CyberSurgeons Live Simulation and PBL Development and Dissemination

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Center for Educational Technologies (CET) proposes a five-year Phase I & II development and dissemination project called CyberSurgeons. Through this project, the CET will increase the knowledge of high school students taking biology, physiology, or related classes. In particular students will gain a greater understanding of human pathophysiology and the process of biomedical research and clinical trials. The project will influence the future of public health through encouraging students' future participation in the clinical research enterprise and promoting greater career awareness of occupations in these fields. The CET will develop two components for students based on national standards. The first component is the CyberSurgeons live simulation, conducted through distance learning technologies. The simulation features students working as part of a high-tech "remote trauma unit" in medical-surgical teams to diagnose and treat an ailing researcher deep in the rainforests of Ecuador. The second component is an online CyberSurgeons problem-based learning (PBL) module which features a "problem" about the quality of a cancer drug, with case studies, science articles, datasets and charts to analyze, hands-on inquiry-based activities, and teacher support materials. Both components include optional activities promoting awareness of careers in biomedicine. During the development process, the CET will conduct design-based evaluation. The live simulation and PBL components will each have two cycles of development, classroom testing, formative evaluation, and revisions. An external evaluator will conduct a summative research study utilizing a quasi-experimental design to demonstrate the effectiveness of the modules in classrooms. Dependent measures will be science literacy, science-related attitudes, and career development. Program dissemination will utilize a multimodal, multifaceted approach with the goal of program sustainability past the grant period. In the first three years, partnerships will involve three school districts in the development and testing process. In the final two years, the program will be promoted regionally, then nationally-doubling program outreach each year. Additionally, the program will be promoted among informal science education entities such as science centers and Challenger Learning Centers. Other dissemination means include conferences, workshops, promotional mailings, and research papers.