SBIR Phase I: Web-Based Collaborative Virtual Model Building for Learning in Astronomy

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目建议开发、部署和评估一个基于虚拟现实的建模工具包，该工具包将使学生能够在基于网络的查询框架内协作构建、共同使用和呈现太阳系的虚拟模型。这个系统将使学生探索行星运动的基本问题；独立或合作构建太阳系模型；通过网络与其他本地和远程学生、导师或老师共享和共享这些虚拟模型；并将这些模型展示给广大观众。这种通用的教学方法已经通过使用有限的现成虚拟现实工具的试点项目进行了测试和验证。Cybernet Systems公司相信，这种教学方法和基础技术将开辟一种全新的教学模式，可扩展到许多其他数学、科学和技术领域。这个软件的即时版本的项目市场将是中学地球科学、高中物理和大学新生水平的天文学调查课程。重要的是要认识到，基础技术和教学方法将适用于广泛的领域（天气、生态学、数学、几何等），Cybernet系统公司打算在下一阶段的研究中探索和发展这些潜力。在短期内，研究小组认为，在行星运动的初始领域的所有层面都将产生重大影响。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop, deploy, and evaluate a virtual reality-based modeling kit that will enable students to collaboratively build, cohabit, and present virtual models of the solar system within a web-based inquiry framework. This system will enable students to explore fundamental questions of planetary motion; independently or collaboratively construct models of the solar system; share and cohabit these virtual models with other local and remote students, mentors or teachers through the web; and present these models to large audiences. This general instructional approach has been tested and validated through pilot projects using limited off-the-shelf virtual reality tools. Cybernet Systems Corporation believes that this instructional approach and base technology will open up an entirely new mode of instruction that will be extendable to many other mathematics, science, and technology domains.The market for the project for this immediate version of the software will be middle school earth science, high school physics, and university freshman-level astronomy survey courses. It is important to realize that the underlying technology and instructional approach will be applicable in a wide range of domains (weather, ecology, mathematics, geometric, etc.) and Cybernet Systems Corporation intends to explore and develop these potentials in the next phase of the research. In the near term, the research team believes that there is a significant impact to be made at all levels with the initial domain of planetary motion.