NEWTON, MA | March 24, 2011
An online tool that teaches students about tuberculosis is now available to middle and high school educators. Developed by Education Development Center, Inc., (EDC), www.tbepidemic.org offers resources, such as interactive curriculum units, for use in social studies and health settings.
The new website was unveiled today during a Senate briefing on Capitol Hill to mark World TB Day 2011 which advocates for increased attention to a disease that affects nearly one-third of the world’s population and kills approximately 2 million people every year. The briefing, sponsored by the Office of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), is being held by the Global Health Council and American Thoracic Society.
The site was the brainchild of photographer David Rochkind who collected personal stories and photos during travels to three countries hard hit by tuberculosis: South Africa, India, and Moldova. Interspersed with these are two three-session teaching units available as PDFs, through which students explore the personal and social consequences of TB. Activities are group oriented and intended to stimulate conversation and sharing in the classroom. Also included is a TB Action Packet, with tools developed specifically for teens who want to become advocates in their community and beyond.
“Our interactive units, combined with David’s searing photographs, make for a compelling experience for students,” said EDC’s Kristen Bjork, who directed the website develoment. “We ask tough questions, such as why is a preventable disease so prevalent? What can the global community do to prevent it? Throughout the site, stories of real people bring these issues to life and—we hope—spur students to action.”
Funding was provided by the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, which will use the tools in their educational network.
To learn more, visit the website at www.tbepidemic.org or e-mail: info@tbepidemic.org.
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), is a global nonprofit organization that addresses some of the world’s most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic development. EDC manages 350 projects in 35 countries. Visit edc.org.
