STEM Interactive Digital Tool to Educate and Promote Hearing Health and Science for 4th to 7th Grade

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT The National Research Council recognizes that serious computer games can support new inquiry based approaches to science instructionproviding virtual laboratories or field learning experiences that overcome practical and logistical constraints to student investigationsWith the nationally recognized need to encourage and enhance education in the ScienceTechnologyEngineeringand MathSTEMareaCreare and its collaborators at the University of Northern Coloradoalong with our Dangerous Decibelspartners propose to develop a funengaging game based upon the Dangerous Decibelsprograms and activitiesas well as online delivery of a training program to incorporate the game into the classroomThe primary objective of the game is to develop children s scientific and mathematical knowledge base about hearing science and acousticsthe secondary objective is to leverage this knowledge to develop positive attitudes and behaviors related to their own hearing healthThe training program targets a diverse set of educatorsfrom trained science teachers to school nurses and even high school students and provides resources to facilitate and encourage classroom integrationpromoting a much wider dissemination of our STEM materialsOverall the proposed program also has the potential of promoting interest in STEM and health careers for all engaged in the delivery and content of the program PROJECT NARRATIVE Noise induced hearing lossNIHLand tinnitusringing in the earis a present and growing problem in the U Sand worldwidewith overof U Syouth agedtosuffering from NIHLand as many asof U Schildren agedtosuffering from tinnitusIn this projectwe propose to develop an engaging game that teaches fundamental STEM concepts and intuition to youth while changing knowledgeattitudesand intended behavior toward hearing health and the prevention of NIHL