The influence of preservice instruction in health education methods on the health content taught by elementary teachers in Indiana.

摘要

This study examined whether receiving preservice instruction in health education methods affects the health instruction provided by elementary classroom teachers. Using a researcher-constructed self-report questionnaire, 800 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers in Indiana were randomly selected to complete the questionnaire. Returns included 366 usable responses from an effective sample of 772, for an overall response rate of 48.06%. Analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant difference among respondents in the mean number of 10 health content areas taught, the depth of coverage of all content areas except Community and Environmental Health, the mean number of health lessons taught per week, and the minutes spent teaching health per week. Pairwise comparisons indicated respondents who completed both a health education methods course and a physical education methods course taught a greater number of health content areas, and taught more topics in eight of the 10 health content areas, than did respondents who did not complete preservice instruction in health education methods.