SPIRIT 2.0: Silicon Prairie Initiative for Robotics in Information Technology 2.0

在之前ITEST资助的基础上，PI正在设计和开发一套课程材料，其核心是由美国国家科学基金会资助的俄勒冈州立大学开发的TekBot机器人平台的修订版。除了TekBot之外，内布拉斯加州大学彼得·基特研究所的技术开发公司正在开发一种名为NUBot的新机器人。这些机器人比大多数主要的商业套件便宜得多，并且使用当地电子供应商的现成零件。领导团队为5-8年级编写材料，通过机器人课程解决和评估STEM概念。该课程通过NCTM焦点和科学素养地图集等文件来解决STEM标准。学生可以通过三种基于问题的方式来使用TekBot：建造、移动和编程。其目的是扩大网络基础设施的规模，以支持全国范围内课程的分发和实施。网络基础设施提供了夏季研讨会、远程教育、允许教师根据其教育目标确定课程计划的手段，以及作为教师专业发展手段的互联网随叫随到技术人员。

Building on previous ITEST funding, the PI is designing and developing a set of curriculum materials centering on a revised version of the NSF funded TekBot robotics platform developed by Oregon State University. Having added to the TekBot, a new robot, called NUBot is being developed by the Technology Development Corporation of the Peter Keitit Institute of the University of Nebraska. These robots are substantially less expensive, than most major commercial kits and use off the shelf parts from local electronics suppliers. The leadership team creates materials for grades 5-8 that address and assess STEM concepts through a robotics curriculum. The curriculum addresses STEM standards through such documents as the NCTM Focal Points and the Atlas of Science Literacy. There are three problem based ways in which students can use the TekBot: building, moving, and programming. The intent is to scale up to a cyber-infrastructure that supports the national distribution and implementation of the curriculum. The cyber-infrastructure provides for summer workshops, distance education, a means of permitting teachers to identify lesson plans based upon their educational objectives, and an internet on call technician as means of teacher professional development.