UCET 2025

Upper elementary and middle school teachers will use Research Quest, the award-winning, free, online investigations, to learn how to engage their students in some of the most intriguing mysteries of our time. They will gather evidence, engage in robust debate to reason with their evidence, and develop explanations to communicate their ideas - all while using 3D technology to access many of the museum's rich fossil, artifact and biologic resources. Participants will examine opportunities for supporting collaborative student-driven work to gather empirical data by making quantitative and qualitative observations of real museum objects with video-based modeling provided by research scientists. They will also explore strategies for making student thinking visible as students move from using intuitive to increasingly complex critical thinking skills, all within a digital investigation platform. Participants will receive access to supporting materials designed for classroom teachers and their students - including learning assessment tools for both. These tools provide research-based exemplars for promoting 3D science in the classroom and building capacity among students in using the practices detailed in Next Generation Science Standards.