SBIR Phase II: Green Engineering Magnet (GEM) Project

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目提议研究和开发绿色工程磁铁（GEM）项目，以响应国家在初中和小学阶段促进科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）研究的需要。GEM项目回答了这个问题：？今天一个人如何积极激励自己呢？让年轻学者以有意义和持续的方式从事STEM研究？？GEM计划利用绿色研究对年轻人的天然吸引力，吸引学生参与有意义和相关的STEM研究。第二阶段的GEM项目将在绿色工程活动的背景下，为第一阶段的STEM核心主题和研究提供扩展列表，为学生提供支持课堂上介绍的STEM概念学习的真实体验。为了实现这一目标，雅典娜将融合三种强大的学习技术，从沉浸式、高价值的3d STEM模拟器开始。接下来，必要的数据收集、显示和分析活动将通过反映真实世界数据收集活动的虚拟仪器门户进行引导。最后，软件支持的基于场景的学习主题将用于集成、交付、评估和修复内容，作为真实的STEM活动。因此，GEM的学生将像绿色工程师一样，根据合理的科学、经济和环境成本进行观察、测量、计算和选择，参与绿色工程挑战。这个项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是它对中学普通科学、地球科学和类似课程的支持。此外，GEM产品将支持教师开展以绿色工程为重点的活动。GEM项目的用户将受益于他们在课堂上的STEM学术研究中变得更有能力和动力，以及对从事STEM职业有更好的准备和兴趣，并成为更有STEM素养的公民。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to research and develop the Green Engineering Magnet (GEM) Project in response to a national need to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) studies at the middle and elementary school levels. The GEM Project answers the question: ?How can one actively moti-vate today?s young scholars to pursue STEM studies in a meaningful and sustained manner?? The GEM Project uses the natural youthful attraction of green studies as a magnet to draw students into meaningful and relevant STEM studies. The Phase II GEM Project will frame an expanded list of Phase I STEM core topics and studies in the context of green engineering activities, providing students with authentic experiences that support the learning of STEM concepts presented in class. To achieve this goal, Athena will fuse together three powerful learning technologies beginning with immersive, high-value 3-D STEM simulators. Next, requisite data collection, display, and analysis activities will be channeled through virtual instrument portals that mirror real-world data collection activities. Lastly, software-enabled scenario-based learning motifs will be used to integrate, deliver, assess, and remediate content as authentic STEM activities. As a result, GEM students will engage in green engineering challenges by making observations, measurements, calculations, and choices based on sound science and economic and environmental costs, just like a green engineer.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is its support for middle school general science, earth science, and similar curricular offerings. In addition, GEM products will support teachers with activities having a green engineering emphasis. GEM Project users will benefit by becoming more capable and motivated in their in-class STEM academic studies, as well as being better prepared and interested in pursuing STEM careers and becoming more STEM-literate citizens.