SBIR Phase II: Helping Students Acquire 21st Century Skills Through Immersive Group STEM Simulations

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will contribute to the introduction into the educational market of a product uniquely designed to help educators prepare today's students for the challenges of tomorrow's workforce. The ability to think critically and creatively, to communicate effectively, and to solve problems in a collaborative, technology rich environment previously defined 21st Century Skills. New research indicates that in addition to the need for literacy, numeracy, and these advanced cognitive skills, students must also be equipped with social and emotional skills. These social-emotional skills range from self-awareness to empathy for others and from self-management to leadership. The demand for higher order skills makes it more important than ever for school administrators and teachers to find the answer for students who are disinterested and difficult to motivate, especially in the areas of science and math. Students complain that they are bored and do not see the purpose for what they are being taught; they desire meaningful application for what they learn and the ability to direct their own learning. Designed to address these needs, the proposed program offers students a distinctly different learning experience. The immersive platform gives students the ability to exercise autonomy and a new opportunity to interact and work together. Important life skills come to the forefront as students begin to understand how one's ability to negotiate interactions with others in socially, ethically, and culturally appropriate ways is key to achieving one's goals. 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.