RET Site: The Advanced Vehicle Technology Research Experiences for Teachers in Engineering and Computer Science (AVT RET)

华盛顿大学(UW)工程和计算机科学网站的教师研究体验(RET)邀请了来自西雅图南部金县的中小学科学和数学教师参加，他们在为期六周的暑期强化多学科和尖端研究经验，涉及环境可持续和绿色先进车辆技术、专业发展和学年合作。RET网站涉及工程学院(COE)的UW教员和系统生物学研究所的洛根教育中心(ISB LCE)在项目开发和实施方面的合作。教师参与了先进车辆技术(AVT)的三个研究项目，包括储能系统设计和集成、硬件和软件在环仿真和测试、用于信息娱乐和显示的人机界面(HMI)、车辆连接和嵌入式控制系统、动力总成部件台架测试、车辆建模和仿真工具的使用，以及改进空气动力学。RET参与者在使用实验和Maker空间工具方面获得第一手经验，并创建符合下一代科学标准(NGSS)工程学科核心理念(DCI)、实践和概念的适合教学的课程增强。该计划影响到两个与美国和世界直接相关的领域：增加K-12教师及其学生对STEM学科、研究和职业机会的更深入了解；以及激励教师和学生追求工程职业。在三年的时间里，这个RET网站为来自西雅图南部地区的30名高中、小学和中学(4-8年级)的STEM教师提供密集的暑期研究和学年计划。目标学区位于教育成果社区中心路线图项目区域，该区域包括金县资源困难学生人口最集中的地区，这些学生人口对STEM教育机会的需求很高。RET网站利用正在进行的多学科EcoCAR 3计划来进行车辆的节能设计。该计划的主要特点包括：1)由华盛顿大学工程学院和系统生物研究所洛根教育中心的教师导师和研究生直接监督项目和课程材料的开发；2)RET教师和他们的学生参与及时的、尖端的绿色和可持续先进车辆技术研究项目，这些项目被转化为工程课程增强；3)学年计划，教师通过每月电话会议和季度会议与UW COE学生和教职员工、行业导师和ISB LCE教育专业人员互动，在课堂上实施课程改进，并通过地方、州和国家网络传播改进措施4)从西雅图地区高需求学区招聘STEM教师；以及5)研究和教育活动，以加强教师的工程设计和计算机科学知识，并为他们提供有效的教学策略，帮助他们将研究经验转化为课程模块，使他们的学生对工程感兴趣，并与NGSS工程学科核心想法(DCI)、实践和概念保持一致。

This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site at the University of Washington (UW) involves elementary and middle school science and mathematics teachers from King County in south Seattle in intensive six-week summer multidisciplinary and cutting edge research experiences on environmental sustainabile and green advanced vehicle technology, professional development, and academic year collaborations. The RET Site involves a partnership between UW faculty in the College of Engineering (CoE) and the Institute for Systems Biology's Logan Center for Education (ISB LCE) in program development and implementation. Teachers participate in three research projects in of advanced vehicle technology (AVT) that include energy storage system design and integration, hardware and software-in-the-loop simulation and testing, Human-Machine Interfacing (HMI) for infotainment and displays, vehicle connectivity and embedded control systems, powertrain component bench testing, use of vehicle modeling and simulation tools, and improving aerodynamics. The RET participants gain first-hand experience in the use of experimental and Maker space tools, as well as create pedagogically appropriate curriculum enhancements that align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Engineering Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), Practices, and Concepts. The program impacts two areas that are of direct interest to the United States and the world: increasing access for K-12 teachers and their students to a deeper understanding of the STEM disciplines, research, and career opportunities; and inspiring teachers and students to pursue engineering careers. Over a three-year period this RET Site offers an intensive summer research and academic year program for a total of 30 upper elementary and middle school (grades 4-8) STEM teachers from the south Seattle area. The targeted school districts are in the Community Center for Educational Results Road Map Project region, which encompasses King County's most concentrated areas of resource challenged student population with a high need of STEM education opportunities. The RET Site leverages the ongoing multidisciplinary EcoCAR 3 program for the energy efficient design of vehicles. Key features of the program include: 1) Direct supervision of projects and course material development by UW College of Engineering and Institute for Systems Biology's Logan Center for Education faculty mentors and graduate students; 2)Involvement of RET teachers and their students in timely, cutting-edge research projects in green and sustainable advanced vehicle technology that are translated into engineering curriculum enhancements; 3) Academic year program in which teachers engage with UW CoE students and faculty, industry mentors, and ISB LCE education professionals through monthly teleconferences and quarterly meetings to implement curriculum enhancements in classrooms and disseminate enhancements via local, state, and national networks 4) Recruitment of STEM teachers from high needs school districts in the south Seattle area; and 5) Research and education activities to strengthen teachers' engineering design and computer science knowledge and provide them with effective pedagogical strategies that will help them translate their research experiences into course modules that will excite their students about engineering and align with NGSS Engineering Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), Practices, and Concepts.