STEM21 Attendees FAQ

Registration and Accessibility

What time zone is being used for STEM21?

All STEM21 sessions are using Eastern Daylight Time.

Is there a cut-off date for registration?

No, registration is open throughout the conference and you will have immediate access to all of the STEM21 events upon registration. If you register after a session has taken place, then you can view that recorded session in the session browser for 90 days following the conference.

Is there a group registration available?

No, currently there is no option for a group registration. NSTA can only accept individual registrations.

What if I’ve purchased registration and find I can’t attend?

Since all sessions will be recorded, you will still have access and can log in any day, any time, up to 90 days after the conference; and, as frequently as you want during this 90-day period using the session browser.

How early can I access NSTA STEM21?

Attendees will have access at 12 Noon (Eastern Daylight Time) beginning on Tuesday, July 20, to explore the Marketplace Partners and familiarize themselves with the platform. The conference opens with a Keynote on Monday, July 26, at 10:30 AM (Eastern Daylight Time).

How do I log in to the site?

The e-mail address and password/ID# with which you registered for STEM21 is your login and key to access. Log in to the NSTA website, select My Library, and click on the “STEM21” banner link to access the conference.

What should I do if I don’t see the link to the virtual conference in My Library?

Click the orange “Help” button in the bottom right of the page and someone will respond to you.

Note: To get the best virtual experience from the STEM21 platform you must have the latest version of Zoom downloaded to your computer. Before entering our Zoom platform, please visit Zoom.us/download, click on Download, and then click on Execute file to initialize.

How do I access the Keynote Presentations for the dates that I did not Register?

The Keynote Presentations can be accessed with your e-mail address and password/ID# with which you registered for STEM21. Log in to the NSTA website, select My Library, and click on the “STEM21” banner link to access the conference.

Note: All registrants who register for at least one day will receive access to all Keynote Presentations and the STEM Ecosystems Day.

What should I do upon entry into the site?

We suggest that you update your attendee profile for easier networking with your colleagues and then browse the sessions and create a personal agenda (My Agenda). Additionally, it is requested that attendees should ensure that their video and audio features are turned OFF prior to entering a meeting room.

Terms

Are there any terms that I should familiarize myself with?

Yes, oftentimes you will see/hear the following terms:

Home—This is your landing access page: My Library
My Agenda—Create your schedule here to quickly access all the sessions that you’ve added to your agenda.
Meeting Room—This is a term for virtual meeting rooms, where presentations are shown and attendees can watch, as well as network with colleagues live through chat.
Marketplace Partner Resource Pages—Browse our Marketplace Partner (exhibitor) Resource Pages to see the latest information on products, services, competitions, and resources available. Discover a myriad of creative solutions!
Marketplace Partner Workshops—These are live presentations offered by our Marketplace Partners, sharing the latest information on new and popular products and services that support classroom educators.
Prerecorded Marketplace Partner Workshop Library—These are prerecorded presentations offered by our Marketplace Partners, sharing the latest information on new and popular products and services that support classroom educators.

Program Components

What are the various components of the program?

Each day is comprised of the following:

Concurrent Sessions—A series of educator-to-educator sessions that are scheduled simultaneously each day.
Keynote, Featured Panels, and Special Sessions—There are a number of keynotes, featured panels, and special sessions that have been identified for each day of programming. We recommend that you take time to review these sessions at some point, even if you do not attend them.
Marketplace Partner Live and Prerecorded Workshops—Featured presentations offered by our Marketplace Partners, sharing new and popular products and services that support classroom educators.

Special Events:

Elementary STEM Showcase—Scheduled on Monday, 7/26, 4:15–5:00 PM, Elementary STEM Showcase is an exciting and quick-fire format event that uses the popular Pecha Kucha presentation method. This "social show-and-tell event" brings together leaders in STEM education as presenters who offer 15 slides for 20 seconds each.
Coffee Chats—Scheduled on Friday, 7/30, 2:45–3:30 PM, Coffee Chats are 45 minutes of facilitated discussions, focusing on timely topics.
Unconferences—Scheduled on Thursday, 7/29, 2:45–3:30 PM, Unconferences are an opportunity to discuss the most popular topic ideas that have been identified by you and your colleagues.

Sessions

Will sessions begin at the designated scheduled time?

Yes, all sessions will begin and end at the designated times. We have scheduled a 15-minute break between each session to allow attendees time to navigate from one session to another and regroup prior to the start of each session.

If I find myself in a session that is not exactly what I was looking for, can I go to another session?

Yes, you can click on the “Leave Meeting” button at any time and go to another session. Please note that even though the next session you join may have already started, you will be able to view the recording of the entire session in the session browser the next day.

Will I have access to the chats in the meeting rooms?

Yes, all chats in the session rooms are public and can be saved by clicking on the three dots (…) at the bottom right of the chat window.

Session Documents

As a presenter, where can I share the documents for my sessions?

To share materials for your presentation, click here. Choose your day and session, select your document, and click Upload. To upload multiple files, simply repeat the process.

As an attendee, where can I find a collection of documents from the sessions?

Documents for sessions will be available on our session browser. Note: This is only if a presenter has uploaded materials.

Can I share my log-in with a colleague?

No, your e-mail address and password/ID# are your unique access to the virtual conference.

How can I get the maximum benefit from my registration?

Use the e-mail address you used to register for the conference along with your password to create a personal schedule (My Agenda), browse the sessions on the website, and select the sessions you want to attend. You can refer to your “My Agenda” for quick access to the meeting room by clicking on the session link.

Log in to the programming site prior to the actual starting time. Browse the keynotes and featured and concurrent sessions to determine which you would like to attend so you can ask questions of those presenters. Otherwise, you can return to the programming up to 90 days after the event, at your leisure, to view any of the other sessions.

Networking

How can I find a colleague or network with someone who might also be registered?

If you are looking for someone in particular, visit our three directories (Attendees, Speakers, and Marketplace Partners), located under the “Event” tab. Note: Each presenter will be identified as he or she is speaking.

If I notice someone else attending that I want to network with, is there an opportunity to chat somewhere outside the sessions?

To find an attendee to network or chat with, you should visit the “Attendee Directory” and select the private message tool to send them a message.

Post Event

Will the programming be available for purchase after the virtual event is held? If so, for how long and what is the cost?

No, the programming will not be available for purchase after the conference. However, all registered attendees will have access to the programming up to 90 days after the conference in the session browser.

Receiving Credit

How can I receive professional development credit for attending?

NSTA offers professional development certification (based on clock hours) for its conferences. The transcript, which lists the sessions attended, also serves as proof of attendance at the conference. NSTA acknowledges up to 9 clock hours per day for the NSTA STEM21 virtual conference. Click here for complete details.

Can I get graduate credit?

Earn one (1) or two (2) graduate-level credit/units in professional development through Dominican University of California course #9069. To obtain credit/units, you must be registered for the NSTA STEM21 virtual conference, complete the required assignments, and pay a fee of $104 for one credit/unit or $208 for two credits/units. A copy of your NSTA STEM21 virtual conference attendance transcript is also required. Register for graduate-level credit by Monday, August 30, 2021, and submit the required assignments by Monday, September 13, 2021. Click here for complete details.