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Vol. 11 No. 2

Build a Human Project: Improving Attitude and Increasing Anatomy Content Knowledge and Skills for Middle-Level Students

  • Lynne E. Houtz
  • Thomas H. Quinn
Submitted
July 29, 2010
Published
2010-07-29

Abstract

For four years middle-level students and science teachers have participated in a two-week summer workshop outreach project collaboratively designed and implemented by School of Medicine and Department of Education faculty. The project’s goals included improving the attitude of student participants toward the study of science; increasing participants’ knowledge of the structure, function, and care of the human organism through inquiry-based hands-on exploration; and developing participants’ process skills through hands-on activities. Formative and summative assessment of the program’s effectiveness in reaching its goals included quantitative and qualitative strategies. Student attitudes remained high, and even improved significantly during two of the years. Content knowledge was assessed through a K-W-L chart, a multiple choice pre- and posttest, and student feedback forms. Authentic assessment techniques were used to evaluate development of process skills. The triangulated results develop a rich picture of success in meeting project goals.