Improvement of the decision-making skills of secondary school students is an important component of the education reform movement. It is also a component in the education of workers for a competitive workforce. The materials strive to integrate decision skills with subject-based material.
Students assume the role of active decision makers faced with problems confronting scientists.
They learn how to interpret conflicting outcomes, to understand sources of uncertainty, to know when to go ahead despite a lack of information and when it is necessary to seek out additional information, and to distinguish personal from professional values and know how best to work with a team of colleagues possessing diverse skills. The project is undertaken with teachers in Eugene, Oregon, and other locations. Results to date indicate that students and teachers find the materials engaging and that learning science becomes more relevant.