SBIR Phase I: XplorStem(TM): A smartphone/tablet application that enables hands-on biotech laboratory education for all students regardless of socioeconomic status

SBIR第一期项目的重点是为高中开发一个移动生物技术实验室。从实用的角度来看，生物技术教育仅限于那些有资金购买昂贵设备并培训教师使用这些设备的学校。包括设备和随附的教学材料在内的工具包在大型生物技术市场可以买到，但需要教师培训、材料购买和设备的结帐和归还。在这方面，教学仅限于主要生物技术中心的几所高中。我们的目标是通过拟议的产品在他们的口袋里建立一个实验室，让该国的每个学生都有平等的机会接受生物技术培训。通过使用移动设备，100美元的平板电脑可以取代数千美元的实验室设备。学生完成学业所需的一切都将包含在应用程序中或通过应用程序内购买。教师培训将是最小的，因为所有试剂包和配套设备的后端验证已完成，使其使用无缝和普遍适用。提供了教师所需的所有附带信息，包括应用程序内的学生成绩评估工具。该应用程序可以由国内任何人下载，并且设备/试剂可以快速直接运送给教师。年代的教室。农村社区的教师将享有与最富裕学区教师同等的教育机会。该项目将侧重于开发一个基于web的应用程序，该应用程序带有后端数据库，通过基于发现的学习方式教授动手操作的生物技术实验室技能和概念。该应用程序包括一个探索实验室模块，可以模拟高端科学设备，包括使用智能手机摄像头的分光光度计和显微镜。第二个模块让学生学习各种实验技能，包括微移液、显微镜和分光光度计的使用。学生学习背景知识，并通过实践和研究活动进行指导，最终完成一份报告。第三个模块使用指导性的基于发现的学习方法，带领学生通过科学方法解决现实世界的研究问题，并坚持下一代科学标准的所有三个维度。单元包括胰腺对牛奶消化的研究，其特点是胰腺蛋白酶的分离，药物发现/天然产物筛选和市售酶补充剂的质量控制测试。在这些探索中，学生没有得到答案。他们必须提出假设，进行有指导意义的背景研究，并最终进行动手实验，形成最终报告。学生的学习进度记录在后端数据库中，并由教师监控。将通过3D打印设计和制作手机/平板电脑的微移液器和附件等硬件。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This SBIR Phase I project is focused on developing a mobile biotech laboratory for high schools. Education in biotech is limited from a practical point of view to schools with the funds to purchase expensive equipment and to train their teachers to use it. Kits including equipment and accompanying instructional materials are available in large biotech markets but require teacher training, purchase of materials and check-out and return of equipment. In this, instruction is limited to a few high schools in key biotech hubs. Our goal is to give every student in the country equal access to biotech training by building a laboratory in their pocket through the proposed product. Through use of mobile devices, a $100 tablet can replace thousands of dollars in laboratory equipment. Everything the student needs to complete their studies will be included in the app or through in-app purchases. Teacher training would be minimal because back-end validation of all reagent kits and accompanying gear is completed to make its use seamless and universally applicable. All accompanying information required for the teacher is provided including in-App assessment tools of student performance. The app may be downloaded by anyone in the country and gear/reagents rapidly shipped directly to the teacher?s classroom. Teachers in rural communities will have the same access as teachers in the wealthiest school districts. The project will focus on developing a web-based app with a back-end database that teaches hands-on biotech laboratory skills and concepts via discovery-based learning. The app includes an exploration lab module that simulates high-end scientific equipment, including a spectrophotometer and microscope that use the smart-phone camera. A second module takes students through various laboratory skills including micropipetting, use of microscope, and spectrophotometer. Students learn background and are led through practice and research activities resulting in a report. A third module uses guided discovery-based learning approaches to take students through the scientific method to a real-world research problem and adheres to all three dimensions of Next Generation Science Standards. Unit includes a study of milk digestion by the pancreas that features isolation of pancreatic proteases, drug discovery/natural product screening and quality control testing of commercially available enzyme supplements. In these explorations, students are not given answers. They must formulate hypothesis and do guided background research and ultimately perform hands-on experiments resulting in a final report. Student progress is captured in a back-end database and monitored by their instructor. Hardware such as micropipettes and attachments for phone/tablet will be designed and prepared through 3D printing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.