The Science of Really Gross Things: Engaging Young Learners in Biomedical Science

描述（由申请人提供）：通过“解决真正恶心的事物的科学：通过Fulldome天文馆展示和支持课程吸引年轻学习者参与生物医学科学，“北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校的莫尔黑德天文馆和科学中心与美国国立卫生研究院资助的北卡罗来纳大学的研究人员和一位领先的儿童书籍作者密切合作，将开发一个非正式的科学教育媒体项目和一套基于媒体项目的实践，以探究为基础的课程，用于科学中心，博物馆和学校。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Through "Addressing the Science of Really Gross Things: Engaging Young Learners in Biomedical Science Through a Fulldome Planetarium Show and Supporting Curricula," Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in close collaboration with NIH-funded researchers at the UNC and a leading children's book author, will develop an informal science education media project and a suite of hands-on, inquiry-based curricula based on the media project for use in science centers, museums and schools. This project will build the pipeline of future researchers and create awareness of NIH-funded research by generating interest and excitement among children age 9-13 in the health sciences and related careers and building their science content knowledge. To achieve the objective, the investigators will develop a fulldome planetarium show; create correlating curricula for summer camps, afterschool programs, scout programs, science center field trips, science clubs and schools; and produce a DVD highlighting careers in the health sciences. In addition, the project will use several methods to target populations traditionally underrepresented in the biomedical fields, including featuring professionals from underrepresented populations in the multimedia and curricula products, making outreach visits to counties with large populations traditionally underrepresented in health science research careers, and producing a Spanish-language version of the products. The use of a known brand, "Grossology," is an innovative way to connect to children in the target age range and to encourage the informal science education community to embrace health-science content in their fulldome theaters. In addition, the project's hub-and-spoke approach further encourages adoption of this programming by providing informal science venues with both an engaging experience (hub) and the supporting curricula (the spokes) that is necessary to extend the show's potential for having significant educational impact. A strong project team maximizes the project's likelihood for success. The team includes fulldome producers and educators from Morehead and NIH-funded researchers with expertise in appropriate science content areas. In addition, the investigators have created a network of consultants, advisory board members and evaluators that will create feedback loops designed to ensure high-quality, scientifically-accurate, educationally-effective products. The investigators will use a combination of free and revenue-based dissemination strategies to ensure that the products of this award are broadly distributed. These strategies hold significant promise for creating broad use of this project's products in the nation's science centers, museums and classrooms. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): The project will target young learners ages 9-13, an audience that is always intrigued by the "grosser" things in life, and provide them with an understanding of the science behind the internal workings of their own bodies, show the relation to and importance of disease prevention, and reveal how their curiosity could lead to a career in the health sciences.