kuehnle, M.Ed., is a two-hour, self-paced course providing information that includes identification characteristics of a child with dyslexia and the impact it can have on the academic and social life. The course includes information about the new Missouri Law 635 and how to meet the requirements for screening and professional development which went into effect the 2018-2019 school year. This course is available now for only $30.
Awareness and Prevention of School-Based Bullying, developed by Chad A. Rose, is a two-hour, self-paced course which addresses many of the myths around bullying perpetuated by the media and provides teachers with the tools they need to understand and prevent bullying in their schools. This course will be available July 1.
2019
eMINTS March Newsletter
eMINTS Newsletter: March 2019
Tad Brinkerhoff Succeeds Christie Terry as Director of eMINTS
Lava Ridge Intermediate in the News!

Lava Ridge Intermediate School, in Santa Clara, Utah is special for their involvement in the eMINTS i3 grant program. Now, they are taking an active role in state politics as well!
Students at Lava Ridge Intermediate have been working hard on a special project: to propose an official state reptile to the Utah state legislature. About 70 students from Mrs. Lund’s Science classes and Mrs. Robins’ Language Arts classes began working back in October, starting with individually researching reptiles that could be used to represent the state. “Students then engaged in a debate, using scientific argumentation, to determine which reptile would have the best chance of becoming Utah’s official state reptile,” said Lava Ridge science teacher Alison Lund.
A student vote was held, and the Gila monster was the overwhelming winner, Lund said, noting that numerous other choices on the ballot included the chuckwalla, desert tortoise, zebra-tailed lizard, western banded gecko, desert collared lizard, Great Basin rattlesnake, Mojave Desert sidewinder and regal ringneck snake. The students then teamed up to find additional research and create presentations about why they thought the Gila Monster should be named as the Utah State Reptile. They learned more about the Gila Monster, the legislative process, and even got to see a Gila monster brought to the school by Cameron Rognan from Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Each group then had the opportunity to present to a class at Lava Ridge and before a panel of judges. After the judging was completed, Mrs. Andrus helped the finalists practice their debate and presentation skills.
On Monday, February 25th, the 11 finalists were able to travel to the State Capitol Building in Salt Lake City. There they were treated to a tour of the building, presented to the House of Representatives and then four students presented before the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee. The students succeeded in convincing the committee members and House Bill 144 unanimously cleared the legislative hearing. On March 1st, HB 144 was presented to the house of Representatives and passed with 56 yes votes and 8 no. Our next step is to present before the Senate committee. Overall this has been an amazing learning experience!
For more information about the Gila Monster and to follow our progress, visit our website at: http://lavaridge.net/student-station/gogogila/.
Cheri Maxwell is the Learning Coach and SpEd Department chair at Lava Ridge Intermediate, which houses 6th and 7th grade students. She started her eMINTS journey when her school was awarded an i3 grant and became an eMINTS certified Affiliate Trainer last year.
2019 Innovation Institute

Join your #emints PLN at the 2019 Innovation Institute taking place June 12 & 13, 2019 in Springdale, AR. Now in its fifth year, the Innovation Institute has become the place to connect with other educators, discover innovative school and classroom practices, and transform the teaching and learning experience. With AWESOME keynote speakers, Alice Keeler and Manuel Herrera, and more than 100 sessions to choose from, you are guaranteed a transformational professional learning experience. Did we mention our southern hospitality…continental breakfast, food trucks, and THE BEST prizes around?! Come & explore how you can customize the learning experience, inspire our future designers and creators, and help all learners achieve their maximum potential. Best of all, registration doesn’t get any more economical; $50 to attend one day or $85 gets you 2 days of professional development. Learn more and register at http://bit.ly/2019i2sdale.
3M Young Scientists Challenge

This challenge is open to students in grade 5-8.
Students should identify a solution to an everyday problem that directly impacts them, their families, their communities, and/or the global population. The student must create a one- to two- minute video that…
- explains the problem and how it impacts them, their families, their communities and/or the global population;
- describes a new innovation or solution that could impact or solve the problem;
- explains the science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics behind their innovation; and
- illustrates how their innovation could both address the everyday problem they’ve identified and have a broader impact locally or globally.
