Powers of Inquiry

描述（由申请人提供）：这个第一阶段SBIR申请的目标是评估为国家环境健康科学研究所（MIEHS）创建教育材料的可行性。题为探究的力量：利用图像分析来探索环境健康科学，教材将采用先进的技术工具——NASA Image2000——引导初高中学生通过与NIEHS任务相关的十个案例研究的探究性探索。NASA Image2000是一款功能强大的图像处理和分析（IPA）软件程序，专为教育用途而设计，它将为学生提供强大的计算能力，使他们能够提出自己的研究问题，进行调查，并对数字图像中的数据得出自己的结论。“探究的力量”课程将采用“十的幂”形式。材料的每一个后续课程将聚焦于环境健康问题，从行星水平开始，通过关于器官，微生物和人体组织细胞的课程，到达关于分子大小的纳米探测器如何作为生物恐怖主义的第一道防线的课程。《探究的力量》教材的教育目标是通过引人入胜的视觉媒介向初高中学生介绍环境健康科学，使他们参与以探究为基础的活动，支持科学、数学和技术教育的州和国家标准的成就。完成以下第一阶段项目里程碑将进一步实现这些目标：(1)最终确定调查权力材料的目录；(2)确定NASA Image2000的插件和其他修改，以便于将该软件用于“探究的力量”材料；(3)开发并试制一门探究力的示范课；(4)制定教材实地测试计划；(5)为课程制定产品开发计划。这些材料将由Science-Approach开发，这是一个新成立的营利性实体，源自于教育图像处理中心（CIPE）。CIPE是一家受人尊敬的非营利组织，为教师提供教学材料和专业发展服务，在开发和商业化类似于《探究的力量》的教学材料方面有着成功的记录。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this Phase 1 SBIR application is to evaluate the feasibility of creating educational materials for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (MIEHS). Entitled Powers of Inquiry: Using image analysis to explore environmental health science, the materials will employ an advanced technology tool -- NASA Image2000 -- to lead middle and high school students through inquiry-based explorations of ten case studies related to the mission of NIEHS. A powerful image processing and analysis (IPA) software program designed specifically for use in education, NASA Image2000 will put substantial computing power in the hands of students, allowing them to develop their own research questions, conduct investigations, and come to their own conclusions about the data contained within digital images. A "powers of ten" format will organize the lessons in Powers of Inquiry. Each succeeding lesson in the materials will zoom in on environmental health issues, starting at the planetary level and moving through lessons about the organs, microscopic organisms, and human tissue cells to arrive at a lesson on how molecule-sized nano-detectors may serve as the first defense against bio-terrorism. The educational goal of the Powers of Inquiry materials will be to introduce environmental health science to middle and high school students with an engaging visual medium that involves them in inquiry-based activities supporting accomplishments of state and national standards for science, mathematics, and technology education. Accomplishing the following Phase 1 project milestones will further these goals: (1) Finalize a table of contents for the Powers of Inquiry materials; (2) Identify plug-ins and other modifications for NASA Image2000 that will facilitate use of the software for the Powers of Inquiry materials; (3) Develop and pilot-test a model Powers of Inquiry lesson; (4) Develop a plan for field-testing the instructional materials; (5) Create a product development plan for the lessons. The materials will be developed by Science-Approach, a newly created for-profit entity derived from the Center for Image Processing in Education (CIPE). CIPE, a well-respected nonprofit provider of instructional materials and professional development services to teachers, has a successful track record of developing and commercializing instructional materials similar to Powers of Inquiry.