RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: UC Berkeley's Context-Based Research Experience for Community College Faculty

该奖项为三年标准奖提供资金，以支持加州大学伯克利分校的工程和计算机科学网站计划的教师研究经验（RET），题为“工程和计算机科学网站的RET：加州大学伯克利分校社区学院教师基于上下文的研究经验”，在Eli Yablonovitch博士和Sharnnia Artis博士的指导下。这个RET网站建立在科学，工程，技术和教育的交叉点上，将支持30名STEM教师（每年10名）从弗朗西斯科湾区当地的加州社区学院中毕业，在与加州大学伯克利分校有关联的各种工程相关研究实验室进行独立研究并将研究概念转化为课程，与具有社会效益和就业潜力的技术应用相联系。通过RET最佳实践，每年夏天，社区学院的教职员工将参加为期9周的体验。这方面的经验将包括在一个工程组中进行为期8周的独立研究项目，其中教师，博士后研究人员和研究生都是活跃的，可用的，并参与其中;以及为期1周的团队课程开发经验，其中两种经验都被放置在社区大学学生发现令人兴奋的技术应用背景下，从事和可行的未来职业生涯。在下一个学年，紧接着教师的夏季经验，后续行动将包括网络研讨会，实施他们的课程模块，展示他们的课程模块在RET网站的基于背景的课程开发研讨会，并在网上发布课程。RET网站计划的努力将促进社区学院教师的研究过程的理解，通过从事真实的，深入的，在创新和前沿课题方面的工程相关研究经验，如替代能源，网络安全和工业互联网，绿色和可持续制造，以及可穿戴医疗设备。因此，教师可以反过来让他们的社区学院的学生在技术驱动的教育活动，通过基于上下文的课程开发过程中的研究经验。RET网站还将通过提供研究经验如何影响教师及其在社区大学课堂上的教学的数据，为科学和工程教育的研究做出贡献。教师参与者将带着新的技能和工具回到他们的家乡社区大学，在学生可以联系并希望参与的技术环境中教授新的科学和工程原理。因此，这个基于上下文的RET网站的更广泛的影响在于提高参与度和持久性的潜力，从而最终提高STEM专业的社区大学生的留存率，特别是入门级社区大学生。考虑到社区学院的人口结构，可再生能源技术网站还应有助于提高妇女和代表性不足的少数民族学生对数学、科学和工程概念、技能和职业的理解。此外，该计划，特别是其基于背景的课程开发研讨会后，将进一步培养和维持社区学院教师，教师，博士后和研究生研究人员的长期合作伙伴关系的潜力充满活力的网络。

This award provides funding for a three year standard award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site program at the University of California-Berkeley, entitled, "RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: UC Berkeley's Context-Based Research Experience for Community College Faculty", under the direction of Dr. Eli Yablonovitch and Dr. Sharnnia Artis. This RET Site builds on the intersection of science, engineering, technology, and education and will support a total of 30 STEM faculty members (10 per year) from local California community colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area to undertake independent research at a variety of engineering-related research laboratories associated with the University of California, Berkeley, and to transform the research concepts into curriculum that is linked to technology applications with societal benefits and employment potential. Informed by RET best practices, each summer, the community college faculty members will participate in a 9-week experience. This experience will include an 8-week independent research project in an engineering group in which faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students are active, available, and involved; and a 1-week team-based curriculum development experience, in which both experiences are placed in the context of a technology application that community college students find exciting, engaging and viable for a future career. During the next academic year, immediately following the faculty's summer experience, follow-up will include webinars, implementing their course module, demonstrating their course module at the RET Site's Context-Based Curriculum Development Workshop, and publishing the curriculum online.The RET Site programmatic effort will foster community college teachers' understanding of the process of research by engaging in authentic, in-depth, engineering-related research experiences in innovative and cutting-edge topics, such as alternative energy, cyber security and industrial internet, green and sustainability manufacturing, and wearable medical devices. As a result, teachers may in turn engage their community college students in technology-driven education activities through context-based curriculum developed during the research experience. The RET Site will also contribute to research in science and engineering education by providing data on how research experiences influence teachers and their teaching in community college classrooms.The teacher participants will return to their home community colleges with new skills and tools to teach new scientific and engineering principles in technology contexts that students can relate to and hopefully, will aspire to participate in. Thus, the broader impact of this Context-Based RET Site lies in the potential of increasing engagement and persistence and thus, eventually the retention rate, among community college students majoring in STEM, particularly among entry-level community college students. Given the demographics of community colleges, the RET Site should also contribute to increasing the understanding of math, science and engineering concepts, skills and careers among women and underrepresented minority students. Additionally, this program, especially with its post-program Context-Based Curriculum Development Workshop, will further cultivate and sustain a vibrant network of community college teachers, faculty, postdoctoral, and graduate student researchers with the potential of long-term collaborative partnerships.