An innovative approach to teaching high school students about indoor air quality

Citation
Cm. Neumann et al., An innovative approach to teaching high school students about indoor air quality, J ENVIR HEA, 62(4), 1999, pp. 9-13
Citations number
13
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
ISSN journal
00220892 → ACNP
Volume
62
Issue
4
Year of publication
1999
Pages
9 - 13
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-0892(199911)62:4<9:AIATTH>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
Since 1988, the Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) Program at Oregon State University (OSU) has provided science and math enr ichment to over 2,400 precollege and low-income school children in Oregon. in 1996, OSU received a four-year grant from the National Institute of Envi ronmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to improve teachers', students', and comm unity members' understanding of environmental health science issues. This e ffort represents a collaboration Of science educators from the SMILE progra m, environmental health scientists from OSU's Department of Public Health, and the OSU Environmental Health Sciences Center. Each year, a different en vironmental health science topic is highlighted, Topics have included house hold chemicals, water quality, indoor air quality,and food safety. The them e for the 1997-1998 school year was indoor air quality. Year-long education al activities associated with the NIEHS grant are curriculum development, t eacher training workshops, and a variety of hands-on, after-school exercise s for elementary, middle, and high school students. This paper describes an innovative approach used to help high school students develop critical thi nking and real-world problem-solving Skills while learning about indoor air quality.