Meningitis Vaccination for College Students

A Webquest

By: Ms. Penn

Bronx Aerospace Academy High School

Introduction

Next month you will be a Full-time college freshman staying on campus at Havefun Hall at Partay University in New York City. You just received a package in the mail from Partay University Health Department containing a letter and other informational materials. As you skim through the letter you realize that it is in regards to New York Public Law 2167, which was just recently mandated. This new law was developed by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Diseases in order to help reduce the spread of meningitis on college campuses in New York State. This new law requires that each institution distribute written information about meningococcal meningitis including a description of the disease, means of transmission, availability of immunization, and the benefits, risks, and cost associated with immunization. This new law also requires for you to submit a form to your university, which was included in the package, that certifies that you have already received immunization against meningococcal meningitis or that you have received and reviewed the information regarding the risks and benefits of immunization and that you have decided not to obtain immunization against meningococcal meningitis. It is very important that you return this form to your school immediately in order to begin school on time this coming semester.

After discussing the recently received package with your parents, you learned that you have never received immunization against meningococcal meningitis. Now, you have to decide whether or not to receive the meningococcal meningitis vaccination.

.Task

A. You will be working in teams of 3 to 4. Your team is to accomplish the following:

1. A typed report (at least 6 pages) using the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html

2. A Power Point presentation (at least 8 slides) providing data and information on meningococcal meningitis, causes for meningococcal meningitis, what population is at risk and why, what human body system this disease initially affects and how in comparison to how the system normally functions, the benefits and risks associated with receiving vaccination, and policies to prevent an epidemic. Also, include in your presentation whether or not the policy should be amended in order to make the meningococcal vaccination a requirement for all college students and not an option.

You and your team members will use the Internet (pertinent websites are listed below) and other available resources to do your research. A minimum of six different online websites and three journal articles must be used. You and your team will refer to the PPA for help in your tasks.

3. Your team will do an oral presentation using the PPA . You will assume that you are speaking at a forum to your friends who will be also entering college this fall and need to make the same decision as you. Representatives from the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Diseases , which has the ability to make changes in public policy regarding vaccination requirements for college students, will also be present at the forum. You may use (http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html) as an aid.

B. The typed report and presentation will each count as a project. The criteria for your grade are listed below in the evaluation section.

Process

1. You will be placed into groups of four. You will choose a team leader, recorder of information, research specialist and timekeeper to monitor others.

2. The following T.I.P.S. links (1 – 6) will guide you in completing the six steps of the PPA for your report. Read all directions carefully and then fill out worksheets for each step. Use the websites listed below to complete tasks. These worksheets will be used as resource information to complete the TASK. The TIPS PPA website will also explain each step of the Public Policy Analyst. Read them before beginning each worksheet.

v Use worksheet #1 to define and describe the problem.

v Use worksheet #2 to gather evidence for this problem.

v Use worksheet #3 to determine the causes of this problem.

v Use worksheet #4 to describe and evaluate the existing policy for this problem. Get together as a team again and discuss findings.

v As a team use worksheet #5 to develop solutions/policies for the problems for this existing policy.

v Individually and then as a team, use worksheet #6 to select the best policy for this problem.

3. After completing research on your topic and completed worksheets, you will then write your report following the following guidelines:

v Six typed, double spaced pages not counting PPA worksheets

v Font size of twelve

v Times New Roman font type

v Pages numbered on bottom center

v Include research information and data within the Public Policy Analyst format and worksheet guidelines

v References must be cited

4. Your written report must contain a cover page with the title of project, name of individuals in the group, teacher name, date submitted, course title.

5. You will make an oral presentation to your peers and representatives from the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Diseases. You must be prepared to answer questions on your topic. You will use Power Point to facilitate your presentation. See guidelines below.

Ø Your first slide should show your name and title of project.

Ø Use at least seven slides to conduct your presentation. You may use pictures, drawings, and graphs imported from the hard-drive and / or the Internet.

Resources

The following websites should help you accomplish tasks.

You should also use the following search engines: Google, AltaVista, and Lycos.

You may return to this website at anytime by clicking on the back button.

