The Science House in the College of Sciences and the STEM Education Department in the College of Education are excited to offer this professional development opportunity to North Carolina high school science teachers. Supporting the Implementation of Modeling Instruction in Rural Schools (SIMIRS) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) project (Project Number 2101590). This program focuses on Modeling Instruction in High School Biology and Chemistry while producing new educational research on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Please visit the American Modeling Teachers Association to learn more about Modeling Instruction.

2026 Introduction to Modeling Courses:

Introduction to Modeling Biology Instruction 

Introduction to Modeling Chemistry Instruction

Both courses are three days in length. These are not the full content courses we have offered in the past. They are introductory courses only. Participants will be introduced to the pedagogical principles of Modeling Instruction and shown examples of the course content in practice. These courses are intended for those interested in learning more about Modeling Instruction who have not taken a previous workshop. 

Who is eligible to apply?  North Carolina High School Biology and Chemistry Teachers. High School Physical Science teachers are eligible to apply and will be considered for the Chemistry course, though current Chemistry teachers will have priority. 

2026 Summer Dates & Locations:

July 14-16, 2026 – Raleigh, NC 

July 21-23, 2026 – Morehead City, NC

Both courses will be offered simultaneously in each location. 

Hours and Credits: The workshops will include 18 hours of instruction for 1.8 CEU credits.

Cost: There is no cost to participating teachers. These workshops are free. We are unable to provide stipends for these courses as in the past.  

Travel: Participating teachers are responsible for their travel expenses to the workshop locations. We are unable to provide housing. If you are not within commuting distance to either location and still wish to attend, we can recommend nearby hotels. 

Participating Districts: The following districts and schools provided a letter of collaboration and are grant partners. Teachers from these districts will have priority registration; however, all North Carolina teachers are eligible to apply. Alleghany County Schools, Asheville City Schools, Avery County Schools, Buncombe County Schools, Caldwell County Schools, Catawba County Schools, Cherokee County Schools, Cleveland County Schools, Davie County Schools, Graham County Schools, Haywood County Schools, Henderson County Public Schools, Highland School of Technology (Gaston County), Iredell-Statesville Schools, Jackson County Schools, Macon County Schools, McDowell County Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Mountain Heritage High (Yancey County), Newton-Conover City Schools, Rowan-Salisbury School System, Rutherford County Schools, Surry County Schools, Watauga High School, Wilkes County Schools, Yadkin County Schools.

The application links for the courses are below. Please make sure you use the link for the week and location you wish to attend. Applications are collected using NC State University’s REPORTER system. The system is free to use but requires registration. Space is limited, and selected participants will be notified by May 22, 2026.

Introduction to Modeling Biology – Raleigh Workshop, July 14-16, 2026

Introduction to Modeling Biology – Morehead City Workshop, July 21-23, 2026

Introduction to Modeling Chemistry – Raleigh Workshop, July 14-16, 2026

Introduction to Modeling Chemistry – Morehead City Workshop, July 21-23, 2026

Contact: For more information about these opportunities, please contact Scott Ragan by email (nsragan@ncsu.edu) or phone (919-515-5610).