Students innovation can solve any problem that inspires them, across any industry – from manufacturing, energy, safety, healthcare, transportation, electronics to automotive, construction and design to communications, personal safety to professional cleaning; however, students are not limited to these areas of focus. Entrants can find additional inspiration online at www.youngscientistlab.com.
USSSC 2019

The 2019 United States Super STEM Competition is heating up and it’s time for you to get your team registered. Registration is open through March 31, 2019. Get all the information here and reserve your spot to shine!
Lava Ridge Intermediate in the News!
Lava Ridge Intermediate School, in Santa Clara, Utah is special for their involvement in the eMINTS i3 grant program. Now, they are taking an active role in state politics as well!
Students at Lava Ridge Intermediate have been working hard on a special project: to propose an official state reptile to the Utah state legislature. About 70 students from Mrs. Lund’s Science classes and Mrs. Robins’ Language Arts classes began working back in October, starting with individually researching reptiles that could be used to represent the state. “Students then engaged in a debate, using scientific argumentation, to determine which reptile would have the best chance of becoming Utah’s official state reptile,” said Lava Ridge science teacher Alison Lund.
A student vote was held, and the Gila monster was the overwhelming winner, Lund said, noting that numerous other choices on the ballot included the chuckwalla, desert tortoise, zebra-tailed lizard, western banded gecko, desert collared lizard, Great Basin rattlesnake, Mojave Desert sidewinder and regal ringneck snake. The students then teamed up to find additional research and create presentations about why they thought the Gila Monster should be named as the Utah State Reptile. They learned more about the Gila Monster, the legislative process, and even got to see a Gila monster brought to the school by Cameron Rognan from Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Each group then had the opportunity to present to a class at Lava Ridge and before a panel of judges. After the judging was completed, Mrs. Andrus helped the finalists practice their debate and presentation skills.
On Monday, February 25th, the 11 finalists were able to travel to the State Capitol Building in Salt Lake City. There they were treated to a tour of the building, presented to the House of Representatives and then four students presented before the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee. The students succeeded in convincing the committee members and House Bill 144 unanimously cleared the legislative hearing. On March 1st, HB 144 was presented to the house of Representatives and passed with 56 yes votes and 8 no. Our next step is to present before the Senate committee. Overall this has been an amazing learning experience!
For more information about the Gila Monster and to follow our progress, visit our website at: http://lavaridge.net/student-station/gogogila/.
Cheri Maxwell is the Learning Coach and SpEd Department chair at Lava Ridge Intermediate, which houses 6th and 7th grade students. She started her eMINTS journey when her school was awarded an i3 grant and became an eMINTS certified Affiliate Trainer last year.
2019 Innovation Institute
Join your #emints PLN at the 2019 Innovation Institute taking place June 12 & 13, 2019 in Springdale, AR. Now in its fifth year, the Innovation Institute has become the place to connect with other educators, discover innovative school and classroom practices, and transform the teaching and learning experience. With AWESOME keynote speakers, Alice Keeler and Manuel Herrera, and more than 100 sessions to choose from, you are guaranteed a transformational professional learning experience. Did we mention our southern hospitality…continental breakfast, food trucks, and THE BEST prizes around?! Come & explore how you can customize the learning experience, inspire our future designers and creators, and help all learners achieve their maximum potential. Best of all, registration doesn’t get any more economical; $50 to attend one day or $85 gets you 2 days of professional development. Learn more and register at http://bit.ly/2019i2sdale.
3M Young Scientists Challenge
This challenge is open to students in grade 5-8.
Students should identify a solution to an everyday problem that directly impacts them, their families, their communities, and/or the global population. The student must create a one- to two- minute video that…
- explains the problem and how it impacts them, their families, their communities and/or the global population;
- describes a new innovation or solution that could impact or solve the problem;
- explains the science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics behind their innovation; and
- illustrates how their innovation could both address the everyday problem they’ve identified and have a broader impact locally or globally.
