This project will develop, evaluate, and disseminate multimedia software to enable 8 to 11 year-old users to simulate and observe processes of minor trauma and physical illnesses in the human body. Educational emphasis will be on age-appropriate knowledge gain and adoption of self-protective skills, through interactive participation in learning, and based in cognitive theory. We will conduct three levels of evaluation: 1) focus group discussions for formative and process evaluation to observe potential users react to the product, and to solicit suggestions on improving of the product as it develops; 2) classroom-based teacher evaluations and reviews of software and lesson plans; and 3) a randomized trial of target group members to measure pre-treatment to post-treatment knowledge gain and adoption of self-protective skills over a three-month period. The product will have build-in Web links to allow users to access more trauma and illness information, link to other related sites, and communicate with other users and experts. Through the Web, users will also be able to download expansion packs that include new sickness scenarios, new characters, new tools, and new environments. Users will also be able to learn about and purchase other educational software products from Millennium Health.
Points of use envisioned for this product are the rapidly growing school Internet and PC-based software markets. There are many other commercially successful simulation software packages currently available; probably the best known is SimCity. The online curriculum market is poised for explosive growth because of the Internet in schools. By the time this product is released, it is predicted that 95% of schools will be connected to the Internet. These schools are increasingly looking for instructional content over the Web.
