A multimedia health education program will be developed using a series of problem-solving activities for grades 3-12, with programs developed for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The program, entitled HealthWorks will provide an alternative to under-utilized health text books as an engaging learning tool for small groups in existing health and life-science curricula. Each episode is based on a dramatization of a health problem and students explore various resources to solve the problem. Resources include video interviews with key characters (students, parents, police, teachers), scientific data from lab work, books, and analogous situations. The scientific method is presented as the framework for solving the problem, teaching students how to develop and test hypotheses, collect and analyze information or data, and use the information to solve the health problem. An evaluation component will include focus group testing of prototypes, field testing using a control group, and confirmatory testing of any changes made in the program. Teachers will also be assessed qualitatively. A commercialization plan is presented which appears adequate to distribute the program to teachers and others. Substantial material is presented from the results of the Phase I study, which developed an evaluated a prototype episode for middle school students. The program was also provided on a CD-ROM and attests to the considerable attention given to the development of a comprehensive program that is also engaging and entertaining. Problems that were identified as students were evaluated using the prototype were addressed in the development of the Phase II proposal. These problems were relatively minor and did not detract from students use of the program.
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