Research Experiences for Teachers (RET): Motivation, Expectations, and Changes to Teaching Practices due to Professional Program Involvement

Pop, Margareta; Dixon, Patricia; Grove, Crissie M.

doi:10.1007/s10972-009-9167-2

Cited by 58 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Although there is little in the field of science studies that focuses on the development of new researchers in research groups, there has been a fair amount of research on what Sadler, Burgin, McKinney, and Ponjuan () refer to as research apprenticeships. This includes the extensive work done on precollege students (Barab & Hay, ; Charney et al., ; Etkina, Matilsky, & Lawrence, ; Richmond & Kurth, ), undergraduates (Hunter, Laursen, & Seymour, ; Kardash, ; Lopatto, ; Rauckhorst, Czaja, & Baxter Magolda, ), and pre‐ and in‐service teachers (Pop, Dixon, & Grove, ; Schwartz, Lederman, & Crawford, ; Varelas, House, & Wenzel, ) engaged in short‐term research experiences. Because our study focuses on undergraduate and graduate students, we look more closely at that literature.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Becoming Researchers: The Participation of Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Scientific Research Groups

2013

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This study sought to understand how graduate and undergraduate students learn to do science by participating in research groups. A phenomenological approach was used to illuminate the experiences of the students. The results provide evidence that the students were in the role of apprentices, although this was not made explicit. As apprentices they learned by doing as legitimate peripheral participants in the groups. Mentoring was distributed among the group, with more advanced students providing much of it. The groups were both communities of practice and epistemic communities in which students gained methodological and intellectual proficiency. Finally, student learning in research groups can be conceptualized as learning trajectories that enter the group, traverse characteristics of communities of practice and epistemic communities, and leave with the students as novice researchers, proficient technicians, or knowledge producers. The implications for K‐12 science education are that it is unrealistic to expect teachers to achieve the proficiency in traditional short‐term research experiences that would prepare them to teach their students how to engage in authentic scientific research, and that these experiences should be structured so that the teachers are placed in tightly organized research groups with mentors who explicitly teach them how to do science. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 97:218–243, 2013

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Becoming Researchers: The Participation of Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Scientific Research Groups

2013

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“…RET programs have been studied in a variety of capacities, including their impact on teachers' classroom practices (Klein-Gardner, Johnston, & Benson, 2012;Grove, Dixon, & Pop, 2009;Pop, Dixon, & Grove, 2010) and teachers' experiences during the programs (Brown & Melear, 2007;Feldman, Divoll, & Rogan-Klyve, 2008;Westerlund et al, 2002). However, to our knowledge, no studies have examined teachers' development as scientists.…”

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confidence: 99%

Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs

Faber¹,

Hardin²,

Klein-Gardner³

et al. 2014

Journal of Science Teacher Education

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This study examined the teachers' development as scientists for participants in three National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers. Participants included secondary science and math teachers with varying levels of education and experience who were immersed in research environments related to engineering and science topics. Teachers' functionality as scientists was assessed in terms of independence, focus, relationships with mentors, structure, and ability to create new concepts. Hierarchies developed within these constructs allowed tracking of changes in functionality throughout the 6-week programs. Themes were further identified in teachers' weekly journal entries and exit interviews through inductive coding. Increases in functionality as scientists were observed for all teachers who completed both the program and exit interview (n = 27). Seven of the 27 teachers reached high science functionality; however, three of the teachers did not reach high functionality in any of the constructs during the program. No differences were observed in demographics or teaching experience between those who did and did not reach high functionality levels. Inductive coding revealed themes such as teachers' interactions with mentors and connections made between research and teaching, which allowed for descriptions of experiences for teachers at high and low levels of functionality. Teachers at high functionality levels adjusted to openended environments, transitioned from a guided experience to freedom, felt useful in the laboratory, and were self-motivated. In contrast, teachers at low functionality levels did not have a true research project, primarily focused on teaching aspects of the program, and did not display a transition of responsibilities.

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“…In order to engage teachers in the practices of science, computer science, and engineering and to enhance their knowledge and skills at the same time, the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States funds research experiences for teachers (RETs) (NSF, 2017;Wade, Benson, & Switzer, 2012). One of the intentions of these programs is to give teachers research experiences under the guidance of practicing scientists during the summer in order to bridge the gap between classroom science and the science done by scientists (e.g., Barnes, Hodge, Parker, & Coroly, 2006;Dresner & Worley, 2006;Enderle, Dentzau, Roseler, Southerland, Granger, & Hughes, 2014;Southerland, Gess-Newsome, & Johnston, 2003;Pop, Dixon, & Grove, 2010). The overall goal of RET programs, in other words, is to "build long-term collaborative partnerships between K-12 STEM teachers…in…research and helping them translate their research experiences and new knowledge into classroom activities" (NSF, 2017, n. p.).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fostering Impactful Research Experiences for Teachers (RETs)

Blanchard

Sampson

2017

EURASIA J MATH SCI T

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States funds Research Experiences for Teachers (RETs) for K-12 science teachers. The RET program seeks to provide science teachers with research experiences so they can provide enhanced science or engineering inquiry experiences for their students. One form of RET that focuses on science pedagogy has resulted in some promising changes in teachers' thinking and lesson design. This case study examines how a cohort of ten secondary science teachers' inquiry conceptions and lesson design changed after participating in a science pedagogy RET, and analyzes the relationship between the components of the program and changes seen in teachers' inquiry conceptions and lessons. Significant changes in teachers' inquiry conceptions and particularly their lessons were a result of teacher adoption of the inquiry-based instructional modeled during the science pedagogy RET. A theory of action is proposed for RET design that would better promote and support teacher learning and foster changes in classroom instruction.

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Research Experiences for Teachers (RET): Motivation, Expectations, and Changes to Teaching Practices due to Professional Program Involvement

Cited by 58 publications

References 20 publications

Becoming Researchers: The Participation of Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Scientific Research Groups

Becoming Researchers: The Participation of Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Scientific Research Groups

Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs

Fostering Impactful Research Experiences for Teachers (RETs)

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