Research Experience for Teachers (RET) as Professional Development

1. Research Experience for Teachers (RET) as Professional Development Dr. Fiona Goodchild Education Director, CNSI University of California Santa Barbara fiona@cnsi.ucsb.edu

2. Professional Development as significant factor • Impact of teacher quality • Teacher expertise explains 40% of difference in student achievement in writing and math in Texas (Ferguson) • Difference in teacher qualifications accounted for 90% of student achievement in New York City (Armour Thomas)

3. Meaningful R&D activities that broaden and deepen scientific and technological knowledge. Activities include mechanisms for translating research to the classroom. Academic-year follow-up and continued dialogue among participants. Assessment of subsequent changes to classroom practices. NSF RET Program Guidelines

4. Teachers participate for two consecutive years in program Summer Year 1 - Teachers work on individual research projects Academic Year 1 - Teachers pilot-test investigative lab projects/curriculum Summer Year 2 - Teachers write up new curricula, develop student assessment Academic Year 2 - Teachers present their work to peers at county-wide annual workshops RET at UC Santa Barbara

5. RET Evaluation Studies • 1999-2000 survey of 11 RET sites in NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) • 2000-2002 graduate researc by Dr. Carol C. S. Johnson of impact of UCSB RET experience on teacher knowledge and professional practice

6. Self reporting by participants before and after the experience Evidence of impacts such as personal connections, new activities, classroom lessons and curriculum Evidence of changes in professional and pedagogical practice of RET teachers Evidence of improved student achievement in RET teacher classrooms Emphasis of evaluation

7. Professional Development Criteria Research by Judith Warren Little • 1. Intellectual and social engagement • 2. Matches teaching interest and context • 3. Offers space for dissent and scrutiny • 4. Creates teacher leadership role • 5. Prepares teachers to introduce inquiry • 6. Balances interests of individual and institution

8. Enthusiasm and Renewal • “This kind of program keeps interest and enthusiasm alive for teachers, which reflects in their students” (Teresa, interview, 8-28-00). • “I would like to [participate in a program such as RET again] just for my own personal growth in science” (Molly, interview, 7-27-00).

9. Program Impacts: Teachers as Scientists • Teacher benefit by… • Learning about current science research questions • Learning how to use new technologies • Developing real-life experimental skills; i.e. troubleshooting, data analysis, problem solving • Displaying and communicating research results • Gaining confidence in their ability to learn new science concepts • “The best part was having so much time to become immersed in the project, being an integral part of the research team and talking science when the need arose. You don’t have the time nor energy to do this when you teach all day.” - High school teacher, Philadelphia

10. Melanie Pearlman, Physics Teacher, research project in “Crosstalk in Free Space Optical Interconnects” Melanie observed in the research lab…. Interaction and collaboration between colleagues Using data to guide design of new experiments Compared with traditional HS Physics lab… Students working to “get the right answer” Manipulating data to illustrate the “right” shaped curve Case Study – Teacher Research Experience

11. Melanie developed a series of new inter-collaborative labs Students work on different aspects of a problem with many variables Students share their results using measurable, graphable data Entire class uses data to construct a formula or explain relationships Example: The class recently used this approach to work out how the neighborhood coffee shop could design cups to keep their coffee hot as long a possible Case Study – Translating to the Classroom

12. Teacher interest/experience • Duration of Summer program 6-8 weeks only • Extend contact through the school year and following summer • Teachers and mentor scientists discuss expectations and projects before summer • Hold weekly meetings for teachers and mentor scientists during the summer • Post teacher projects and teaching materials on RET web site http://www.scienceteacherprogram.org/ • RET participants attend NSTA conference and annual RETnetwork meeting http://www.retnetwork.org/

13. Student Modeling of Scientific Communication • Writing assignments modeled after scientific journals • Collaborating on experimental design • Poster (or White Board) presentations showing: findings, drawings, graphs, mathematical relationships, and discussions • Video productions • Investigating and presenting science topics • Using photographs or other artifacts from research science • Using PowerPoint presentations • Using computer discussion boards

14. WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER DISTRICT TEACHERS • Collaborations between high schools and their feeder schools • Collaborations within school site and/or districts • Collaborative efforts for student assessments

15. What do they have in common? Lab project, experience in problem solving Individual mentorship with scientist Focus on current research topics What’s different? RET vs. Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

16. Mentor Scientists benefit by… Developing supervisory and project management skills Improving ability to explain scientific concepts and research questions Learning how to develop k-12 science curriculum Program Impacts: Scientists as Teachers • “Describing the work of science and the goals of our research tends to sharpen my own interest and give me a better idea of how I can present my work to others.” - Materials Researcher, Princeton

17. “Teachers of science will be the representatives of the science community in their classes” National Science Standards Impacts for Scientific Community • “The exposure to a wide variety of research areas has improved my knowledge of current techniques and research interests – which provides me with an improved background and more confidence to advise students about current methods, research topics and career paths.” • –Junior High teacher, Princeton http://www.retnetwork.org/