The Lawrence Hall of Science

The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.

Professional Learning Services

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Engage in Professional Learning Opportunities

Elevate Your Informal & Expanded STEM Education

High-quality professional learning enhances instruction, improves learning experiences, and builds a strong STEM education field by making connections between ideas, individuals, and organizations. The Lawrence Hall of Science is proud to launch new virtual professional learning services specifically designed  to support STEM educators, leaders, and organizations to make those connections.

What can you expect from our professional learning?

  • Access to a wide range of offerings, from workshops on specific instructional practices to leadership skills. 
  • A focus on deeply understanding STEM teaching and learning, with particular attention to culturally responsive and equitable instruction and pedagogy.
  • Professional learning based on research on how people learn, including opportunities to engage prior knowledge, share expertise, and apply and reflect on new experiences.
  • Opportunities to network and connect with a community of leaders and educators from across the field of informal STEM education.
  • High-quality virtual offerings still share the meaningful learning and community-building experiences you’ve come to expect from the Lawrence Hall of Science, minus the higher costs of travel.
Explore professional learning opportunities

Why Choose Us?

For decades, The Lawrence and UC Berkeley empowered STEM educators to deliver equitable learning experiences through a suite of researched-based instructional materials, and in-person and cohort-based learning institutes. Our new professional learning opportunities are the virtual extension of that vital mission, with a focus on:

  • Learning Outcomes: Experience workshops and courses backed by the expertise of The Lawrence and UC Berkeley and rigorous research. Offerings are designed to support staff in understanding and applying pedagogical practices, build relationships, and share expertise.
  • Cohesion & Shared Practice: Develop the skills of your entire team with a unified approach, fostering team cohesion and a strong foundation for high-quality program delivery across your organization.
  • Adaptive Expertise: Learn from leaders with decades of experience, who continually integrate new research to ensure lessons meet the evolving needs of the field. 
  • Flexible Value: Explore a curated catalog of expert content as the needs of your organization evolve. Engage in content as you need it, or with an organizational membership that makes our catalog accessible for all staff and volunteers.
  • Field-Wide Community: Synchronous, virtual, professional learning opportunities will focus on building relationships between participants, across the broad informal STEM education field. Job-alike groups, Affinity Spaces, Open Space Conferences, and other networking meet-ups will offer opportunities for shared experiences, building community, and strengthening our field, together.

Memberships

Organizational memberships provide affordable and accessible professional learning opportunities to everyone at your organization, including staff, volunteers and board members. Individuals can choose professional learning that aligns with their career goals and responsibilities, without any additional burden. When you sign up as an organizational member, you get:

  • Access for your entire staff, volunteers, and board members to monthly workshops (we offer at least two  every month), as well as quarterly networking events such as virtual Open Space conferences, job alike discussions, or affinity-based meet-ups.
  • Common professional learning experiences that built cohesion and connection across staff and volunteers, as well as across participant learning experiences.
  • Discounts on all leadership courses.
  • Early access to new tools for measuring and reporting the impact of STEM learning experiences—coming in 2026.
  • Input on future course development and priorities.

Membership pricing is tiered based on your organization’s size. Memberships for individuals are also available. Schedule a meeting to learn more about memberships.

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From our virtual workshop attendees…

“I feel extremely encouraged about using the questioning strategies you shared in our program. We already incorporate many BEETLES components into our programs and today’s training gave me more solid ideas about how and why to implement the broad questions, and how to weave the exploration that comes from that back into our curriculum goals.”

“I appreciated the pacing of the event and felt that I got the most out of my time. I got the opportunity to participate as a learner for the first time in what feels like years which was rewarding and fun for my brain.”

“I have received some stellar feedback from teachers regarding my outdoor educators and high school leaders, and I attribute that to all the professional development I have received from your leadership institute and [professional learning sessions]. Those experiences have given me the tools I need to develop my staff and that work has been noticed!”