The goal of this Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) application was to evaluate the feasibility of adapting an advanced technology employed in biomedical research and practice)—volumetric image processing and analysis (VIPA)—for science and mathematics education in formal secondary school settings. VIPA is used in biomedicine to display, model, and analyze volumetric data—typically imaging data that has been created by making two dimensional digital “slices” of an object of interest—such as in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), computed tomography (CT), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). VIPA is also employed in non-biomedical disciplines where volumetric analyses are of interest, for instance, Earth science, engineering, hydrology, oceanography, and oil and gas exploration.

The project, entitled Volumetric Imaging for Science Instruction of an Open Nature (VISION), produced a paper and CD-ROM-based lesson—“Noodling Neurons”—for use in middle schools, high schools, and informal science education centers. The lesson was based on neuron microanatomy visualization research being conducted by Dr. Joseph Szurszewski, Department of Physiology, Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the Biomedical Imaging Resource department of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (BIR). Dr. Szurszewski is creating surface models of neuron structure using confocal microscope volume images of a small section of neuronal tissue. His data was made available to the lesson developers by BIR. The lesson introduces the learner to neuron microanatomy in an engaging manner, provides an online tool that allows the learner to explore the topic by conducting a basic science exploration with VIPA, analyzing data gathered during the exploratin, and understanding the results. The lesson will also serve as a prototype for a full set of multimedia materials that to be developed with funding from a Phase II STTR grant.

The adaptation of VIPA for educational purposes was conducted by Science-Approach, a for-pro?t corporation. Science-Approach working in cooperation with the Center for Image Processing in Education (CIPE), a nonpro?t research institution located in Tucson, Arizona, and BIR. Science-Approach created the educational materials in collaboration with CIPE. BIR adapted its commercially available VIPA software— Analyze—for use in the proposed multimedia materials and provided data for use in the proposed lesson.

The Phase I project accomplished these milestones:

1. Developed a model VISION lesson using a research scenario, data, and software provided by BIR.
2. Pilot tested the model lesson with a panel of middle school and high school teachers.
3. Analyzed the pilot test data and revise the model lesson into a template for the full set of instructional materials to be produced in Phase II.
4. Finalized a table of contents for the VISION materials by accomplishing the following sub-objectives:
5. Contacted collaborators for the Phase II lessons proposed in this document and make arrangements for acquiring the needed data and securing permissions for using the data.
6. Evaluated whether planned adaptations of the Analyze software provided by BIR will be feasible for the full set of multimedia materials to be developed in Phase II.
7. Identified modi?cations to the Analyze software that will be required for the Phase II materials.
8. Created a plan for developing and ?eld-testing the full set of instructional materials during a Phase II STTR grant.

Significant findings of Phase I included:

1. reviewers would probably use this lesson with their own students;
2. the lesson was aligned with the educational standards for science, mathematics, technology, and career-preparation subjects in eight states;
3. the lesson material was engaging and at an appropriate level for the intended audience;
4. testers had no major technical difficulties with the lesson; and
5. they would prefer a format that is installable on a network or on a password-protected Internet site.

Download and view the independent evaluator's report.