Preventing Drug Use: Interactive Program to Improve Academic Skills

描述(由申请者提供)：成绩不佳和学业成绩下降预示着青少年吸毒和其他问题行为。然而，培养学习能力的课程可能是全面有效的药物使用预防工作的重要组成部分。该项目将制作一个交互式多媒体(IMM)计划(基于网络和光盘)，旨在教授处于危险中的六至九年级学生循证学习策略，以促进在这些关键年份取得学业成功。此外，还将制作一个互动学习工具，帮助学生将这些策略整合到他们日常的家庭作业、学习和考试准备中。学习策略将在四个互动教程模块中教授。这些单元将传达以下概念：(A)以可塑性为导向的学习心态，(B)作为一种学习技术的提取练习，(C)促进长期记忆编码的深度处理，以及(D)时间分布的学习时间，以加强知识的保留。还将制作关于这四个教程的DVD节目，以确保没有计算机/互联网接入的学生能够获得这些内容。该计划还提供了一种学习工具，用于输入和学习整合了这些原则的个性化材料。此外，综合计划还将包括为教师和家长提供的补充计划内容。这个项目的目标是通过采用有效的学习策略，促进学习和保留课程材料，使表现不佳的学生能够在学业上有所进步。反过来，这将作为关于药物使用和其他问题行为的保护因素。在该项目的第一阶段，将设计、制作两个教学单元(检索练习和深度处理)和具有各自特点的学习工具，并在随机试验中对有学习失败风险的8年级和9年级的80名学生进行评估。 与公共健康相关：这个项目有可能通过教授循证学习策略来支持高危青年，这些学习策略可以促进学业成功，众所周知，这是防止药物滥用和其他问题行为的重要保护因素。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Poor grades and decreased performance on measures of academic achievement predict youth drug use and other problem behaviors. However, programs that foster academic competence can be an important component in comprehensive and effective drug use prevention efforts. This project will produce an interactive multimedia (IMM) program (Web-based and CD-ROM) designed to teach at-risk sixth through ninth grade students evidence-based learning strategies that promote academic success in these critical years. In addition, an interactive learning tool will be produced that will help students integrate these strategies into their daily routine of homework, studying, and test preparation. The learning strategies will be taught in four interactive tutorial modules. The modules will convey the concepts of: (a) a plasticity-oriented mindset toward learning, (b) retrieval practice as a learning technique, (c) deep processing to promote encoding in long term memory, and (d) temporally distributed study time to enhance retention of knowledge. A DVD program on these four tutorials will also be produced to ensure availability of this content to those students who do not have computer/Internet access. The program further provides a learning tool to enter and study personalized material that integrates these principles. In addition, the comprehensive program will include supplementary program components for teachers and parents. The goal of this project is to enable low performing students to improve academically by adopting efficient study strategies that promote learning and retention of course material. This, in turn, will serve as a protective factor with respect to drug use and other problem behavior. For Phase I of the project, the instructional units of two tutorial modules (retrieval practice and deep processing) and a learning tool with the respective features will be designed, built, and evaluated in a randomized trial with a sample of 80 students in grades 8 and 9, who are at-risk for academic failure. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project has the potential to support at risk youth by teaching evidence-based learning strategies that promote academic success which is known to be an important protective factor for substance abuse and other problem behavior.