I-Corps: An educational software platform and simulation library for supporting role-playing simulations of collective decision-making

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发工具，使教育工作者能够创造有意义的、参与式的在线学习机会。这项新技术有可能在许多方面造福社会。它可以通过模拟来改进教学，使教师能够快速而自信地将参与式学习活动融入到他们的课程中，并向他们介绍一种动态的教学方法，他们可以在整个教学过程中注入这种方法。它可以通过使用安全的环境为学习者提供好处，从而改善学习，在这种环境中发展关键的生活技能，如移情、跨越差异的沟通、批判性思维、探究和团队合作。它还通过支持远程学习空间中的参与式学习体验来增加访问机会，远程学习空间有可能包括社会的广泛领域，以前仅限于面对面教育环境中的特权学习者子集。该i-Corps项目基于基于云的软件和可扩展的模拟库的开发。这两个要素都深深植根于之前研究得出的洞察力。具体地说，模拟库由模拟模板组成，这些模板捕获了各种决策情况的基本元素，这些情况已经被理论化、模型化、测试和改进。未来的开发设想了一个自动化模拟开发过程的过程，方法是从网络上收集当前主题的信息，并用实时内容填充模板。该软件平台包括一些功能，允许模拟创作者从先前开发的库中调整和实施现成的模拟，或者创建他们自己的模拟，以捕捉各种决策情况下的这些基本要素。总而言之，核心技术提供了模拟经验，反映了通过研究积累的知识和见解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of tools to enable educators to create meaningful, engaged, online learning opportunities. The new technology has the potential to benefit society in a number of ways. It may improve teaching through simulations that allow instructors to quickly and confidently incorporate engaged learning activities into their courses, and introduce them to a dynamic pedagogy that they can infuse throughout their teaching. It may improve learning by providing benefits to learners by using a safe setting within which to develop critical life skills such as empathy, communicating across differences, critical thinking, inquiry, and team work. It also increases access by supporting engaged learning experiences in the remote learning space, which has the potential to include a wide swath of society that had previously been limited to a privileged subset of learners in face-to-face educational settings.This I-Corps project is based on the development of cloud-based software and an expandable simulation library. Both elements are deeply grounded in the insights developed through previous research. Specifically, the simulation library consists of simulation templates that capture essential elements of various decision-making situations that have been theorized, modeled, tested, and refined. Future development envisions a process for automating the simulation development process by scraping the web for information on current topics and populating the templates with real-time content. The software platform includes features that allow simulation authors to either adapt and implement ready-made simulations from the previously developed library, or to create their own simulations that capture these essential elements in various decision-making situations. Together, the core technology provides simulation experiences that reflect the accumulated knowledge and insights gained through the research.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.