Education is the primary means currently available for inhibiting the spread of HIV/AIDS infection. Fourth and fifth grade elementary school teachers are charged with teaching about HIV/AIDS prevention but many are unprepared and uncomfortable. Training time for pre-service and inservice teachers is at a premium. This study will investigate what works for experienced teachers in real classrooms and use the findings to develop a Multimedia teacher training program. In the Phase I effort, a descriptive study will be performed, the program's instructional design will be completed, and a prototype of the Multimedia program will be developed and evaluated. The descriptive study will employ interview and observation to identify methods, models, strategies, attitudes, and techniques that teachers find effective. Using Instructional Systems Design methodology, an instructional design will be developed that specifies the objectives, structure, methods, and media for the teacher training program. A limited prototype that demonstrates Multimedia program design will be developed and evaluated. Design and development of the Multimedia program will be completed in Phase II. The program will be marketed to colleges of education and school districts.
The Phase II Multimedia program will provide colleges of education with a means of integrating HIV/AIDS prevention teacher training into the curriculum. School districts would use the Multimedia program to train inservice fourth and fifth grade teachers. The design and development model can be used for future programs in HIV/AIDS health education.
