SBIR Phase I: Green Engineering Magnet (GEM) Project

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段研究项目提出研究和开发GEM（绿色工程磁铁），以应对招募年轻学者从事STEM研究的全国性问题。因此，问题就变成了：如何积极激励年轻学者以有意义和持续的方式从事STEM研究？GEM以绿色研究对青少年的天然吸引力为磁石，吸引中学生参与有意义和相关的STEM研究。GEM项目将核心STEM主题和研究框架置于绿色工程活动的背景下，为学生提供真实的体验，激励他们学习课堂上介绍的STEM概念。为了实现这一目标，该项目融合了三种强大的学习技术，首先是沉浸式高价值3d STEM模拟器。接下来，必要的数据收集、显示和分析活动通过专业的虚拟仪器（VI）门户进行。最后，软件支持的基于场景的学习主题用于作为真实的STEM活动集成和交付内容。因此，学生们将热情地追求绿色挑战，根据经济和环境成本进行观察、测量、计算，最重要的是做出选择，就像真正的STEM从业者所要求的那样。最后，将开发一个DITA文档框架，以促进有效的创作（多创作）和内容维护。GEM产品将支持中学普通科学、地球科学和类似的课程设置，以及以绿色为重点的活动。GEM的目标市场包括分布在14300个地区的中学STEM项目，这些地区有1525个行政办公室，年支出超过825万亿美元。通过计划的多层次营销策略，从直接的教科书和教师支持开始，确保GEM的广泛影响。第一个预期的产品是连接到它的时间（IAT）基于项目的探究科学（PBIS）教科书。另一层将包括其他合同教科书支持产品。通过有意地设计GEM内容以供重复使用，其他教科书将迅速且经济地添加到支持的STEM教科书列表中。最后一层侧重于绿色利益相关者赞助的绿色学习补充。一旦开发出来，“必备”的GEM技术可以成为国家中学STEM项目的重要组成部分，并在绿色工程实例中占据主导地位。创业板项目的毕业生除了成为更有STEM素养的公民外，还有望对从事STEM职业有更好的准备和兴趣。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project proposes to research and develop GEM (Green Engineering Magnet) in response to a national problem of recruiting young scholars to pursue STEM studies. The question therefore becomes: How does one actively motivate young scholars to pursue STEM studies in a meaningful and sustained manner? GEM uses the natural youthful attraction of green studies as a magnet to attract middle school students into meaningful and relevant STEM studies. The GEM Project frames core STEM topics and studies in the context of green engineering activities to provide students with authentic experiences that motivate the learning of STEM concepts presented in class. To achieve this goal, the project fuses together three powerful learning technologies beginning with its immersive high-value 3-D STEM simulators. Next, requisite data collection, display and analysis activities are channeled through professional virtual instrument (VI) portals. Lastly, software-enabled scenario-based learning motifs are used to integrate and deliver content as authentic STEM activities. As a result, students will enthusiastically pursue green challenges by making observations, measurements, calculations, and most importantly choices based on economic and environmental costs, just as required by real STEM practitioners. Lastly a DITA document framework will be developed to promote efficient authoring (multi-authoring) and content maintenance.GEM products will support middle school general science, earth science, and similar curricular offerings plus teachers with activities having a green emphasis. The GEM target market consists of middle school STEM programs residing in 14,300 districts with 1,525 administrative offices having annual expenditures exceeding $825 trillion dollars. The widespread impact of GEM is assured through the projected multi-tiered marketing strategy that begins with direct textbook and teacher support. The first anticipated product is linked to It's About Time (IAT) Project-Based Inquiry Science (PBIS)textbooks. Another tier will consist of other contracted textbook support products. By intentionally designing GEM content for re-use, other textbooks will be rapidly and affordably added to the list of supported STEM textbooks. The last tier focuses on green learning supplements sponsored by green stakeholders. Once developed, the 'must have' GEM technology can become a significant part of the nation's middle school STEM programs and be dominant in green engineering instances. GEM Project graduates are also anticipated to be better prepared and interested in pursuing STEM careers, in addition to becoming more STEM-literate citizens.