RESEARCH PROPOSAL SURVEY LAB to - iupui gk-12

Bring ing S tudents Face-to-Face with
Alcohol Research and Physiolo g y
MS
1
Martinez ,
1Department
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
This study consists of a 2 day demonstration and is
based on the research of the graduate student Manny
Martinez. High school students complete a pre-test
survey to assess their current alcohol knowledge the
day prior to the start of the demonstration. During day
1, students are given a 25 minute in-depth alcohol
presentation that includes topics such as number of
drinks/blood alcohol content, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD), physiology of alcohol use, alcohol laws
and policies, breathalyzer overview, and hard truths of
alcohol through graphic pictures approved by high
school administration. Following the presentation, high
school students are given time to ask questions
pertaining to the presentation as well as partake in a
discussion that is facilitated by the graduate student
that encompasses current alcohol research and
negative consequences to use/abuse of alcohol.
During day 2, students are given an opportunity to
observe face-to-face the effects of alcohol on the visual
field/cerebellum and to test a breathalyzer using water,
soda, juice, or mouth wash to determine any alcohol
traces on breath. Alcohol simulated “beer goggles” are
brought into the classroom to demonstrate three
different levels of drunkenness on the visual
field/cerebellum by use of prisms. The goggles are a
campus resource that is available for undergraduate
alcohol awareness education. Students are asked to
toss a ball at a target about 6-8 ft away from subject to
show the degree of difficulty to complete such a task
while intoxicated. The breathalyzer demonstration asks
students beforehand about which, if any, liquid (water,
soda, juice, or mouthwash) will cause any detectable
trace of alcohol using a breathalyzer provided by the
graduate student that is used in lab for Blood Alcohol
Concentration (BAC) detection.
For homework,
students are asked to write up a research
summary/synopsis on either one of the two
demonstrations that include their initial thoughts as
well as observations and conclusions they have drawn
from the demonstration. Finally, students are asked to
complete a post-test survey to assess knowledge gained
about the subject material following the 2 day
demonstration.
E
2
Sanders ,
FC
1
Zhou ,
M
3
Judd ,
and K A
3
Marrs
of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine,
2Soutport High School, Indianapolis, IN,
3School of Science, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN USA 46202
LAB to CLASSROOM
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 2
Fig 2. Students were informed on
anatomical brain regions that control
certain behaviors which are effected
by alcohol use.
Brain scan of a
normal 13 year old
female. The arrow
points to the
CORPUS CALLOSUM
FIGURE 4
Brain scan of a
normal 14 year old
male. The CORPUS
CALLOSUM is absent
Fig 3, 4. An example MRI scan and common craniofacial characteristics of FASD
were displayed to students.
Fig 1. Long term physiological effects of alcohol use were
presented to high school students.
SURVEY
Figure 7
FIGURE 6
The survey was 8 pages
in length and covered a
range of questions from
their understanding of
basic alcohol knowledge
to the anatomy and
physiology of alcohol.
FIGURE 5
Fig 5,6. Images from the Breathalyzer demonstration in which students tested various mouthwashes
to determine, if any, different BAC readings.
Fig 7. Results have been
collected and are under
further investigation to
determine any significant
findings.
LESSONS LEARNED
My research has the power to expose high school students to the importance of
research in the field of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) as well as the many
negative physiological consequences to the use and abuse of alcohol.
F
NSF-DGE # 0742475
www.gk12-iupui.org