Project Grant 2620691

The National Science Foundation Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings awarded the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $750,000 on August 15, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to develop and study an AI-assisted professional development program supporting high school science teachers to design and deliver learning experiences that emphasize epistemic practices in science instruction.

The project operates through two components: training and curriculum development. Teachers collaborate with an AI partner to co-develop lesson plans and co-analyze student learning artifacts, generating research on how AI can support teacher learning and improve science instruction while advancing responsible AI design for educational settings. Work proceeds through three phases using design-based research methods: Year One engages five teachers in co-designing the AI tool and professional learning materials with researchers; Year Two pilots the tool with ten teachers to evaluate usability and teacher learning; Year Three expands to twenty teachers across two school districts in Missouri and North Carolina. The initiative reaches approximately 2,100 students in rural and suburban schools.

Performance is based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with ultimate completion by July 31, 2029. The University of North Carolina System Office serves as the parent institution.