1. NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Summer 2017
Dr. Anant R. Kukreti
RET Principal Investigator
&
Debbie Liberi
Program Coordinator
Informational Session 1
Old Chem, Room 840
University of Cincinnati
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
3:30 – 5:30pm

2. Agenda for Today’s RET Informational Meeting
Greetings and Refreshments (20-25 minutes) 3: :55 PM, Old Chem, 840
Introduction Activity (20 min.) 3:55- 4:15 PM,
Informational Power Point Session (15 min.) 4:15 – 4:30 PM
Questions and Answers (15 min.) 4:30 – 4:45 PM
Group Activity ( 30 minutes) 4:45 – 5:15 PM

3. Introduction Activity
Form two groups:
You have 30 seconds to decide which 2 of the following items you will ask of each other. Then interview each other for 30 sec/person:
Name, school and grade level.
Greatest ongoing challenge you face
as a teacher.
3 adjectives that best describe you as
an educator.
What drew you to apply to RET.
What you biggest priority is as an
educator.
You will take turns introducing each other to the group. (30 secs/person)

4. Information about RET Summer 2017
1) Objectives 2) Statistics and Successes 3) Benefits 4) Research and Pedagogy 5) Support – summer and school year 6) Typical day in the schedule 7) Questions and Answers

5. Objectives of RET
Encourage teachers to incorporate new pedagogies (CBL and EDP) into their teaching practices.
Move science and math classrooms from teacher centered to student centered learning environments.
Develop classrooms that include real world applications in the teaching of content.
Use engineering applications (A) to convey math and science concepts
Encourage students to consider engineering careers (C)
Show societal impact (S)
Provide opportunity to students to experientially learn the 21st Century Skills

6. RET Statistics and Successes
During Years 2009 – 2010 to
and Fall of 2016
There have been 63 teacher participants
From Cincinnati Public, suburban and rural districts
Including Ohio and Kentucky
Participating in 140 research projects
Impacting over 3400 students

7. Benefits of Participation in RET Summer 2017
Professional Benefits:
Other:
Participate in actual engineering research projects
Take an engineering class entitled Engineering Foundations
Participate in ongoing professional development
Create a unit using Challenge Based Learning and engineering Design Process for your students in your classroom
Prepare to present at professional conferences or submit journal articles
Earn $6000
Obtain a laptop for personal use
$200 for classroom materials to support unit implementation
Earn contact hours
Form a Cohort with other professionals

8. Research Projects and Pedagogy
Engineering research focuses on problem solving.
Opened ended
Models iterative process.
Challenge Based Learning
Students are led from the Big Idea a Essential Question a Challenge
Challenge has multiple acceptable solutions
Engineering Design Process
Has an iterative structure that allows for testing and modifications for improvement

9. Ongoing Support Personnel Typical Workshops Offerings:
Research Faculty Mentor (supervises research)
Graduate Research Assistant (assists in conducting research)
RET Resource Person (supports development of unit)
Challenge Based Learning
Engineering Design Process
Conducting Research
Use of Library Facilities
Making posters and videos
Writing journal articles

10. Three Typical Days for Comparison:
Summer Schedule
Week Week Week 5
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Engineering Foundations Class
Research Training
9:00– 10:30 AM PD: Video Workshop Session 2
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM RET PD: Journal Writing
Lunch
1:00 – 4:00 PM PD with CEEMS Teachers: Challenge Based Learning
1:00 – 2:30 PM PD with CEEMS Teachers: Templates required by Cohorts
1:00- 1:20 PM Progress Meeting with Faculty Mentor and GRA
4:15 – 5:15 Research Training Prep – Completing the Roadmap
2:45- 3:00 PM Progress Meeting with Faculty Mentor and GRA
1:30 – 6:00 PM Conducting Research
3:15 – 6:00 PM

11. Questions regarding RET?
Components?
Key players?
Objectives or benefits?

12. Group Activity
Working in two groups, you will do the following activity:
Consider the mission to send a manned spacecraft to Mars.
What are the physiological stresses on the body caused by lengthy space travel under conditions of microgravity? Research and identify some of them. (Brainstorm or use your phone or laptops to research.)
Prioritize the top 3 you have identified.
Develop a system, regiment, or design products that will counter the effects of the physiological stresses caused by microgravity and describe how the system, regiment or products are utilized to produce the desired outcomes.