HIV/AIDS and Popular Culture: A New Web-based Educational Tool

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was supported by a Technology Fellowship and Science Reform grant from the Associated Colleges of the South and the W.M. Keck Foundation of Los Angeles. EBW was supported by a Corporate Activities Program Student Travel Grant from the American Society for Microbiology and a David C. Grant Travel Award from Davidson College Department of Biology. We also acknowledge the support of Davidson College and the Davidson College Department of Biology. We wish to thank Mur Muchane, Sarah Hatfield, Tuti Penev, and Kiril Simov from the Davidson College Information Technology Group for their technological support and Dr. P. Peroni for her help with statistical analysis. W-007 HIV/AIDS and Popular Culture: A New Web-based Educational Tool David R. Wessner, Anna G. Harger, and Emily B. Wilson, Davidson College Abstract Methods and Results • Web site was created using: Macromedia Dreamweaver MX, iMovie, Sony Media-Vegas, and VirtualDub • First year undergraduate students were randomly assigned to two groups • One group of students received only a questionnaire about HIV/AIDS; the other group received the link to the web site in addition to the questionnaire • Results of subjective questions were pooled and assessed only for trends • Percentage of objective questions that each participant answered correctly was calculated and assessed for significance • Mean percentages were compared using Excel’s Two-Sample t-Test assuming equal variance New infections of HIV/AIDS continue to occur, especially among people between 15 and 24 years of age. Teaching young people about this disease, then, is as important today as it ever has been. To address this need for improved HIV/AIDS education, we have developed a web site to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS through art, music, television, and film (www.bio.davidson.edu/projects/aidspopculture). The web site displays images and video and audio clips in a chronological manner and also contains information about the artists. Additionally, information about the major scientific advancements for each period is provided. Using this multi-media web site as a teaching tool for HIV/AIDS education may be effective for two reasons. First, all people with Internet access are able to view publicly available web site materials. Second, the presentation of HIV/AIDS information within the context of popular culture may better convey this information to people who have not been reached by traditional HIV/AIDS education methods. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this web site, we assessed its impact on groups of first year college students. An anonymous questionnaire addressing HIV/AIDS knowledge and awareness was given to each participant. Students who saw the web site prior to taking the survey, demonstrated an increased knowledge of the biology of HIV/AIDS and an increased interest in the pandemic. With this multi-media web site, then, we have developed an effective HIV/AIDS educational tool that should be useful in academic environments and as an information source for the general public. Home page for “HIV/AIDS in Popular Culture” web site. The URL of this page is: http://www.bio.davidson.edu/projects/aidspopculture Description of Web Site As shown above, the web site presents information about HIV/AIDS in a chronological fashion. For each range of years, artistic images, audio clips, and video clips dealing with HIV/AIDS are accessible from pull-down menus. Information about the particular items also are provided. Additionally, scientific information about HIV/AIDS is provided for each range of years. With web site: n = 36; Without web site: n = 67 Students that “strongly or somewhat agree” indicate greater HIV/AIDS awareness and interest. With web site: n=36, Without web site: n = 67 Error bars = ± 2*standard error. t-test n=101, p = 0.015197416 (transmission), 0.000202201 (treatment), 0.038905299 (general knowledge). Introduction Conclusions and Future Directions • Despite increased education and outreach programs, the rate of new HIV infections continues to rise • New infections of HIV/AIDS are particularly acute among people 15 to 24 years of age • New paradigms for HIV education, especially ones more attractive to younger people, must be developed • As we described previously (The visual art of HIV/AIDS. Bioscene: Journal of College Science Teaching (2003). 29:15-21), art may be an effective means of reaching younger people • We propose that another way to improve HIV/AIDS education may be through a multi-media web site that disseminates information about the disease through art, music, television, and film • Based on our questionnaire, this multi-media web site increased undergraduate students’ knowledge of and interest in HIV/AIDS. The overall number of correct responses on objective questions between the two groups was significantly different (p = 0.002). Questions about treatment options showed the most extreme difference (p = 0.0002). For example, 78% of students who saw the web site correctly identified AZT as the first approved antiretroviral drug, while only 31% of students who had not viewed the web site correctly identified this drug. This web site, then, seems to be a very effective means of disseminating information about HIV/AIDS. • In the future, we will: • Update the art, music, video, and science sections as new materials and findings become available • Provide the URL and information about the site to community organizations interested in HIV/AIDS education and outreach • Continue to test the effectiveness of the site Journal containing student co-authored paper An internal page of the web site displaying the pull-down menus for TV and film clips of 1990 through 1995