RET Site: Wearable Research for In-Service STEM Teachers (WRIST)

University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Omaha NE

Investigators

Abstract

This award renews an exemplary Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site on wearable computing research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). The RET site nurtures a long-term partnership between UNO and Omaha Public Schools to advance pre-college science and engineering education by providing cutting-edge research experiences to cohorts of high school teachers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The research projects will focus on emerging wearable technologies and provide hands-on experiments and daily interactions with faculty mentors who are actively involved in leading-edge research on wearable computing. The participating teachers will translate their research experiences and knowledge into classroom practice by developing instructional modules and course materials that they will introduce in their classrooms and share with other teachers in their school district. These activities all contribute to the formation of a community of practice in partnership with UNO faculty and industry mentors that has the potential to significantly enhance and improve STEM education in the Omaha Public School District. The participating teachers will attend a 6-week summer institute to participate in cutting-edge research projects with mentoring from computer science faculty who lead vibrant wearable computing research programs. This RET Site project will provide a platform for the participating teachers to develop practical problem-based instructional materials and laboratory modules that they will share with other teachers in their school district during an academic year workshop. The teacher-created modules and lessons will be disseminated nationally through TeachEngineering.org, a nationally recognized repository for searchable, standards-based engineering curricula. The RET Site project will boost the quality of instruction in the Omaha Public Schools and strengthen the curricula. The excitement of learning about innovative computing technologies can inspire the students to pursue further computing education and related careers. The WRIST program will strengthen ongoing partnerships between the University of Nebraska and Omaha Public Schools and synergize community computer science education initiatives that lay the foundation for quality computing education in the schools and provide for the future computing workforce needs of the community.