Sonic Math Fundamentals

项目摘要/叙述 Sonic Math Fundamentals旨在提高视力障碍学生的STEM技能。 研究表明，孩子们可以，也应该参与科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM） 学习，甚至在生命的最初几年。数学通常是其他STEM学科的基础，因为它 作为科学、工程和技术的语言。 数学的视觉性质导致盲人或低视力（BLV）学生的表现非常低 在STEM。即使是简单的STEM概念，如加法和减法，也可能对BLV儿童构成挑战，因为 这些概念需要理解数字线，一个空间概念。因此，视障学生可 经常被剥夺追求STEM相关职业的机会，因为他们没有完全发展必要的技能 使他们能够与视力正常的同龄人竞争。反过来，社会被剥夺了多样化劳动力的好处， 可以带来STEM就业的各个方面。 虽然交互式数字媒体（IDM），如基于平板电脑的数学游戏应用程序，通常有效地用于 改善视力儿童的STEM，他们本质上是视觉。为这些工具开发的学习材料很少 对BLV学生开放。BLVED的长期目标是开发材料，让BLV学生使用 IDM有效。反过来，这将使BLV学生可以选择追求STEM教育道路和职业， 从而增加了STEM领域的多样性。 这个SBIR项目在第一阶段有三个目标：目标1：定义需求并为早期数学开发游戏规范 技能的基础上共同核心国家标准（CCSS）通过咨询各种STEM为重点的教师，数学 课程专家和专门从事视力障碍学生教育的大学研究人员。目标二： 为BLV学生创建两个原型技能培养数学游戏。游戏将使用触觉和 声波反馈，因此它的名字：声波数学基础。学生可以在课堂内外使用这些应用程序， 教室设置。教师将能够远程监控每个学生掌握技能的进度，使用网络， 基于dashboard。目标3：评估数字游戏原型，以提高BLV学生的参与度和数学技能。 评估将涉及通过使用CCSS工具包，游戏玩法和游戏前和游戏后评估收集数据。 分析包括正确与不正确的分数，以及教师和学生的结构化访谈。 研究样本：我们将招募15名BLV学生就读学前班或幼儿园班。照老师 报告中，学生还没有掌握形状识别或数线的概念。在招聘中，我们将 寻求招收来自不同种族和社会经济背景的学生，平衡性别和视觉水平 损伤 Sonic Math Fundamentals符合本资助机会公告的教育目标，因为它解决了 学生STEM职业选择从幼儿园和研究目标开始，因为它发展了新的教育 这些产品将为服务不足的学生群体推进基于STEM的游戏。

Project Summary/Narrative Sonic Math Fundamentals to improve STEM skills for students with vision impairments. Research shows that children can, and should, engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, even in the earliest years of life. Mathematics is often the underpinning of the other STEM disciplines because it serves as a language for science, engineering, and technology. The visual nature of mathematics results in students who are blind or have low vision (BLV) performing extraordinarily low in STEM. Even simple STEM concepts such as addition and subtraction can be challenging for BLV children because these concepts require understanding of the number line, a spatial concept. Hence, students who are visually impaired are often denied the opportunity to pursue STEM-related careers because they have not fully developed the pre-requisite skills that allow them to compete alongside their sighted peers. In turn, society is denied the benefits that a diverse workforce could bring to all facets of STEM employment. While Interactive Digital Media (IDM), such as tablet-based math game apps, are commonly and effectively used to improve STEM for sighted children, they are visual in nature. The learning materials developed for these tools are rarely accessible to BLV students. ObjectiveEd’s long-term goal is to develop materials that will allow BLV students to use IDM effectively. In turn this will allow BLV students to have the option to pursue a STEM education path and career, resulting in increased diversity in the STEM fields. This SBIR project has three aims for Phase 1: Aim 1: Define requirements and develop game specification for early math skills based on Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by consulting with a variety of STEM-focused teachers, math curriculum experts and university researchers specializing in the education of students with visual impairments. Aim 2: Create two prototype skill-building math games for BLV students. The games will be accessible using both tactile and sonic feedback, hence its name: Sonic Math Fundamentals. Students can use the apps in both in-classroom and out-of- classroom settings. Teachers will be able to monitor each student’s progress in mastering skills remotely, using a web- based dashboard. Aim 3: Evaluate the digital game prototype for BLV students’ engagement and increased math skills. Evaluation will involve collecting data through pre- and post-game assessments using a CCSS toolkit, game-play analytics including correct vs. incorrect scores, and structured interviews of teachers and students. Study Sample: We will recruit 15 BLV students enrolled pre-kindergarten or kindergarten classes. According to teacher report, the students will not have in mastered shape identification or the number line concept. In our recruitment we will seek to recruit students from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds balancing for gender and level of visual impairment. Sonic Math Fundamentals aligns with an education objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, as it addresses student STEM career choice starting with pre-kindergarten and the research objective, as it develops new education products that will advance STEM-based gaming for an underserved student population.