Evaluation of an NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program for STEM Development - Summer 2020 Volume 8 Issue 2

Oct 15, 2026

Recent decades have focused on optimizing professional development to support education reform, particularly in STEM. Colorado School of Mines developed the NSF-funded Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation (WE2 NG), a six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) immersing K-12 educators in water-energy nexus research, with field trips, workshops, and a science communication book club. Effectiveness is assessed with surveys before, during, and after, showing improved teacher confidence and growth across grade levels, with satisfaction related to program duration.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

National context for STEM teacher preparedness

STEM standards and teacher support research

| | Ad | vances in Engineering Edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 8 ISSUE 2 Evaluation of an NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program for STEM Development: Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation (WE2 NG) KATIE SCHNEIDER AMY MARTIN AND TERRI S. HOGUE Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO ABSTRACT In recent decades much attention has been given to the optimization of professional development to support education reform; especially as it relates to science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) fields. Many studies have shown that the most effective STEM professional development programs include active inquiry opportunities that take place over long durations. The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) has developed, and hosts, a professional program that works to address these needs. The Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation (WE2 NG) is a National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) . The WE2 NG program is a sixweek summer training that immerses K-12 educators in state-of-the-art research at CSM through the highly interdisciplinary lens of the water-energy nexus. The WE2 NG model also includes industry field trips, content and pedagogy workshops and book club focusing on science communication. Program effectiveness is evaluated through surveys given to participants before, during and after the program. Pre-and post-program surveys indicate that WE2NG supports teacher confidence and growth in teachers of all grade levels and that participant satisfaction outcomes are likely related to the ratio of elementary, middle and high school teacher participants. Surveys given during the program reveal consistently positive feedback and that satisfaction with collaborative program elements is related to program duration. Overall, survey results illustrate that the WE2 NG RET program is an effective professional development model for K-12 STEM educators. Key words: program evaluation, STEM, self-efficacy SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 8 ISSUE 2 1 ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Evaluation of an NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program for STEM Development INTRODUCTION Over thirty years ago, The National Commission on Excellence in Education (NCEE) published A Nation at Risk, urging the US Department of Education to reform the American education system. Thereport describes an ongoing decline in the United States’ global competitiveness in education, and especially in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Recognizing our emergence into the ‘information age’, the NCEE warned that “the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation anda people”. While critics of this report have rejected this tone of “gloom-and-doom”,(Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) the NCEE supports its claims with empirical evidence. Since then, many reports have shown little-to-no improvement in U. S. educational measures; a significant contributor to America’s “narrow lead” in overall prosperity. These more-recent reports have pointed to a lack of teacher enthusiasm and preparedness as a major culprit in educational decline (National Academy of Sciences) . While the majority of high school science teachers have completed a science degree, less than half of middle school science teachers and only five percent of elementary science teachers hold science degrees. Thus, it is likely that the majority of K-12 STEM educators have experienced minimal opportunities to engage in scientific investigations that would support their ability to deliver STEM curriculum effectively (Wilson, et al) . In response to these warnings, initiatives to improve the American education system (especially in STEM fields) have arisen. These initiatives have taken many forms, but perhaps most-notably are impr

FAQs

What is the WE2 NG program and who does it train?

WE2 NG is a National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program at the Colorado School of Mines, training K-12 educators. It immerses participants in state-of-the-art water-energy nexus research and includes related workshops and activities.

How is the program effectiveness evaluated?

Effectiveness is evaluated using surveys administered before, during, and after the program. Results indicate positive feedback and links between satisfaction and collaborative elements and program duration.

What does the introduction identify as a key challenge for STEM education?

The introduction highlights a decline in educational competitiveness and points to teacher enthusiasm and preparedness as major contributors. It also notes that many K-12 STEM educators have limited opportunities for scientific investigations that support effective STEM curriculum delivery.

Oct 15, 2026

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