Five Star Professional Learning
We Bridge The Gap Between
K-12 And
Higher Ed.
Preparing today’s education faculty to empower tomorrow’s teachers.
Building The Next Generation of K-12 Educators
With our K-12 teaching and leadership experience, we provide specialized
professional learning for teacher preparation and transition to teaching programs.
Workshops Tailored to the Needs of Education Faculty
Universal Design
For Learning (UDL)
Equip your students with the tools they need to design learning experiences that are accessible and engaging for all students.
Connecting Literacy And STEM
Equip future educators with the tools they need to integrate STEM and literacy pedagogies for impactful, results-driven teaching.
Integrated
STEM
Invest in the future of STEM education. Equip your faculty and empower your graduates to transform learning with STEM.
AI For
Educators
Leverage the power of artificial intelligence
to elevate curriculum development, teaching strategies, and productivity.
Thoughtful Integration of Classroom Technology
In today’s tech-saturated classrooms, educators must integrate digital tools in ways that enhance, rather than distract from, student learning. That’s where we come in. Our professional learning empowers teacher educators to use technology for deeper learning, greater student agency, and more authentic assessment.
Through our training, educators gain tools and strategies to critically evaluate and purposefully integrate technology into their courses. As a result, they can better prepare future teachers to apply these strategies effectively in their own classrooms.
Our professional learning focuses on using tech tools to:
- Engage students in meaningful learning experiences
- Foster student collaboration and teamwork
- Expand student choice allowing for more personalized learning
- Enhance assessment practices for deeper insights into student progress
- Increase inclusivity and accessibility to support diverse learners
- Improve educator productivity & organization for more efficient teaching
The team enriches the learning experience and provides diverse perspectives, promotes deep thinking about teaching methods that can significantly enhance pedagogical approaches, and focuses on STEM-related critical thinking skills crucial for preparing teachers and their students for future technological advancements.
For Educators,
By Educators
Our longstanding partnerships with Google, Adobe, and other leaders in educational tech position us to serve the needs of teacher preparation programs.
Our Trusted Partners:
Current And Past Projects
Webinar Series: The Indiana Learning Lab for Preservice Teachers (Ongoing)
At Five Star, we believe in equipping educators with the right tools from the start of their teaching journey. That’s why we’re offering a personalized webinar to introduce preservice teachers to the Indiana Learning Lab. The Learning Lab is an online platform, in partnership with the IDOE, with a range of professional development resources.
The webinar provides a guided tour of the Learning Lab along with hands-on support for account setup. In addition, the Lab provides tailored research activities to highlight valuable resources for current and future projects. By the end of the session, preservice teachers have a strong foundation of the Lab to support their professional growth.
Google Computer Science (CS) First for Higher Ed (Ongoing)
CS First introduces preservice teachers and education faculty to Google’s free computer science curriculum for grades 4-8. Through interactive workshops, participants explore hands-on coding activities and discover ways to integrate computer science into their teaching. CS First helps students build problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills.
By the end of the session, educators have the resources needed to bring engaging CS learning experiences into their classrooms.
Indiana STEM Cadre:
for STEM Education
(2022-2024)
The Indiana STEM Cadre was a collaborative initiative created to enhance STEM teaching and learning in 30+ Indiana schools. To bring this vision to life, Five Star partnered with the Center for Excellence in the Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis. Together, we supported research-based program development and facilitated essential connections between K-12 schools and EPPs.
Rooted in Indiana’s Priorities for STEM Education, the Indiana STEM Cadre was driven by a clear mission: to equip educators with the tools, strategies, and knowledge needed to deliver high-quality, integrated STEM education. Through this initiative, educators gained access to innovative resources and expert guidance. In addition, a strong professional network to elevate STEM learning in their classrooms.
Five Star Equips Education Faculty With The Skills They Need To Empower Tomorrow’s Teachers
Our Comprehensive Service Offerings
Thoughtful Integration of Classroom Technology
Our professional learning focuses on intentionally using tech tools to:
- Engage students
- Foster student collaboration
- Expand student choice and agency
- Enhance assessment practices
- Increase inclusivity and accessibility
- Increase educator productivity and organization
Universal Design For Learning (UDL)
Our professional learning focuses on:
- UDL Foundations: Core principles and inclusive teaching practices.
- Equitable Environments with UDL: Addressing diverse needs and removing barriers.
- UDL and Accessibility: Practical strategies for accessible learning.
- UDL Guidelines Deep Dive: In-depth examination and practical applications.
- Infusing UDL Principles in course design, instructional materials, and instructional delivery.
Integrated STEM
Our professional learning focuses on integrated STEM:
- Essential frameworks
- Project and problem-based approaches to teaching
- Research-based instructional practices
- Methods for inquiry
- Strategies to grow critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and collaboration
- Connection to employability skills
Intersecting Literacy and STEM
Our professional learning focuses on:
- Methods and frameworks to purposefully integrate literacy and STEM pedagogies
- Utilizing interactive read-alouds to improve STEM knowledge and create a connection between literacy and STEM.
- Ways to provide differentiated support to help all learners engage with STEM content while growing literacy skills.
AI For Future Educators
Our AI in Education learning experiences explore the transformative potential of AI tools, focusing on their integration into educator preparation programs. Participants will:
- Understand the Current Landscape: Gain insights into the rise of educational AI tools and their applications for pre-service teachers.
- Harness the Benefits: Learn how AI tools can enhance teacher training, support iterative learning, and improve instructional design skills.
- Develop Critical Evaluation Skills: Engage in hands-on activities to critically assess AI-generated content
- Foster Ethical AI Use: Discuss the importance of human oversight and ethical considerations in using AI tools in education.
- Empower Future Educators: Explore strategies for preparing pre-service teachers to effectively and responsibly utilize AI tools in their classrooms.
CS First For Higher Ed
CS First for Educator Prep. Faculty & Students
Google Bootcamps for Higher Ed
In today’s tech-integrated world, mastering Google Workspace for Education is increasingly crucial, and our programs are designed to empower you! Our goal is to enhance your preparation for Certification exams, strengthening you as an educator.
Adobe For Higher Ed
We offer sessions that will support future educators to continue building valuable digital literacy skills and creative communication skills while imparting inspired instruction for all students and ages.
Teacher Incubator Program
Through a three-way partnership between a school district, a local education preparation program (EPP), and Five Star, we work to build a solid pipeline of new teacher candidates from the EPP to your district while also supporting the retention of current teachers.
Coaching/Consulting
UDL:
- Infusing UDL into Higher Ed coursework
- UDL for preservice teachers
- Using AI to enhance Higher Ed teaching
- AI for preservice teachers
- Integrating STEM practices into Higher Ed teaching
- Integrated STEM for preservice teachers
- Thoughtful integration of classroom tech for preservice/transition to teaching programs
- Thoughtful integration of classroom tech for preservice teachers
Asynchronous Resources
- Self-paced courses
- Videos/recorded webinars
- On demand micro-learning focused on micro-topics related to workshop topics.
Teacher Educator Forums
Forums to bring together EPP / transition to teaching staff with K-12 teachers & leaders with focuses on UDL, integrated STEM, tech in the classroom, thoughtful integration of classroom tech.
Preparing Teacher Mentors
Partnering with K-12 schools and universities to prepare teacher mentors to support student teachers in applying current best practices and cutting-edge strategies.
