Education

Computationally Enhanced Construction Kits: Integrating Tangible and Computational Media for Construction and Design
NSF-Information Technology Research
$1,803,930; September 2003 - September 2008
(PIs:  M. Gross  M. Eisenberg)
Construction kits-such as geometric design sets, erector sets, architectural blocks, anatomical models, chemical modeling kits-are toys designed for the building or assembly of physical models-have historically played a powerful educational role in children's lives. This project is developing a wide variety of computationally-enhanced construction kits, focusing on scientific, mathematical, and engineering domains (such as solid geometry, molecular chemistry, architectural design, and anatomy). Through the use of embedded computation, pieces within a construction kit may communicate with each other, with desktop machines, and with their users; and overall, by integrating construction kits with computation, the educational power and expressiveness of these kits can be greatly increased.
The work addresses a range of foundational questions, prominently including:
[a] How to improve the technical design of such kits
[b] How to expand the scientific content of these kits; and
[c] How to characterize the cognitive and educational benefits (if any) of such kits.

In addressing these questions, the PIs are using a strategy of comparative design: that is, they are systematically exploring a variety of design alternatives, characterizing the strengths and weaknesses of each, and attempting to "map out" the overall design space for construction kits.  The goals and subject matter of this project are capable of profound and widespread impact in the promotion of American science and mathematics education. Construction kits often have a central affective role in developing students' interests in science and mathematics. The advent of affordable materials for embedded computation-in combination with both powerful software applications and the World Wide Web-enables these kits to have a vastly more democratized and educationally potent role. New social structures can develop around physical constructional media; and these new structures could prove especially powerful in attracting traditionally underserved populations into scientific and technological careers.

Course and Courseware Development for Internet-based Graduate Level Programs Leading to a Master's Degree, Phase I 
USGSA
$467,805 for Phase I; $361,515 for Phase II; 2002-2004
(PIs:  H. Blanco, D. Szatmary)
This contract is for the development of  a series of 17 online graduate-level courses that will deal with strategic planning and critical infrastructure issues.  The set of courses is the curriculum for a proposed distance learning Masters degree program in Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructures.  The academic content of the courses will be developed by faculty from the Department of Urban Design and Planning, at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning and from the School of Public Health and Community Medicine.  Cognitive Arts, an instructional development firm based in Chicago will work with faculty to develop the internet courseware.  UW Educational Outreach will provide project management and quality assurance assistance for the project.  Phase I includes the development of 10 courses; Phase II to begin in June, 2003 includes the development of the remaining 7 courses.