Justification Paper Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking Health Education Jeanne Searfoorce Boise State University Summer 2013

3 Graphic Design for Learning Intended Audience The intended audience for my lessons is middle school students in grades six through eight ranging in age from 10 to 14 years old. Many of these students are reading at a level lower than their grade level. For this reason, these Health Education lessons were developed to educate the students though strong visual graphic images (to evoke feelings and opinions about the images), tactile exercises (use of websites) and listening skills (though video presentation). While these lessons can be standalone online lessons, educators can use these lessons in conjunction with classroom discussion and printed materials to enhance the key themes in each lesson. New Jersey Common Core Curriculum Standards Technology Literacy 8.1.8.A.5 The use of technology and digital tools requires knowledge and appropriate use of operations and related applications. (Select and use appropriate tools and digital resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and to solve problems.) 8.1.12.A.3 The use of technology and digital tools requires knowledge and appropriate use of operations and related applications. (Participate in online courses, learning communities, social networks, or virtual worlds and recognize them as resources for lifelong learning.) 8.1.P.E.1 Effective use of digital tools assists in gathering and managing information. (Use the Internet to explore and investigate information with a teachers support.) 8.1.2.E.1 Effective use of digital tools assists in gathering and managing information. (Use digital tools and online resources to explore a problem or issue affecting children, and discuss possible solutions.) Health Education 2.3.6.B.1. Explain the system of drug classification and why it is useful in preventing substance abuse. 2.3.6.B.2 Relate tobacco use and the incidence of disease. 2.3.6.B.4. Determine the impact of the use and abuse of alcohol on the incidence of illness, injuries, and disease, the increase of risky health

behaviors, and the likelihood of harm to ones health. 2.3.6.B.5. Determine situations where the use of alcohol and other drugs influence decision - making and can place one at risk. 2.3.6.B.6. Summarize the signs and symptoms of inhalant abuse. 2.3.6.B.7 - Analyze the relationship between injected drug use and diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis Design Process Lesson Plans and Website As an EdTech student, one of the fundamental components of the program is to integrate technology to enhance and facilitate online learning. Personally, I believe that it is extremely important to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. This summer in particular, my personal and academic mission was to explore and try as many new technology tools as possible. Weebly.com is a fantastic website and blog creation tool. I was introduced to this software in another course and it became clear that it was the only tool I wanted to employ for the final project for this course. The more you focus your site on its goals and the more precisely defined your target audience is, the more efficiently and effectively you can present the information. (Williams and Tollett, 88) I immediately began thinking about the final project. I decided that I wanted to design materials that would afford me the opportunity to not only explore new technology but also turn-key content to other educators for use in their classrooms. I spoke with the Health and Physical Education teachers at my school regarding online lesson units in health education. The decision was made to create three related units of instruction: Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking. I was supplied curriculum, offered enthusiasm and was afforded assistance if I had questions about the content. As I began looking online for information contained in the massive, overwhelming curriculum, it became immediately apparent that this important subject had little or no centralized information or curriculum. Knowing the learning goal can establish an expectancy in learners, arousing their interest and giving them a goal toward which to direct their cognitive energies. (Smith & Ragan, 132) The images were all created to coincide with the three units of instruction: Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking. The purpose of the images was to invoke raw emotion. The intent of some of the images was to humor the audience while conveying an important message (Sophisticated Smokers, I Always Dress My Best, Say Cheese!, and Grasshopper) while the intent of the other images was to bring reality to the forefront (Death Rhymes With Meth, and Im Finally Part of the In Crowd). Both, Can She Have Another Round? and, Smoke and Mirrors, border on humor and

