ABOUT THE NC-NET ACADEMY
The NC-NET Academy offers courses in various formats and lengths to meet the needs of busy instructors. There are fully facilitator-led courses, lightly-facilitated or “guided” courses, and on-demand, self-enrolled courses, all delivered asynchronously via Moodle. Academy courses weave together readings, activities, and opportunities for participants to share stories from their lives (and their classrooms), pose questions to the group, and develop immediately-useful teaching resources. Enrollment is open to part-time or full-time community college instructors in North Carolina, with special emphasis on career and technical faculty. The courses provide an opportunity for faculty from across the state to network with and learn from each other.
Participant Eligibility and Expectations
Full-time and part-time faculty from any community or technical college in North Carolina may apply. Participants in facilitated courses should plan to spend 5-7 hours per week on course assignments. Participants in self-paced courses may participate as time allows. Course completers receive a certificate and a professional development badge. Please check course descriptions for information about incentive award availability. Incentive awards are not awarded for on-demand courses.
Enrollment Policies
A group of 38 colleges are eligible for early enrollment to ensure institutions with fewer resources have an opportunity to benefit from these professional development experiences. Up to six instructors from one college may register for a particular course; additional faculty from the same college will be placed on the waiting list and admitted as space allows. No faculty members will be permitted to take more than one course at a time. Please note that some courses are taught in CTE program faculty cohorts.
How to Register
All course registration occurs online. When the enrollment period for a course is open, you will find a link to the online registration form on the NC-NET home page. Schedule page, above the course description. Participants will be enrolled until each course reaches a maximum of 30 participants. A waiting list will also be maintained. There is no enrollment limit for On-Demand courses.
SPRING 2027 FACILITATED COURSES
Start Teaching Today! New-to-Teaching and Adjunct Instructors Cohort Includes a Facilitated Capstone Project
January 15 – February 19, 2027
Early Enrollment opens December 14.
Open enrollment begins December 16.
Format: A 5-week asynchronous course with weekly objectives and discussions and a facilitated capstone project in Week 5.
Completers earn a completion certificate, a professional development badge, and an incentive award.
Designed for new faculty with minimal background in education theory and application. Each module provides a guided exploration of resources on topics important to teaching at the college level; helpful links containing examples and implementation tips, expert advice, journal articles, and supporting evidence of best teaching practices. Opportunities for reflection and colleague interaction will be included through discussion board prompts.
- What Do I Need for the First Day of Class?
January 15 – 22, 2027 - How Do I Create a Positive Classroom Climate?
January 22 – 29, 2027 - How Can I Enrich the Learning Experience?
January 29 – February 5, 2027 - How Do I Know What They Know? Incorporating Authentic Assessment Practices
February 5 – 12, 2027 - CAPSTONE PROJECT: Ready, Set, Go! Next Steps for Instruction
February 12 – 19, 2027
Creative Thinking in the College Classroom: Inspiring Innovation in Students and Faculty
March 12 – April 19, 2027
Early enrollment opens February 22.
Open enrollment begins February 24.
In our fast-paced, task-oriented world, are learners taking shortcuts that disconnect them from their inherent cognitive diversity? How can we build greater engagement, enjoyment, and understanding through the development of creative and innovative thinking practices? Readings, exercises, and discussions provide opportunities for exploration, application and review of techniques and methods for improving beliefs, habits and skills that improve our inventive abilities in and out of the classroom. In this course, you are asked to bring both your technical expertise and your ingenuity to the instructional design process, as you draft a capstone lesson that infuses practical strategies for encouraging innovative thinking and deeper creative connections.
Format: This is a 5-week facilitated course with weekly objectives and discussions.
Completers earn a completion certificate, a professional development badge, and an incentive award.
- Creativity – An Overview and Reflection
- Personal and Professional Agency and Creative Mindset
- Cultivating Student Creativity – Inspiring Innovation
- Creative By Design – Intentional Creativity Infused Lesson Planning
Habits of Happy Teachers II: Continuing the Educator Wellness Journey
April 16 – May 24, 2027
Early enrollment opens March 29.
Open enrollment begins March 31.
Revisit, reflect, rejuvenate! This course will cover some of the wellness topics from HHT1, with an infusion of new ideas and practices. We’ll dig further into habits of the mind, and discuss intellectual, social, and occupational wellness strategies for educators. Join us as we reconvene to maintain momentum on educator wellness habits
Format: This is a 5-week facilitated course with weekly objectives and discussions.
Completers earn a completion certificate, a professional development badge, and an incentive award.
Note: Participants must have completed the HHT I course before enrolling.
- Intellectual Wellness – Cultivating an Inspired and Active Mind
- Emotional Wellness – Optimism, Resiliency and Esteem – Perspectives and Practices
- Social Wellness- Building Connections and Community Through Collaborative Conversations
- Occupational Wellness – Motivation, Structure, and Purpose