SPIRIT: Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in IT

“硅草原倡议机器人在IT”（SPIRIT），内布拉斯加大学和奥马哈公立学校之间的合作，是一个为期三年的综合ITEST项目的学生和教师。 SPIRIT的目标是7-8年级的105名科学和数学教师，每个人都获得了100多个小时的暑期专业发展和50个小时的后续支持，以开发校内课程活动。 预计将有9，000多名学生参加校内和暑期项目。该项目的核心是一个大学水平的TekBot（TM）学习平台，该平台正在适应中学水平。 该平台可用于演示无线、视频和信号处理、传感器、视频显示、电子、控制系统、嵌入式系统、数字逻辑和入门编程中的基本应用。 在该项目中开发的课程采用TekBots作为基于问题的教学活动的基本策略。 它具有适应性，可扩展性和成本效益，提供可以延伸到高中和大学的学习经验。 成果将通过出版物和演示、教师研讨会、为奥马哈儿童博物馆准备的展览以及与其他大学使用机器人平台的合作来传播。 一个互动的，动态的网站将创建模块和教程，可上传的程序，聊天室和链接到机器人研究。

The "Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in IT" (SPIRIT), a collaboration between the University of Nebraska and Omaha Public Schools, is a three-year Comprehensive ITEST Project for Students and Teachers. SPIRIT targets 105 science and mathematics teachers in grades 7-8, each of whom receives more than 100 hours of summer professional development and 50 hours of follow-up support in developing in-school curricular activities. More than 9,000 students are expected to participate through in-school and summer programs.The centerpiece of the project is a unversity level TekBot (TM) learning platform that is being adapted to the middle school level. This platform can be used to demonstrate basic applications in wireless, video and signal processing, sensors, video displays, electronics, control systems, embedded systems, digital logic and introductory programming. The curriculum to be developed in the project employs TekBots as a fundamental strategy for problem-based instructional activities. It is adaptable, expandable and cost-effective, providing learning experiences that can extend into high school and college. Results will be disseminated through publications and presentations, teacher workshops, displays prepared for the Omaha Children's Museum and collaborations with other universities using robotics platforms. An interactive, dynamic website will be created with modules and tutorials, uploadable programs, chat rooms and links to robotics research.