FRIDAY INSTITUTE REMIX: LEARNING THEN, NOW, AND NEXT

The Friday Institute believes that learning is social, rigorous, human-centered, and built through shared inquiry. Come ready to explore, question, and remix learning - together.

4:00–6:30 PM | Hands-On Learning Arcade Engaging studio and playground learning - more than a conference session. Some experiences are self-guided; others run at scheduled times - registration required.

6:00–7:00 PM | Food & Networking Light food and structured-but-optional prompts support conversation, reflection, and connection.

You should attend if you want to:

• See innovation in action—not just hear about it
• Explore AI, computer science, and digital learning through an educator's lens
• Connect research to classroom, school, and district realities
• Engage in low-pressure, high-value learning experiences
• Build relationships with people who can support your work beyond the conference

• K–12 educators
• Instructional coaches and support staff
• School and district leaders
• Higher education faculty and partners
• NCTIES attendees arriving early
• Anyone curious about the future of learning and technology

• A charged device (laptop, tablet)
• Curiosity and willingness to explore
• Comfort moving between stations at your own pace

Info: Think you know AI and how it should be used in the classroom? Join us to put your professional judgment to the test through a series of on-and-off-screen games. This isn’t about learning tools; it’s about navigating the messy gray areas where the right pedagogical path isn't clear. You’ll be weighing difficult choices, decoding the hidden logic of these systems, and interrogating the code to surface biases and computer errors that others might miss. Come ready to wrestle with the friction between automated shortcuts and authentic learning, using your expertise to decide exactly where the machine ends and the human must stay in the loop. Repeating session: 4:30; 5:15; 6:00PM

Info: Learn More: https://datascienceacademy.ncsu.edu/

Info: A self-guided, low-stakes environment to explore hands-on CS tools such as Micro:bits, BeeBots, and Dash robots. Participants experience how tactile experimentation supports engagement and conceptual understanding, with a strong emphasis on elementary and middle grades.
Experience the power of hands-on learning in this self-guided CS Playground. This session provides a low-stakes environment to familiarize yourself with essential computer science tools, including Micro:bits, BeeBots, and Dash robots. Discover how tactile experimentation can spark engagement and bring coding concepts to life.

Info: Learn more about this research-based professional development and curriculum initiative that equips elementary educators to integrate cybersecurity concepts into 4th–5th grade mathematics and science instruction. The program blends real-world cybersecurity topics: such as digital privacy, encryption, cyberbullying, and online safety - with core STEM content to deepen student understanding and confidence while providing hands-on, interdisciplinary learning experiences.

Info: Short, hands-on activities demonstrate how small instructional and design choices can dramatically improve access. Participants experience accessibility must-haves in action and leave with concrete strategies they can apply immediately.

Info: A self-guided exploration of the Friday Institute’s online learning ecosystem. Participants see how Pathways for Learning, Access, Connection, and Engagement come together through microlearning, online courses, and professional learning communities designed to be flexible, job-embedded and human-centered.

Info: Explore how human populations change over time and what those changes mean for communities and the planet. Participants will have access to a great series of tested lessons from the national Population Education curriculum to teach about human population growth and ecology. Come have fun, learn new strategies, and gain lots of great ideas for your instruction.
WORSHOP 4:00-4:30 PM

Info: Participants sign up for 30-minute sessions to co-create interactive stories with SceneCraft. Through four short scenes, educators experience the intersection of storytelling, AI-powered narrative design, and pedagogical practice. Each participant receives their completed story and curated resources to continue building immersive learning experiences at NCTIES and beyond.

4:30 pm; 5:15 pm; 6:00 pm

Info: Explore innovative educational materials focused on sustainability and climate education, and learn more about our Summer Research Experience for Teachers. Through partnerships with 11 universities, we have developed classroom-ready lessons for environmental science and sustainability. Experience some of these activities (including investigating a mystery fish K*ll and analyzing runoff from dog parks )-designed for hands-on exploration - and lessons you can take with you!

Info: Educators share brief stories, challenges, and needs from their own contexts through short prompts and optional response formats. These stories inform the Friday Institute’s future work and create space for authentic connection.

Info: A quiet, self-guided space for reflection and reset. Activities encourage participants to identify energy drains, examine boundaries around technology and communication, and consider design choices that reduce cognitive overload.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, NCSU