reality. In my Graphic Descriptions there is more information regarding my thoughts and process when creating these images. The goal of the Drug, Alcohol and Smoking units is for students to make healthy choices. The color green means, Growth, freshness, health, hope but is also associated with guilt, disease, nausea, terror (Nelson, 1989); among the most cited favorite colors (Boyle, 2001). (Lohr, 270). The minute I chose the template, I knew that it was one that would convey every message contained within the sites pages. As with any website, the homepage is cover page and its presence defines the mood of the content that lies within its pages. My target audience is a diverse group of middle school students so it was imperative that the image represented the most varied group of students imaginable without being mundane or too stereotypical. Ironically, I found the image I used on a website targeting teens with acne. The image represents my mental image of middle school teens. I wanted the format of my website to be simple, effective, easy to navigate and interesting. On a website, your navigation buttons are a repetitive element. Colors, style, illustrations, format, layout, typography, and so on can all be part of the repetition that unifies the entire site. (Williams and Tollet, 122). I chose the topics early in the course. Two of the three lesson plans were completed by the third week of the course. That was extremely helpful as I designed my graphics because my lesson concepts were front and center in the creative side of my brain. Within each unit (Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking), there two modules. These modules contain links to various types of content including images, video, web 2.0 tool and printable pages. I included printable pages because many educators like to have paper documentation of student work for grading purposes as well as evidence of content comprehension. All materials are made available to both the student and teacher to enhance the goals and topics of the health education lesson. Asynchronous tools allow learners to engage with the course when it is convenient for them, within defined due dates and timelines on specific activities. These tools are the backbone of online instruction, and their well-planned use can determine the success of a course. (Rice, 187) Students studying independently or in a classroom setting should use the images on the main pages of each topic area as a Do Now to get them thinking about each particular topic. For the educator, the images are an excellent way to create an open forum of discussion. An icebreaker should be carefully planned, not left to chance. It sets the tone for future communications between learners; therefore, it should be fun, creative and expressive. (Conrad and Donaldson, 52)

To eliminate user frustration, I wanted to design a site without redundancy and that has an intuitive flow from one content area to the next. While each topic has the redundant third module of Healthy Choices, I chose to place this material in its own section where it can be used to conclude a particular unit or be utilized as a fourth unit of instruction. Each independent topic has two modules contained within their particular unit. The justification tab links directly to my paper with my ideas and concepts used for the conceptualization of the images, content framework and website design process. I also created a lesson plan tab so educators can use these lesson plans in their classroom and can submit to school administrator. All of the tools on the website are included in the plans and each educator can continue to amend them as needed. Graphic Descriptions Sophisticated Smokers Color, Depth, Space and Selection I thought that humor would evoke an unexpected reaction about the negative effects of smoking. Most students hear, Dont smoke. Its bad for your health. This image approaches the subject of smoking from a purely superficial standpoint, How do you look when youre smoking? With an image driven society such as ours, this image is one where discussion may linger for quite some time after the students have seen it. Color may not be necessary. (Lohr, 269) Chose colors that help the user see the big picture (gestalt). (Lohr, 269). With a white background, the audience will notice that the animals are smoking which is abnormal. For this reason, I feel the audience will see the big picture. The students may ponder if they look as cool as the animals which are smoking. Death Rhymes with Meth Typography and Shape Meth, a drug once popular only in the suburbs and has slowly moved into the urban drug scene. Since I teach in an urban setting, I thought that incorporating a focus on meth is important because of its devastating effects. I this image invokes a feeling of fear. That was my initial reaction where I saw the before and after photos. This image is effective because the photos are real and show

that drugs can take your beauty. Secondly, these young people aged exponentially fast. Asymmetry is form that does not have balanced proportions. Asymmetrical balance is achieved when all elements in display are in harmony, but the elements are not symmetrical. (Lohr, 180) The unbalance in this image further reinforces the unbalanced life of a drug user. Can She Have Another Round? Contrast, Alignment, Repetition and Proximity (CARP) Many kids may not be interested in trying hard drugs but would be interested in drinking alcohol because it is not illegal to purchase alcohol (unless you are under the age of 21), and they see many family members consuming alcohol for various happy celebratory occasions. I wanted the students to focus on a 120 pound female drinking four glasses of beer at a party within an hour. By the second glass, she is intoxicated at the party. Drinking alcohol underage may seem like a fun ride, but like a carousel, it will come to an end. The possibility is it will not be as fun as the moments you were consuming the alcohol. I Always Dress My Best Organization and Integration After I read the text, I found this lesson a personal challenge. The word chunking stood out. This lesson focuses on why students should not drink alcohol to excess. I particularly focused on beer consumption as it seems many underage drinkers prefer the frosty beverage. Then, it popped into my head, Put a costume on the beer. Low and behold, I found a penguin costume and dressed up my bottle of beer. Penguins like the cold. The beer looks cold. This was honestly a happy coincidence. The lime added some character. The idea was that dressing up a beer bottle as a penguin is ridiculous. Drinking too much alcohol underage is ridiculous. Dont be ridiculous. I added some text in blocks so the message would pop. Addressing the students with humor prior to adds laughable moments at appropriate times keeping the mood light and the content engaging.

