After school science education program at Bell-Lincoln High School and Junior High School in Washington D.C.

As part of the Department of Defense efforts to promote science education, we are implementing an after school program to study how the use of multi-media tools and technologies may facilitate science education and impact academic performance at the junior high and high school levels. Some general characteristics of this program are:

• We will teach biology and/or chemistry using multi-media tools, coupled with supporting laboratory work. Students get a chance to formulate scientific questions and answer them by experimental approaches.

• Students spend time developing a scientific vocabulary. Scientific words and/or concepts that are being taught are then incorporated into lyrics of songs to be composed by the students. This process may enhance learning and memory of science.

• Students are then trained in the use of a suit of computer software tools to compose and record these songs. They will have a professional recording studio at the tips of their fingers.

• The program ends with an evening performance, similar to “American Idol”. Instead, we will have The “name of the school” Idol.

This program involves three components:

• Biology and Chemistry (both theoretical and experimental); the specifics of this component are under consideration.

• Use of multi-media tools and technologies; this involves the software Sequel (Steinberg Media Technologies), musical composition, innovative and creative expression, science of hearing, sound technology, principles of acoustics, among others). To download a free trial version of Sequel, please visit http://www.sequel-music.de/try-it.html. Click here to see the training calendar.

• Communication and leadership.