We will develop, evaluate, and disseminate a curriculum that will explore drug abuse issues relevant to high school students through the science of epidemiology. The curriculum, called Exploring Drug Abuse Through the Science of Epidemiology, will prepare students to make personal and collective, evidence-based decisions about drug abuse. This exploration of drug abuse issues will be structured according to a concept map for the discipline of epidemiology and the National Science Education Standards' fundamental abilities in Science as Inquiry. The lessons will be created and refined in partnership with an Advisory Board consisting of high school science teachers, drug educators and counselors, epidemiologists, and college professors. As part of lesson development, the Principal Investigator and high school teachers who are members of the Advisory Board will pilot-test the prototype lessons in their high school classes. The prototypes will be refined based on this experience and the advice of the Advisory Board. The prototype lessons will then be field-tested by a Field Testing Team consisting of science teachers from twenty high school members of the New Jersey Network for Educational Renewal. These twenty schools will be randomly assigned to be either experimental or control schools. Teachers from the Field Testing Team's ten experimental schools will be trained to teach the lessons and will implement them in their classes. The impact of the curriculum will be tested by assessing students' knowledge of drug abuse and epidemiology, as well as, their fundamental abilities in Science as Inquiry and scientific literacy. Several evaluations will use controlled, pre-test/post-test comparisons. The prototype lessons will be refined further based on the Field- Testing Team's experiences and on students' assessments and feedback. With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approval, the Exploring Drug Abuse Through the science of Epidemiology web site will be linked with the CDC EXCITE web site (Excellence in Curriculum Integration through Teaching Epidemiology).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Education Projects (R25)
Project #
5R25DA016357-03
Application #
6922867
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Sasek, Cathrine
Project Start
2003-09-17
Project End
2007-07-31
Budget Start
2005-08-01
Budget End
2006-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$238,029
Indirect Cost
Name
Montclair State University
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
053506184
City
Montclair
State
NJ
Country
United States
Zip Code
07043