Moving Biofilm Research into Teaching: A Prototype Interactive Web-Based Approach

工程-其他(59)这是一个“概念验证”项目，它展示了利用网络为生物膜工程和科学提供下一代、基于探究的主动学习教育资源的可行性。一个将标准文本、图形、关键概念的互动动画、声音和声音融为一体的“超级教科书”原型正在开发和正式评估中。标准的网站创建技术正在被应用，以确保原型可以在所有平台上的任何常见网络浏览器上使用，使世界上任何人都可以访问它，而不需要购买特殊的软件或硬件。该原型将作为开发超级教科书的通用模型，激励其他工程和科学学科创造类似的资源。这样的超级教科书将在CD-ROM或DVD媒体上提供，从而消除了在互联网上下载时间过长的需要。在过去的十年里，以蒙大拿州立大学NSF支持的工程研究中心为首的越来越多的专业人员一直在紧张地研究生物膜工程和科学。生物膜是许多行业非常关注的问题，因为处理它们的成本每年涉及数十亿美元。然而，生物膜的教育机会目前还不存在。该中心(现在称为生物膜工程中心，简称CBE)在继续生物膜研究任务的同时，开始专注于教育。以该项目的原型为代表的基于网络的教育工具将使传统环境中的学生能够更好地按照自己的节奏学习，将支持远程或自学学习者，并将允许没有常驻专家的机构提供机会学习重要的新概念。

Engineering - Other (59)This is a "proof-of-concept" project which is demonstrating the feasibility of using the Web to deliver next-generation, inquiry-based, active learning educational resources for biofilm engineering and science. A prototype "hypertextbook" blending standard text, graphics, interactive animations of key concepts, voice, and sound into a seamless whole is being developed and formally evaluated. Standard Web-site creation technologies is being applied to ensure that the prototype can be used with any of the usual Web browsers on all platforms, making it accessible to anyone in the world without the need to purchase special software or hardware. The prototype will serve as a general model for the development of hypertextbooks, inspiring the creation of similar resources in other engineering and science disciplines. Such hypertextbooks will be made available on CD-ROM or DVD media, obviating the need for excessive download time over the Internet.Biofilm engineering and science has been the subject of intense research efforts by a growing number of professionals over the past decade, led by the NSF-supported Engineering Research Center at Montana State University. Biofilms are of great concern to many industries, as the cost of dealing with them involves billions of dollars each year. Yet educational opportunities in biofims are currently nonexistent. The Center (now called the Center for Biofilm Engineering, or CBE) is beginning a focus on education in parallel with its continuing mission of biofilm research. Web-based educational tools-represented by the prototype of this project-will allow students in traditional settings to learn better and at their own paces, will support distance or self-taught learners, and will allow institutions with no resident experts in the subjects to provide the opportunity to learn important, new concepts.