ENVIRONMENTAL CYBERSCHOOLHOUSE

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The goal of the Environmental Cyber Schoolhouse (ECS) program is to increase public understanding of how basic research in Environmental Toxicology provides information necessary to identify risk factors and safeguard human health. The ECS program will accomplish this goal through development of World Wide Web based educational materials comprised of interactive multimedia and on-line lessons directed toward middle school students in the Metropolitan Detroit area. These educational materials will be developed in the midst of a highly successful atmosphere of molecular and cellular research utilizing sophisticated laboratory techniques such as in situ hybridization, PCR and transgenic animal models, at the Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Center for Molecular and Cellular Toxicology with Human Applications at Wayne State University (WSU). The environmental health aspects of the educational materials, will integrate with existing curricular goals as outlined by the State of Michigan and will focus on the EHS Center member~s area of research. Emphasis will be placed on such topics as: environmental factors and their role in prostate and breast cancer development; lead toxicity; air pollution and its role in asthma. The ECS program is the product of an active partnership between educators, students, science museum staff members and research scientists and physicians from urban and suburban Detroit. The partners of the ECS are: 1) the EHS Center scientists, WSU; 2) University Public School teachers and students, WSU; 3) The College of Education, Professors and students, WSU; 4) Eppler Junior High School, Utica Public Schools; 5) the Detroit Science Center, Detroit MI. Curricular materials developed, will be pilot tested through the College of Education in service classes. The joining of the ECS partners, is the outcome of collaboration between professionals with various areas of expertise such as: K-12 education; teacher education, community outreach; scientific research on the effects of toxicants and disease progression. The interdigitation of these disciplines, allows a synergy in developing contemporary educational materials which will facilitate an understanding of the impact that biomedical research in environmental toxicology has on our health.