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Okay, I think I'm echoing everyone else's sentiment here in that are expectations of the project were pretty different from Dr. De Groot's expectations. I felt that the original project of producing content with the kids, though very progressive, motivational for the kids, and fun for us, would not make the full use of our abilities in developing the best educational software that we are capable of. I believe that this revised project description will allow us to utilize our abilities in creating an effective and progressive educational tool on vaccines.
If anything, the scope of this revised project description may be too broad and ambitious. If this is so, we could always create the 1st section and a limited version of the 2nd section and, if we still have time, complete the 2nd and 3rd sections.
With this revised project proposal we will need to schedule the following action items very soon: 1) getting approval and support materials from Dr. De Groot, 2) storyboarding the static part of the site and structuring the rest of the site in detail, 3) and dividing production responsibilities.
What do you all think?
REVISED PROJECT PROPOSAL version .00002
Objectives: To educate kids about vaccines by introducing them to basic immunology concepts through an interactive multimedia website and by encouraging them to learn about a self-selected disease and its associated vaccine and to share their newfound knowledge as a contribution to the website.
Audience: Club DNA, a weekly after-school science club at the French American School made of bilingual kids that are ages 7-10 (5th grade and below)
Sponsoring Teacher: Dr. Annie De Groot, assistant profressor of Medicine at Brown University, teacher of Club DNA, CEO of EpiVax, and Director of TB/HIV Research Lab at Brown.
Use: The website will be used both at the after-school science club and by the kids at home (perhaps with the help of their parents)
Compatibility: Website will be compatible with all Internet enabled computers
Authoring tools: Macromedia Director (Animations), Dreamweaver (HTML, Javascript), PHP (perhaps)
Program Description: The website is divided into three sections: 1) Amy's First Shot, 2) Vaccine library, and 3) the "Disease Destroyer" game.
The first section will engage students by telling the story of a Amy who's scared about getting her first immunization shot. In this context, the students will learn about the basic concepts of immunology. The story will be divided into sections containing text narrative and interactive concept-demonstrating animations. Before moving to the next section of the story, the student will have to demonstrate knowledge of the concept illustrated in that section by answering a question rasied by Amy.
The second section will be a library of student generated information on specific diseases and their associated vaccines. Students can read information about specific vaccines written by other students as well as research a vaccine of their own choice (links to relevant vaccine websites are suggested) and contribute their newfound knowledge to the library (final information must be approved by the teacher).
Finally, the third section will be a fun "Disease Destroyer" game that allows students to review their general knowledge about immunology as well as knowledge about specific diseases contained in the student generated library.
Long-term dream:
For this website to be used, not only year after year in Club DNA, but by other elementary school science programs as well, enabling students to cooperatively learn with one another, not just from year to year, but between schools.
< Posted by Vincent >