The broad goal is to empower middle and high school teachers to effectively integrate environmental health science issues into their existing curricula to improve the awareness and understanding of these issues by students and by the larger community with the ultimate result of improved health and quality of life.. This goal will be accomplished via the efforts of a cadre of 1) environmental health research scientists from the Department of Environmental Health in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and 2) scientist educators and master classroom teachers from the Center for Chemical Education at Miami University. This goal will be addressed through the following specific aims.
AIM ONE : Reinforce teachers' scientific knowledge base in genetics, human health, and chemistry, and provide instruction in aspects of environmental genetics, biotransformation, toxicology, epidemiology, human exposure assessment, risk assessment, benefit vs. cost, and personal and social choice;
AIM TWO : Strengthen teachers' conceptual understanding, familiarity and facility in scientific problem solving and scientific ethics;
AIM THREE : Assist teachers in selecting existing EHS education materials and in developing/testing new EHS materials that a) contain current environmental health science content, b) reflect best practices in science-education-based pedagogy, c) meet relevant goals from the National Science Education Standards and Benchmarks for Science Literacy; and d) have practical applicability for students, teachers, school administrators, and parents;
and AIM FOUR : Establish an outreach network consisting of EHS Mentors and Ambassadors, program Facilitators and other program graduates with the goals of a) extending the Risks & Choices program throughout the 13 States of the Ohio River basin and its tributaries and b) providing outreach to the community beyond the classroom.
