This proposal describes a comprehensive plan to: 1) develop and evaluate a biomedical science education partnership between SciWorks, The Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County, and the Center of Excellence for Research, Teaching, and Learning (CERTL) at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine; 2) develop effective strategies for the dissemination of the developed model partnership; 3) use the model to inform the public about health research so that healthier life style choices are made as supported by the National Institutes of Health; and 4) engage and sustain the interest of K-12 students in science in order to increase the number of college science majors. This project is designed to foster attainment of the following specific goals through the combined resources of the partnering entities: --Develop a series of integrated science education programs anchored in contextual learning experiences designed to promote a deeper understanding of scientific health issues and related science topics. --Deliver long-term professional development programs for K-12 teachers consistent with the strategies of contextual learning. --Develop scientific exhibits related to the promotion of heathy life style choices anchored in contextual learning strategies and directly linked to the classroom curricula, National Science Standards, and the latest research findings in specific topic areas. --Promote community awareness of healthy life style choices through parent involvement in classroom experiences, science museum activities, and in the community at-large through the portability of science museum exhibits. The program components have been designed to address these objectives as well as the broader objectives to intentionally recruit underrepresented minorities into all activities and to create a community presence of this project. Health related scientific exhibits designed for this project will have a portability component enabling their demonstration and use in school classrooms and at activities such as health fairs, health screenings, health bazaars, and health awareness events.
