Institutions of Higher Education Pre-Service School Health Education Practices

School-Based Health Education Research: Charting the Course for the Future

SHAPE America has identified four goals as part of the 50 Million Strong by 2029 initiative; one of these goals is healthy behavior. School-based health education is uniquely positioned to be a primary route through which this goal can be achieved. Health education is an academic subject included in a well-rounded education, based on health behavior and learning theory, research-based and taught by licensed and trained health educators with adequate instructional time. Health education helps students acquire functional knowledge about a variety of topics and develop health-related skills resulting in personal competence and self-efficacy. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing evidence examining school-based health education and to articulate future directions for research that will solidify school-based health education as a necessary and efficacious strategy for improving the health and wellness of youth.

An Assessment of Evaluation Instruction Related to the Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis Competencies in Health Education-Related Professional Preparation Programs

BACKGROUND

Conducting evaluation and research is one of the seven areas of responsibility for health education specialists. However, there is little evidence to suggest that professional preparation programs use the competencies as identified by the 2015 Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis (HESPA) as a basis for instruction.

AIMS

To determine the degree to which departments with undergraduate health education-related professional preparation programs provide instruction in the HESPA 2015 Model evaluation competencies.

METHOD

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, nonexperimental study design. Data were collected using an online survey from programs that prepare students to sit for the CHES exam.

RESULTS

Faculty provide instruction about all evaluation subcompetencies regardless of entry- or advanced-level designation. Developing an evaluation plan, monitoring implementation, and selecting, adapting, and creating instruments to collect data represent the competencies taught most frequently. On average, two to three class periods are spent on each competency.

DISCUSSION

Advanced-level competencies, more commonly associated with graduate-level training and degrees, are commonly taught at the undergraduate level. This may be due to a lack of awareness of changes to the designation of competencies and subcompetencies as entry- or advanced-level in the HESPA 2015 Model framework, a lack of awareness or appreciation for the framework in general, competing values in the selection of curriculum content, or lack of professional consensus related to terms and definitions.

CONCLUSION

Faculty should consider emphasizing entry-level competencies and subcompetencies consistent with process and formative evaluation. The health education profession should also standardize evaluation and research terms and definitions.

A national assessment of colleges and university school health education methods courses

BACKGROUND

Across the United States, school health education programs provide a wide variety of knowledge and skills to their students. There are currently no guidelines for school health methods courses.

METHODS

Using a 2-wave mailing followed by a third wave e-mail reminder, a final population of 226 university school health methods instructors at school health preparation programs were surveyed.

RESULTS

A total of 138 completed surveys (61%) were returned. The topics taught in school health education methods courses emphasized the most included aligning objectives, instruction, and assessment (79%); development of lesson plans (73%); teaching methods that engage learners (72%); and application of the National Health Education Standards and performance indicators (69%). The content taught and how the instructors assessed their students differed statistically by 1 or more of the following: whether they had a health education degree, had experience teaching in the public schools, and if their program was accredited.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides information regarding what school health methods instructors across the United States are teaching in their classes. Using this information as a baseline can serve as a guide for preservice faculty teaching a school health methods course.