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2026 AI Educator Summer Institute
The inaugural A.I. Educator Summer Institute begins on July 13, 2026! 
Subject: Science clear filter
Monday, July 13
 

10:45am EDT

Source Code Session #2: The Rise of the Machines: An Introduction to AI for Educators (AI in the Classroom is the expansion pack session)
LIMITED
Monday July 13, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
This Source Code Session is for educators wishing to learn the what, how, and why of A.I. This is an overview introduction to the technical and practical aspects of A.I. We will study the types of A.I., the basic underlying premise behind machine learning, and the ethical considerations we face as a society when interacting daily with A.I.

Participants will...
1. consider the appropriateness of using A.I. in certain situations;
2. measure the strengths of A.I. versus human intelligence;
3. evaluate the benefits and costs of A.I.;
4. define large language models, machine learning and the four types of A.I.;
5. examine bias and ethical considerations of LLM;
6. discuss instructional strategies for introducing ML and AI into their classrooms.

*The expansion afternoon pack workshop for this session is called: Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom: Beginner's Guide *
Speakers
avatar for Jackie Weber

Jackie Weber

Director of Educator Development Outreach Programs, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Jackie Weber is the Director of Educator Development Programs for the Outreach Center at the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.  With over 28 years of nationwide experience in STEM educational leadership, she continues her focus on professional development... Read More →
Monday July 13, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Source Code Session, Small Group

10:45am EDT

Source Code Session #5: Let's Chat: Building Personalized Chatbot Activities for Any Classroom
LIMITED
Monday July 13, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
The morning "Let's Chat" AI chatbot session will focus on AI Literacy and help provide an overview of varying levels and methods by which AI chatbots may provide scaffolded and collaborative learning opportunities to students who have grown up in the technical age. Students today have access to information faster than ever before. They are accustomed to—and demand—immediate feedback. AI chatbots are especially designed for digital collaboration. By using AI chatbots proactively, with guardrails incorporated by educators, students will learn new content and critical thinking skills simultaneously through creative, relevant, and engaging lessons.

After engaging in the Let's Chat session, participants will be able to build upon current AI Literacy and explore the potential for using AI chatbots to enhance instruction, digital collaboration, student motivation, and engagement.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Fetzer

Amy Fetzer

Social Studies Instructor, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Kershaw County School District
Amy Fetzer, M.A., M.Ed., EdD. Candidate, UofSC.  Mrs. Fetzer has been an educator since 1999 with a masters degrees in Curriculum & Instruction as well as Divergent Learning. She has taught all subjects in grades 2-12 while continuously focusing on the use of manipulatives and technology... Read More →
Monday July 13, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Source Code Session, Small Group

1:15pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #5X (Part 1): Building Personalized Chatbot Activities for Any Classroom
LIMITED
Monday July 13, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
The Let's Chat Expansion Pack Workshop will provide educators with practical strategies for customizing AI chatbots to facilitate AI Competency. Educators will be equipped to utilize AI chatbots, specifically MagicSchool AI, as a collaborative tool for both educators and students to better understand how educational chatbots are useful and relevant in the 21st Century classroom. Participants will apply strategies discussed in the morning session to actual lessons and be able to customize a generic chatbot for use as an instructional tool. Individualization of chatbots for all age levels and subjects will be further addressed. No coding is required—instead, the focus will be on designing lessons that utilize AI chatbots as a collaborative tool to facilitate metacognitive thinking. Practical lessons will be demonstrated and created during the sessions that encourage students to reflect, ask questions, and attain ownership of their thinking processes while practicing self-directed learning.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Fetzer

Amy Fetzer

Social Studies Instructor, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Kershaw County School District
Amy Fetzer, M.A., M.Ed., EdD. Candidate, UofSC.  Mrs. Fetzer has been an educator since 1999 with a masters degrees in Curriculum & Instruction as well as Divergent Learning. She has taught all subjects in grades 2-12 while continuously focusing on the use of manipulatives and technology... Read More →
Monday July 13, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group

