The NSF RET site at Penn State Behrend works with cohorts of K-14 STEM educators from the Erie region (covering counties in PA, NY, and OH). Participants of the 6-week summer program are immersed in interdisciplinary research related to manufacturing topics. They attend research talks and industry tours, develop manufacturing simulation activities and conduct laboratory experiments mentored by Behrend faculty members. At the same time, they participate in interactive curriculum development workshops led by an instructional design expert to form their own learning modules. Towards the end of the summer program, the participants consolidate their scientific explorations with instructional activities to fully develop an engaging curriculum unit they can take back to their students.
In the academic year that follows, the RET team continues to collaborate with the high school and community college instructors through a variety of activities: participants co-present their projects with faculty mentors at regional and national conferences, curriculum design expert provides feedback on curriculum units, evaluator visits classrooms while curriculum unit is implemented. Participants also bring their own students for lab tours and competitions at Behrend as well as field trips to local industries.
Program details and publications can be found at NSF RET Site – Penn State Behrend.
