The impact of population education in Baltimore.

PIP: Results of an evaluation of the impact of 1 of 4 population education units offered as part of the 9th grade urban studies curriculum in the Baltimore City school system are reported. The theme of the unit, called B-more or Baltimore, is that Baltimore City has qualities and problems similar to those of other urban areas but is also unique. 908 students exposed to the B-more unit and 205 controls participated in the evaluation in the fall of 1978. Gathering of demographic information on students participating in the evaluation was restricted. The impact of the B-more unit was measured along knowledge, attitude and behavior dimensions through written questionnaires and verbal interview questions. The unit was found to have succeeded in increasing knowledge about Baltimore's resources, increasing ability to utilize these resources, and teaching basic population and urban concepts. Students exposed to the B-more unit were more knowledgeable about their urban environment as illustrated by mapping tasks, and the majority reported that they had learned things that were new and/or important to them from the curriculum. B-more students had more positive attitudes toward the Baltimore suburbs than control students and more negative attitudes toward population growth. Little evidence was noted of changes in behavior resulting from the B-more unit. Recommendations are offered for strengthening the B-more unit and its impact on students.^ieng

Initiating population education in Baltimore.

PIP: At a 3-day workshop in population education for 50 secondary school teachers, 4 members of the Baltimore City Public School system were appointed with 4 members of Planned Parenthood Association of Maryland to deal with the inherent difficulties of bringing population awareness to city children, many of whom in Baltimore are both poor and black. This group believed that it was essential that racial sensitivities, both black and white, be explored in a realistic and humane manner. After considerable soul-searching, it was decided that the approach would be to talk about the city of Baltimore and then demonstrate that Baltimore and its problems represented a microcosm of the world. A pilot institute for 30 selected Baltimore City public school teachers was held in June 1971. The participants of this institute felt that population education should be included in the public school curriculum, and materials to implement this were requested. On the basis of this experiment, the Rockefeller Foundation gave Planned Parenthood Association of Maryland a grant to continue its work with the Baltimore City school system. Nine 3-day Urban Life Population Education Institutes for 30 teachers each were held during school hours in the 1973-1974 school year. All teachers in the system could apply to attend. During the summer of 1973 nine creative and imaginative classroom teachers who had attended an institute were selected to develop curriculum materials. They adopted 6 basic concepts covering the overall view down to the individual level. With the aid of another grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, the materials developed will be piloted in the Baltimore schools during the 1973-1974 session. 10 more institutes for 300 members of the school system will be held during the 1973-1974 school year.^ieng