SBIR Phase II: Engineering Design Instruction Software for implementing Objectives of Next (EDISON) Generation Standards in K-12

This SBIR Phase II project, the Engineering Design Instruction Software for implementing Objectives of Next generation standards (EDISON), will combine Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts together with engineering design, simulation, Augmented Reality (AR), 3-D printing, and real-world experiments. The project will create a collaborative platform for middle school engineering projects where students create, analyze, simulate, and construct designs for several types of projects like bridges, cars, circuits, simple machines, drones, and robots. This project will provide positive experiences with STEM and engineering in middle school, when many students lose interest in these economically vital fields. EDISON will foster STEM engagement and inquiry in middle school, by leveraging gaming, team collaboration, 3D printing, and augmented reality. The project will create engineering experiences that connect math and science content directly to real world applications to improve student academic performance in traditional science and math subjects. This work has the potential to promote effective integration of engineering in K-12, prepare students for future careers, expand scientific literacy, and engage diverse groups of students in STEM, supporting NSF's mission. This SBIR Phase II project will produce a collaborative engineering design platform for middle school, containing realistic design tools, content creation, embedded standards-based STEM assessment, and tools supporting prototyping and testing. EDISON provides end to end solutions for team-based engineering in middle schools and maintains engagement through gamification. This project will develop sophisticated tools that are lacking in existing engineering curricula, and support math and science standards alignment using model-based engineering, virtual design collaboration, and embedded tools for student evaluation. In this work the Phase I prototype will be extended by developing reusable design modules for circuit design, simple machines, aerodynamics, and programming. Testing tools using sensors and Augmented Reality will be added for real world data collection and analysis. Numerous modular standards aligned lessons and a content creation interface to facilitate EDISON?s transition to an instructional platform will be created. Finally, in collaboration with our University partner EDISON will be extensively tested and student outcomes evaluated in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classrooms using a combination of embedded, quantitative, and qualitative methods. The goal is to better meet the STEM instructional needs of educators and students with superior capabilities, engaging experiences, and easy to use tools. 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.