LEARNIMATION — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase II: This SBIR Phase II project targets early intervention in math and science for preK-3 stude

Description

This SBIR Phase II project targets early intervention in math and science for preK-3 students in high need rural areas. The research timeline will design, build and validate a web-based Early Math and Science Preparation and Intervention Program that that trains and develops the underlying facilities required for future math learning. Working in tandem with national leaders in cognitive neuroscience and rural math and science education, Learnimation will translate existing research-based techniques into a highly motivating software platform that will be easily distributable to libraries, schools, and individual home settings in any rural community across the country. Nearly a decade of research has established procedures for training specific areas of early function that serve as the basis for learning mathematics, however, this material is only available through expensive programs at a handful of research institutions or under the tutelage of a limited number of certified specialists. For high need rural communities in particular, where the declining tax base limits resources and the geographic isolation limits exposure to research centers, waiting for the typically slow and laborious distribution of new techniques is a risky proposition. Todays rural leaders are well aware that sustainable development at the local level requires a technically proficient workforce and high achieving schools - especially to attract the agriculturally-related manufacturing and alternative or renewable energy innovation contracts that are drivers in economic development for rural communities. The challenges to provide these key ingredients are complex, however, distance learning applications hold the potential to alleviate these challenges by helping to distribute a high quality and low-cost solution rapidly. Likewise, early intervention programs offer the potential for rapidly improving learning circumstances for pre- and school-aged children.