Your Body's Microbial Ecosystem: Web-based Curriculum for Secondary Science

描述(申请人提供)：人体内或体内10个细胞中有9个是微生物。人类微生物组计划和相关研究正在揭示这一复杂的生态系统及其与健康和疾病的关系。尽管微生物群很重要，但目前还没有针对中学生的关于这一主题的课程材料。为了满足这一需求，犹他大学遗传科学学习中心(GSLC)将利用其在开发有效的多媒体学习体验方面的获奖专业知识，制作关于该主题的课程补充模块。这些材料将吸引中学学生和教师以及公众探讨“我的微生物群是什么，它如何有助于健康和疾病？”这一问题。该单元将涉及生物学方面的国家科学教育标准，包括细胞生物学、生殖、遗传、物质和能量流动、生态系统和进化。这些主题通常在不同的教科书单元或不同的网站上教授。因此，该单元将把课程中的概念联系起来，帮助学生更深入地理解科学素养所需的关键生物学概念，同时满足为21世纪学习者设计的高质量数字课程的需要。该项目的目标是：(1)对中学学生和教师进行有关人类微生物群及其对健康和疾病的贡献的教育，(2)通过地方、州和国家各级的国家专业发展课程和讲习班，使教师做好使用人体微生物生态系统课程模块的准备。该项目将利用GSLC团队在科学、教育、多媒体可视化和评估方面的协同专业知识，以我们16年来在制作非常成功的在线课程材料方面的经验为基础。该模块将使用GSLC经过验证的课程开发过程来制作，该过程结合了参与式设计方法，包括中学生命科学教师、科学家和我们整个团队。该单元将包括：(A)以探究为基础、以用户为中心的多媒体可视化和互动学习体验；(B)用户主导的多媒体演示；(C)“学习更多”网页；(D)非基于技术的学习体验；(E)教师详细的学习体验指南；(F)多媒体教师专业发展材料。该模块将在有不同学生的教室中进行试点测试。一项小规模的随机对照试验将把该模块的效果与标准课程材料进行比较。专业发展暑期学院和研讨会将培训来自美国各地的约250名教师，让他们与学生一起使用这些材料。课程模块将通过GSLC获奖的Learn.Genetics和Teach.Genetics网站在全球范围内免费传播。根据目前的使用情况，该模块有可能改善每年数百万学生、100多万教师和100多万其他成年人的生物教育。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nine out of 10 cells in or on our bodies are microorganisms. The Human Microbiome Project and related research are revealing this complex ecosystem and its relationship to health and disease. Despite the importance of the microbiome, curriculum materials on this topic targeted to secondary students are not yet available. To address this need, the Genetic Science Learning Center (GSLC) at the University of Utah will utilize its award-winning expertise in developing effective multimedia learning experiences to produce a curriculum supplement module on this topic. The materials will engage secondary-level students and teachers as well as the public in exploring the question "What is my microbiome and how does it contribute to health and disease?" The module will address national science education standards in biology, including cell biology, reproduction, inheritance, matter and energy flow, ecosystems and evolution. These topics are typically taught in separate textbook units or on separate websites. The module thus will link concepts across the curriculum, assisting students in building a deeper understanding of the key biology concepts needed for science literacy, while meeting the need for high-quality, digital curricula designed for 21st Century learners. The goals of the project are to: (1) Educate secondary-level students and teachers about the human microbiome and its contributions to health and disease, and (2) Prepare teachers to use the Your Body's Microbial Ecosystem curriculum module through a national professional development course and workshops at the local, state and national levels. The project will take advantage of the GSLC team's synergistic expertise in science, education, multimedia visualization and evaluation, building on our 16 years of experience in producing highly successful online curriculum materials. The module will be produced using the GSLC's proven curriculum development process, which incorporates a participatory design approach that includes secondary life science teachers, scientists, and our entire team. The module will include (a) inquiry-based, user-focused, multimedia visualizations and interactive learning experiences, (b) user-driven multimedia presentations, (c) "Learn More" web pages, (d) non-technology-based learning experiences, (e) detailed learning experience guides for teachers, and (f) multimedia teacher professional development materials. The module will be piloted tested in classrooms with diverse students. A small-scale randomized controlled trial will compare the module's efficacy to standard curriculum materials. A professional development summer institute and workshops will prepare approximately 250 teachers from across the US to use the materials with their students. The curriculum module will be freely disseminated worldwide via the GSLC's award-winning Learn.Genetics and Teach.Genetics websites. Based on current usage, the module has the potential to improve biology education for millions of students, over a million teachers and over a million other adults each year.