SPIRIT: Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in IT

内布拉斯加州大学和奥马哈公立学校合作的“IT机器人技术硅草原计划”（SPIRIT）是一项针对学生和教师的为期三年的综合ITEST项目。SPIRIT计划的目标是105名7-8年级的科学和数学教师，每位教师都接受了超过100小时的暑期专业发展和50小时的后续支持，以开展校内课程活动。预计将有9000多名学生参加校内和暑期课程。该项目的核心是一个大学级的TekBot （TM）学习平台，该平台正在适应中学水平。该平台可用于演示无线、视频和信号处理、传感器、视频显示、电子、控制系统、嵌入式系统、数字逻辑和入门编程等方面的基本应用。该项目将开发的课程采用TekBots作为基于问题的教学活动的基本策略。它具有适应性、可扩展性和成本效益，提供的学习经验可以延伸到高中和大学。研究结果将通过出版物和演讲、教师研讨会、为奥马哈儿童博物馆准备的展览以及与其他大学合作使用机器人平台来传播。一个互动的、动态的网站将被创建，包括模块和教程、可上传的程序、聊天室和机器人研究的链接。

The "Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in IT" (SPIRIT), a collaboration between the University of Nebraska and Omaha Public Schools, is a three-year Comprehensive ITEST Project for Students and Teachers. SPIRIT targets 105 science and mathematics teachers in grades 7-8, each of whom receives more than 100 hours of summer professional development and 50 hours of follow-up support in developing in-school curricular activities. More than 9,000 students are expected to participate through in-school and summer programs.The centerpiece of the project is a unversity level TekBot (TM) learning platform that is being adapted to the middle school level. This platform can be used to demonstrate basic applications in wireless, video and signal processing, sensors, video displays, electronics, control systems, embedded systems, digital logic and introductory programming. The curriculum to be developed in the project employs TekBots as a fundamental strategy for problem-based instructional activities. It is adaptable, expandable and cost-effective, providing learning experiences that can extend into high school and college. Results will be disseminated through publications and presentations, teacher workshops, displays prepared for the Omaha Children's Museum and collaborations with other universities using robotics platforms. An interactive, dynamic website will be created with modules and tutorials, uploadable programs, chat rooms and links to robotics research.