JoinProfessional 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.
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
Professional Learning Unit
Analyzing and Interpreting Data to Support Student Sensemaking in a High School Evolution Unit
This Professional Learning Unit uses a storyline unit with an anchoring phenomenon that is a case study in which the patient has acute mountain sickne...
Professional Learning Unit
Using the Putting the Pieces Together Instructional Routine
In this module, educators will be introduced to the four elements of the Putting the Pieces Together (PT2) Instructional Routine. In the Putting the P...
Professional Learning Unit
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...
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...
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...
Free PLUs
Professional Learning Unit
NSTA partnered with Amazon Future Engineer and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the Alexa for Astronauts program to create the Alexa for...
Professional Learning Unit
NSTA partnered with Amazon Future Engineer and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the Alexa for Astronauts program to create the Alexa for...
Professional Learning Unit
After exploring what sensemaking truly means, educators will be introduced to the four attributes of sensemaking (phenomena, science and engineering p...
Professional Learning Unit
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...
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…