190819 Teach Epidemiology: Professional Development Workshops Aimed at Infusing Epidemiology Education into Grade 6-12 Curricula

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mark Kaelin, EdD , Health and Nutrition Sciences, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
Epidemiology is usually taught to graduate students in health-related disciplines. During the past 10 years the CDC, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation / College Board, and others have advocated teaching epidemiology to younger students for reasons identified below.

• Empowers students to be scientifically literate participants in the democratic decision-making process concerning public health policy.

• Empowers students to make more informed personal health-related decisions.

• Increases students' understanding of the basis for determining risk.

• Improves students' health, mathematical, scientific, and media literacy.

• Expands students' understanding of scientific methods and develops their critical thinking skills.

• Provides students with another mechanism for exploring important, real world questions about their health and the health of others.

• Introduces students to an array of career paths related to the public's health.

Many high school teachers have little, if any, knowledge of epidemiology. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-supported Teach Epidemiology Professional Development Workshops and the accompanying Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Teaching Units (http://www.montclair.edu/YESteachingunits/) provide middle and high school teachers with resources that facilitate and support their teaching epidemiology.

Learning Objectives:
• Describe the rationale for teaching epidemiology to students in grades 9-12. • Evaluate the appropriateness of fundamental epidemiological understandings that are the pedagogical basis for teaching epidemiology. • Briefly review the model for the Teach Epidemiology Professional Development Workshops • Have attendees participate in components of selected YES Teaching Units. • Identify challenges to infusing epidemiology education in grades 9-12 and way to address those challenges.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: While not a epidemiologist, I have been teaching epidemiology to students from middle school to graduate school for more than 25 years. I am a founding member of the Epidemiology Education Movement, a group that advocates the teaching of epidemiology in grades 6-12.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Research (Not Sure) Facilitate Professional Development Workshops

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Epidemiology Student Awards and Career Panel
See more of: Epidemiology