so I’m really excited to be here today to share a story with you about work
to share a story with you about work
to share a story with you about work that we’ve been doing to engage high
that we’ve been doing to engage high
that we’ve been doing to engage high school science students through
school science students through
school science students through capturing their curiosity and health and
capturing their curiosity and health and
capturing their curiosity and health and most of what I want to do is I’ll
most of what I want to do is I’ll
most of what I want to do is I’ll highlight some of the surprises that we
highlight some of the surprises that we
highlight some of the surprises that we found along the way
found along the way
found along the way specifically that we think we’re
specifically that we think we’re
specifically that we think we’re empowering high school students to
empowering high school students to
empowering high school students to become advocates in their own health so
become advocates in their own health so
become advocates in their own health so I just want to get a quick raise of
I just want to get a quick raise of
I just want to get a quick raise of hands who here in this room cares about
hands who here in this room cares about
hands who here in this room cares about health and diseases excellent
health and diseases excellent
health and diseases excellent this is cueing me up just perfectly
this is cueing me up just perfectly
this is cueing me up just perfectly because we thought that the same thing
because we thought that the same thing
because we thought that the same thing must must certainly be true in high
must must certainly be true in high
must must certainly be true in high school classrooms as well so about 10
school classrooms as well so about 10
school classrooms as well so about 10 years ago we set out to bring health to
years ago we set out to bring health to
years ago we set out to bring health to high school science classes to engage
high school science classes to engage
high school science classes to engage students in science and I just want
students in science and I just want
students in science and I just want everyone here who is maybe a little bit
everyone here who is maybe a little bit
everyone here who is maybe a little bit past high school like me maybe a little
past high school like me maybe a little
past high school like me maybe a little less hair than some others and to think
less hair than some others and to think
less hair than some others and to think back to your high school setting and say
back to your high school setting and say
back to your high school setting and say okay look to the left look to the right
okay look to the left look to the right
okay look to the left look to the right what do your classmates look like if
what do your classmates look like if
what do your classmates look like if you’re in high school this is an easier
you’re in high school this is an easier
you’re in high school this is an easier job and if you’re younger than that just
job and if you’re younger than that just
job and if you’re younger than that just imagine some of your science classes and
imagine some of your science classes and
imagine some of your science classes and you may see some faces like this
you may see some faces like this
you may see some faces like this okay well extreme engagement enthusiasm
okay well extreme engagement enthusiasm
okay well extreme engagement enthusiasm and excitement and I had some fantastic
and excitement and I had some fantastic
and excitement and I had some fantastic science classes while I was growing up
science classes while I was growing up
science classes while I was growing up which is one of the reasons I’m a
which is one of the reasons I’m a
which is one of the reasons I’m a scientist right but I also had some
scientist right but I also had some
scientist right but I also had some classes that weren’t like that and if
classes that weren’t like that and if
classes that weren’t like that and if you look in the average high school
you look in the average high school
you look in the average high school science classroom you’re gonna find that
science classroom you’re gonna find that
science classroom you’re gonna find that about 66 percent of students find what
about 66 percent of students find what
about 66 percent of students find what they’re learning to be highly valuable
they’re learning to be highly valuable
they’re learning to be highly valuable to them that’s a challenge sometimes to
to them that’s a challenge sometimes to
to them that’s a challenge sometimes to engage the whole room right if you ask
engage the whole room right if you ask
engage the whole room right if you ask the students okay well what about health
the students okay well what about health
the students okay well what about health in science we polled students and we
in science we polled students and we
in science we polled students and we found that about 98% of students highly
found that about 98% of students highly
found that about 98% of students highly value learning about health and science
value learning about health and science
value learning about health and science classes that’s a big difference right at
classes that’s a big difference right at
classes that’s a big difference right at first when I got this data actually I
first when I got this data actually I
first when I got this data actually I thought that something was wrong that
thought that something was wrong that
thought that something was wrong that we’ve done something wrong but it
we’ve done something wrong but it
we’ve done something wrong but it reproduces we’ve seen this in rural
reproduces we’ve seen this in rural
reproduces we’ve seen this in rural settings and urban settings and in
settings and urban settings and in
settings and urban settings and in suburban settings I think health is
suburban settings I think health is
suburban settings I think health is really kind of a culturally
really kind of a culturally
really kind of a culturally cross-cutting an important topic so we
cross-cutting an important topic so we
cross-cutting an important topic so we thought all right well let’s bring this
thought all right well let’s bring this
thought all right well let’s bring this to high school classrooms so in doing
