SBIR Phase I: Scalable Game Design: Broadening Computer Science Participation with Low-Threshold, High-Ceiling Design Environments

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段研究项目将开发一个可扩展的游戏设计环境，包括课程，目标是提高学生在K-12计算机科学教育中的参与度。部分由于对工作外包的过度担忧，大学级计算机科学专业的入学人数正在以惊人的速度下降。另一个更根本的问题是管道断裂效应，即K-12学生对计算机科学课程根本不感兴趣。高级预修课程提供了对计算机科学的系统介绍，但它们侧重于抽象编程，缺乏激励应用，导致参与人数减少。多媒体课程很受欢迎，但通常不过是一些高级的PowerPoint教程。当游戏设计以可扩展的方式完成时，可以在计算机科学的动机和学术关注之间提供理想的平衡。游戏设计也可以与美国国家科学院推荐的现有流畅信息技术框架相匹配。拟议的研究将通过建立基于增量3D模型创建和编程的低门槛，高天花板设计环境来探索可扩展设计。该研究将把这种环境纳入可扩展的设计课程。这种可扩展的设计为有效设计、开发和部署大量游戏（从简单的2D青蛙游戏到3D模拟游戏）提供了一条有吸引力的途径。这项提议的技术将大大增加对计算机科学感兴趣的K-12学生的数量，这反过来将导致大学计算机科学的入学率增加。没有更强的计算机科学招生，美国就无法保持具有国际竞争力的IT劳动力。一个不那么抽象的编程，更多基于设计的IT课程也应该增加妇女和少数民族的参与。此外，由此产生的通用环境可以用作计算科学的模拟创作工具，并通过Web集成（例如与谷歌Earth）用作计算网络基础设施。用户将包括K-12学生、大学生、科学家、工程师和对计算3D应用感兴趣的普通公众。商业化途径采用了一种新颖的商业模式，将该技术作为一种消费者工具提供给K-12，该工具将免费提供，但作为一种特殊的带回家交易出售给有兴趣在家中使用该技术的学生。额外的收入将通过游戏设计研讨会和课程开发等产品支持来创造。该工具的开放特性将允许开发插件等扩展，以及与现有的富媒体技术（如3D建模器）集成。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project will develop a scalable game design environment, including curriculum, with the goal of increasing the participation of students in K-12 computer science education. Partially due to exaggerated fears of job outsourcing, enrollment in University-level computer science programs is dropping at an alarming rate. Another, more fundamental problem is a broken pipeline effect in which K-12 students simply fail to get interested in computer science courses. Advanced placement courses offer a methodical introduction to computer science, but their focus on abstract programming and the lack of motivating applications has resulted in dwindling participation. Multimedia courses are popular, but often are little more than advanced PowerPoint tutorials. Game design, when done in a scalable way, can provide an ideal balance between motivational and academic concerns of computer science. Game design can also be matched to the existing Fluency with Information Technology framework recommended by the National Academies of Sciences. The proposed research will explore scalable design by building a low-threshold, high-ceiling design environment based on Incremental 3D model creation and programming. The research will incorporate this environment into a scalable design curriculum. This scalable design should provide an attractive route to the effective design, development and deployment of an exceptionally large spectrum of games ranging from simple 2D Frogger-type games to 3D Sims-type games.The proposed technology should dramatically increase the number of K-12 students interested in computer science, which in turn will result in larger enrollment in computer science at the university level. Without stronger computer science enrollments the US cannot maintain an internationally competitive IT workforce. A less abstract programming, more design-based IT curriculum should also increase the participation of women and minorities. Further, the resulting general environment can be employed as a simulation-authoring tool for computational science and, through Web integration (e.g. with Google Earth), as computational cyberinfrastructure. The user audience will include K-12 students, university students, scientists, engineers and members of the general public interested in computational 3D applications. The commercialization pathway utilizes a novel business model based on offering the technology as a consumer tool that will be free for K-12 but sold as a special take-home deal to students interested in using the technology at home. Additional revenue will be created through product support such as game design workshops and curriculum development. The open nature of the tool will permit the development of extensions such as plug-ins, as well as integration with existing rich-media technology such as a 3D modeler.