Our Academic Professional Development Institutes are unique, hybrid graduate level courses that engage teachers in hands-on, minds-on, inquiry-based investigations and increase their STEM content knowledge! Our courses will connect you with scientists, engineers and STEM professionals. You will work with educators at our partner institutions to explore real-world phenomena through hands-on, minds-on investigations, and identify how to implement these investigations with your students in the classroom. You will earn PDPs and optional graduate credits as you experience inquiry-based learning firsthand. Receive curriculum materials for the inquiry-based, minds-on, hands-on investigations introduced during the course to use in your classrooms. Academic year institutes are usually 6-10 week long courses that include online modules and 4 Saturday on-site sessions.
During the institutes, you will:
Participate in content and skill-based development sessions aimed at strengthening your students’ interest in and passion for STEM.
Visit partner organization sites and engage in inquiry investigations or field work.
Engage in discussions with experts, scientists, and peers; peer collaboration time; and phenomena-based investigations.
Practice integrating science content with the Science and Engineering Practices to develop inquiry-based investigations for your students.
Discover resources from museums, science centers, and higher education institutes in your community that you can utilize throughout the year.
Enrich your teaching toolbox with science investigations that meet the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework and NGSS Standards.
Earn Professional Development Points (PDPs) and even take an institute for graduate credit.
These institutes will also provide an opportunity for you to increase your proficiency with and leverage the power of technology to support student learning in both the classroom and remote settings.