This project will evaluate a series of supplemental health books for children, ages 9-14. The books will adapt an """"""""interactive"""""""" format, such as that found in Bantam's Choose Your Own Adventure series, to health education topics. Character(s) in an interactive story select different options when faced with a difficult situation. Depending on choices, the reader turns to a particular page and follows the storyline. The stories will demonstrate the various outcomes of health-related risk behavior for a set of characters with which students can identify. Three interactive books will be developed simultaneously with three traditional (straightforward, didactic) booklets on parallel topics. The research will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of interactive reading materials and interactive curriculum compared to traditional health education approaches in terms of (a) attitude changes, (b) knowledge changes, (c) behavioral intent and changes, (d) response to and motivation to utilize materials in each of the health topics. The research will specifically assess (1) differences between the educational impact of interactive books compared to traditional reading material; (2) effects of learning as augmented by teacher and curriculum interaction; (3) individual student characteristics. A tightly controlled experimental design in 24 classrooms will be augmented by a field evaluation in an additional 40 classrooms.
