SBIR Phase II: A web-application that enables hands-on biotech laboratory education for students regardless of socioeconomic status

SBIR 第二阶段：一个网络应用程序，无论社会经济地位如何，都可以为学生提供生物技术实验室实践教育

• 批准号: 2137168
• 负责人: Vicki Meadows
• 金额: $ 100万
• 依托单位: Zenobia Therapeutics
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-01-15 至 2025-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2137168&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; web; application

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is equitable access to a quality science education regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location. Across the nation, science illiteracy is an ongoing issue with only 30% of students testing as having a basic knowledge of science. As a result, the U.S. does not have enough trained scientists to commercial or academic laboratories. This situation has been deemed a national crisis and is considered a risk to U.S. national security. A quality science education has lasting benefits to students including more persuasive and clear communication skills, and the ability to design and develop critical approaches to problem-solving. The long-term goal of this program is to raise science literacy across the nation and provide career readiness training for the next generation of scientists. The program meets all three dimensions of Next Generation Science Standards. A book version of the program is being rolled-out to independent study charter schools in California. The online program will be tested in schools which have adopted the books. Both book and online versions will be expanded to charter schools, private schools, and eventually public schools. Modules of the program may be adopted in areas without access to high-speed internet.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses inequities in science education by providing an independent study application that includes step-by-step instruction for a hands-on chemical laboratory. All hands-on laboratories use reagents commonly found in the home for safety and accessibility reasons. Experiments are designed to be done without the need for a trained science teacher in the room. Studies show that hands-on learning is more impactful than computer simulations. Low-cost scientific equipment is also being developed. A hand-powered spinning centrifuge is under final design. During Phase II, a drug discovery module will be developed where students can find a potential cure for a disease in their own kitchen or classroom. Aims also include modifying the online application to make it easily expandable, scalable and maintainable for the long term. The application development includes technical optimization for reliable deployment nationwide and new interfaces to allow educators to upload content directly into the application. The project also includes security audits of the application including user information. Financial information will be managed through a third-party application. The product will be iteratively tested in classrooms and homeschools.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.

该小企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是，无论社会经济地位或地理位置如何，都能公平地获得优质科学教育。在全国范围内，科学文盲是一个持续存在的问题，只有 30% 的学生经过测试具有基本的科学知识。因此，美国没有足够的训练有素的科学家来建立商业或学术实验室。这种情况已被视为国家危机，并被视为对美国国家安全的威胁。优质的科学教育对学生具有持久的好处，包括更具说服力和清晰的沟通技巧，以及设计和开发解决问题的关键方法的能力。该计划的长期目标是提高全国的科学素养，并为下一代科学家提供职业准备培训。该计划符合下一代科学标准的所有三个方面。该计划的书籍版本正在向加利福尼亚州的独立学习特许学校推出。在线程序将在采用这些书籍的学校进行测试。 书籍和在线版本都将扩展到特许学校、私立学校，并最终扩展到公立学校。该计划的模块可以在无法访问高速互联网的地区采用。这个小型企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第二阶段项目通过提供独立的研究应用程序来解决科学教育中的不平等问题，其中包括针对动手操作的分步指导- 化学实验室。出于安全性和可及性的原因，所有动手实验室都使用家中常见的试剂。实验的设计目的是不需要经过训练的科学老师在房间里就可以完成。研究表明，实践学习比计算机模拟更具影响力。低成本的科学设备也正在开发中。手动旋转离心机正在最终设计中。在第二阶段，将开发一个药物发现模块，学生可以在自己的厨房或教室找到潜在的疾病治疗方法。目标还包括修改在线应用程序，使其易于长期扩展、扩展和维护。应用程序开发包括在全国范围内可靠部署的技术优化以及允许教育工作者将内容直接上传到应用程序的新界面。该项目还包括应用程序的安全审核，包括用户信息。财务信息将通过第三方应用程序进行管理。该产品将在教室和家庭学校中进行反复测试。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。