SBIR Phase I: Virtual Reality Platform to advance K-16 Math & Physics proficiency

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响将来自于针对K-16数学和物理科学课程中的痛点，以提高这些科目的参与度和持续成绩。尽管在教育技术、课程改革和教师发展方面进行了投资，但美国的STEM教育仍在努力提高学生的水平、普及教育并满足全球劳动力需求的变化。目前的方法继续推广2D工具来教授本质上是3D的概念，这导致了空间推理和概念化抽象的能力的差距-STEM成功的关键技能。该公司寻求开发一个沉浸式虚拟现实（VR）平台，以缩小STEM熟练程度的差距，特别是对于非选择性和历史上服务不足的学生群体。其目的是通过为学生提供创造性地解决高影响力的真实的世界问题的机会，在最先进的交互式虚拟学习环境中塑造下一代STEM从业者。最终，希望拟议的平台将成为先进的STEM学习解决方案的标准，利用多个平台（VR，AR，移动的）和数据分析，以确保所有背景的学生都能在STEM领域取得成功。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将解决当今教育中VR的一个关键问题-如何将VR用于能力和技能的认知进步，作为中学后STEM成功的守门人？有证据表明，通过VR学习可以增加活动，大脑唤醒和参与，但对概念理解和转移的更持久影响尚未实现。该项目的主要目标是定义如何在一个丰富的、问题驱动的教学框架内设计和实现核心VR功能和多模式交互，以实现抽象主题的3D意义。 该公司将进行严格的研究和迭代用户测试，以确定最有效的VR模式和动觉交互，支持持久的内容掌握和认知灵活性。此外，还将开发数据分析，以增强互动性，为教师和家长提供对学生进步的重要实时形成性评估以及预测性学习见解。该技术还将在平台上实现网络互动，以促进协作学习。 通过这样做，该项目不仅将改变STEM学习体验，还将提供一个如何通过VR实现渐进式教学实践的模型，以推动学生的学习成果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will result from targeting pain points in the K-16 math and physical science curriculum to improve participation and sustained achievement in these subjects. Despite investments in education technology, curriculum overhaul, and teacher development, STEM education in the US continues to struggle to improve student proficiency, democratize access, and meet global changes in workforce demand. Current methodologies continue to promote 2D tools to teach concepts that are inherently 3D in nature, which have led to gaps in spatial reasoning and the ability to conceptualize abstractions - critical skills for success in STEM. The company seeks to develop an immersive virtual reality (VR) platform that closes these gaps in STEM proficiency, particularly for non-selective and historically underserved student populations. The aim is to shape the next generation of STEM practitioners by providing students the opportunity to creatively solve high impact real world problems in state-of-the-art interactive virtual learning environments. Ultimately, it is hoped the proposed platform will become the standard in advanced STEM learning solutions, utilizing multiple platforms (VR, AR, Mobile) and data analytics to ensure students of all backgrounds are equipped to succeed in STEM fields. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address a key question for VR in education today - how can VR be used for the purpose of cognitive advancement in competencies and skills that serve as gate-keepers to success in postsecondary STEM? There is evidence that learning via VR increases activity, brain arousal, and engagement, but more lasting impacts on conceptual understanding and transfer have yet to be realized. The primary objective of this project is to define how core VR functionalities and multimodal interactions can be designed and implemented within a rich, problem-driven pedagogical framework to enable 3D sense making of abstract topics. The company will conduct rigorous research and iterative user testing to identify the most effective VR modalities and kinesthetic interactions that support enduring content mastery and cognitive flexibility. In addition, data analytics will be developed to enhance interactivity, provide crucial real-time formative assessment of student progress, and predictive learning insights to teachers and parents. The technology will also enable networked interactions on the platform to promote collaborative learning. In doing so, the project will not only transform the STEM learning experience, but also provide a model of how progressive pedagogical practices can be actualized through VR to drive student learning outcomes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.