Research Experience for Teachers (RET): The Art of Formal Education

High school students in the United States are consistently outperformed by those from Asian and some European countries on international assessment of mathematics and science, according to The Condition of Education 2006 report released in June 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ⟨http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/06/06012006.html⟩ ⟨http://www.ed.gov/pubs/12TIMSS/SecIII.html⟩

There has been an increasing decline in college enrollment in the fields related to math and sciences. The sole decline among the top five popular degree fields between 2003 and 2004 was in engineering and engineering technologies. In the global economy that is driven by advancement in science and technology, this poor performance calls for action and improvement in the current methods of teaching math and science in high schools.

This issue is critical because there is an acute shortage of qualified math and science teachers across the United States. Many middle and high school science classes are taught by teachers without adequate training and credentials. Elementary and secondary science curricula have not been an educational priority. It is as if the better students will find a way to advance themselves, and those that are on the cusp of wanting to know more about science are left in a lurch.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has been proactive in promoting quality science education by providing funding and resources for $7\mathrm{th}$ to $12\mathrm{th}$ grade teachers who seek professional development. This education is used to strengthen their academic skills in teaching math and science. NSF supports science teaching by delivering programs through university engineering departments that provide teachers with a broad knowledge of mathematics and science strategies that can be applied in the classroom to promote science teaching and learning.

The NSF/Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) summer workshop provides a range of inquiry-based experiences for science and math teachers creating an opportunity for them to engage in state-of-the-art research with professors and graduate students, to hone their skills in applying the scientific method. Teachers are exposed to innovative technologies and how these technologies are applied to research. Teachers generate real data that can be synthesized and measured. The research can then be used to improve their quality of life.

Our RET team was involved in an environmental research lab looking for an innovative and cost-effective technology to remove odorous compounds from surface water. The presence of odorous compounds in water is a phenomenon that high school students can easily grasp. Each city has its own surface water problems. The need to develop an effective technology to remove odors from water becomes a real issue for students. When students are presented with potentially dangerous situations they understand the need to learn; thereby becoming active participants. This leads to a productive classroom environment and an increased interest in the field of science.

It is really exciting to see how research activities can result in real life applications that provide solutions to human needs. For example, the impact of the current research being conducted might be directly used by local water treatment plants to remove persistent odors in water. RET-trained teachers collect and share scientific data with their students. This data then becomes authentic, believable, and easier to understand. The student’s involvement in this real-life research gives them ownership into the science and math program.

The lab research experience also clarifies concepts like nanotechnology, environmental chemistry, scientific method, and lab safety. The RET project provides a great opportunity for teachers to work side by side with engineers and engineering students to develop effective problem-solving strategies and pedagogy that are readily available for use in the classroom. There is a plethora of resources and lesson plans available on the RET website $⟨$ http://www.eng.uc.edu/dept_cee/research/ret $⟩$ for use by math and science teachers. Assessment tools are discussed and developed to measure student progress toward the learning of math and science, with regard to state science standards.

RET teams work with engineering students and field engineers. Field trips to actual testing sites are used to bring these experiences together. They help the teachers learn how structural engineers use basic principles of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, and chemistry to assess material properties, and apply general design methodology in bridge building. The teachers also examine everyday problems that structural engineers face in their work, and how they use hands-on mathematical models to provide possible solutions to those problems and brainstorm various methods to incorporate this learning in math and science classrooms.

The RET field trip to the local water treatment plant provided information to the teachers on the processes involved in providing clean water to people in the community. There were definite explanations given as to how biology, chemistry, physics, math, and technology were used in the water treatment plant. This information will help students understand the advancements in technology and engineering. Teachers can call their local water treatment plants to arrange field trips for their classes.

Another avenue of collaboration between teachers and the community regarding water quality management is the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), which provides programs for middle and high school students aimed at helping students experience the science and engineering of river water management, as well as the adventure and challenges involved in water monitoring and control.

The RET program provides diverse learning opportunities for teachers tailored to their interests and teaching responsibilities. The 2006 RET team at the University of Cincinnati had four groups. One dealt with the removal of odors from surface water and the other three with modern seismic design strategies for buildings, air quality sampling and analysis, and impact analysis of traffic control infrastructure.

The autumn follow-up program continues to support the integration of learning between the RET staff and the teachers. Educational and technological resources are provided to the teachers to support the implementation of their summer experience in the classroom. RET also has developed opportunities for teacher participants to attend conferences and become presenters that would support other professionals in the field of math and science and disseminate information to them.

In summary, RET provides continuous, in-depth research for teachers. This experience is invaluable to teachers of math and science, who experience professional growth and a more practical view of the importance of math and science education. The process of developing classroom lesson plans to implement new scientific knowledge and experience takes on a new meaning. The strategies employed by the RET program through active involvement of math and science teachers seem to make the best use of collective resources to improve standards-based teaching for math and science and attract students to the Engineering discipline.