SBIR Phase I: Digital Microscopy with Collaborative Learning

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目计划使用数字显微镜，使学生能够在数字图像收集、存储、分析和在互联网上共享之间无缝集成，将数字显微镜的功能与协作学习的力量相结合。数码蓝将通过共享数字工具、统一的微观技术和探索周围无形世界的共同目标，促进学生虚拟学习社区的发展。这样的探索将与AAAS、NRC和国家地球科学和生物学教育标准相结合。通过开发四个教学单元，研究：(1)水、土壤和矿物；(2)微生物；(3)植物生长；(4)隐形动物特征，该项目将促进在正规课堂和家庭环境中将负担得起但准确的数字显微镜应用于科学探索。该项目将建立一个基础设施，允许个人学生和课堂参与。基础设施的基石将是一个带有支持虚拟学习社区的工具的网站。网站设计包括协作工作空间，允许班级提出并发起调查。每个项目都将得到Tapestry数据库的支持，允许轻松上传存储的数字图像，并补充学生的评论。该数据库允许识别构成挑战的独特的不同寻常的观察结果，激发进一步的调查和分析，模仿真实科学的调查性质。除了广泛公认的协作学习所带来的更广泛的教育好处外，该项目还有可能开启教育技术的新领域；即网络增强的设备。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project plans to use digital microscopy to allow students seamless integration between digital image collection, storage, analysis, and sharing over the Internet, combining features of digital microscopy with the power of collaborative learning. Digital Blue will foster development of students' virtual learning communities with shared digital tools, uniformed microscopic techniques, and common goals to explore the invisible world around them. Such explorations will be integrated with AAAS, NRC and state education standards for Earth Science and Biology. By developing four instructional units on the study of: (1) water, soil and minerals; (2) microorganisms; (3) plant growth; and (4) invisible animal features, the project will foster implementation of affordable, yet accurate digital microscopy into science exploration in both formal classrooms and home settings. The project will build an infrastructure allowing individual student and classroom participation. The cornerstone of the infrastructure will be a web site with tools to support the virtual learning community. The web site design includes collaborative workspaces allowing a class to propose and launch an investigation. Each project will be supported by the Tapestry database, allowing easy uploading of an inlay of stored digital images supplemented with student commentaries. The database allows the recognition of unique unusual observations that pose a challenge questioning, motivating further investigations and analysis, mimicking the investigative nature of real science.In additional to the broader educational benefits widely recognized to accrue to collaborative learning, this project has the potential to initiate a new realm of innovation in educational technology; namely, web-enhanced devices.