STEMwork Institutes
Transform Your Teaching Practice
Our Project-Based Learning professional development program, STEMwork, supports K-12 educators in establishing and sustaining education/industry partnerships with local STEM employers.
Choose between two exciting tracks to suit your professional development needs: STEMwork provides an immersive blend of in-person and online experiences, or dive into the convenience of online-only sessions with STEMwork Sprint.
Interested in STEMwork? Complete our interest form and we will contact you.
Adopt Project-Based Learning with Confidence
Breakdown Classroom Barriers
STEMwork teaches you how to build connections between education and industry, introducing students to promising career pathways and energizing local economies with homegrown talent. The blended course gives you an insider look into local industries through guided tours.
Infuse Lessons with Career Relevance
Guided by a facilitator trained by the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership (KFP) at NC State, you will learn to engage students in exploring local STEM careers and build essential skills like problem-solving and collaboration.
Convenient and Impactful Professional Development
Progress through eight interactive asynchronous sessions that will lead you through the intricacies of Project-Based Learning (PBL) design and culminate with the design of your own full PBL unit. You will earn 8 CEUs at course completion.
Supportive Professional Learning Community
Online support and coaching guide you in creating engaging and authentic learning experiences for your students. You will learn grouping, assessment, and management of your PBL product.
The STEMwork Experience
STEMwork
STEMwork is a hybrid course including in-person orientation, local industry tours, and a regional symposium. STEMwork Scholars work within a team of educators from their school or district. Download the flyer for details.
Sprint
STEMwork Sprint is an online-only course and requires an average of 5 hours a month to complete throughout a semester. Participants work at their own pace. Visit the Sprint page to learn more.
Connections
STEMwork Connections gives a team of educators a behind-the-scenes look at select local businesses. Participants will tour facilities and meet with key employees to better understand local industry sectors.
Choose Your Path
Compare our STEMwork offerings to identify the differences between the fully online and the blended courses. The PDF contains a comparison chart between our three STEMwork options: STEMwork, Sprint, and Connections. The checkmarks indicate the benefits included in different programs.
STEMwork uses a collaborative funding model between districts and industry supporters.
Interested school districts and industries should email Carrie Horton at cahorto2@ncsu.edu. Individual educators should check with their schools or districts about the availability of professional development funds.