ITR: Computationally-Enhanced Construction Kits: Integrating Tangible and Computational Media for Construction and Design

ITR-计算增强型构建工具包：集成THERM和计算媒体用于构建和设计构建工具包-如几何设计集、装配集、建筑块、解剖模型、化学建模工具包-是为构建或组装物理模型而设计的玩具。这些工具包历来在儿童的生活中发挥着强大的教育作用。该项目正在开发各种各样的计算增强的构建工具包，专注于科学，数学和工程领域（如立体几何，分子化学，建筑设计和解剖学）。通过使用嵌入式计算，构建工具包中的部件可以彼此通信，与桌面机器以及与它们的用户通信;总体而言，通过将构建工具包与计算相结合，这些工具包的教育能力和表现力可以大大增加。这项工作解决了一系列基础问题，突出地包括：[a]如何改进此类工具包的技术设计;[b]如何改进这些工具包的技术设计;[c]如何改进这些工具包的技术设计。[B]如何扩大这些工具包的科学内容;以及[c]如何描述这些工具包的认知和教育效益（如果有的话）。在解决这些问题时，主要研究者正在使用比较设计的策略：也就是说，他们正在系统地探索各种设计方案，描述每种方案的优点和缺点，并试图“绘制出”建筑套件的整体设计空间。 该项目的目标和主题能够对促进美国科学和数学教育产生深远而广泛的影响。在培养学生对科学和数学的兴趣方面，建筑工具包往往起着核心的情感作用。嵌入式计算的廉价材料与强大的软件应用程序和万维网相结合的出现，使这些工具包具有更加民主化和教育上的强大作用。新的社会结构可以围绕物理构建媒介发展;这些新结构可以证明在吸引传统上服务不足的人口进入科学和技术职业方面特别强大。

ITR-Computationally-Enhanced Construction Kits: Integrating Tangible and Computational Media for Construction and Design Construction kits-such as geometric design sets, erector sets, architectural blocks, anatomical models, chemical modeling kits-are toys designed for the building or assembly of physical models. Such kits have historically played a powerful educational role in children's lives. This project is developing a wide variety of computationally enhanced construction kits, focusing on scientific, mathematical, and engineering domains (such as solid geometry, molecular chemistry, architectural design, and anatomy). Through the use of embedded computation, pieces within a construction kit may communicate with each other, with desktop machines, and with their users; and overall, by integrating construction kits with computation, the educational power and expressiveness of these kits can be greatly increased.The work addresses a range of foundational questions, prominently including:[a] How to improve the technical design of such kits;[b] How to expand the scientific content of these kits; and[c] How to characterize the cognitive and educational benefits (if any) of such kits.In addressing these questions, the PIs are using a strategy of comparative design: that is, they are systematically exploring a variety of design alternatives, characterizing the strengths and weaknesses of each, and attempting to "map out" the overall design space for construction kits. The goals and subject matter of this project are capable of profound and widespread impact in the promotion of American science and mathematics education. Construction kits often have a central affective role in developing students' interests in science and mathematics. The advent of affordable materials for embedded computation in combination with both powerful software applications and the World Wide Web enables these kits to have a vastly more democratized and educationally potent role. New social structures can develop around physical constructional media; and these new structures could prove especially powerful in attracting traditionally underserved populations into scientific and technological careers.