The world of STEM education is constantly evolving. Teachers are being tasked with keeping up with the changes, and leading students through lessons in STEM classes. The problem is that often, resources and training are out of reach. Well, that doesn’t have to be the case. The ARRL Teacher Institute on Wireless Technology is here to help!

The Amateur Radio Relay League offers STEM training for teachers. The training is focused on Amateur Radio (ham radio), but you do not have to be a ham radio operator to get in on the training. The training is offered every summer at a couple of locations. Attendees can apply to attend training in either Dayton, OH or Newington, CT. Now, before you do like I did and say, “Whoa, that’s gonna cost a bit!” hold tight. The ARRL reimburses the cost for the Teacher Institute. Yeah, that loosely translates to “free training.” This is made possible through donations from amateur radio operators and equipment vendors. You can read more about that on the page linked HERE.

The Teacher Institute is a week long training. For teachers who are new to the institute, you would need to apply for TI-1. The content is designed to be delivered to students in grades 4-12. Here is what you can expect to learn and do during that week as written in the ARRL brochure.

The Teachers Institute is a 5 day professional development workshop filled with discussions and idea sharing. hands-on activities and demonstrations, building, programming, robotics, and exploration in Amateur Radio. Teachers are offered tools and strategies to introduce basic electronics, radio science, satellite communication, Amateur Radio, microcontrollers, and basic robotics to their students. Participants are provided with materials such as an ARRL resource library, basic electronics, test equipment, and robotics kits.

For those who are unfamiliar with what exactly Amateur Radio is, head over to the ARRL webpage and explore some of the great things Ham Radio operators are doing. Amateur Radio is the perfect hobby for people who like to experiment and create. It’s the perfect thing for makers. Not only do amateur radio operators talk to people around the world, they are constantly tweaking and building new gear, doing experiments at the edge of space or in the middle of oceans, and so much more.

Now, some of you may be thinking that it all sounds good, but what about when you get back to your classroom and have questions. You see, we have you covered there as well. Most places have a ham radio club. To find a club near you, click here. Ham radio operators are generally very helpful, and are always looking for ways to help bring new people into the hobby. All it takes is contacting the club and asking for help.

Amateur Radio not only gives teachers something to use to teach STEM to kids… it opens up a lifetime of learning for everyone. I’ve been a licensed ham radio operator since the mid 1990s. There is always something new coming out that ham radio operators are experimenting with.

Folks always say those little cliche phrases like, “Teachers inspire lifelong learners,” and stuff. Well, with this ARRL program, you really can help create lifelong learners.

So, head over to www.arrl.org/ti and check it out. Applications for the 2020 summer institutes will be out sometime in January. The schedule for the summer TI-1 sessions are July 13-17 in Dayton and July 20-24 in Newington. I hope to see you there! Check out brochure and flyer below, and be sure to spread the word!