SBIR Phase I: A Technology-Enhanced Statistics Learning Software App

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛/商业影响是开发了一个身临其境的、基于游戏的学习应用程序，以帮助以一种吸引人的方式向初中生教授统计学。该应用程序被设计为课堂资源，旨在提供一种促进统计思维的机制。该应用程序将把研究活动融入统计概念和技术的教学中，以共同的核心课程标准。预计游戏设计将增加人们对统计学的兴趣，并增加进入STEM相关领域的学生数量。这款基于游戏的应用程序以人工智能(AI)和增强现实学习组件为特色，专为满足学生的学业需要而定制，并根据每个学生的个人兴趣进行定制。此应用程序将用作课堂资源。第一阶段研究和开发解决了技术可行性障碍，如增强现实和人工智能功能的开发。其他挑战包括开发不需要互联网接入的用户友好、无缝的应用程序，以及将计算引擎与游戏用户界面集成在一起并确保合理响应时间的可行系统架构。为了克服固有的技术障碍，团队将使用敏捷的开发周期，允许更快地开发成品，并在发生变化和需求更新时灵活地做出响应。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/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in the development of an immersive, game-based, learning app to help teach statistics in an engaging way to middle and high school students. Designed as a classroom resource, the app is aimed at providing a mechanism to promote statistical thinking. The app will integrate research activities into the teaching of statistical concepts and techniques to common core curriculum standards. The game design is expected to increase interest in statistics and also increasing the number of students going into STEM related fields. This game-based app features artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality learning components tailored to meet students where they are academically and customize fit to each student’s individual interests. This app will be used as a classroom resource. Phase I research and development addresses technical feasibility hurdles such as the development of augmented reality and artificial intelligence features. Other challenges include the development of a user-friendly, seamless application that does not require internet access and a feasible system architecture to integrate the computational engine with the game user interface and ensure reasonable response times. To overcome the inherent technical hurdles, the team will use an agile development cycle that allows for faster development of the finished product, as well as flexibility to respond to changes and requirement updates as they occur.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.