SBIR Phase I: Connecting Science and Mathematics through Data

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发材料来帮助科学学习者更有效地使用数学。 该项目提供了一个为科学课堂创建新课程材料的计划。 这些材料将使用Fathom TM，一种最初为数学开发的新数据分析软件包。此外，将设计和实施软件的增强功能，使其更适合科学。理科学生经常使用不太复杂的数学-例如，计算方法或比例-比他们在平行数学课上使用的。 Fathom软件，加上网络和probeware等数据源，可以帮助学生将他们正在学习的数学与科学联系起来。 学生对科学概念的理解将得到改善，他们将看到他们的科学和数学学习之间的更多联系。 有了三个成功的样本课程，认识论工程将准备创建更多的材料，并实施进一步的软件增强。拟议的研究将导致Fathom软件的显着增强，并打开了使用以前只提供给数学教育工作者的工具创建科学教育课程材料的大门。 认识论工程将受益于开放科学市场的深和销售的科学课程材料，该公司将出版。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop materials to help science learners use mathematics more effectively. The project provides a plan for creating new curriculum materials for the science classroom. These materials will use Fathom tm, a new data analysis software package originally developed for mathematics. Also, enhancements for the software to make it more appropriate in science will be designed and implemented. Too often, science students use less-sophisticated mathematics--for example, computing means or proportions--than they use in parallel math classes. Fathom software, coupled with data sources such as the web and probeware, can be used-to help students bring the mathematics they are learning to bear on science. Students' understanding of science concepts will improve, and they will see more connections between their science and mathematics learning. With three successful sample lessons, Epistemological Engineering will be poised to create additional materials and to implement further software enhancements.The proposed research will lead to significant enhancements to Fathom software and open the door to creating curriculum materials in science education using tools previously available only to math educators. Epistemological Engineering will benefit both from opening the science market for Fathom and from the sale of the science curriculum materials that the firm will publish.