to high school classrooms so in doing
to high school classrooms so in doing that we realize there are some barriers
that we realize there are some barriers
that we realize there are some barriers normally what is happening at medical
normally what is happening at medical
normally what is happening at medical schools biomedical science in Health
schools biomedical science in Health
schools biomedical science in Health Sciences is often in a totally different
Sciences is often in a totally different
Sciences is often in a totally different location different buildings than high
location different buildings than high
location different buildings than high schools it’s also in a different space
schools it’s also in a different space
schools it’s also in a different space from where teachers tend to learn before
from where teachers tend to learn before
from where teachers tend to learn before they become teachers and in-service
they become teachers and in-service
they become teachers and in-service teachers get professional development
teachers get professional development
teachers get professional development so when we set out to do this we
so when we set out to do this we
so when we set out to do this we realized this professional separation is
realized this professional separation is
realized this professional separation is a challenge so we started talking to
a challenge so we started talking to
a challenge so we started talking to teachers and saying okay what is some of
teachers and saying okay what is some of
teachers and saying okay what is some of the challenges to bringing health to
the challenges to bringing health to
the challenges to bringing health to science class and they said well the
science class and they said well the
science class and they said well the textbooks in the curriculum don’t
textbooks in the curriculum don’t
textbooks in the curriculum don’t directly connect the science to the
directly connect the science to the
directly connect the science to the health and there does very few
health and there does very few
health and there does very few professional development opportunities
professional development opportunities
professional development opportunities where I can learn about biomedical and
where I can learn about biomedical and
where I can learn about biomedical and health topics so we thought all right
health topics so we thought all right
health topics so we thought all right well let’s bridge this gap a little bit
well let’s bridge this gap a little bit
well let’s bridge this gap a little bit let’s bring people together but there’s
let’s bring people together but there’s
let’s bring people together but there’s another gap there which is a funding gap
another gap there which is a funding gap
another gap there which is a funding gap and what we realized is that most of the
and what we realized is that most of the
and what we realized is that most of the funding that funds Health Sciences is
funding that funds Health Sciences is
funding that funds Health Sciences is very separate from the type of funding
very separate from the type of funding
very separate from the type of funding that funds most other science in
that funds most other science in
that funds most other science in education so there’s a gap but we were
education so there’s a gap but we were
education so there’s a gap but we were really lucky we got an NIH science
really lucky we got an NIH science
really lucky we got an NIH science education partnership award to help us
education partnership award to help us
education partnership award to help us work on bridging this gap but we didn’t
work on bridging this gap but we didn’t
work on bridging this gap but we didn’t know how to do this so what we did is we
know how to do this so what we did is we
know how to do this so what we did is we took an approach where teachers and
took an approach where teachers and
took an approach where teachers and scientists work together in partnership
scientists work together in partnership
scientists work together in partnership so over the course of about five years
so over the course of about five years
so over the course of about five years we built what we call the great diseases
we built what we call the great diseases
we built what we call the great diseases curriculum the great diseases curriculum
curriculum the great diseases curriculum
curriculum the great diseases curriculum covers topics like infectious diseases
covers topics like infectious diseases
covers topics like infectious diseases neurological disorders metabolic
neurological disorders metabolic
neurological disorders metabolic diseases in cancer it fills a whole year
diseases in cancer it fills a whole year
diseases in cancer it fills a whole year of in-school learning it’s really really
of in-school learning it’s really really
of in-school learning it’s really really comprehensive it’s got text books and
comprehensive it’s got text books and
comprehensive it’s got text books and powerpoints and video games and labs I
powerpoints and video games and labs I
powerpoints and video games and labs I think really a nice a nice testament to
think really a nice a nice testament to
think really a nice a nice testament to the teacher partners working on the
the teacher partners working on the
the teacher partners working on the project and then the goal from the
project and then the goal from the
project and then the goal from the scientific point of view is all right
scientific point of view is all right
scientific point of view is all right well let’s make sure we pick science
well let’s make sure we pick science
well let’s make sure we pick science that explains real-life experiences
that explains real-life experiences
that explains real-life experiences there may be informs health choices so
there may be informs health choices so
there may be informs health choices so what does this do what happens when you
what does this do what happens when you
what does this do what happens when you bring this to a classroom setting so
bring this to a classroom setting so
bring this to a classroom setting so just one thing to show you about what
just one thing to show you about what
just one thing to show you about what what we think this looks like in
what we think this looks like in
