CyberMOD: A Gentle-Slope Cyberlearning Infrastructure to Support STEM Education

Cyber​​MOD：支持 STEM 教育的平缓网络学习基础设施

• 批准号: 8250728
• 负责人: ALEXANDER REPENNING
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: AGENTSHEETS, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2013-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8250728
• 关键词: Achievement; Address; Administrator; Advisory Committees; Attitude; Biology; California; Cellular biology; Chemistry; Colorado; Communities; Computational Science; Computer Simulation; Data Analyses; Development; Developmental Biology; Education; Educational Curriculum; Educational Status; Effectiveness; Environment; Evaluation; Evaluation Studies; Feedback; Health; Hybrids; Information Technology; K-12 Education; Learning; Letters; Libraries; Marketing; Molecular Biology; Morphologic artifacts; Motivation; National Security; Occupations; Online Systems; Outcome; Pathway interactions; Phase; Physics; Plant Roots; Research; Research Infrastructure; Research Personnel; Resources; Running; STEM curriculum; STEM field; Saint Helena; Schools; Science; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education; Seeds; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Students; Technology; Universities; Work; abstracting; base; career; commercialization; design; digital; fundamental research; high school; illiteracy; instrument; interest; literacy; models and simulation; peer; prototype; repository; science education; simulation; social; teacher; tool; usability; web based interface

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): CyberMOD: A Gentle-Slope Cyberlearning Infrastructure to Support STEM Education Abstract This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project investigates a new gentle-slope cyberlearning infrastructure that introduces students to simulation authoring via a Web-based modding approach called CyberMOD. The proposed CyberMOD cyberlearning infrastructure is a combination of a tool and STEM curriculum. The tool will integrate student products in web-based interfaces for peer interaction, feedback, and development. Other users will be able to run, annotate and rate simulations. Even more importantly they will be able to mod, i.e. modify, simulations fluently, share their mods, and eventually author their own artifacts. This gradual transition from information consumers to producers through engaging computational science approaches could profoundly change science education. The curriculum will provide engaging, inquiry-based CyberMOD activities for high school biology classes. The proposed research addresses the declining interest and achievements of K-12 students in STEM fields- this decline is a serious threat to the US workforce required for research, industrial competitiveness, and national security in the 21st century. Computational science, declared to be a national priority by the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee, is concerned with the authoring of computational models used to solve STEM problems. A fundamental problem that has challenged the introduction of computational science in K-12 education is the rigid dichotomy between using and authoring simulations. Using simulations may be simple but without enough educational depth. Authoring may be engaging but too intricate. Modding will provide a gradual shift from using to authoring simulations. The CyberMOD approach, which combines gentle-slope interfaces with computational science approaches and social media, could dramatically reduce the threshold of computational science in K-12, making it accessible for all students, including underrepresented communities. CyberMOD integrates math and science fields through technology in a motivational way, which has the potential to broaden participation in STEM education. The societal effects would include educational and motivational benefits that address the current STEM crisis and result in informed, well-educated citizens. Broader impacts of this project include the establishment of an effective computationally related career pathway that starts with K-12 computational science and leads to the exploding market of digital jobs based on hybrid careers that combine computing with other fields such as biology and physics. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Science illiteracy, often rooted in K-12 science education failing to be of interest or relevance for students, can ultimately have negative effects in the public's understanding of their own health and environment. CyberMOD is likely to engage students more and to turn them into better- informed, and consequently healthier citizens, by integrating math and science fields through technology in a motivational way, which has the potential to broaden participation in STEM education and increase science literacy. The more general societal effects would include educational and motivational benefits that address the current STEM crisis and result in informed, well-educated citizens. Broader impacts of this project include the establishment of an effective computationally related career pathway that starts with K-12 computational science and leads to the exploding market of digital jobs based on hybrid careers that combine computing with other fields such as biology, chemistry, and physics.

描述（由申请人提供）：Cyber​​MOD：支持 STEM 教育的缓坡网络学习基础设施 摘要 这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目研究了一种新的缓坡网络学习基础设施，该基础设施通过基于 Web 的改装方法向学生介绍模拟创作，该方法称为Cyber​​MOD。拟议的 Cyber​​MOD 网络学习基础设施是工具和 STEM 课程的组合。该工具将把学生产品集成到基于网络的界面中，以进行同伴互动、反馈和发展。其他用户将能够运行、注释和评价模拟。更重要的是，他们将能够流畅地修改（即修改）模拟、共享他们的模组，并最终创作自己的工件。通过计算科学方法从信息消费者到信息生产者的逐渐转变可能会深刻地改变科学教育。该课程将为高中生物课程提供引人入胜、基于探究的 Cyber​​MOD 活动。拟议的研究解决了 K-12 学生对 STEM 领域的兴趣和成就下降的问题——这种下降对 21 世纪研究、工业竞争力和国家安全所需的美国劳动力构成严重威胁。计算科学被总统信息技术咨询委员会宣布为国家优先事项，涉及用于解决 STEM 问题的计算模型的编写。在 K-12 教育中引入计算科学面临的一个基本问题是使用和编写模拟之间的严格二分法。使用模拟可能很简单，但教育深度不够。创作可能很吸引人，但过于复杂。改装将提供从使用模拟到创作模拟的逐步转变。 Cyber​​MOD 方法将缓坡界面与计算科学方法和社交媒体相结合，可以大大降低 K-12 中计算科学的门槛，使所有学生（包括代表性不足的社区）都能接触到它。 Cyber​​MOD 通过技术以激励方式整合数学和科学领域，这有可能扩大 STEM 教育的参与。社会影响将包括解决当前 STEM 危机并培养知情、受过良好教育的公民的教育和激励效益。该项目更广泛的影响包括建立一条有效的计算相关职业道路，从 K-12 计算科学开始，并导致基于将计算与生物学和物理学等其他领域相结合的混合职业的数字工作市场的爆炸式增长。 公众健康相关性：科学文盲通常源于 K-12 科学教育未能引起学生的兴趣或相关性，最终可能对公众对自身健康和环境的理解产生负面影响。 Cyber​​MOD 可能会更多地吸引学生，并通过技术以激励的方式整合数学和科学领域，从而将他们变成知识更丰富、从而更健康的公民，这有可能扩大 STEM 教育的参与并提高科学素养。更普遍的社会影响将包括解决当前 STEM 危机并培养受过良好教育的公民的教育和激励效益。该项目的更广泛影响包括建立有效的计算相关职业道路，从 K-12 计算科学开始，导致基于混合职业的数字工作市场的爆炸式增长，将计算与生物、化学和物理等其他领域相结合。