In this phase II project Parametric Studio successfully completed its technical objectives to create the EDISON engineering instruction platform for middle school of which there were 3 main technical  thrusts: 1) Develop the flexible and easy extensible game-based learning platform such that it can be deployed on Chromebooks, Macs, and PC?s into middle school classrooms; 2) Develop curricular content for classrooms and informal educational organizations (camps, clubs, afterschool) at the middle school level; 3) Test software and curricula in the classroom, collect data and analyze the results.

EDISON is a web-based design game consisting of numerous engineering design modules.  Using EDISON middle school students collaborate in teams to use math and science concepts, models, and engineering computational analysis tools to design solutions to game-based challenges.  Each challenge consists of small standards linked lessons where students learn one or two aspects of the design, underlying science and math, and skills needed.  Through completion and progression through these mini-challenges students build up the knowledge and design models necessary to conduct a capstone design project with their team.  This capstone design results in a virtual design that is simulated in a game-based simulation, a set of design files that are exported to create the design with a laser cutter or 3-D printer in the real world, and student notebooks, design, and educational data that the educator can use to evaluate student mastery of skills and standards.  Modules were created and tested for circuits, airships, bridges, and hobby scale cars.  Additional capabilities have also been created to enable rapid creation of new challenges for solar power, drones, and numerous other projects by the team at PSI or by teachers.  We created a web-based classroom and management portal for teachers, and several standards aligned lesson guides and student workbooks for grades 6-9 that go with developed engineering modules and challenges.  This solution is now being commercialized through education distributors, collaborative projects with partners, and direct sales through our website.      

In developing the software component of the product solution, the team created a solution that was more customizable than a single design game with canned projects.  We created numerous engineering modules for design, then created modeling and visual programming capabilities that would enable these distinct modules to be used together and modified. We created a web-based class project definition, management, and customization portal that hosts the game, instructions, curricular materials, videos, and the instructor management and project definition tools. For the engineering design-based game specifically we needed to solve a number of challenges for deployment into Middle School classrooms, including deploying in the browser to low end hardware and Chromebooks, refining the UI, visuals, and organization of the tool.  We created approaches to procedurally generate UI, mission task, geometry, and simulator elements.  We also created strategies to enable interconnected game-based educational missions to allow progression both inside a game challenge and between them. We updated and refined our export options out of the game to include design data for the teacher, screen captures, prototype geometry exports for 3-D printing, import into CAD, laser cutting, or hand fabrication.  To assist with testing and implementation in the classroom and with orgs we created numerous standards aligned lessons.  We created a few activities to go with game challenges for all our design modules but created more extensive curricula with scaffolded and standards aligned lessons for the bridges/towers, hobby scale cars, glider, and airships modules. These curricula were created to consist of approximately 30% out of game material (background lessons, experiments foundational ideas and skills), 50% in game lessons activities and experiments, and 20% prototyping and testing using designs from the game in the real world.  Each larger curriculum was designed to last ~3-4 weeks with between 12-18 lessons that build upon each other. Collectively these elements form the basis of the EDISON engineering-based STEM platform for use in schools, camps, and afterschool.  Beyond the flexible and extensible EDISON platform these capabilities have added to the CORE set up competencies and code base for the company as a whole and will have great value to the development of future STEM products.

We have successfully created all planned components of the software, we have tested it in several usage environments, and we collected educational research data to prove the feasibility of implementation, usability of the software, and effectiveness for teaching and reinforcing STEM concepts.  Our results with our pilot testing site in 6-8^th grades show statistically significant increases in STEM content knowledge (math and science concepts) after utilizing the EDISON platform.  We also show statistically significant increases in understanding and application of engineering design thinking.  We have succeeded in creating a flexible, engaging, and effective STEM instructional game based on engineering design, and demonstrating its effectiveness, if widely implemented EDISON will have a positive impact on the nation's STEM workforce pipeline.

Last Modified: 08/18/2022
Modified by: Christopher E Whitmer