Projects of Interest to Elementary School Teachers and Children
Analysis of Differing Drug Abuse Education Technologies
Joel Epstein, Ph.D.
Missouri Institute of Mental Health
joel.epstein@mimh.edu
Product Developed: a seven-episode series of media tools designed to teach about the science of drug abuse developed in several different formats; a comprehensive teacher's manual that describes how the multimedia programs can be used to extend and enhance standard curriculum instruction
Target Audience: third and fourth grade students
Goal: The Doubles, a seven-episode series of media tools was designed to teach third- and fourth-grade students about the science of drug addiction. The program's curriculum was delivered via either a set of DVDs, interactive CD-ROM, workbooks, or an Internet site to determine the most effective way of teaching about drug abuse. After completion of the grant, Dr. Epstein collaborated with educators to produce a comprehensive teacher's manual that describes how the multimedia programs can be used to extend and enhance standard curriculum instruction.
Publications:
- The Doubles: A Case Study on Developing a Technology-Based Substance Abuse Education Curriculum. Epstein, J., et al., (2004) Evaluation Review, 28(6), 539-563.
- Evaluation of a Substance Abuse Education Curriculum for Elementary School Students, Epstein, J., et al., Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse (In Press).
Comparing Two Multimedia Science of Addiction Courses
Joel Epstein, Ph.D.
Missouri Institute of Mental Health
joel.epstein@mimh.edu
Product Developed: moderator's guides and interactive computer program for science of addiction education curriculum
Target Audience: fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from African American churches
Goal: This ongoing grant seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of presenting educational materials via traditional instructional techniques versus embedding the curriculum into a narrative story line. Program staff are working closely with substance abuse researchers, curriculum development experts, and members of the clergy to produce scripts that are educationally sound, scientifically accurate, and suitable for presentation within a faith setting.
National Kids Judge! Neuroscience Fairs Partnership
Deborah Colbern, Ph.D.
BEEMNET
colbern@beemnet.com
Product Developed: Kids Judge! Neuroscience Fairs
Target Audience: elementary school children - grades 3-6; teachers - grades 3-6
Goal: Kids Judge! Neuroscience Fairs (KJ! Fairs) are "reverse" science fairs where university faculty, postdocs, research staff, graduate and undergraduate students create neuroscience exhibits that are judged by elementary school children (grades 3-6). Each exhibit teaches basic neuroscience concepts to the children in a fun 3D manner that allows the children to explore and sometimes even climb on the exhibit.
Alignment with Standards: National Science Education Standards
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