Collaborative Research: Enriching the Professional Development of School Teachers & Community College Faculty in Rural Michigan - An RET Site on Smart Vehicles

在智能车辆的连贯主题内，中密歇根大学（CMU）和西密歇根大学（WMU）的工程和计算机科学网站的教师合作研究经验（RET）将使在职和职前教师以及社区学院教师接触领先的研究，涵盖移动的机器人，运动学和动力学，车辆制造机器人，车辆传感器网络，人体工程学，材料科学，和电路设计。智能汽车在工程领域的多学科性质将为开发物理，化学，工程和技术方面的创意课程模块提供全面的基础，这些模块与下一代科学标准（NGSS），共同核心国家标准（CCSS）以及工程和技术认证委员会（ABET）STEM课程标准保持一致。让以汽车为重点的区域工业顾问和大学教师与农村中学和社区学院教师合作，将成为一个示范平台，并提供罕见的基于最佳实践的专业发展机会和经验。CMU是一所区域性综合性大学，位于密歇根州中部农村的中心地带，在那里它保持着学校为获得新受教育的教师和现有教师的专业发展而转向的“大学”的声誉。这个可再生能源技术更新网站将重点关注这些农村地区的教师，并支持他们提升学生的STEM知识基础，增加他们的就业机会和成为企业家的机会。从事前沿研究的职前教师，确保他们开始他们的职业生涯装备精良的研究经验和信心，把他们的教室。同样地，这些教师将在其聘用的学校中发挥领导作用，从而使该项目的效果倍增。总的来说，通过与K-12学校，社区学院和公立大学的合作，这个RET网站将对密歇根州农村地区的年轻学生的学习和职业道路产生深远的影响，他们的知识，技能，能力和态度都很受欢迎，但谁一直在传统上代表性不足的STEM教育和就业。这个网站将提供一个密集的六-为期一周的暑期研究计划，在三年内为45名农村STEM教师提供服务，重点关注那些在科学和工程领域代表性不足的群体。RET参与者将在工程学院导师的指导下从事智能汽车的前沿研究，这些导师领导积极的研究项目，并通过外展活动为社区服务。工程学院导师，课程开发专家，科学/数学，技术中心的教学教练，以及CMU创新教学学院中心的工作人员将指导参与者设计符合标准的课程模块，并为每个参与者组进行专业发展活动。通过学年广泛的后续活动包括现场教学辅导，季度团队会议，工程教师参与中学和社区学院的课堂，以及跨课堂合作，以确保研究经验转化为实践。一年一度的CMU高影响力STEM教学研讨会将与区域教育工作者分享研究结果，一年一度的CMU STEM日将吸引200多名中学生在CMU校园内探索工程学科。WMU的科学和数学项目改进（SAMPI）工作人员将担任外部项目评估员，跟踪和评估网站进度，并提供改进反馈。他们还将进行纵向研究，以评估拟议的可再生能源技术网站的长期影响。该可再生能源技术网站由工程教育和中心部工程局（ENG）和计算机和网络系统部计算机和信息科学与工程局（CISE）共同资助。

Within a coherent theme of Smart Vehicles, this collaborative Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site at Central Michigan University (CMU) and Western Michigan University (WMU) will expose in-service and pre-service teachers, and community college faculty to leading research spanning mobile robotics, kinematics and kinetics, vehicle manufacturing robots, vehicular sensor networks, ergonomics, material science, and circuit design. The multidisciplinary nature of Smart Vehicles in engineering will provide a holistic ground for developing creative course modules in physics, chemistry, engineering, and technology that aligns well with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Criteria for STEM curriculum. Engaging regionally automobile focused industrial advisors and university faculty with rural secondary school and community college teachers will serve as a model-platform, and provide rare best-practices-based professional development opportunities and experience. CMU, a regional comprehensive university, is located in the heart of central rural Michigan where it maintains a reputation as "the" university to which schools turn for access to newly educated teachers, and for professional development for their current teachers. This RET renewal site will focus on teachers in these rural areas, and support them as they lift the STEM knowledge base of their students, increasing their opportunities for employment and for becoming entrepreneurs. Engaging pre-service teachers in cutting-edge research ensures that they begin their careers well-equipped with research experience and confidence to take into their classrooms. Similarly, with nurtured NGSS-based curriculum design and implementation expertise these teachers will take on leadership roles in their employing schools, thereby multiplying the effect of this project. Overall, through partnership with K-12 schools, community colleges, and a public university, this RET site will provide a profound influence on the learning and career paths of young students in the rural Michigan area, with knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes which are in high demand, but who have traditionally been underrepresented in the STEM education and employment.This Site will offer an intensive six-week summer research program for a total of 45 rural STEM teachers over three years with a focus on those serving groups that are underrepresented in science and engineering. RET participants will engage in cutting-edge research on Smart Vehicles, under the guidance of engineering faculty mentors who lead active research programs, and who serve the community through outreach activities. The engineering faculty mentors, curriculum development specialist, Instructional Coach from Science/Mathematics, Technology Center, and staff from CMU's Faculty Center for Innovative Teaching will coach participants as they design standards-compliant curriculum modules and conduct professional development activities for each participant group. Extensive follow-up activities through the academic year include on-site Instructional Coaching, Quarterly Team Meetings, engineering faculty involvement in secondary school and community college classrooms, and Cross Classroom Collaborations to ensure translation of research experience into practice. The annual CMU High-Impact STEM Teaching Symposium will share findings with regional educators, and the annual CMU STEM Day will engage more than 200 secondary school students in exploration of engineering disciplines on CMU campus. The Science and Mathematics Program Improvement (SAMPI) staff at WMU will serve as external program evaluators, track and evaluate the site progress and provide feedback for improvement. They will also conduct longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impact of the proposed RET site.This RET Site is co-funded by the Directorate for Engineering (ENG), Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) and the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS).