Applying Research Experience into Classroom Teaching: Case Study of Transportation Project in RET Site

Abstract

The paper presents a work in progress of National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) which is to facilitate the professional development of science and mathematics teachers through cutting edge research. Several aspects to the RET project are presented in the paper, including: research project implementation and professional development activities; assessment process as part of the evaluation plan; outcomes of the evaluation plan; and discussion of how these results obtained used improvements using the transportation project as an example. A case of applying transportation research experience gained from the RET project into a 7th grade science classroom at Mt. Healthy North Middle School, Mt. Healthy, Ohio. Finally, the general conclusions from the whole experience are summarized. In this case study, a real traffic problem is addressed by the participating teachers in a science classroom. A lesson is developed for students to conduct an impact analysis of traffic control at an intersection through simulations and field observations. The involved students are 7th graders at a middle school, and the project's year long focus is the study of the scientific method. The ultimate goal is to inspire students' to aspire to seek careers in engineering, math, and science. The implementation of the activities has resulted in increased scores on the district's common semester Science Examination.