RET Site: Research Experiences for Teacher Advancement In Nanotechnology (RETAIN)

这个教师研究经验（RET）网站，保留在印第安纳州的大学，提供了一个沉浸式的研究和培训计划，高中教师和2年制大学教育工作者在周边高需求的大都市学区。通过耦合真正的学术研究经验，重要的专业发展规划，项目后支持，以及教师导师，当地行业合作伙伴和同事的支持网络的创建，RETAIN培养教师的能力，并为他们提供所需的资源，在课堂上创建和实施参与纳米技术内容。方案活动是专门为培训教师进行探究式学习而设计的，并通过创建能够提高学生对高等教育的兴趣和与STEM有关的职业机会的学习模块，将研究经验转化为课堂经验。值得注意的是，纳米技术的令人兴奋和前沿的研究重点领域不仅非常适合捕捉学生的兴趣，而且其多学科性质允许教师将多个STEM科目整合到他们的课程中，为学生提供与现实世界的合作期望相当的科目到科目的连接。重要的是，IUPUI的城市位置，沿着周围的大都市学区和当地产业，为这个RET网站提供了一个既定的基础设施，该网站致力于在历史上服务不足的学生群体中推进STEM教育，以促进未来STEM劳动力的多样性。印第安纳州大学的RET网站（RETAIN）有两个具体目标：1）培训高中教师和2年制大学教育工作者以探究和发现为基础的科学和工程：从假设开发和实验设计到数据收集和结果传播，同时引入令人兴奋的新纳米技术为重点的STEM概念，应用和职业选择;以及2）通过指导教师将他们的研究经验转化为基于探究的纳米技术教学模块，将新内容融入K-14课程，旨在提高STEM的兴奋度，参与度和学生兴趣。为了实现这些目标，在未来三年内，RETAIN将：1）提供30名K-14大都市教育工作者（高中和2年制大学）的研究经验和研讨会，旨在增加他们对纳米技术的挑战/需求和相关的大学/职业机会和途径的理解; 2）引导教育工作者创建和实施新的课堂学习模块，整合多个STEM学科，传达科学过程技能，并与国家和下一代科学标准保持一致; 3）评估教师开发的学习模块，并确保它们促进城市中学生对STEM领域的文化响应形象和更大的兴趣; 4）创建教师导师，当地行业合作伙伴和教育工作者的支持网络;和5）通过传播教师开发的学习模块和计划物流，时间表，成果，可交付成果，最佳实践，和评估程序，以便RETAIN框架及其产品可以在国家一级的其他机构和教室中实施。在这方面，RETAIN的产品和成果不仅将服务于当地学生，而且将投资于更广泛的全国K-14社区，以培养具有STEM兴趣和大学准备技能的多样化毕业生。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site, RETAIN at the University of Indiana, provides an immersive research and training program for high school teachers and 2-yr college educators in surrounding high-needs metropolitan school districts. By coupling true academic research experiences, significant professional development programming, post-program support, and the creation of a supportive network of faculty mentors, local industry partners, and colleagues, RETAIN fosters teachers’ abilities and provides the resources needed for them to create and implement engaging nanotechnology-content in their classrooms. Program activities have been specifically designed to train teachers in inquiry-based learning and translating research experiences into classroom through the creation of learning modules capable of boosting students’ interest in higher-learning and career opportunities pertaining to STEM. Notably, the exciting and cutting-edge research focus area of nanotechnology is not only well suited to capture student interest, but its multidisciplinary nature allows teachers to integrate multiple STEM subjects into their curriculum to provide students with subject-to-subject connectivity comparable to real-world collaborative expectations. Importantly, IUPUI’s urban location, along with surrounding metropolitan school districts and local industry, provide an established infrastructure for this RET site, which is dedicated to advancing STEM education in historically underserved student populations to boost diversity in the future STEM workforce. The RET Site (RETAIN) at the University of Indiana has two specific goals: 1) Training high school teachers and 2-yr college educators in inquiry- and discovery-based science and engineering: from hypothesis development and experimental design to data collection and dissemination of results, all while introducing exciting new nanotechnology-focused STEM concepts, applications, and career options; and 2) Integrating new content into the K-14 curriculum by guiding teachers in the translation of their research experiences into inquiry-based, nanotechnology teaching modules designed to boost excitement, engagement and student interest in STEM. In order the fulfill these goals, over the next three years RETAIN will: 1) Provide 30 K-14 metropolitan educators (high school and 2yr college) with research experiences and workshops designed to increase their understanding of challenges/demands of nanotechnology and associated college/career opportunities and pathways; 2) Lead educators in creating and implementing new classroom learning modules that integrate multiple STEM disciplines, convey scientific-process skills, and align with State and Next Generation Science Standards; 3) Assess teacher-developed learning modules and ensure they promote a culturally responsive image of, and greater interest in, STEM fields among urban secondary students; 4) Create a supportive network of faculty mentors, local industry partners, and educators; and 5) Support communities by disseminating both teacher-developed learning modules and program logistics, schedules, outcomes, deliverables, best practices, and evaluation procedures so that RETAIN framework and its products can be implemented at other institutions and classrooms on a national level. In this, products and outcomes of RETAIN will not only serve local students, but will invest in the broader, national K-14 community to produce diverse graduates with STEM interest and college-ready skills.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.