SBIR Phase II: Digital Microscopy with Collaborative Learning

这个SBIR第二阶段项目旨在提供一个模型，整合数字显微镜和基于网络的在线协作学习，以提高科学教育。 在第一阶段，Digital Blue开发了一个协作网站www.planetmicro.com，招收了400多名学生。 在第二阶段，Digital Blue建议通过与Concord Consortium合作建立一个最先进的网站，让学生使用普通的数字显微镜，并参与真正的协作教育体验来进一步探索。 Digital Blue将开展这项工作，为网站搭建脚手架，以改善成员之间的互动;改进用户“标记”其数字图像的工作流程，从而优化搜索引擎的生产力;开发共同的课程模块;开发在线专业发展工具，使教师能够在其课程中使用这一技术; Digital Blue为教育市场提供创新的产品和服务，即Planetmicro.net，一个与专有数字显微镜完全集成的协作工作空间。 该网站将是第一个与每个教室中负担得起的数字实验室设备无缝交互的协作工作空间。 其他协作学习环境提供了通用的方法和流程，但未能集成统一的工具，从而在实验室的动手活动和虚拟活动之间产生了差距。 相比之下，Planetmicro.net可以很容易地将协作学习与传统的科学教学法结合起来。

This SBIR Phase II project seeks to provide a model for integrating digital microscopy and web-based on-line collaborative learning in order to improve science education. In Phase I, Digital Blue developed a collaborative worksite, www.planetmicro.com and enrolled +400 students. In Phase II Digital Blue proposes to further this inquiry by building, in conjunction with the Concord Consortium, a state-of-the-art website where students use common digital microscopes and engage in a true collaborative educational experience. Digital Blue will undertake this work by scaffolding the website to improve interaction between members; improving the work flow in which users "tag" their digital images thus optimizing search engine productivity; developing common curriculum modules; developing an online professional development utility to empower teachers to use this technology in their coursework; and adding thousands of members to foster an innovative and successful collaborative community.Digital Blue proffers an innovative product and service for the education market, namely Planetmicro.net, a collaborative workspace that is fully integrated with a proprietary digital microscope. The site would be the first collaborative workspace that interacts seamlessly with affordable digital laboratory equipment in each classroom. Other collaborative learning environments offer common methods and processes but fail to integrate uniform tools, creating a gap between the hands-on activity of the lab and the virtual activity. In contrast, Planetmicro.net would make it easy to integrate collaborative learning with traditional science pedagogy.