Innovative Web 2.0 enabled problem based learning system for biology education

描述（由申请人提供）：Inquus计划在一个新型的电子学习环境框架内开发一种新的科学教育方法，这种环境是协作的，以发现为导向的，用户友好的，并利用新兴技术在网络上被迅速采用的新媒体。具体而言，该项目将在其框架内开发生物课程单元，并通过与高中生的仔细研究来展示提高的学习能力。案例将吸引学生学习生物学，并将围绕分子遗传学的新兴领域，包括与健康和疾病有关的内容，科学史和药物发现。这些案例将直接关系到美国国立卫生研究院的整体使命，并符合国家高中科学内容标准。这一概念验证将使主要研究人员将Inquus定位为一个可行的小型企业，开发教育软件，以提高高中学习的科学教育经验。完成上述具体目标所需的软件开发将基于埃默里大学和佐治亚理工学院先前开发的现有研究。项目经理将管理三个团队，技术开发团队，内容开发团队和教育研究团队。一旦软件开发完成并可部署，它将被安装在这两所学校。同时，一名生物专家将与高中教师合作开发四个生物案例，并将其上传到Inquus。该软件的可行性将通过一系列精心设计的实验来确定，这些实验由我们与学校和教师有着长期合作关系的教育研究人员组织。拟议的测试不仅将在Inquus用户群体中建立卓越的学习成果，而且还将表明对科学的态度得到改善，并能更好地长期保留内容。对教师的评估不仅要评估对学生学习的影响，还要评估软件对学生和教师的可用性以及案例的质量。当我们向学校和个人推销我们的系统时，我们期望这些结果使我们在第二阶段具有竞争力。该项目将激发高中学生学习与分子遗传学、疾病和药物发现相关的生物学知识。这些知识将帮助他们在现在和将来对健康、疾病和个人生活方式的选择做出正确的决定。此外，这些材料将增加学生对科学和科学事业的兴趣。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Inquus proposes to develop a new approach to science education within the framework of a novel e-learning environment that is collaborative, discovery-oriented, user- friendly, and makes use of emerging technologies for new media that are being adopted rapidly across the Web. Specifically, this project will develop biology curricular units within its framework and demonstrate improved learning through careful studies with high school students. Cases will engage students in learning biology and will be focused around the emerging fields of molecular genetics, and include content pertaining to health and diseases, the history of science and drug discovery. These cases will directly relate to the overall mission of NIH as well as fit into the national science content standards for high school. This proof-of-concept will enable the principal investigators to position Inquus as a viable small business that develops educational software to enhance the science education experiences of high school studies. Software development required to accomplish the specific aims listed above will be based on existing research developed previously at Emory University and Georgia Tech. The project manager will manage three teams, the Technological development Team, Content Development Team and the Educational Research Team. Once the software is developed and deployable it will be installed in the two schools. Concurrently, a Biology expert will develop four biology cases in collaboration with high school teachers and upload them to Inquus. The feasibility of the software will be established by a set of carefully designed experiments, structured by our educational researcher who has a long standing relationship with the schools and teachers. The tests proposed will not only establish superior learning gains in the Inquus user group, but also demonstrate improved attitudes to science and better long-term retention of content. Evaluation of teachers will assess not only the impact on student learning, but also the usability of the software for both students and instructors and the quality of the cases. We expect these results to position us competitively for Phase II when we will market our system to schools and individuals. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE The project will interest and motivate high school students to learn biology related to molecular genetics, disease and drug discovery. This knowledge will help them make good decisions in the present and in the future about health, disease and also personal lifestyle choices. In addition, the materials will increase student interest in the sciences and careers in science.