what we think this looks like in classroom settings we ask the students
classroom settings we ask the students
classroom settings we ask the students what is the first word that comes to
what is the first word that comes to
what is the first word that comes to mind when you think about infectious
mind when you think about infectious
mind when you think about infectious diseases so these guys just had six
diseases so these guys just had six
diseases so these guys just had six weeks of learning about infectious
weeks of learning about infectious
weeks of learning about infectious diseases and I thought they’d say
diseases and I thought they’d say
diseases and I thought they’d say something like HIV the plague I don’t
something like HIV the plague I don’t
something like HIV the plague I don’t know something infectious right this is
know something infectious right this is
know something infectious right this is what they most commonly said this is a
what they most commonly said this is a
what they most commonly said this is a Wordle so the size of the word relates
Wordle so the size of the word relates
Wordle so the size of the word relates to the frequency the words were used so
to the frequency the words were used so
to the frequency the words were used so those common thing they freehand wrote
those common thing they freehand wrote
those common thing they freehand wrote was interesting that’s powerful right to
was interesting that’s powerful right to
was interesting that’s powerful right to be in a science class and to say that
be in a science class and to say that
be in a science class and to say that and actually now when this curriculum is
and actually now when this curriculum is
and actually now when this curriculum is used around the country and now when I
used around the country and now when I
used around the country and now when I talk with teachers one of the common
talk with teachers one of the common
talk with teachers one of the common kind of complaints if you want to call
kind of complaints if you want to call
kind of complaints if you want to call it a complaint is that well my students
it a complaint is that well my students
it a complaint is that well my students get so excited about the topic I’m
get so excited about the topic I’m
get so excited about the topic I’m actually having kind of a hard time
actually having kind of a hard time
actually having kind of a hard time managing the discussion they want to
managing the discussion they want to
managing the discussion they want to know this stuff it’s interesting and I’m
know this stuff it’s interesting and I’m
know this stuff it’s interesting and I’m not going to show you day to day about
not going to show you day to day about
not going to show you day to day about this but we
this but we
this but we also know that this can be taught and
also know that this can be taught and
also know that this can be taught and can work for students to learn science
can work for students to learn science
can work for students to learn science content and problem-solving skills in a
content and problem-solving skills in a
content and problem-solving skills in a lot of settings but here’s the surprise
lot of settings but here’s the surprise
lot of settings but here’s the surprise and this is the thing that I was so
and this is the thing that I was so
and this is the thing that I was so blown away by when I found this is that
blown away by when I found this is that
blown away by when I found this is that we also ask students about their
we also ask students about their
we also ask students about their confidence to learn about health and
confidence to learn about health and
confidence to learn about health and this is what we saw so I’m gonna walk us
this is what we saw so I’m gonna walk us
this is what we saw so I’m gonna walk us through this data and I might tell you
through this data and I might tell you
through this data and I might tell you why I think this is so important and
why I think this is so important and
why I think this is so important and show you what the courses tend to change
show you what the courses tend to change
show you what the courses tend to change so you can see on the bottom about 819
so you can see on the bottom about 819
so you can see on the bottom about 819 to 1500 students really had low
to 1500 students really had low
to 1500 students really had low confidence in their capacity to learn
confidence in their capacity to learn
confidence in their capacity to learn about health topics and pieceof it’s not
about health topics and pieceof it’s not
about health topics and pieceof it’s not showing up but I can tell you this 400
showing up but I can tell you this 400
showing up but I can tell you this 400 in the other white box and on the top we
in the other white box and on the top we
in the other white box and on the top we only had 31 students who had really high
only had 31 students who had really high
only had 31 students who had really high confidence and learning about health
confidence and learning about health
confidence and learning about health topics and this is including students
topics and this is including students
topics and this is including students from some of the most prestigious exam
from some of the most prestigious exam
from some of the most prestigious exam schools in the country only 31 of those
schools in the country only 31 of those
schools in the country only 31 of those students thought they could really learn
students thought they could really learn
students thought they could really learn about health topics so this to put this
about health topics so this to put this
about health topics so this to put this in context of why this is so important I
in context of why this is so important I
in context of why this is so important I think because we also have another
think because we also have another
think because we also have another problem in our country relating to
problem in our country relating to
problem in our country relating to health literacy health literacy is the
health literacy health literacy is the
health literacy health literacy is the capacity to acquire obtain and
capacity to acquire obtain and
capacity to acquire obtain and understand health information to learn
understand health information to learn
