SBIR Phase II: Learning Design Synthesis with a Mechatronics Kit

该SBIR第二阶段项目通过开发用于教学和学习工程设计综合的机电一体化和机器人构建工具包，满足了国家对更广泛和实践STEM（科学，技术，工程和数学）教育的关键需求。研究目标是开发一种教学工具，使年轻学习者对工程设计感兴趣，鼓励他们参与工程实践，通过探索符合或超过国家标准的STEM主题来创造有吸引力的技术。目标是让年轻人参与设计机电一体化和机器人系统，无论他们之前是否有技术经验或STEM经验，并通过此获得对工程设计综合的兴趣，经验和信心。这项工作包括开发建筑工具包硬件，为儿童编程机电一体化结构的软件环境，以及使用工具包教授和学习STEM主题和工程设计的材料。随着硬件的进步，该项目将开发软件和学习资源，用教育材料支撑建筑工具包。它旨在支持教师和其他教育工作者将机电一体化工具包融入课堂和校外学习，满足国家STEM标准，同时推进关于儿童如何学习复杂设计概念以及教育工作者如何最好地支持这一进展的研究。SBIR第二阶段项目的更广泛/商业影响是在年轻学习者中产生创新，设计，和创造性地解决问题是未来劳动力最重要的技能。这些技能在STEM学科中得到了解决，然而，技术在教育中的使用往往局限于基于技能的计算机操作，而工程学则完全被忽视。教学和学习工具及其软件和学习资源的集合真正集成了STEM首字母缩写中的每一个字母，同时邀请没有机器人，工程，设计，技术或计算机编程背景的学生立即开始创建。这将利用他们的创造力作为在这些领域继续学习的动力。正是因为套件消除了对先进制造技能或编程知识的需求，这个套件及其附带的活动将促进更广泛的包容性的学生谁可能传统上感到害怕，从更复杂的干参与。随着越来越多的学生成功地使用该工具包及其学习活动的集合，这将增强未来的劳动力，知情的公民，以及支持教师和教育工作者探索当给予激励和建立信心的STEM活动时，所有学生都可以实现什么。

This SBIR Phase II project addresses a critical national need for more expansive and hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education by developing a mechatronic and robotics construction kit for teaching and learning engineering design synthesis. The research objective is to develop a teaching tool to interest young learners in engineering design, encourage and engage them in engineering practices specifically, creating appealing technology through exploring STEM topics that meets or exceeds national standards. The goal is to engage young people regardless of prior technical experience or STEM exposure in designing mechatronics and robotics systems, and through this to gain interest, experience, and confidence in engineering design synthesis. The work comprises developing construction kit hardware, a software environment for children to program their mechatronic constructions, and materials for using the kit to teach and learn STEM topics and engineering design. As the hardware advances, the project will develop software and learning resources that scaffold the construction kit with educational materials. It aims to support teachers and other educators incorporating the mechatronics kit into classroom and out-of-school learning, addressing national STEM standards while advancing research on how children learn complex design concepts and how educators can best support this progression.The broader/commercial impact of this SBIR Phase II project is in engendering in young learners innovation, design, and creative problem solving among the most important skills for tomorrow's workforce. These skills are addressed within STEM disciplines, however, too often the use of technology in education is limited to skill based computer operations, and engineering is neglected altogether. The teaching and learning tool and its ensemble of software and learning resources truly integrates every letter in the STEM acronym, while inviting students who have no background in robotics, engineering, design, technology, or computer programming to begin creating immediately. This leverages their creativity as motivation to continue learning in these fields. Precisely because kit removes the need for advanced fabrication skills or programming knowledge, this kit and its accompanying activities will promote broader inclusion of students who may have traditionally felt intimidated from more complex STEM engagement. As more students succeed with the kit and its ensemble of learning activities, this enhances a future workforce, an informed citizenry, as well as supporting teachers and educators to explore what all students can achieve when given motivating and confidence building STEM activities.