Students innovation can solve any problem that inspires them, across any industry – from manufacturing, energy, safety, healthcare, transportation, electronics to automotive, construction and design to communications, personal safety to professional cleaning; however, students are not limited to these areas of focus. Entrants can find additional inspiration online at www.youngscientistlab.com.
USSSC 2019
The 2019 United States Super STEM Competition is heating up and it’s time for you to get your team registered. Registration is open through March 31, 2019. Get all the information here and reserve your spot to shine!
2018
Project-Based Learning with Agile Project Management
Free Workshops: The Agile Classroom
Project-Based Learning with Agile Project Management
Click here to register today!
Are you striving to prepare students who are college and career ready with modern 21st century skills? Join us to learn how you can use Agile Project Management to make project based learning even more powerful for your students. Agile Project Management is a strategy widely used by modern businesses across the STEAM sectors from technology giants like Google and Apple to award-winning storytellers like National Public Radio. The Agile approach places a high value on individuals, collaboration, and the ability to respond to change.
This workshop adapts Agile Project Management from the business world to the classroom. Execute flexible and efficient project-based learning while helping your students attain the valuable attitudes and skills that prepare them for success in our modern world.
Develop strategies to help students:
- Manage their own cohesive teams.
- Learn to collaborate effectively with others
- Respond to change as project work evolves
- Get project work done without teacher intervention
- Manage time, set goals, and monitor their own success
Participation:
- Three Full Day Sessions – Free of Charge
- Date: March 1, 2 and a third date in March TBD collaboratively
- Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Location: 102 Townsend Hall, University of Missouri Columbia Campus
- Online Community participation February 23 through March
- Substitute teacher reimbursement to district- $75 / day
- Teacher stipend for Agile Project lesson development – $291.00
Sponsored by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Pathways Project
Delivered by eMINTS National Center Staff
Schedule:
Thursday, March 1 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Topics
- Participate in an Agile Management Experience
- Agile Management Strategies for your Classroom
- Design Authentic Real-world Project Tasks
- Interact with a Nureva Span Board
Friday, March 2 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Topics
- Panel of Entrepreneurs and Project Managers
- Field Trip to Shelter’s Say Insurance Group
- Agile Lesson Design
Third Session in late March – Date to be determined by participants – 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Topics
- Sharing of Classroom Experiences
- The Agile Manifesto for Your Classroom
- People Focus for Project Management
- Getting Stuff Done
- Collaboration over Negotiation
- Responding to Change Instead of Sticking to a Plan
- Panel – University of Missouri Young Entrepreneurs
2017
Summer registration for eLearning online PD is now open!
Registration is now open for the summer eMINTS eLearning semester.
Courses start June 14, 2017 and run through August 1, 2017. All courses are only $99! Register now.
Our summer courses will include the following:
- Introduction to Computational Thinking (New!)
- Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the K12 Classroom with Design Thinking (New!)
- Online Tools for Digital Age Learning
- Chromebooks in the Classroom
- Going Visual: Using and Creating Infographics for Learning
- Differentiated Instruction: Empowering All Learners
Register and view course descriptions on our course registration site.
Interested in taking our courses for graduate credit?
Click to learn more about the eMINTS eLearning program.
2017
eMINTS at #METC17: Register Now!
eMINTS at #METC17: Register now!
There is still time to register for the 34th Annual METC Conference! Join eMINTS for this exciting professional learning opportunity taking place February 13 – 15, 2017 at the St. Charles Convention Center in St Charles, MO.
eMINTS staff will be presenting the following sessions:
Session | Time | Presenter |
---|---|---|
Cool Tool Duel | Tuesday, Feb 14 @ 1:00pm | Carmen Marty & other St. Louis Education Technology Specialists: |
Pokemon Go in the Inquiry-based Classroom | Tuesday, Feb 14 @ 2:20pm | Michelle Kendrick & Christie Terry |
Administrators, Ramp up your Role with Technology Integration | Tuesday, Feb 14 @ 2:30pm | Cara Wylie |
Innovations in Ed Tech | Tuesday, Feb 14 @ 3:25pm | Michelle Kendrick & Christie Terry |
Ignite the Leader Next Door | Wednesday, Feb 15 @ 9:15 am | Cara Wylie & Michelle Kendrick |
For more information or to register, visit the METC Conference website.
