Our ExploreLearning team is back from an exciting and energizing trip to Philadelphia, where Learning Designers Suzy Kehret and Carrie Adler had the chance to connect and learn alongside science educators at the National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA) and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) conferences. Suzy was even a presenter.
Kehret and Adler immersed themselves in conversations, sessions, and workshops dedicated to advancing science education and gathered valuable educator feedback. If you couldn’t be there, don’t worry! There are more opportunities to collaborate with Kehret, Adler, and the rest of the team through Collab Crew. With this partnership, ExploreLearning and educators work together to design solutions that are as effective as they are fun for learning (and teaching science!). Want to help shape what comes next?
Read on to learn more about their experiences in Philadelphia in their own words.
City of Brotherly Love
Kristie Reighard, Suzanne Kehret, Carrie Adler, Jenna Mercury
Presenting at NSELA: Supercharging SEPs
ExploreLearning is a proud Platinum Level Partner with NSELA. Suzy presented Supercharging SEPs: Teachers + Tech + Gizmos Investigations Lessons at NSELA. The session fostered dynamic discussions around integrating Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) into classroom instruction using technology-driven investigations. Participants worked together using posters to identify key challenges in applying different SEPs, such as supporting real-world sensemaking, data analysis, modeling, and exploring new Gizmos Investigations as a solution.
Participants also explored early beta testing results from teachers who used Gizmos Investigations in their classrooms. The main feedback from this session (as well as NSTA) was that they really enjoyed the embedded tools, real-time data collection, scaffolded CER prompts, AND seeing how everything was put together in real data from real classrooms at the end.
Presenting at NSTA: Unlocking science sensemaking
Suzy presented Unlock Science Sensemaking in the Classroom with Simulations at NSTA. The session focused on how interactive simulations and guided investigations support scientific sensemaking by helping students visualize and test abstract concepts. Suzy showed how the investigations align to NGSS three-dimensional learning, especially in the areas of Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Constructing Explanations, and Engaging in Argumentation from Evidence.
Teachers worked in teams to identify areas of greatest need in their classrooms around sensemaking. We then explored different solutions to those challenges and discussed how scaffolded virtual simulations make SEPs more accessible for all students, promoting deeper critical thinking.
Suzy also sat down for an in-depth conversation with Matt Sisk, Curriculum Supervisor for Science and Applied Technology (6–12) at a public school district in New Jersey, to discuss curriculum leadership, supporting SEP instruction across grade bands, and the role of digital tools in helping secondary teachers bring inquiry to life.
Suzy and Matt Sisk having coffee.
Axolotl keychain survey swap: Listening to educators
This year at NSTA, the booth had a fantastic buzz of energy right from the start. Our axolotl keychain swap was a huge hit—educators loved trading their feedback for a fun souvenir, and we collected many actionable ideas for new Gizmos Investigations and STEM Cases. Axl the Axolotl, ExploreLearning’s popular STEM Case mascot, guides students through the newest STEM Cases.
Traffic peaked during lunchtime on day one, and the feedback/idea cards worked really well for capturing quick, meaningful responses. Teachers loved having a list of STEM Case icons and titles to browse, and many picked up cards to join Collab Crew or explore a free Gizmos trial. New this NSTA: teachers who joined Collab Crew earned an extra ribbon for the conference badge.
New ExploreLearning Collab Crew badge ribbon
We collaborated with the Sales and Professional Development teams seamlessly, helping one another talk to teachers, gather insights, and spark excitement. Sessions like Unlock Science Sensemaking had a strong turnout. Even better, we made several new connections with educators and subject matter experts eager to collaborate with us in the future. The positive energy around ExploreLearning’s resources was undeniable—and we completely ran out of axolotl keychains by early day two!
Troublemakers at the booth: Kristie Reighard, Suzanne Kehret, Carrie Adler
Top takeaways from educator feedback
We love to connect with teachers and collaborate on research and evidence-based edtech that addresses the needs of all teachers and students. We took these opportunities to get some feedback. What were teachers saying?
- There is a strong demand for middle school STEM Cases focusing on environmental concepts.
- Teachers prioritize real-world relevance and want investigations that tie science content to authentic challenges.
- The high value placed on scaffolded support, student feedback, and ease of use means that materials must be intuitive for both teachers and students.
- There were consistent calls for better accessibility features to support diverse learners, including multiple languages and support for students with disabilities.
- Educators prioritized tools that emphasized student-centered learning goals.
Conclusion: Looking ahead
The 2025 NSELA and NSTA conferences were an incredible reminder of the power of listening, learning, and leading with purpose. From energizing conversations around Science and Engineering Practices to real-time feedback on our Gizmos Investigations and STEM Cases, every interaction reaffirmed the importance of partnering with educators to shape the future of science learning.
The insights we gathered—from thoughtful survey responses to in-depth discussions—are already influencing how we design experiences that make science more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for all students.
We’re already looking forward to our next adventure. You can bring math and science adventures to your students with Gizmos and STEM Cases. Start a free trial today!