Children in the media age are becoming alarmingly sedentary. Research also indicates that lack of physical activity is the direct or indirect cause of several forms of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The applicant organization proposes to produce a series of audio/visual educational interventions for children ages 4-7 to help them be more proactive and interactive with their bodies. All interventions will emphasize the benefits of physical activity while teaching basic information about systems in the body. Phase I addresses the cardiovascular system using animation, live peer actors, catchy music and other lively production values which research demonstrates captures children's attention and helps them learn most effectively. Health information presented incorporates what is now being taught in health curricula around the country. Our intent, which will be field-tested, is not just to increase a child's knowledge about her/his body, but to increase pro-health attitudes, beliefs and self-efficacy. Innovations in this project include: animated and peer-acted videos; age- appropriate testing instruments which do not exist in the field at this time; testing protocol created and implemented by Dr. Thomas McKenzie, who with Dr. James Salus has conducted many nationwide physical activity research projects on young children. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The Take Aim team will use a three-pronged, pro-active, multi-market approach to distribute DYNAMOTION. Meridian Education Corporation will distribute the Phase I video at trade shows and through targeted catalogs sent to over 60,000 schools and libraries nationwide. Public Media, Inc. will introduce and market the video and subsequent series to Future Views and First View, educational trade shows offering "first viewings" of programming available in the coming year to school-based educational PBS networks. Take Aim will also undertake community-based distribution through organizations such as The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of the Education of Younger Children. PorchLight Entertainment will aggressively market the series to the US and international television markets.
Thesaurus Terms: body physical activity, cardiovascular system, educational resource design /development, health education, pediatrics, videotape /videodisc cardiovascular disorder education clinical research, human subject, middle childhood (6-11), preschool child (1-5)
