Work in progress — Combining service learning with the NSF Research Experiences for Teachers Program

The WPI NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Program involves middle school teachers in authentic design activities that can be translated to the classroom. Middle school teachers often lack design experience, but are now being required to teach the engineering design process. This pilot study used a service learning project to provide two middle school teachers with hands-on experience implementing the formal engineering design process. The project focused on developing, constructing and evaluating an assistive device to be used in a residential facility for children and young adults with complex medical needs. The teachers designed and built an extendable reaching device with a switch-activated electromagnet that could be used to pick up game pieces and educational cards. The teachers continue to use the engineering design process in their daily classroom activities, and the impact of the RET program will be followed for the next two years. This project demonstrates that service learning design projects can meet the objectives of the RET program and simultaneously deliver useful devices to an underserved population. Additional teachers will participate in a similar activity in 2010.