Intro to Modeling: What are conceptual models?  What is modeling?  What is Modeling Instruction - what is it like for teachers?  For students?  How does it work?  Why does it work?  What does it have to do with NGSS? This distance learning course will take on these questions and more in a 15-week distance learning format that meets once weekly, three hours per meeting.  We will delve into the cognitive underpinnings of Modeling Theory - reading about some of the seminal theories upon which it is based, engage in Modeling discourse and practice discourse management, watch videos of Modeling classrooms and make sense of student thinking by watching them whiteboard and listening to them talk with each other. We will look at how Modeling uncovers the spectrum of middle and high school science topics, exploring the storylines from the various disciplines, discussing the fundamental models of each of these disciplines with expert Modelers from physics, chemistry, biology, and middle school science. The course will be led by Janelle Hollingshead,  Ariel Serkin, Tanea Hilber and Nathan Harada. For details and registration

Middle School Modeling Advanced Topics is a 5-week distance learning course for teachers who have already taken any Modeling workshop, thus bringing together a group of participants who are familiar with the pedagogy and have experience implementing it in the classroom.  The course will address how to  support teachers continuing to implement Modeling in their own classrooms.  Main topics will include incorporating student-to-student discourse, assessing students’ conceptual learning, and leading engaging lessons that build models through storylines.  This course will show how Modeling is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and 3-Dimensional Learning.  Participants will also be given the opportunity to incorporate claim, evidence, reasoning into their science teaching repertoire.  Finally, the course will focus on giving participants a more in-depth understanding of the middle school Modeling resources and provide assistance “Modelize-ing” their own activities. The course will be led by George Nelson and David Bates. For details and registration

This Spring on Thursdays from 7-10 PM (EST), AMTA will offer a 45-hour Distance Learning Electricity & Magnetism Modeling Course.  It will run for 15 consecutive weeks, meeting for 3 hours per week for synchronous communications, and will require at least three additional hours per week for individual and virtual group work.  The course will develop content knowledge and pedagogy for teaching a high school electricity and magnetism course from a microscopic Modeling perspective.  This course will require you to bring your Modeling "A" game each week! This is an excellent opportunity for any Modeler who is looking to deepen their content understanding and extend their understanding and experience in Modeling. The course will be led by Holly McTernan, Jess Dykes and Donna Blakeney. For details and registration