ASSET’s research and development (R&D) projects are the means to develop innovative products and services to improve teaching and learning. The R&D process begins by identifying and defining needs through collaborative relationships with members and partners. A focus group of classroom teachers assists in the research, development and design of products and services that meet teachers’ needs in addressing state and national education standards.

Integrating Science and Math

This project will identify the math concepts and skills embedded in science modules that can be reinforced to improve student learning. Through a partnership with Carolina Biological, a group of ASSET teachers will pilot Math Out of the Box curriculum materials developed by Clemson University that link directly to STC modules.

Science & Literacy (Grades 7-8)

A continuation of last year’s Science & Literacy project, ASSET will now explore research-based ways to assist teachers in enhancing the connections between science and literacy in grades 7-8.

Administrators’ Forum

The Administrators’ Forum is a two-year R&D project aimed at expanding administrators’ understanding of inquiry-based learning, content knowledge on the science modules being used in their buildings, and how the concepts embedded in the modules link to national and state science education standards. The Forum also will address the use of tools to measure student and teacher learning through cross-district observations of classroom lessons. By focusing on learning, administrators learn there is a broader spectrum for meaningful discussion with teachers about what is happening in the classroom. Teachers and administrators engage daily in many discussions, but few of them focus on the learning in the classroom. Thus, by focusing on learning, administrators begin to realize the importance their effective feedback can provide in improving learning.

MARS (Grade 8)

In partnership with the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center, ASSET will explore implementing Model Assisted Reasoning in Science (MARS) curriculum for grade 8. MARS is a research-based curriculum development project that investigates and promotes model-centered instruction as a means of improving middle school science. MARS is currently among ASSET’s offerings for 6th grade.

Partnership Development for Environment & Ecology

ASSET is exploring potential associate partnerships with regional resources that will benefit teaching and learning of the science, technology, environment and ecology standards. Potential partners will:

• Share common mission and vision for education improvement
• Seek to support achievement of education standards
• Employ research-based practices
• Implement an inquiry-based approach
• Benefit from mutually beneficial use of materials or professional development connection