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Professional Learning Units & Courses

 

Bite-sized, self-paced, and asynchronous short courses

Improve your practice, enrich your students’ learning, and increase equitable participation in your classroom.

 

  Easily Earn Credit Hours

Regardless of your schedule or location, you can earn a NSTA PLU certificate—that could be used towards credit hours of professional learning—when it’s convenient for you! Learn how it works.

  

  

Gain Practical Teaching Strategies That Enrich Student Learning

NSTA Professional Learning Units (PLU) are bite-sized, self-paced, asynchronous short courses that educators can use to improve their practice, enrich students’ learning, and increase equitable participation in the classroom. Regardless of your schedule or location, you can earn a NSTA PLU certificate—that could be used towards credit hours of professional learning—when it’s convenient for you!

Benefits
  • self-paced and flexible short courses that can be completed anytime, anywhere
  • designed around relevant science education topics
  • supports student-centered teaching and learning
  • earn a certificate that could be used towards credit hours of professional learning (for each PLU)

Latest PLUs

Engaging Students in Science Learning: Science and Engineering Practices

Professional Learning Unit

Engaging Students in Science Learning: Science and Engineering Practices

In this module, you will consider the role of science and engineering practices (SEPs) in student engagement. You will examine science lessons to make...

Professional Learning Unit

Teaching That Supports Choice of STEM Careers Part 1: Integrating Engineering Practices and Career Competencies into Science Classrooms

A Framework for K-12 Education calls for the integration of engineering design into K-12 science classrooms. This PLU introduces the challenges and op...

Science and Engineering Practices STEM

Professional Learning Unit

Engaging Students in Science Learning: A Productive Approach to Classroom Management

In this module, participants consider the relationship between fostering student engagement through tapping into their curiosity and positive behavior...

Professional Learning Unit

Leading the Implementation of High Quality Instructional Materials to Enact Standards

High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) designed for next generation science can make a difference in the quality of equitable science teaching an...

Advocacy Curriculum Leadership Professional Learning Three-Dimensional Learning

  

PL Courses


 

Professional Learning Course

Science Notebooks in Student Centered Classrooms

Science notebooks are a powerful and flexible tool to support students’ sensemaking. The science notebook creates a space for students to document t...

Professional Learning Course

The Three-Dimensions of Teaching and Learning

Build an understanding of the three dimensions of teaching and learning by exploring (1) the research behind the three dimensions; (2) the K-12 learni...

Crosscutting Concepts Disciplinary Core Ideas Professional Learning Science and Engineering Practices Three-Dimensional Learning

  

Free PLUs


 

ALT Cert TEST

Professional Learning Unit

ALT Cert TEST

TEST Desscription .....blah blah blah...

Professional Learning Unit

Engaging Students in Science Learning: A Productive Approach to Classroom Management

In this module, participants consider the relationship between fostering student engagement through tapping into their curiosity and positive behavior...

Engaging Students in Science Learning: Science and Engineering Practices

Professional Learning Unit

Engaging Students in Science Learning: Science and Engineering Practices

In this module, you will consider the role of science and engineering practices (SEPs) in student engagement. You will examine science lessons to make...

  

Free PLUs for Members

Become a Member


 

Professional Learning Unit

STEM in the High School Life Science Classroom - Implementing the Alexa for Astronauts: Using AI to Monitor Health NSTA Daily Do Playlist (Part 2)

NSTA partnered with Amazon Future Engineer and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the Alexa for Astronauts program to create the Alexa for...

High School Computer Science Instructional Materials Interdisciplinary Life Science STEM Teaching Strategies Technology

Professional Learning Unit

STEM in the High School Life Science Classroom - Implementing the Alexa for Astronauts: Using AI to Monitor Health NSTA Daily Do Playlist (Part 1)

NSTA partnered with Amazon Future Engineer and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the Alexa for Astronauts program to create the Alexa for...

High School Computer Science Instructional Materials Lesson Plans Life Science STEM Technology

Professional Learning Unit

What Is Sensemaking?

After exploring what sensemaking truly means, educators will be introduced to the four attributes of sensemaking (phenomena, science and engineering p...

NGSS Phenomena Sensemaking Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning

Professional Learning Unit

The Meaning Beyond the Words

Recent research on race, language, and culture are working to re-shape science teaching and learning. As educators, how we say things can have an enor...

Equity Inclusion Multilingual Learners Professional Learning Social Justice Teaching Strategies

 

PL add on

Get Access to All PLUs

NSTA’s Professional Learning Add On allows you the convenience and flexibility to choose the specific resources you need to achieve your professional learning goals. The add-on includes…

  Access to all of NSTA’s asynchronous short courses currently available.
  Access to one live web seminar series of your choosing during the calendar year.
  Access to NSTA’s library of Interactive eBooks+ (teacher versions only)

  

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