| The Research Experiences
for Teachers (RET) program is changing the face of science education in
the United States and abroad through immersion in research and supporting
professional development. RET programs, found at many universities
throughout the country, serve as leaders in the effort to improve Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education at the pre-college
level. The Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing & Imaging Systems
(Gordon-CenSSIS), an NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC), is a leader
in the design and dissemination of this program nationwide.
Northeastern University’s
RET program, led by Gordon-CenSSIS K-14 Education Coordinator Claire Duggan,
is furthering efforts to develop a cohort of STEM teacher leaders through
the organization of RET sessions within the annual National Science Teachers
Association (NSTA) meetings.
Duggan coordinates two RET
meetings at NSTA: a networking workshop and a research poster session.
The Networking Workshop focuses on the sharing of best practices and lessons
developed in RET programs across the country, and also includes a themed
discussion around the process of lesson-planning and the integration of
Engineering into the K-12 curriculum. The Poster Session provides
RET participants with the opportunity to share their research experiences
with the general audience of NSTA participants. “[The primary value
of the workshop was] learning from others about their experiences and their
lessons learned. Sharing of ideas is so important in order for us
to learn from each other,” said one participant in the RET sessions at
NSTA.
Through the NSTA sessions
coordinated by Ms. Duggan, RET programs across the country are leading
classrooms and schools into the next generation of effective STEM education. |