2:45pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #5X (Part 2): Building Personalized Chatbot Activities for Any Classroom
LIMITED
Monday July 13, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
The Let's Chat Expansion Pack Workshop will provide educators with practical strategies for customizing AI chatbots to facilitate AI Competency. Educators will be equipped to utilize AI chatbots, specifically MagicSchool AI, as a collaborative tool for both educators and students to better understand how educational chatbots are useful and relevant in the 21st Century classroom. Participants will apply strategies discussed in the morning session to actual lessons and be able to customize a generic chatbot for use as an instructional tool. Individualization of chatbots for all age levels and subjects will be further addressed. No coding is required—instead, the focus will be on designing lessons that utilize AI chatbots as a collaborative tool to facilitate metacognitive thinking. Practical lessons will be demonstrated and created during the sessions that encourage students to reflect, ask questions, and attain ownership of their thinking processes while practicing self-directed learning.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Fetzer

Amy Fetzer

Social Studies Instructor, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Kershaw County School District
Amy Fetzer, M.A., M.Ed., EdD. Candidate, UofSC.  Mrs. Fetzer has been an educator since 1999 with a masters degrees in Curriculum & Instruction as well as Divergent Learning. She has taught all subjects in grades 2-12 while continuously focusing on the use of manipulatives and technology... Read More →
Monday July 13, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group
 
Tuesday, July 14
 

9:00am EDT

Source Code Session #9: No AI Left Alone in the Science Classroom
LIMITED
Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
This session will highlight practical AI implementation strategies for the science classroom. AI tools do not need to replace student thinking, but can be used to enhance student understanding and reasoning. In this session, we will discuss how AI can be used to support inquiry-based learning, data analysis, and scientific thinking. We will also discuss what responsible AI use in the classroom can look like, with students using AI tools to verify information, cite sources, and critically evaluate AI-generated claims, while also balancing over-reliance. We will use real classroom examples to utilize AI tools in modeling, creating simulations, and data interpretation.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Jennifer Brown

Dr. Jennifer Brown

Biology Instructor, A.I. Faculty Fellow, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Jennifer Brown is a biology instructor at SCGSSM, where her teaching focuses on Molecular Biology, Botany, and Marine Biology. With over 17 years of experience in education, she has contributed to the use of real-life data in classrooms and brings that expertise into the Google AI... Read More →
Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Source Code Session, Small Group
  • Knowledge/Experience Level 1, 2, 3
  • Audience 6-8, 9-12
  • Subject Science
  • Tags AI, Data Science
  • Location/Room Number C104
  • Participants should bring...Part Laptops (with charging cords);Touch screen device (tablet, phone, laptop);Access to required instructional materials for the classes that they teach (textbooks, online coursework, syllabi, etc.)

10:30am EDT

Source Code Session #11: Discovery Education From Awareness to Action: Building AI Confidence and Classroom-Ready Digital Skills
FILLING
Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity filling up
In this hands-on session, educators will explore IBM SkillsBuild through Discovery Education and learn how to navigate courses that build foundational AI and digital skills with confidence. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of AI concepts, digital literacy, responsible use, and workforce-aligned skills that can support both teacher learning and student readiness.

This session will also lay the foundation for the afternoon Expansion Pack Workshop, where educators will apply what they learned to classroom instruction. Educators will use their new AI knowledge to determine when AI is the right tool, how AI can increase rigor, and how AI can provide additional supports or accommodations for students as they design lessons for their own subject areas and grade levels.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Andrea Lance

Dr. Andrea Lance

Senior Manager, Statewide and Strategic Partnerships, Discovery Education
Dr. Andrea Lance is a strategic education partnerships leader who supports statewide initiatives, professional learning, and cross-sector collaboration across South Carolina. As Senior Manager at Discovery Education, she helps connect K–12 education, STEM, career readiness, and... Read More →
Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Source Code Session, Small Group

1:15pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #11X (Part 1): Discovery Education From Awareness to Action: Building AI Confidence and Classroom-Ready Digital Skills
LIMITED
Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
In this interactive afternoon workshop, educators will move from awareness to application by exploring research-based Discovery Education SOS Instructional Strategies that can be used across grade levels and content areas. Participants will work collaboratively to develop, curate, adapt, and practice strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms.

