Same same but different: curriculum representations of health education (original) (raw)
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Health Curriculum Policy Analysis as a Catalyst for Educational Change in Canada
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Health curriculum policy development in Canada is a provincial and territorial responsibility that addresses the national agenda of health promotion. Each curriculum policy reflects philosophies about health. This study investigates the health education models found in the research literature and compares them with those used in Health curriculum policies for Grades 4–9 across Canada using a policy analysis framework developed by the authors. This study is also intended to establish the degree of curriculum coherence (Beane, 1995) and knowledge mobilization (Levin, 2008) around health priorities for children and adolescents. Findings show inconsistencies among policies and between philosophies and student outcomes. The most common policy model is that of interactive level of health literacy, positing students as informed recipients of health care and responsible decision makers. This analysis is offered as a catalyst for national dialogue on health education policy coherence.
High school health curriculum and health literacy: Canadian student voices
Global Health Promotion, 2009
This study explores the relevance of health literacy, and its development through a health curriculum, as a necessary but insufficient component to facilitate healthy living among adolescents through comprehensive school health models. This paper presents qualitative findings from focus groups with students (N = 33) in four schools toward the end of their experience in a health class that focused on topics related to healthy living, healthy relationships, health information and decisionmaking. Students reported mostly negative experiences citing repetitive course content, routinely delivered by teachers and passively received by students. As well, students described their experiences of using health information sources beyond the classroom, such as the media. The findings suggest that the curriculum, and particularly its implementation, have had limited effect on health literacy: students' abilities to access, understand, communicate and evaluate health information. The paper concludes with recommendations for improving health education.
The concept of 'health literacy' is becoming increasingly prominent internationally, and it has been identified as one of the five key propositions that underpin the forthcoming Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (ACHPE). The ACHPE is one of few national curricula to explicitly refer to health literacy, identifying it as an empowerment strategy that involves young people taking action to promote their own and others' good health. Given ongoing concerns surrounding the efficacy of Health Education, coupled with the privileged status of literacy education in contemporary schooling, health literacy could also be viewed as an unsurprising marriage of convenience between health and dominant education discourses. This paper explores health literacy from socio-historical, theoretical and future-focused perspectives. In so doing, it discusses some possible implications, challenges and opportunities that we could expect once the ACHPE is mobilised in schools.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education, 2013
The concept of 'health literacy' is becoming increasingly prominent internationally, and it has been identified as one of the five key propositions that underpin the forthcoming Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (ACHPE). The ACHPE is one of few national curricula to explicitly refer to health literacy, identifying it as an empowerment strategy that involves young people taking action to promote their own and others' good health. Given ongoing concerns surrounding the efficacy of Health Education, coupled with the privileged status of literacy education in contemporary schooling, health literacy could also be viewed as an unsurprising marriage of convenience between health and dominant education discourses. This paper explores health literacy from socio-historical, theoretical and future-focused perspectives. In so doing, it discusses some possible implications, challenges and opportunities that we could expect once the ACHPE is mobilised in schools.
Health literacy in schools: prioritising health and well-being issues through the curriculum
Sport, Education and …, 2013
Health literacy (HL) is a relatively new concept in health promotion and is concerned with empowering people through enhancing their knowledge of health issues and improving their ability to make choices about their health and well-being. Schools are seen increasingly as key settings for the dissemination of health messages through curricula and other on-site provision. However, such opportunities are amongst many demands being placed on educational providers and finding space in the school day to support the health agenda is a challenge. This practice-based, qualitative study examines the current practices in three schools in the UK. In total 34 pupils (n 016 from Year 9 and n 018 from Year 11) were interviewed in six focus groups (3 in each school), with up to 6 pupils in each focus group. School staff (n 08) were also interviewed individually. Findings suggest that pupils and staff have an understanding of health and a capacity for HL, though health education (via taught subjects) is not statutory across the four Key Stages of the National Curriculum. In order to engender health literate young people, with a view to reducing health inequalities, it is recommended that key health messages are delivered through an agenda that integrates current provision for health via the curriculum and other school-based practices, such as the Healthy Schools Programme.
An introduction to health education: Its relevance into school curricula of upper primary classes
This article is for those who have an interest in what happens in our schools. It is an attempt to attract those, who create policy and implement them that flow from good policy, such as politicians, government departments, non-government organisations (NGOs), regional educational authorities, school board/council members, school directors, principals, head teachers, advisors, nurses, social workers and school health coordinators. Health education in a school setting could be defined as an activity undertaken to improve or protect the health of all school students. It is a broader concept than health promotion and it includes provision and activities relating to: healthy school policies, the school's physical and social environment, the curriculum, community links and health services. The purpose of this article is to explain how and why the education of health in schools is important; how good school management and leadership is the key and how promoting health in schools is based on scientific evidence and quality practices from all over the world. Keywords: An introduction to health education: Its relevance into school curricula upper primary classes Introduction Importance of Health Education in schools Worldwide , education and health are inseparably linked. In modest terms: Healthy adolescence are more likely to learn more effectively; Health education can assist schools to meet their targets in educational attainment and meet their social aims; adolescence that attend school have a better chance of good health; Adolescence who feel good about their school and who are connected to significant adults are less likely to undertake high risk behaviours and are likely to have better learning outcomes; Schools are also worksites for the staff and are settings that can practice and model effective worksite health education for the benefit of all staff and ultimately the students. (i) Action Competencies This refers to both the formal and informal curriculum and associated with activities, where students gain age-related knowledge, understandings, skills and experiences, which enable them to build competencies in taking action to improve the health and well-being of themselves and others in their community and that enhance their learning outcomes. (ii) Social Environment of school-The social environment of the school is a combination of the quality of the relationships between staff and students. It is influenced by the relationships with parents and the wider community. It is about building quality connections between all the key participants in a school community. (iii) Health promotion-Health promotion is familiar to many professionals working in the health sector. It is also important to acknowledge that many in the education sector have a broad concept of the term curriculum, and would describe several or all of the learning experiences extended to whole curriculum of the school. Therefore, many in the education sector do not make this distinction between health education and health promotion and are being used interchangeably. (iv) Community Links Community links are the connections between the school and the students' families, and above the connection between the school and key local groups and individuals. Appropriate consultation and participation with these stakeholders enhances
Evaluation of a School-Based Health Education Program for Urban Indigenous Young People in Australia
Health, 2014
The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a school-based health promotion and education program in improving knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy and behaviours of urban Indigenous young people regarding chronic disease and associated risk factors. A mixed methods approach was adopted for this evaluation; however, this paper will focus on the quantitative aspect of the study. The Deadly Choices™ health education program was delivered weekly at six education facilities in Brisbane, Australia to participants from years seven to 12 over seven weeks. One school that received the Deadly Choices program the following term acted as the control group. Questionnaire data was collected immediately pre and post intervention to assess program impact. As self-reported by participants there were mostly significant improvements over time for questions relating to knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy regarding leadership, chronic disease and risk factors within the intervention group. There were also significant changes within the intervention group regarding breakfast frequency (P = 0.002), physical activity frequency (P ≤ 0.001), fruit (P = 0.004) and vegetable (P ≤ 0.001) intake. Overall, there were few significant differences between the control and intervention groups regarding health attitudes and behaviours; however, there were considerably more improvements relating to self-efficacy and knowledge of chronic disease and associated risk factors between groups. The program also facilitated 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health checks for participants. Deadly Choices is an innovative and comprehensive school-based program which has great potential to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous young people in urban areas by providing education in leadership and chronic disease prevention; engaging students in physical activity participation; and collaborating with health services to facilitate health checks.