GK: A Multimedia Curriculum for Middle School Students on Genetics

描述(申请人提供)：普通人群对遗传素养的需求很大。向学生传授有关人类基因原理的引人入胜的信息，有助于培养具有科学素养的新一代，这一主题可能会直接影响他们未来对健康和福祉的个人决策。在这个第二阶段的项目中，KDH研究与传播(KDHRC)建议继续开发儿童遗传学课程(GK)。本课程面向7年级和8年级学生，以多媒体和印刷组件为特色。课程的目标是：1)提供关于遗传原理和人类基因变异的科学信息；2)提高对基因组研究对个人和社会的重要性的认识；3)讨论这项研究的法律、社会和伦理影响；4)提高人们对遗传学和科学的兴趣；以及5)通过提供基于标准、易于实施、适合发展、具有吸引力和科学严谨的材料，支持教师在这一主题上的教学。从第一阶段的原型开始，第二阶段项目的目标是完成课程的多媒体方面的开发，并对课程在实现上述目标方面的有效性进行准实验、前测/后测两组设计。这项评估将在全国范围内进行，还将包括教师和学校管理人员对GK成效的评估。在项目结束时，期刊文章、实践和政策简报将传播与评价结果有关的信息。同时，课程将作为一种循证教育产品进行商业化和传播。快速的科学进步促使社会考虑与遗传学和基因组研究相关的新知识、新技术和新能力的伦理、法律和社会影响。由于概念的复杂性及其应用的日益普遍，需要传播教育材料，特别是向学生传播。GK课程是一种多媒体的、基于标准的、适合发展的资源，旨在提高中学生的遗传素养，在其开发和评估后将广泛传播和销售。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The need for genetic literacy in the general population is great. Reaching students with engaging information about human genetic principles can help create a new generation with scientific literacy on a topic that may directly impact their personal decisions about health and well-being in the future. During this Phase II project, KDH Research & Communication (KDHRC) proposes the continued development of the Genetics for Kids curriculum (GK). This curriculum for 7th and 8th grade students features multimedia and print components. The objectives of the curriculum are to: 1) provide scientific information on genetic principles and human genetic variation; 2) increase appreciation of importance of genomic research to individuals and society; 3) discuss the legal, social, and ethical implications of this research; 4) increase interest in genetics and science in general; and 5) support teachers' instruction on this topic by providing materials that are standards-based, easy-to-implement, developmentally appropriate, engaging and scientifically rigorous. Working from the Phase I prototype, the goals of this Phase II project are to finish development of the multimedia aspects of the curriculum and to conduct a quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test two-group design of the curriculum's effectiveness in reaching the above objectives. This evaluation will be conducted nationwide and will also include assessments by teachers and school administrators of GK's efficacy. At the conclusion of the project, journal articles and practice and policy briefs will disseminate information related to the findings of the evaluation. Simultaneously, the curriculum will be commercialized and disseminated as an evidence-based educational product. Rapid scientific advancements have pushed society to consider the ethical, legal and social implications of new knowledge, technology, and capabilities related to genetics and genomic research. Because of the complexity of the concepts and the increasing ubiquity of their application, there is a demand to disseminate educational materials, particularly to students. The GK curriculum is a multimedia, standards-based, and developmentally-appropriate resource to improve genetic literacy in middle school students that will be disseminated and marketed widely after its development and evaluation.