Professional Development Provider Institutes

Upcoming Institute

The next Professional Development Provider Institute (PDPI) is scheduled for September 17-20, 2024 in Huntsville, Alabama.

This Professional Development (PD) Provider Institute is the third in the series and is a 4-day experience designed to support you as a PD leader by deepening your knowledge, increasing your confidence, and enhancing your abilities to support the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and the recommendations put forth in A Framework for K-12 Science Education.

The goals of the series are to:

• Enhance understanding of research and literature underpinning the NGSS and increase ability to support teachers as they translate research into the classroom.
• Deepen understanding of phenomenon and problem-based, three-dimensional learning as described in NRC’s Framework and the NGSS.
• Deepen understandings and abilities to support teachers in using routines, strategies, tools, and processes for enacting phenomenon and problem-based, three-dimensional learning experiences with students.
• Strengthen abilities to design and lead professional learning programs that support teachers in taking on the instructional shifts called for in NRC’s Framework and the NGSS.

Who should participate?

• District science leaders
• Teacher leaders
• Science consultants
• University faculty
• PD leaders from informal science education institutions

What are the benefits?

By participating in this Institute, PD providers will

• enhance their understanding of the research and literature underpinning the NGSS and be better able to support teachers’ translation of research into the classroom,
• deepen their understanding of all eight scientific and engineering practices laid out in the NGSS, and
• be part of a community that can support PD providers’ work.

After participating in the program, PD providers will be able to

• plan, lead, and evaluate workshops that help teachers enact three-dimensional, phenomenon-based teaching and learning in their classrooms;
• use a variety of “close-to-the-classroom” routines and strategies to support teachers in strengthening their classroom practice;
• monitor and adjust plans based on data and understandings about leading change; and
• increase intentionality in leadership practices.

Join BSCS Science Learning along with Kentucky and Tennessee teachers and leaders for a year-long STeLLA®-based leadership development opportunity! Leaders apply here.

Program Basics

STeLLA Teacher Professional Learning Program

Teacher Goals

• Deepen knowledge of teaching and learning.
• Increase ability to analyze and reflect on teaching and learning.
• Increase ability to use content knowledge and knowledge of teaching and learning to transform classroom practice.
• Deepen teacher content knowledge.
• Increase student learning in science.

Teacher Professional Learning Program Schedule

STeLLA Leadership Development Program

Leadership Goals

• Increase abilities to make decisions when planning, leading, and reflecting on STeLLA professional learning aligned with the program philosophy, goals, and curricula.
• Deepen understanding of and abilities to lead analysis-of-practice professional learning as a transformative experience for teachers.
• Deepen understanding of the characteristics of professional learning communities and enhance abilities to establish and grow a community of learners.
• Deepen understanding of the change process and increase abilities to work with teachers as they implement the STeLLA approach to teaching and learning.

Leadership Development Program Schedule

The Leadership Development Program serves as a STeLLA immersion experience for leaders. This program includes the same schedule as the Teacher Professional Learning Program, with additional events:

Costs

The registration fee of $500 includes leadership development materials, professional learning materials, STeLLA Strategy booklet, curriculum materials, lunches and snacks, and books during the institutes. Leaders are responsible for their travel costs. Kentucky and Tennessee leaders get free access to the professional learning materials and the ability to order strategy booklets for their participants at the cost of $20 per person (price subject to change).

Applications are now open and will be reviewed as they are received. Please contact Ashley Whitaker with any questions.

Are you planning to adopt new science instructional materials for your districts and schools? If so, you know the adoption of instructional materials is a costly investment with long-term impacts. This decision-making process is critically important because instructional materials can either support or inhibit improvements in teaching and learning.

Discover an effective pathway through this process at the NextGen TIME Leadership Institute. NextGen TIME is a suite of tools and processes for curriculum-based professional learning that supports educators to evaluate, select, and implement instructional materials designed for next generation science.

Why participate?

During this immersive experience, you will:

• develop a deeper understanding of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Framework for K-12 Science Education;
• be guided through the evaluation, selection, and planning for implementation of materials that will help teachers enact the vision of next generation science in their classrooms;
• learn how to analyze and select materials based on key criteria and scoring guidance; and
• access handouts, powerpoints, facilitation guides and other resources to help you navigate the NextGen TIME process.

Who should participate?

• Science supervisors
• K-12 teacher leaders (teams of leaders can include classroom teachers)
• District/school administrators
• Science consultants
• University faculty

Details

Details vary for each institute. Currently, there are no NextGen TIME Leadership Institutes available for registration. Join our email list to stay informed on upcoming programs.