understand health information to learn about it to synthesize it and then to
about it to synthesize it and then to
about it to synthesize it and then to eventually make hopefully good health
eventually make hopefully good health
eventually make hopefully good health choices because you know it so we figure
choices because you know it so we figure
choices because you know it so we figure well if you don’t feel like you can
well if you don’t feel like you can
well if you don’t feel like you can learn it you’re probably not going to
learn it you’re probably not going to
learn it you’re probably not going to look for it you’re probably not going to
look for it you’re probably not going to
look for it you’re probably not going to engage with it and it might lead to poor
engage with it and it might lead to poor
engage with it and it might lead to poor health outcomes and just to put this on
health outcomes and just to put this on
health outcomes and just to put this on a scale that might make some sense it’s
a scale that might make some sense it’s
a scale that might make some sense it’s highly related to poor health outcomes
highly related to poor health outcomes
highly related to poor health outcomes it costs at minimum cost our country
it costs at minimum cost our country
it costs at minimum cost our country about two hundred billion dollars a year
about two hundred billion dollars a year
about two hundred billion dollars a year this is a big deal so after taking the
this is a big deal so after taking the
this is a big deal so after taking the course we went from 31 students who had
course we went from 31 students who had
course we went from 31 students who had high confidence to about 362 students
high confidence to about 362 students
high confidence to about 362 students that have high confidence and the others
that have high confidence and the others
that have high confidence and the others are equally distributed you can see the
are equally distributed you can see the
are equally distributed you can see the squares but I just want to draw out
squares but I just want to draw out
squares but I just want to draw out another point here which is it even in
another point here which is it even in
another point here which is it even in the lowest confident section I had more
the lowest confident section I had more
the lowest confident section I had more resolution err but I broke it down into
resolution err but I broke it down into
resolution err but I broke it down into four into four quadrants to simplify
four into four quadrants to simplify
four into four quadrants to simplify even at the lowest level the students
even at the lowest level the students
even at the lowest level the students were going doubling or tripling in their
were going doubling or tripling in their
were going doubling or tripling in their confidence level after taking the
confidence level after taking the
confidence level after taking the courses so to kind of pull this together
courses so to kind of pull this together
courses so to kind of pull this together in summary I really think that teaching
in summary I really think that teaching
in summary I really think that teaching health in science classes is really
health in science classes is really
health in science classes is really important for two big reasons one is
important for two big reasons one is
important for two big reasons one is that it helps us to engage students in
that it helps us to engage students in
that it helps us to engage students in science it’s a life relevant interesting
science it’s a life relevant interesting
science it’s a life relevant interesting topic like we all think it’s highly
topic like we all think it’s highly
topic like we all think it’s highly engaging and people need to know about
engaging and people need to know about
engaging and people need to know about it
it
it and what we were really surprised to
and what we were really surprised to
and what we were really surprised to learn is we think this actually might
learn is we think this actually might
learn is we think this actually might relate to building health literacy in
relate to building health literacy in
relate to building health literacy in students as well so right now what we’re
students as well so right now what we’re
students as well so right now what we’re trying to do is understand
trying to do is understand
trying to do is understand to what extent that confidence might
to what extent that confidence might
to what extent that confidence might lead to actually seeking information and
lead to actually seeking information and
lead to actually seeking information and possibly even behavior changes and
possibly even behavior changes and
possibly even behavior changes and health-related outcomes and finally I
health-related outcomes and finally I
health-related outcomes and finally I have to just give a big plug and say
have to just give a big plug and say
have to just give a big plug and say that I think teacher scientists
that I think teacher scientists
that I think teacher scientists partnerships are extremely powerful and
partnerships are extremely powerful and
partnerships are extremely powerful and when you bring teachers with knowledge
when you bring teachers with knowledge
when you bring teachers with knowledge of how to teach together with scientists
of how to teach together with scientists
of how to teach together with scientists that have cutting-edge knowledge and
that have cutting-edge knowledge and
that have cutting-edge knowledge and life relevant material together they
life relevant material together they
life relevant material together they really can build stuff curricula that
really can build stuff curricula that
really can build stuff curricula that works in classrooms to engage students
works in classrooms to engage students
works in classrooms to engage students to increase performance and I also think
to increase performance and I also think
to increase performance and I also think to increase health literacy and students
to increase health literacy and students
to increase health literacy and students and maybe even build our biomedical
and maybe even build our biomedical
and maybe even build our biomedical pipeline a little bit more
”
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