Career Simulation Environment

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This SBIR Phase I project will create an online Career Simulation development Environment (CSE) for biomedical and behavioral science careers. The Phase I project will deliver an engaging, interactive, exploratory, and constructivist simulation of an alcohol abuse career. It is estimated that there are 11 million underage drinkers in the United States (O*NET). Alcohol abuse in the United States is directly tied to 17,000 annual traffic fatalities, 50 percent of homicides, 40 percent of assaults and is major risk factors for violence in intimate relationships (source). Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the United States an estimated 220 billion in 2005 (source) Employment of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors is expected to grow 34 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations (HHS). Career simulations must be complex enough to gain credibility with students, comprehensive enough to model career skills and satisfy curriculum requirements, yet highly usable (Cairns). This project is uniquely suited to attack this problem by combining best practices and research from the fields of adolescent career preparation, human computer interaction, gaming and e-learning. The proposed research will substantially extend previous research and practice in career exploration through an interdisciplinary approach to the development of and evaluation of career explorations simulation tools. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: It is hypothesized that the completion of this project will affect public health in the following manner: 1. Students will develop a better understanding of alcohol abuse careers in terms of education requirements, work activities, outlook, compensation, work environments, technical and 21st Century skills, and the career's impact on society. 2. As students are exposed to alcohol abuse and alcoholism related careers, they will be more likely to pursue the profession, hence providing more resources to implement prevention strategies and provide treatment options. 3. Students will develop an understanding of how their secondary school curriculum is relevant for real-world careers. 4. Students will be more informed about the dangers of alcohol abuse, strategies for prevention, methods for alcohol abuse detection, and options for treatment. 5. Once the framework for the Career Simulation Environment for biomedical and behavioral science careers is established via this SBIR Phase I project, it will be much more cost-effective to create additional health profession career simulations.