See It, Be It: Interactive Technology to Increase School Engagement and Prevent D

描述(由申请人提供)：尽管高中的成功和完成是决定未来生活结果的最重要的因素之一，但美国每年仍有超过50万的青少年辍学。辍学对个人有负面影响(例如，冒险行为的可能性增加，年收入减少)，对社会有影响(例如，更多地依赖社会服务)。非洲裔美国人和拉美裔青年，特别是那些社会经济地位较低的群体，比白人和社会经济地位较高的同龄人更有可能辍学。研究表明，有辍学风险的年轻人可能不了解当前学校表现和未来成功之间的联系，因此，他们并不高度重视学校成绩。无论如何，拟议的SBIR项目将开发和测试一种创新的干预措施，帮助青年形成以学校为基础的可能自我(即对个人愿望和目标的认知表征)。看看它，无论是它提供的互动软件，学生通过它创建关于他们的短期和长期目标以及实现这些目标所需的战略的个性化故事。通过创作故事并将他们在学校取得成功的可能自我形象化，学生将更好地理解当前学校表现与未来成功之间的联系，他们对教育效用的认知也将发生变化。第一阶段将实现三个目标：(1)创建第一阶段的原型，包括一个故事情节、在线实施中心(OIC)等技术部分的样本和附带的实施材料(即学校专业人员手册)；(2)与学校专业人员评估原型的可行性(n=30)，以及从有辍学风险的青年那里获得的可行性和事后知识(n=20)；以及(3)根据第一阶段的调查结果，制定第二阶段的发展计划。第一阶段的研究预计将显示出对拟议产品的大力支持。在此基础上，第二阶段的全面产品开发将包括一项随机试验，检查(1)学生的课堂投入，(2)专注于学业的认知，和(3)学业自我概念的治疗效果。通过第二阶段的测试，预计拟议的产品将有效地提高学生的课堂参与度、以学业为重点的认知和学业自我概念。这一干预产品将为学校专业人员和边缘青年提供宝贵和具有成本效益的资源，从而满足巨大的市场需求，并有可能对辍学边缘青年的生活和整个社会产生重大影响。 与公共卫生相关：仅在美国，每天就有大约7000名学生辍学。辍学构成严重的个人和社会风险。与高中毕业生相比，辍学学生获得的工作技能更低，收入也更低，而且比高中毕业的学生更有可能报告吸毒。此外，辍学学生构成了福利领取者和监狱囚犯的大多数。与辍学相关的巨大风险导致了一个严重的公共卫生需求，必须通过制定和传播有效的治疗方案来满足这一需求。美国总统在2011财年指定了9亿美元，帮助表现不佳的高中降低辍学率，强调了解决这一公共卫生危机的迫切需要。到目前为止，大多数辍学干预措施都集中在高中生身上。研究表明，离开学校早在高中之前就开始了。此外，虽然许多这样的项目提供导师支持和辅导，但一旦项目结束，学生们往往会回到他们最初的、往往是消极的关于学业成功和学校效用的信念上。拟议的SBIR项目将通过为有风险的中学生开发和测试一种专门的基于计算机的干预措施来解决目前辍学干预计划的缺点。干预的主要目标之一是影响年轻人对学校效用的认知。拟议的产品还将显著提高高危学生的课堂参与度和学业自我概念。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Although high school success and completion are among the most important determinants of future life outcomes, over half a million adolescents in the United States drop out of school each year. School dropout has negative individual (e.g., increased likelihood of risky behaviors and decreased annual earnings) and societal repercussions (e.g., greater dependency on social services). African American and Latino youth, particularly those represented in lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups, are more likely to drop out of school than their White and higher SES counterparts. Research suggests that youth at risk for dropping out of school may not understand the link between current school performance and future success and, as a result, do not place a high value on school achievement. The proposed SBIR project, See It, Be It, will develop and test an innovative intervention that aids youth in forming school-based possible selves (i.e., cognitive representations of an individual's aspirations and goals). See It, Be It offers interactive softwar through which students create personalized stories about their short and long-term goals and the strategies needed to meet these goals. By creating stories and visualizing their successful school-based possible selves, students will better understand the link between current school performance and future success, and their cognitions about educational utility will change. Phase I will accomplish three aims: (1) create the Phase I prototype including one storyline, sample technology components such as an Online Implementation Center (OIC), and accompanying implementation materials (i.e., manual for school professionals); (2) assess prototype feasibility with school professionals (n=30) and both feasibility and pre-post knowledge gained with youth at risk for dropping out of school (n=20); and (3) establish the Phase II development plan based on Phase I findings. Phase I research is expected to demonstrate strong support for the proposed product. With this foundation, Phase II full product development will include a randomized trial examining treatment effects for (1) students' classroom engagement, (2) academically focused cognitions, and (3) academic self-concept. Through Phase II testing, the proposed product is expected to effectively increase students' classroom engagement, academically-focused cognitions, and academic self-concept. This intervention product will yield a valuable and cost-effective resource for school professionals and at-risk youth thereby addressing large market demands, and has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of youth at risk for school dropout and on society, in general. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: In the United States alone, approximately 7,000 students drop out of school each day. School dropout poses serious individual and societal risks. Dropouts obtain lower skilled and lower paying jobs than high school graduates and are more likely to report drug use than those who complete high school. Additionally, school dropouts make up the majority of welfare recipients and prison inmates. The substantial risk associated with dropping out of school has led to a critical public health need that must be addressed through the development and dissemination of effective treatment programs. The President of the United States designated $900 million in FY 2011 to help low-performing high schools decrease their dropout rates, underscoring the critical need to address this public health crisis. To date, most dropout interventions have focused on high school students. Research suggests that school disengagement begins well before high school. Also, while many of these programs offer mentor support and tutoring, once the program ends, students often revert to their original and often negative beliefs about academic success and school utility. The proposed SBIR project will address the shortcomings of current dropout intervention programs by developing and testing a specialized computer- based intervention for at-risk middle school youth. One of the primary goals of the intervention is to influence the cognitions youth hold about the utility of school. The proposed product will also significantly increase at-risk students' classroom engagement and academic self-concept.