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Are there any instructors who have had experience with conducting STEM research in the classroom (i.e., using student data to conduct their own peer-reviewed papers and/or collaborating with nearby universities on educational research)? Interested in how this plays out with the classroom dynamic, especially in terms of how it affects students and parents, as well as how it's affected your experience as an educator.

I have experince as high school student. My teacher taught Research Methods and Innovative Science. As a result I was running PCR and doing gel electrophoresis at 16. She had our class connected with researchers at the local university. We learned to read and write scientific research papers. I competed in the local science fair and got to attend a national science fair in Washington DC! 

I was a senior and twice a week during our block schedule I would walk to the university instead of going to class. At the end of the week the whole class gave presentations on how their research was going. It was unlike anything I'd been part of before. I haven't seen anything like it since.

I learned lab techniques, how to read technical papers, question scientific methods and results, gained skills in writing and public speaking.... It seriously shaped who I am and made college easier in many regards.

Now that I'm a science teacher I want to bring those experiences to my students. I'm a new teacher, so, I don't expect to get this off the ground and perfect right away... but I desperately want to bring these oppertunities to my students.