SBIR-STTR Award

This project will design, develop and evaluate an interactive multimedia program to provide integrated instruction about the embryology and anatomy of the adult human central nervous system. The program will also provide extensive self-testing for the competencies to be acquired through interaction with the software program. The target audience includes professional health care students, including medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, and allied health. The specific aims of the project are: A) to integrate the teaching of the embryological formation of the CNS with the adult anatomy of the CNS in order to demonstrate their complex relationships; and B) to produce an interactive multimedia software package that will provide a simulated in-class experience concerning the embryology and adult anatomy of the CNS including organization of content, interactive tasks, built-in testing features, and response-based feedback. Seven major objectives will be accomplished during Phase I: 1) identify topics to be included in the complete interactive multimedia program; 2) match embryology/anatomy content with instructional strategies and multimedia elements; 3) develop detailed content outline for the instructional unit to be produced for the prototype; 4) create multimedia elements for the prototype instructional unit; 5) produce the interactive multimedia prototype; 6) conduct a research study concerning usability features of the prototype; and 7) develop a plan for the commercial distribution of the final product

This project will develop, evaluate and distribute an interactive multimedia program to provide interactive instruction about the human nervous system using a programmed learning format. The program will also provide extensive self-testing for the competencies to be acquired through interaction with the software program. The specific aims of the project are: A) to integrate the teaching of the various basic science courses that have a nervous system component, including: embryology, physiology, cell biology, histology and pathology, and B) to produce an interactive multimedia software package that will provide a simulated in-class experience concerning the nervous system including organization of content, interactive tasks, built-in testing features, and response-based feedback. The final result of the project will be an easily navigated, stand-alone, self-contained, complete and easily distributable program packaged on a CD-ROM that can be used as a premiere ancillary or as a substitution for the neuroscience laboratory or lecture hall. Six specific objectives will be accomplished in Phase II and include: 1) refine, modify and enhance the Phase I program architecture based on evaluation feedback, 2) develop content for the remainder of the nervous system, 3) create multimedia for the remainder of the nervous system tutorial and assessment features of the program, 4) integrate multimedia components into the user interface, 5) evaluate the program for usability and instructional effectiveness, and 6) implement the plan for commercial distribution of the final product.

Thesaurus Terms:
central nervous system, computational neuroscience, computer assisted instruction, computer system design /evaluation, education evaluation /planning, educational resource design /development, health care personnel education, interactive multimedia DVD /CD ROM, Internet, curriculum, developmental neurobiology, embryology, neuroanatomy, neurogenesis, neurophysiology clinical research, human subject