ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career

ConnectEd’s mission is to support the development of College and Career pathways by which California’s young people can complete high school, enroll in postsecondary education, attain a formal credential, and achieve lasting success in the world of work, civic affairs, and family life.

ConnectEd develops integrated curriculum units that are designed and delivered via a multidisciplinary team and help make meaningful connections for students across subject areas. The units are based on industry themes and offer methods of instruction and school organization that will better serve students.

Do No Harm: Integrated Curriculum Unit on Bioethics

This ConnectEd unit explores the government’s role in medical decisions that affect people’s lives, focusing on stem cell research (Subunit 1) and other areas in which federal or state governments have influenced biomedical research and healthcare practices. Students learn about how the government makes policy related to, supports, and regulates the healthcare industry and about how these activities impact the lives of ordinary citizens.

In Subunit 1, students explore stem cell research and the federal legislation regulating it, while learning how government policy and funding decisions shape the path of biomedical research. They learn how this research is funded and conducted by federal agencies (such as the National Institutes of Health), universities, and private companies. Students investigate normal and abnormal cell division and differentiation and also learn how human experimentation in the United States and other countries has led to the principle of informed consent.

To download this unit, visit ConnectEdCalifornia. (http://connectedcalifornia.org/curriculum/units.php) Under Integrated Biomedical and Health Science Curriculum, select Bioethics and download either the Unit Overview or the Full Unit on the drop-down menu.

ConnectEd Studios

ConnectEd Studios gives students and teachers an online resource where they can access integrated curriculum units (e.g., the Bioethics unit discussed above) and media tools, and team up with industry professionals who can support project-based learning in their schools. ConnectEd Studios’ goal is to encourage high schools to “power up” and tap into the digital literacy and engagement of their students. If you’re a teacher and are interested in signing up for ConnectEd Studios, send an email to info@connectedcalifornia.org.