The 2024 SCA Educator Summit Series will continue in Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan.
BY J. MARIE CARLAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Featured photo by Joshua Earle
Following October’s Educator Summits in Philadelphia and Houston, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is putting on three more summits this year—this time in Asia.
The Educator Summit is a global series of one-day events designed to provide in-depth education to coffee educators, with the purpose of equipping them with the most recent and effective teaching methods. The Educator Summit Series has been highly successful so far, and this year has expanded from two locations in 2023 to five. In December, the global series will continue in Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan.
Supporting Coffee Education in Asia
First up is Korea’s Educator Summit taking place December 3 and hosted by Purple Land in Jeungpyeong. December 8’s summit in Thailand will be hosted at the Center for Academic Services at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok. Finally, December 10’s summit will be hosted by Mr. Brown at Kavalan Single Malt Whisky Distilleries in Yilan, Taiwan.
“Coffee educators play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the specialty-coffee industry by imparting knowledge across the entire coffee value chain,“ the SCA shared in a press release. “The Educator Summit is a unique opportunity for current and aspiring educators to deepen their expertise, exchange ideas, and gain practical insights from industry leaders.“
The three key areas of focus during the Educator Summit are: enhancing coffee education, teaching techniques, and coffee value assessment.
Educator Summit Sessions
Making Water Chemistry Accessible
Speaker Brady Butler will discuss in depth the importance of the chemical composition and mineral content of water for coffee brewing. This session also includes tools for hands-on training. Brady has years of experience in coffee training and water treatment and owns Trail Blaze Coffee Academy, an independent training company based in Charlotte, N.C.
Introducing the CVA Affective Assessment to Learners
Recently the SCA Coffee Value Assessment tool introduced the separate Descriptive Assessments and Affective Assessment. In a session led by speaker Shaun Ong, trainers will receive practical and effective strategies to help learners understand the purpose and function of the Affective Assessment, enabling them to do the assessment confidently. Shaun has an impressive coffee career spanning two decades, which includes sourcing (notably Southeast Asian coffees), consulting, judging, and more.
To lay the groundwork before attending this session, the SCA recommends watching the YouTube video series “Theory of the SCA Coffee Value Assessment“; reading the SCA publication “A System to Assess Coffee Value: Understanding the SCA’s Coffee Value Assessment“; and reviewing SCA Standards 102-104-P.
Teaching the Complex History of Coffee
Another session will explore significant historical events and the historiography of coffee—how its history has been shaped, recorded, and taught. Participants will learn about pivotal moments in history that have shaped coffee sourcing, trading, and consumption. Speaker Laurel Carmichael, a historian and editor at the Specialty Coffee Association, will discuss how to distinguish accurate historical sources and employ critical analysis of sources.
Getting in Harmony with Your Supporting Materials
In this session, speaker Ben Helt will lead coffee trainers in learning how to use supporting visual aids and materials to supplement their teaching programs and engage learners. Ben is director of the Authorized SCA Trainer Program, and works with more than 1,900 trainers around the world.
Designing Informal Assessments
This session explores strategies to foster participation and pinpoint areas where learners need more support. Speaker Chelsea Dubay will help lead trainers to build informal assessments to help coffee trainees learn, without the pressure of formal testing. Chelsea is the Specialty Coffee Association’s curriculum development director.
Educator Summit Registration
Registration is now open for the Educator Summit events in Korea and Thailand. Registration for the Educator Summit Taiwan is expected to open soon.
For more details, visit the Educator Summit website. You can also subscribe to the SCA Education Newsletter at education.sca.coffee/newsletter to receive updates.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J. Marie Carlan (she/they) is the online editor for Barista Magazine. She’s been a barista for 16 years and writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. When she’s not behind the espresso bar or toiling over content, you can find her perusing record stores, writing poetry, and trying to keep the plants alive in her Denver apartment.
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