The Brain-Exchange Electronic Mentorship Network (BEEM-Net) has been created to electronically link neuroscientists with elementary school children. The network fully embraces the concept of "Science for All" children; science literacy is essential for career opportunities, healthy living, and informed citizenship in the year 2000. BEEM-Net is being developed to provide access to neuroscience for an children regardless of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical location, physical or intellectual capacity. Participation in BEEM-Net only requires that children have access to a computer and a phone-line and, in some cases, computer enhancements that enable use by children with disabilities or limited-English-proficiency. BEEM-Net knows that children learn science by doing science, and that diversity in materials and methods is necessary to engage the interest of a diverse student population. BEEM-Net is a multi- faceted resource for inquiry-based investigation that provides contact with previously inaccessible role models, i.e., the research scientist.To demonstrate the effectiveness of BEEM-Net to foster neuroscience education, the SBIR research has three objectives:(1) the development of BEEM-Net curriculum comprised of telecommunication-based activities designed to promote in-depth experiential learning of neuroscience concepts presented in BrainLink curriculum materials,(2) the establishment of assessment instruments able to evaluate this innovative, educational use of technology, and(3) the identification of factors that facilitate or hinder the use of BEEM-Net in various educational contexts.National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
