Several hundred members of the Indiana Association for Career and Technical Education (I-ACTE) will gather at Ball State for their annual conference July 26-27. Members will receive updates on legislation, current events, and new teaching strategies and materials.

Ball State faculty will be among those leading discussions. In chef Lois Altman's workshop, "Working with Dough Like a Pro," teachers will learn how to bring yeast instruction into their classrooms. Participants will be able to make sweet rolls, sticky buns, dinner rolls and other yeast products.

"They will get their hands messy," she laughed. "I hope some of them bring aprons."

Other workshops will discuss diverse topics such as agricultural education, discipline, service learning and welding instruction. A full conference agenda is at www.indianaacte.org.

In previous years the I-ACTE met in Indianapolis. Ball State professor Sam Cotton says the move to a university campus should be more cost effective for the group, give teachers exposure to a place where their students can continue their education and offer the use of laboratory environments that were not available in downtown Indianapolis.

"You can't bring an automotive workshop or a food lab into a hotel to do the type of presentation this group wants to see," he said. "Ball State has facilities that are perfect for their needs." 

(Note to Editors: For more information, contact Cotton at (765) 285-5640 orscotton@bsu.edu. Altman is at (765) 285-5956 orloisaltman@bsu.edu.)