RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR VETERANS AND TEACHERS: MOTIVATION, PROGRAM DESCRIPTION, OUTCOMES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR FUTURE

摘要

Students, especially from the underrepresented groups, are largely underprepared for and unaware of all the STEM opportunities at the undergraduate level. We have recognized this need with two populations: students that come directly out of K-12 schools and military veterans transitioning into college. We offer two programs to combat lower STEM enrollment and attrition at post-secondary institutions: a Research Experience for Teachers program that instructs teachers on an innovative product realization process to excite their K-12 students about STEM disciplines and an Experiential Learning for Veterans in Assistive Technology and Engineering program as a mechanism to advise and prepare Veterans with disabilities for their transition from the combat field to an academic career. In the following paper we look at a novel attempt to combining the two seemingly diverse populations of Teachers and Veterans in a single training initiative, made possible by their overlapping needs and STEM theme.