RET Site: Research Experience for Teachers in Nanoengineering with a Focus on Teacher Leadership

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funding to support a Research Experiences for K-12 Teachers (RET) in Nanotechnology, Engineering, and Leadership at Rice University entitled, "Research Experience for Teachers in Nanoengineering with a Focus in Leadership". This proposal leverages STEM programs developed through prior RET site and NSF Engineering Research Center awards that have resulted in a strong partnership with Houston Independent School District (HISD), which has a very diverse student population. The Rice RET is designed to not only develop content and leadership skills but also scale up research experiences by forming a nexus of teacher leaders who can then train new teachers in perpetuity. Teacher interns will work with curriculum specialists to develop lessons that are inquiry-based, embedded with nanoscience and engineering, and tightly aligned with National and Texas Science standards. The proposed NSF RET Program will enhance and extend the previous successful RET Program. The Rice Office of STEM Engagement (R-STEM) will offer a K-12 RET program in Nanotechnology with a Focus on Teacher Leadership, an enhancement upon the six years of success Rice University has committed in teacher professional development through research internships. R-STEM will connect STEM teachers who serve students in the Greater Houston metropolitan area with expert faculty in nanoengineering research at Rice. With the help of Rice University's research mentorship and facilities, RET will accomplish the following objectives: 1) use nanoengineering research experiences to enhance teacher content knowledge and understanding of STEM research processes, 2) improve the quality of education though the development of engineering design-based learning activities centered on research practices, 3) create a cadre of teacher leaders, and 4) disseminate the RET outcomes broadly by creating a network of teachers who are actively learning about nanoengineering research and engineering design. Teachers will receive inquiry-based lessons, professional development, and pedagogical support along with leadership training as they translate their research experiences into learning experiences for students. The program will serve as a national model and will broadly disseminate the outcomes of RET via symposiums at Rice, national and state-wide meetings, peer-reviewed publications, and online via the TeachEngineering digital library. Teachers will meet weekly during their RET experience to discuss their research, share their lab experiences, develop lesson ideas, as well as plan the dissemination of their research. Rice postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and industry mentors will be constituents supporting the RET teachers in their research. At the conclusion of the research experience, each teacher will create a research poster to present their experience and finding at the Nanotechnology for Teachers Symposium, to their teaching campus, as well as at district and professional conferences. During the academic school year following their research experiences, teachers will share both their research and lesson plans with other teachers in professional development programs. R-STEM professional development courses will support RET teachers to propagate their knowledge effectively to a large number of STEM teachers, creating a cadre of motivated, creative, and diverse teacher leaders in the community. RET interns will also be encouraged and guided by the R-STEM team to publish their nanotechnology lessons through TeachEngineering.org. Throughout the components of the program, assessment is performed by an external evaluator to determine the impact on the 12 teachers that participate each summer and to provide feedback for refining the program.