Im Finally Part of the In Crowd Since my youth, one clich location where kids are known to get into trouble is the playground. In the town where I used to live (which was quite nice), nighttime activities at the playground included graffiti (which I saw when taking my children there to play) and drug dealing (which was mentioned at a town watch meeting by authorities. The irony of this image is to remind teens that the cool kids are not always conducting themselves safely. If teens begin to think about subjecting themselves to using drugs, especially to garner the attention of the cool kids at school, they are also subjecting themselves to the physical, social and psychological consequences associated with drug use. This image is a stark reminder that using meth can cause drastic physical changes. They should ask themselves if these friends are worth keeping. Say, Cheese! This image is about taking literal expressions to the extreme. The term party animal is used to describe someone who likes to act wild and crazy at parties typically drinking alcohol to excess. If you take this expression literally one step further, imagine attending a party with animals dressed as people. It seems absurd. Take this concept literally one step further, these same party animals are at a party in Key West, Florida (which is known to have a booming party scene). Finally, this image is taken to the furthest extreme when these party animals in Key West, Florida pose for a photograph and say, Cheese!. The message of this image is to relate the silly nature of this literal image to teens drinking to excess underage. While it is dangerous, the humor in this image is one way to express ridiculous drunken teen behavior. Smoke and Mirrors There are millions of people who smoke cigarettes that show no extreme outward signs of being smokers. Many teens would express how smokers look glamorous, sophisticated and there are no negative outward signs of smoking (like using meth). Technology has not brought us forward economically to the point of being able to examine our internal organs cost effectively. Therefore, I am using this beautiful country cottage to parallel with a person who started smoking two packs a day as a teen.

Compare yourself (you are you so you are no cost) to a stunning home that is free to the first interested party. You would expect that anyone would want to live here. From the outside, it seems perfect. After closer inspection, the description describes the interior is covered in smoke and soot. The point of the image is that is the effects of smoking are internal and you cannot see the real damage until its too late. You will have physical symptoms, find out you are possibly terminally ill and think about the poor choices you made as a teen. Beauty is skin deep. Grasshopper From a young age, teens value friendships, are aware of their image and seek to be individuals at the same time. In a media-centric world where celebrities and politicians alike have their most personal daily accounts exploited, teens are sent many mixed messages about these individuals actions. Are these acts by adults morally and legally acceptable? Are these the individuals who they aspire to be like? Celebrities and politicians are not held to the same legal standards as the rest of us. Teens do not truly understand the consequences of their actions. You can be arrested if you are using or possessing illegal drugs. In a world where kids are bombarded with test scores, applying to high school or college, and performing well in extra-curricular activities there is no severe consequence if these particular parts of their life are imperfect. Yet, using or possessing an illegal substance like marijuana can place a mark on their permanent record far worse than a D in mathematics. Kids need to realize some risks are not worth taking. Sources: Conrad, R & Donaldson, J. Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass. Lohr, L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance: Lessons in visual literacy. Columbus, Ohio: Pearson. Rice, K (2012). Making the Move to K-12 Online Teaching: Research-Based Strategies and Practices. Columbus, Ohio: Pearson. Smith, P & Ragan, T. Instructional Design. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Williams, R & Tollett, J. (2006. The Non-Designers Web Book. Berkley, California: Peachpit Press.