Attitude Boost: A multimedia curriculum to improve attitudes toward science

描述（由申请人提供）：这个快速通道SBIR的目的是开发和评估一系列名为“态度提升”的课程补充，旨在提高学生对科学的积极态度，从而提高科学素养和科学学科的学习成绩，特别是与药物滥用教育和预防有关的课程。“态度提升”将是一个以理论为基础，以标准为导向的多媒体产品，它将包括一个学生光盘，其中至少有五个交互式自定进度模块，主题包括科学方法及其对日常任务的适用性，以及科学家的工作及其对社会的价值。教师实施指南将提供有关态度对科学成绩和后来成果的影响的背景信息，在课堂上实施课程补充的方法，态度促进与其他科学课程之间的联系，以及评估学生成绩的方法。国家药物滥用研究所（NIDA）已经投资开发了许多关于药物滥用科学的公共领域课程，特别是脑力！系列，在很大程度上是因为促进科学素养是其使命的核心组成部分。事实上，个人的科学素养与对药物使用和其他健康问题的健康决策有关。大众了解药物对大脑和身体的影响也是至关重要的，这样才能有效地解决社区中的滥用、成瘾和治疗问题。有效的科学教育还能培养新一代在科学领域富有成效的研究人员，提高美国在研究和发展方面的竞争力。人们发现，对科学的态度是学生取得成就的一个强有力的预测因素，但这种态度在小学后期通常会下降。Attitude Boost将与NIDA的其他科学教育课程联系起来，以提高学生在这些课程以及科学方面的表现。在第一阶段，KDHRC将开发一个原型产品，并评估其在改变学生知识和改善态度方面的有效性。在第二阶段，KDHRC将完成产品开发并进行受控的准实验评估，以探索以下研究问题：1)在参加科学教育课程之前完成态度提升光盘在多大程度上导致该课程的更好表现？2)对态度提升材料的反应在多大程度上存在年龄、性别、民族/种族或其他差异？KDHRC提出了快速通道，因为我们的项目合作伙伴、顾问委员会、商业化合作伙伴和项目程序都到位了，而且市场上对该产品的需求还没有得到满足。在产品完成和评估之后，“态度提升”课程补充将向全国学校销售。评价结果将通过学术文献和面向从业者的简报传播，以增加关于科学态度和绩效优化的知识。对人们来说，具有科学素养是至关重要的，这样才能做出与个人和社会福利有关的充分知情的医疗、政治、经济和社会决策。对科学的态度通常在小学后期开始下降，而科学成绩和能力反过来受到影响。因此，态度提升项目的目标是开发易于实施的课程补充，以改善学生对科学的态度，从而提高科学素养。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this Fast Track SBIR is to develop and evaluate a series of curriculum supplements, entitled Attitude Boost, which aims to improve students' positive attitudes toward science, with the goal, in turn, of improving scientific literacy and academic performance on science subjects, particularly those related to drug abuse education and prevention. Attitude Boost will be theoretically-based, standards-driven multimedia product that will include a student CD-ROM with at least five interactive self-paced modules on topics like the scientific method and its applicability to daily tasks and the work of scientists and its value to society. A teacher implementation guide will provide background information on the impact of attitudes on science performance and later outcomes, methods for implementing the curriculum supplement in the classroom, links between Attitude Boost and other science curricula, and approaches for assessing student outcomes. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has invested in the development of many public domain curricula on the science of drug abuse, particularly the Brain Power! series, in large measure because promoting science literacy is a core component of its mission. Indeed, individual science literacy is linked with healthy decision making about drug use and other health topics. It is also essential that the general public understands the effects of drugs on the brain and body in order to effectively address issues of abuse, addiction, and treatment in communities. Effective science education also promotes a new generation of productive researchers in science fields and U.S. competitiveness in research and development. Attitudes toward science have been found to be a strong predictor of achievement, but attitudes generally decline during late elementary school. Attitude Boost will link with NIDA's other science education curricula to improve student performance on these specifically, as well as science writ large. In Phase I, KDHRC will develop a prototype product and evaluate its effectiveness in changing student knowledge and improving attitudes. In Phase II, KDHRC will complete product development and conduct a controlled quasi-experimental evaluation to explore these research questions: 1) To what extent does completion of the Attitude Boost CD-ROM prior to participating in a science education curriculum result in better performance on that curriculum? 2) To what extent are there age, gender, ethnic/racial or other differences in responses to the Attitude Boost materials? KDHRC proposes a Fast Track because our project partners, advisory board, commercialization partners, and project procedures are in place, and there is an unmet need in the market for this product. Following product completion and evaluation, the Attitude Boost curriculum supplements will be marketed to schools nationwide. The results of the evaluation will be disseminated through the academic literature and practitioner-oriented briefs to add to knowledge about optimization of science attitudes and performance. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE It is critically important for people to be scientifically literate in order to make fully informed medical, political, economic, and social decisions concerning individual and societal welfare. Attitudes toward science generally begin to decline in late elementary school, and science performance and aptitude suffers in turn. Therefore, the objective of the Attitude Boost project is to develop easy-to-implement curriculum supplements to improve student attitudes toward science, thereby increasing scientific literacy.