Informal Biosciences Resources

描述(由申请人提供)：首席调查者：Graf，Karen Abstract Home School代表着一个在美国迅速扩张的服务不足的市场，目前只有有限数量的中学生命科学产品专门为这部分学生群体量身定做。EDVOTEK表示，申请机构相信这个市场提供的机会是巨大的，并将继续增长；它为公司提供了一个独特的商业机会，是其当前业务的合理延伸。本次SBIR第二阶段拟研究的产品是旨在激发科学兴趣和学生自主研究的与健康相关和与生命科学相关的实验。在这个第二阶段的项目中，该公司将研究20个独立的实验(“Science Path Accelerator”或“SciPacs(Tm)”)，或与一个科学概念相关的4个实验的5个集群(Sci4Pacs(Tm))。SciPac(Tm)产品线将向中学生和生物入门学生强调当前的生物和技术概念，这些概念将亲自影响学生的日常生活；这些产品还将专门设计用于家庭和传统学校，以及社区科学中心和博物馆。所有计划中的科学活动将从安全性、保质期和家长和教师作为教学资源的可负担性方面进行评估。一个在教育评估方面拥有成熟专业知识的新顾问委员会将有力地补充该公司在科学教育、制造和营销方面的现有实力。具体地说，我们将严格评估建议的产品是否允许提高科学兴趣和实现国家科学教育标准。由于科学和技术是我们社会的支柱，维持着我们目前(以及未来几代人)的生活标准，该公司坚信，为10至15岁的学生提供“亲身实践”的生命科学实验将在培养学生对科学的兴趣和理解方面发挥重要作用，并直接影响我们的社会。继续及早接触科学也可能激发年轻学生的就业机会，反过来，这将对我国的经济发展和公众健康产生积极影响。第一页首席研究员：格拉夫，凯伦叙述我们的国家是一个高度工业化的社会，以科学为基础的教育对保持我们在世界上的领导地位至关重要。随着全球化和低技能制造业工作的不可避免地继续出口，我们公民未来的职业生涯将需要提高对科学和技术的掌握。科学家和工程师的短缺将导致其他国家继续失去高科技工作岗位。早期和持续的科学教育将提供值得注意的社会效益，包括具有科学素养的未来选民。可以预计，继续及早接触科学也可能刺激年轻的理科学生的就业机会，这反过来将对我国的经济发展产生积极影响。第1页

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Principal Investigator: Graf, Karen Abstract Home schools represent an underserved market that is rapidly expanding in the United States, and there are currently only a limited number of products for middle school life science specifically tailored for this segment of the student population. EDVOTEK, the applicant organization believes the opportunity provided by this market is significant and will continue to grow; it affords a unique business opportunity for the company and is a logical extension of its current business. The proposed products to be researched in this Phase II SBIR are "hands- on" health-related and life science-related experiments designed to stimulate science interest and self-directed student research. In this Phase II project, the company will research twenty stand-alone experiments ("Science Path Accelerators" or "SciPacs(tm)") or five clusters of four experiments related to a single science concept (Sci4Pacs(tm)). The SciPac(tm) product line will emphasize current biology and technology concepts for middle school and introductory biology students that personally impact students' daily lives; these products will also be specifically designed for home and traditional school use, as well as for community science centers and museums. Science activities in all proposed SciPacs(tm) and Sci4Pacs(tm) will be evaluated for safety, shelf life, and affordability for parents and teachers to incorporate as teaching resources. A new advisory board with established expertise in education assessment will strongly complement the company's existing strength in science education, manufacturing and marketing. Specifically, we will rigorously assess whether the proposed products allow for increased science interest and achievement of National Science Education Standards. As science and technology are pillars of our society that maintain our current standard of life (and that of generations to come), the company strongly believes that "hands-on" life science experiments for students ages 10 to 15 will play a significant role in developing interest and comprehension of science, with direct impact on our society. Continued early introduction to science might also stimulate career opportunities for young students that in turn, will have a positive influence on the economic development and public health of our Nation. Page 1 Principal Investigator: Graf, Karen Narrative Our Nation is a highly industrialized society and science-based education is critical to maintain our leadership in the world. With globalization and the inevitable continued export of lower skilled manufacturing jobs, future careers for our citizens will require improved mastery of science and technology. Shortages of scientists and engineers will result in continued high technology job losses to other nations. Early and sustained science education will provide noteworthy societal benefits, including scientifically literate future voters. One can anticipate that continued early introduction to science might also stimulate career opportunities for young science students, which in turn, will have a positive impact on the economic development of our Nation. Page 1