SBIR Phase II: Understanding Science Processes Through Modeling and Animation: Efficiently Producing Low-Cost Software Tools for K-12

SBIR 第二阶段：通过建模和动画了解科学过程：高效生产适用于 K-12 的低成本软件工具

• 批准号: 1058251
• 负责人: Patrick Custer
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: GOKNOW, INC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-04-01 至 2013-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1058251&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Understanding; Science

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to address a need in science education that is non-linearly becoming a serious problem. In general, educational technology has had a weak track record for positively impacting student understanding in the area of science. Research clearly suggests that students' use of science simulation programs does have a positive impact on their achievement and understanding. There is a dearth of such software, and the simulations that are available are ?heavyweight? - typically computationally, financially, curricularly, and cognitively demanding. The GoKnow AniModeler Software Factory seeks to demonstrate how to build a software factory that can deliver 36, lightweight science simulations for $1 per student per year! During our Phase I SBIR effort, the company will develop the object-oriented architecture underlying the AniModeler simulation engine. Their challenge in Phase II is to build a factory system that exploits that architecture such that the creation of a simulation program ? an AniModeler ? is done by a science educator without any programmer assistance and it outputs, automatically with versions for 5 operating systems. Supporting consumer functionality such as, mobile and lightweight applications are the future of software development.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project addresses the full range of stakeholders: (1) In contrast to activities such as filling out worksheets, in using GoKnow's AniModelers in collaboration with their peers, students will see science as a social activity, sparked by a desire to understand how and why?not as a boring, solitary activity. Students will see science as a fun activity- successfully understanding how and why something works is a good ? fun ? feeling. (2) Teachers will see that lightweight, easy-to-learn-to-use, narrowly focused apps ? just like the apps on their smartphones - are much easier to integrate into their existing curriculum when compared with typical educational software that is expensive and so profusely functional that it takes excessive class time to learn. (3) Educators will see that educational software doesn't necessarily need to cost an arm and a leg, and that Open Source is not the only alternative. (4) Science publishers will see educational software as positively contributing to the value of their print offerings - especially when they make money from the software. (5) And, last but surely not least, AniModelers can demonstrate to software developers that educational software can be a lucrative business!

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目旨在解决科学教育中的一个非线性问题。总的来说，教育技术在积极影响学生对科学领域的理解方面的记录很差。 研究清楚地表明，学生使用科学模拟程序确实对他们的成绩和理解产生了积极的影响。有一个缺乏这样的软件，和可用的模拟是？重量级？- 通常在计算上、经济上、智力上和认知上都有要求。 GoKnow AniModeler软件工厂旨在展示如何构建一个软件工厂，该软件工厂可以提供36个轻量级的科学模拟，每个学生每年只需1美元！在我们的第一阶段SBIR的努力，该公司将开发面向对象的基础架构AniModeler仿真引擎。 他们在第二阶段的挑战是建立一个工厂系统，利用该架构，使创建一个模拟程序？动画建模师由科学教育工作者在没有任何程序员协助的情况下完成，并自动输出5个操作系统的版本。支持消费者功能，如移动的和轻量级应用程序是软件开发的未来。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力涉及到所有利益相关者：（1）与填写表格等活动相比，通过与同龄人合作使用GoKnow的AniModelers，学生将把科学视为一种社会活动，并渴望了解如何以及为什么？而不是无聊的孤独的活动学生们将把科学视为一项有趣的活动-成功地理解某些东西是如何工作的，以及为什么工作是一件好事？好玩吗感觉. (2)教师们会发现，轻量级的，易于学习使用的，狭隘的应用程序？就像他们智能手机上的应用程序一样，与典型的教育软件相比，更容易整合到他们现有的课程中，这些软件价格昂贵，功能丰富，需要花费过多的课堂时间来学习。(3)教育工作者将看到，教育软件不一定需要花费一只胳膊和一条腿，开源并不是唯一的选择。(4)科学出版商将把教育软件视为对其印刷产品价值的积极贡献-特别是当他们从软件中赚钱时。(5)最后但肯定并非最不重要的是，AniModelers可以向软件开发人员证明，教育软件可以是一项有利可图的业务！