Educators will first explore high-impact instructional strategies that work with or without AI, then examine how AI can be used intentionally to increase rigor, support accommodations, extend student thinking, and create more responsive learning experiences. Using knowledge from the morning session, participants will design or adapt classroom-ready lessons for their own subject areas while determining when AI adds value and when strong instructional strategy alone is enough.

Educators will leave with:

5–7 practical instructional strategies they can use for engagement, discussion, collaboration, and formative assessmentA stronger understanding of when AI can meaningfully support instructionA classroom-ready plan for using AI to increase rigor, support student needs, and strengthen learning
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Andrea Lance

Dr. Andrea Lance

Senior Manager, Statewide and Strategic Partnerships, Discovery Education
Dr. Andrea Lance is a strategic education partnerships leader who supports statewide initiatives, professional learning, and cross-sector collaboration across South Carolina. As Senior Manager at Discovery Education, she helps connect K–12 education, STEM, career readiness, and... Read More →
Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group

1:15pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #9X (Part 1): No AI Left Alone in the Science Classroom
LIMITED
Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
The afternoon workshop will allow teachers to investigate some of these tools and develop their own models, simulations, or data interpretation ideas. I’d like to introduce my collaboration with Taylor to create a simulation for my passion project, as well as some other data analysis tools (CODAP, Data Story Bytes, and websites to collect large data sets from including Kaggle).

The workshop would be divided into two mini sessions. The first will focus on simulation creation. The teachers will be able to work on creating their own simulations in pairs, then share with the group. The second session will focus on data analysis tools and will be conducted in a similar manner.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Jennifer Brown

Dr. Jennifer Brown

Biology Instructor, A.I. Faculty Fellow, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Jennifer Brown is a biology instructor at SCGSSM, where her teaching focuses on Molecular Biology, Botany, and Marine Biology. With over 17 years of experience in education, she has contributed to the use of real-life data in classrooms and brings that expertise into the Google AI... Read More →
Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group

2:45pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #11X (Part 2): Discovery Education From Awareness to Action: Building AI Confidence and Classroom-Ready Digital Skills
LIMITED
Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
In this interactive afternoon workshop, educators will move from awareness to application by exploring research-based Discovery Education SOS Instructional Strategies that can be used across grade levels and content areas. Participants will work collaboratively to develop, curate, adapt, and practice strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms.

Educators will first explore high-impact instructional strategies that work with or without AI, then examine how AI can be used intentionally to increase rigor, support accommodations, extend student thinking, and create more responsive learning experiences. Using knowledge from the morning session, participants will design or adapt classroom-ready lessons for their own subject areas while determining when AI adds value and when strong instructional strategy alone is enough.

Educators will leave with:

5–7 practical instructional strategies they can use for engagement, discussion, collaboration, and formative assessmentA stronger understanding of when AI can meaningfully support instructionA classroom-ready plan for using AI to increase rigor, support student needs, and strengthen learning
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Andrea Lance

Dr. Andrea Lance

Senior Manager, Statewide and Strategic Partnerships, Discovery Education
Dr. Andrea Lance is a strategic education partnerships leader who supports statewide initiatives, professional learning, and cross-sector collaboration across South Carolina. As Senior Manager at Discovery Education, she helps connect K–12 education, STEM, career readiness, and... Read More →
Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group

2:45pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #9X (Part 2): No AI Left Alone in the Science Classroom
LIMITED
Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
The afternoon workshop will allow teachers to investigate some of these tools and develop their own models, simulations, or data interpretation ideas. I’d like to introduce my collaboration with Taylor to create a simulation for my passion project, as well as some other data analysis tools (CODAP, Data Story Bytes, and websites to collect large data sets from including Kaggle).

