Science Education
Partnership Award
Environmental Health Sciences Training and Education Program - EH-STEP

The EH-STEP - Phase II Dissemination Grant is made possible through the support of the National Center for Research Resources Science Education Partnership Award.

  Description

By 2003, approximately 40,000 K-12th grade students nationwide will have the opportunity to improve their basic science and math skills while learning to reduce their exposure to potential pollutants and possibly prevent environment-related diseases and illnesses. To reach this goal, eight universities across the United States have established a Regional Training and Education Center (RETC) in order to collaborate and disseminate environmental health sciences (EHS) curricula materials to approximately 2,000 educators through professional development initiatives.

This curriculum dissemination through teacher professional development model focuses on environmental health as a theme for learning. It is based on successful projects funded by the Toxicology Education Foundation, the Society of Toxicology and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). EH-STEP (Environmental Health Sciences Training and Education Program) is made possible with support from the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program, in the amount of $909,079, has allowed curriculum dissemination through professional development to be expanded and enhanced. This three year grant was awarded to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Public Health (UMDNJ-SPH) and the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI).

  Activities

The curriculum dissemination through professional development model comprises four main components, environmental health sciences (EHS) curricula material, train-the-trainer workshops, teacher trainings and scientist involvement. The program will expand on EOHSI’s award-winning ToxRAP^TM (Toxicology, Risk, Assessment and Pollution) curriculum series. This three-part series teaches students how to evaluate environmental health problems using a risk assessment process based on the one used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A Curriculum Selection Board will identify additional EHS materials/programs that will be disseminated nationwide. RETC-designated teams will attend train-the-trainer workshops on implementing the selected curricula, as well as designing and delivering effective teacher training programs. Each RETC will be responsible for developing and providing trainings and curricular materials to K-12 teachers in its region. A Scientist Advisory Board will help develop strategies for scientists to interact with teachers/students and to encourage students to pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral sciences research. EOHSI will provide ongoing support as well as formative and summative measures to analyze project effectiveness.

  Past, Present and Expected Future Accomplishments:

*NOTE: We look forward to adding the following links on this web site:

	Press Release: "Eight Universities Collaborate to Improve K-12th Grade Environmental Health Education"
	Regional Education Training Centers
	Scientist Involvement Advisory Board
	Curriculum Selection Board
	Train-the-Trainer Workshops for RETC Teams
	Teacher Trainings Conducted by RETCs
	Project Evaluation
	Time line for EH-STEP

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 Phone: 732-445-0200 For additional information contact webmaster@eohsi.rutgers.edu