Glossary:

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary.asp

http://www.npc.edu/Bio105/resource/glossary.htm

http://www.m-w.com/

General Information:

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/immun/meningococcal/fact_sheet.htm

http://www.meningitis.org/

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal_g.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4907a2.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-mening.pdf

http://www.nyu.edu/nyuhc/news-vaccine.html

http://www.nfid.org/library/meningococcal/index.html

Causes for meningococcal meningitis:

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/m/meningitis/causes.htm

http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/meningitis.htm

http://www.parliament.uk/post/pn123.pdf

New York Public Law 2167

Public Law 2167

News Releases:

CBS

Evaluation

Name: ________________________

Teacher:

The following rubric will be used to grade your written report and the educational pamphlet:

Points	5	4	3	2	1
Facts and information	From at least 9 different sources per group	From at least 7 different sources per group	From at least 5 different sources per group	From at least 3 different sources per group	Only 1 or 2 different sources per group
Synthesis of information from multiple references	The report shows clear evidence that team members have done their research, discussed their findings with each other and molded their findings into something of their own.	The report shows some evidence that team members have done their research, discussed their findings with each other and molded their findings into something of their own.	The report shows little evidence that team members have done their research, discussed their findings with each other and molded their findings into something of their own.	The report shows that team members have done little research, but failed to discuss and synthesize their findings into a coherent final product. Some sections are merely copied from the sources.	There is no evidence for any serious research, discussion, or synthesis. Whole passages are copied from the source(s).
Conclusions drawn from the results of the investigation	Numerous detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	Several detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	Some detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	A conclusion is made from the evidence offered.	No valid conclusion is made from the evidence offered.
Organization	Well organized, demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure.	Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure.	Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing and sentence structure.	Weakly organized.	No organization discernible.
Grammar and Spelling	Punctuation, spelling and capitalization are correct.	There are two to three errors in punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization.	There are three to four errors in punctuation, spelling and/or capitalization.	There are five or more errors in punctuation and/or capitalization.	There are numerous errors. You did not use a spell check.
Neatness, Format, Completeness	The report is neatly typed in the format specified. A cover page according to instructions is provided. All steps/questions are covered extensively. All worksheets are completed.	The report is neatly typed. A cover page is provided. All steps/questions are covered. All worksheets are completed.	The report is typed. A cover page is provided. All steps/questions are covered. Some worksheets are not completed.	The report is not typed. No cover page is provided. All steps/questions are covered. Some worksheets are not completed.	The report is sloppy and incomplete.

Your ORAL and POWERPOINT PRESENTATION will be graded according to the following rubric:

Points	5	4	3	2	1
Eye Contact	Holds attention of entire audience with the use of direct eye contact	Consistent use of direct eye contact with audience.	Displayed little eye contact with audience.	Displayed minimal eye contact with audience.	No eye contact with audience
Pacing	Excellent use of drama and student meets apportioned time interval	Good use of drama and student meets apportioned time interval	Delivery is patterned, but does not meet apportioned time interval.	Delivery is in bursts and does not meet apportioned time interval.	Delivery is either too quick or too slow to meet apportioned time interval
Voice	Use of fluid speech and inflection maintains the interest of the audience.	Satisfactory use of inflection but does not consistently use fluid speech.	Displays some level of inflection throughout delivery.	Consistently uses a monotone voice.	Whispers or mumbles, hardly audible.
Introduction and Closing	Student delivers open and closing remarks that capture the attention of the audience and set the mood.	Student displays clear introductory or closing remarks.	Student clearly uses either an introductory or closing remark, but not both.	Student does not display clear introductory or closing remarks.	No introduction or closing remarks.
Visuals	Student made excellent use of visuals to reinforce screen text and presentation.	Visuals related to text and presentation.	Student occasional used visuals that support text and presentation.	Student occasional used visuals that rarely support text and presentation.	Student used no visuals.

NEW YORK STATE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

SCIENCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

S5 Scientific Thinking

S5d: Proposes, recognizes, analyzes, considers, and critiques alternative explanations; and distinguishes between fact and opinion.

S5e: Identifies problems; proposes and implements solutions; and evaluates the accuracy, design, and outcomes of investigations.

S5f: Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and data.

S6 Scientific Tools and Technologies

S6d: Acquires information from multiple sources.

S7 Scientific Communication

S7a: Represents data and results in multiple ways.

S7b: Argues from evidence.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E3c: Prepare and deliver an individual presentation.

E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

Conclusion

By accomplishing the tasks of this project, you will gain insight as to why preventive medicine is essential to living a healthy life. You will learn some of the causes of meningococcal meningitis and measures that can be taken to help prevent an outbreak.

In preparing your Power Point Presentation and the written report, you will be able to profile policies that are already in place and decide whether to support that policy or recommend new approaches.

You will gain insight as to the need for rapid intervention and reveal ways in which we can all contribute at the local and global levels to prevent the spread meningococcal meningitis for present and future generations.

You will become familiar: with the PPA-format for future Web Quests and Power Point Presentations; and the use of technology to learn.