The workshop would be divided into two mini sessions. The first will focus on simulation creation. The teachers will be able to work on creating their own simulations in pairs, then share with the group. The second session will focus on data analysis tools and will be conducted in a similar manner.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Jennifer Brown

Dr. Jennifer Brown

Biology Instructor, A.I. Faculty Fellow, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Jennifer Brown is a biology instructor at SCGSSM, where her teaching focuses on Molecular Biology, Botany, and Marine Biology. With over 17 years of experience in education, she has contributed to the use of real-life data in classrooms and brings that expertise into the Google AI... Read More →
Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group
 
Wednesday, July 15
 

9:00am EDT

Source Code Session #16: AI and Image Data for Plant Sciences
LIMITED
Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
AI is fundamentally changing research. This session will draw directly from active research in plant phenomics, image-based trait analysis, and plant breeding to demonstrate what AI-assisted science looks like in practice. We'll walk through concrete examples: how convolutional neural networks and on-device models are automating the extraction of morphological traits from field images, how large language models are accelerating literature synthesis in crop science, and how AI pipelines are compressing analyses. What do these shifts mean for how we teach science? When a model can segment an image or predict yield, what skills actually matter? We'll dig into how to design data collection exercises and research projects so that students build genuine scientific judgment rather than just prompt-writing habits. You'll leave with a grounded understanding of where plant science and phenomics research is heading, and practical strategies to make your classroom reflect that reality.


Understand how image data can be used with AI for effective research outcomes
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Trevor Rife

Dr. Trevor Rife

Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Clemson University
Trevor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Clemson University. The Rife Lab focuses on developing efficient tools, technologies, and methods to optimize plant breeding and genetics research and works with both national and international... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Source Code Session, Small Group
  • Knowledge/Experience Level 3, 2
  • Audience 11-12, Higher Education, 9-12
  • Subject Science, Biology
  • Location/Room Number C123
  • Participants should bring...Part Laptops (with charging cords); Academic standards for their subject

1:15pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #16X (Part 1): AI and Image Data for Plant Sciences
LIMITED
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
Helping your students understand that data also means images is an important aspect of AI literacy. Using the understanding from the morning session, teachers will develop an activity based on their standards that utilizes image data. 
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Jennifer Brown

Dr. Jennifer Brown

Biology Instructor, A.I. Faculty Fellow, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Jennifer Brown is a biology instructor at SCGSSM, where her teaching focuses on Molecular Biology, Botany, and Marine Biology. With over 17 years of experience in education, she has contributed to the use of real-life data in classrooms and brings that expertise into the Google AI... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Trevor Rife

Dr. Trevor Rife

Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Clemson University
Trevor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Clemson University. The Rife Lab focuses on developing efficient tools, technologies, and methods to optimize plant breeding and genetics research and works with both national and international... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group

2:45pm EDT

Expansion Pack Session #16X (Part 2): AI and Image Data for Plant Sciences
LIMITED
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
Helping your students understand that data also means images is an important aspect of AI literacy. Using the understanding from the morning session, teachers will develop an activity based on their standards that utilizes image data. 
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Expansion Pack Workshop, Small Group
 
Thursday, July 16
 

10:15am EDT

Source Code Session #25:Beyond ChatGPT: Launching South Carolina’s AI Pathway to Meet Graduation Requirements and Workforce Demand
LIMITED
Thursday July 16, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM)
Limited Capacity seats available
This session spotlights South Carolina’s custom-designed Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (Course 1) and the full AI Career Pathway — created specifically for our state to meet workforce demand while providing a powerful option for satisfying the computer science graduation requirement. Students learn the foundational building blocks behind AI systems, including machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, data preparation, and responsible AI design — all through project-based units grounded in South Carolina’s priority industries.

Participants will learn implementation strategies for meeting graduation requirements while exposing students to viable career pathways, including approaches for adopting the full pathway and building dual enrollment partnerships with regional postsecondary institutions. We will share lessons from pilot implementation, strategies for embedding AI into existing CTE programs, and insights from new initiatives that connect pathway skills to real-world AI applications, validation processes, and industry. Participants will articulate how to guide students from basic AI tool use to a deeper understanding of the concepts, systems, and design behind AI technologies.
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Cook

Andrew Cook

Career Pathways Specialist, Office of Career Readiness, South Carolina Department of Education
Andrew Cook has over 40 years of experience in computer architecture and software development with a career that expands across three major technology-driven corporations - NCR, AT&T, and Intel. He began as a software developer and systems analyst at NCR and AT&T before moving into... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Building (GSSM) 401 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550
  Source Code Session, Small Group
 

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