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.