Maryland Public Television, in partnership with the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health (SHPH), Johns Hopkins Center for Technology in Education (CTE), Maryland State Department of Education, and three of Maryland's largest school districts will develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate an innovative model for using Environmental Health Science as an Integrative Context for learning (EHSIC).
The specific aims of this 7-year project are the following: 1. Develop high-quality instructional materials/resources that can be used by teachers throughout Maryland and elsewhere to deliver interdisciplinary units based on environmental health science curricular content; 2. Enhance the ability of Maryland middle school teachers in various disciplines to develop and deliver interdisciplinary instructional units based on environmental health concepts; 3. Enhance the ability of teachers to provide instruction to their students about environmental health science issues, concepts, and career opportunities; 4. Provide Maryland middle school teachers and students with opportunities to interact with and learn from scientists working in the field of environmental health; and 5. Develop the skills students need to perform successfully in all academic subjects and on state-mandated standardized testing. Project activities to accomplish these aims will include the following: 1. Developing instructional and training videos and related materials; 2. Developing and augmenting an EHSIC Web site; 3. Conducting an annual colloquium for Collaborative Teaching Teams; 4. Delivering a statewide Summer Teacher Training institute; and 5. Establishing and managing a speakers bureau of environmental health researchers.
