2008 AP Annual Conference at Seattle, Washington
August 10th, 2008
Pacific American School attended the 2008 AP Annual Conference, held July 18 - 19 in Seattle, Washington. More than 2,000 teachers from U.S. and international schools came together for this professional development opportunity. Teachers, counselors, and administrators engaged in a series of conversations related to the AP curriculum, including the challenges of implementing AP programs, the most recent changes to the College Board, the best classroom practice to enrich students’ learning, etc. There were many opportunities to network with other professionals and exchange resources throughout the two-day conference, including
Biotechnology Explorer Program
In this session, participants brushed up on the latest advances in biotech by performing labs using DNA recombinant technology. The attendees discussed the role of Genetically Modified Organisms and their potential effects on the ecosystem.
Student-designed Labs for AP Science
The presenter in this session challenged teachers to move away from direct instruction and foster a student-center learning atmosphere. The instructor provided many hands-on labs to model learning by inquiry, during which the teachers assumed the role of students.
Calibrated Peer Review (CPR)
Two teachers from Virginia shared how they helped students prepare for the demands of Free Response Questions. The teachers, in partnership with University of California – Los Angeles, developed an online program that encourages peer review. Students visit the interactive website and evaluate different free response answers. Evaluating sample responses helps students in preparation for their own responses.
Setting AP standards across K-12
This workshop was presented by the AP curriculum coordinator from the Evergreen School District in Washington State. The presenter shared how the district aligned the AP standards from elementary to high school. There were examples that showed how the teachers from different schools and grade levels collaborated to build a scope and sequence continuum for students and prepare them for AP classes.
Meeting the AP Biology Committee
The AP biology committee shared data from the 2008 AP Biology test results. They presenters explained how each item was graded and analyzed the overall performance of students on each question. The teachers met university professors, experienced AP biology teachers, and a representative from Education Testing Service (ETS). ETS is the company that developed the test. They provided a Q & A session for the teachers and explained how the AP biology test is developed. The AP biology curriculum is expected to change in the year of 2012.
There were also other helpful resources available at the conference. This included an exhibit hall where teachers could browse through new textbooks, promotional products and other teaching materials. Vendors and suppliers provided free supplementary materials for teachers.
Nelly: This conference greatly increased my knowledge of the AP curriculum and my effectiveness in teaching AP biology. The topics were pertinent to my job and the daily challenges that confront me. I obtained many materials and ideas that can be directly applied in my classroom. The most difficult part of the conference was choosing which sessions to attend—they all looked very interesting, and I would have liked to have attended them all.