Closing the Digital Divide with help from Generation YES
Closing the Digital Divide with help from Generation YES

Highly qualified educators and IT staff don’t have enough hours in the day or the capacity to provide real-time support and training opportunities for students and faculty. Generation YES offers support by creating a web-based platform and curriculum to harness the energy and technology expertise of students in grades 4-12. These students collaborate with educators and other adults to integrate 21st century technology in schools, improving the learning process. While this strategy has become increasingly popular as a ‘homegrown’ model, Generation YES has the experience and existing structure to ensure the success and growth of the program in schools.
The GenYES program, unlike traditional top-down professional development strategies, provides a unique approach to teacher training for technology integration. The program creates a partnership between technology literate students and teachers in the school. This is designed to develop and deliver practical uses of technology into the teachers’ classrooms in order to meet standards and improve student learning. Because of the way that GenYES builds these learning partnerships, it supports such education reform initiatives as real-world relevancy, 21st century skills, problem solving, lifelong learning, technology integration, and collaboration/teamwork for both teachers and students. These initiatives are woven into the fabric of all of the national and state standards for students and for teacher professional development. GenYES also addresses the following:
- The need for new methods of teaching and learning to empower students. There is a need for a learning environment where students see the relevance of their education and develop self-esteem resulting from successful contributions to their world.
- The need to address the overburdening of educators and the complexity of today’s many technologies. GenYES student technology leaders can make a huge impact on helping teachers in today’s schools.
- The need for a learning paradigm that allows students and teachers to work collaboratively to address problems and increase academic skills and intellectual performance. We need to expand the ideas of what students can do to help reform schools. Students are an important resource for teachers. The capabilities of children are often underestimated.
- The need to provide equitable access to technology resources. Many schools and homes do not provide sufficient access to computers and networks. Rural and large city schools are especially ill equipped to prepare their students for their futures in an increasingly technological world.
- The need to improve student reading and writing skills within the context of content area instruction. By integrating problem solving, research, and presentation skills using technology, students improve these essential communication skills seamlessly.
Generation YES is about trusting in the power of youth to meaningfully contribute to their experiences in education. Please visit genyes.org for more information about the GenYES program including research, whitepapers, implementation models, and news. To inquire about bringing GenYES to your eMINTS school, please email support@genyes.org.
Higher Ed Get Their Game On with eMINTS
Higher Ed Get Their Game On with eMINTS
The White House estimates that by 2018, more than half (51 percent) of STEM jobs are projected to be in computer science-related fields. In order to meet this demand, there’s a new call to prepare higher education faculty and pre-service students to include computational thinking, coding, and computer science into the classroom.
One way to address the shortage is through video game development. Students love games, and the computer skills needed to make games are easily translatable.
The MU College of Education’s eMINTS program was awarded a second CS4HS Google grant for Scalable Game Design for the 2016-17 school year. The goal of this grant is to develop a program of professional learning for faculty. The faculty then work with pre-service teachers to help them understand the value and importance of computational thinking and how they might incorporate coding activities into their subject area curriculum.
Curriculum development is particularly important for serving students who are largely left out of the tech industry. eMINTS research with partner school University of Colorado found that students from groups that are underrepresented in technology fields are more likely to continue with courses and after-school clubs that have a STEM focus.
A workshop to teach faculty was held in October 2016 and included faculty from several different higher education institutions. There is also an effort to train several MU College of Education students to teach coding to third to fifth grade students though the Adventure Club, a Columbia Public Schools-based after-school program.
For more information on eMINTS and the original CS4HS grant, visit: https://sites.google.com/a/emints.org/coding/.