High School Intervention for Influenza Biology and Epidemics/Pandemics: Impact on Conceptual Understanding among Adolescents

Autor/inn/en	Dumais, Nancy; Hasni, Abdelkrim
Titel	High School Intervention for Influenza Biology and Epidemics/Pandemics: Impact on Conceptual Understanding among Adolescents
Quelle	In: CBE - Life Sciences Education, 8 (2009) 1, S.62-71 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1931-7913
DOI	10.1187/cbe.08-08-0048
Schlagwörter	High Schools; Intervention; Health Education; Immunization Programs; Active Learning; Epidemiology; Adolescents; Biology; High School Students; Pretests Posttests; Females + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? High school; Oberschule; Gesundheitsaufklärung; Gesundheitsbildung; Gesundheitserziehung; Immunisierung; Aktives Lernen; Epidemiologie; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Biologie; High schools; Student; Students; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Weibliches Geschlecht
Abstract	Understanding real-life issues such as influenza epidemiology may be of particular interest to the development of scientific knowledge and initiation of conceptual changes about viruses and their life cycles for high school students. The goal of this research project was to foster the development of adolescents' conceptual understanding of viruses and influenza biology. Thus, the project included two components: 1) pre- and posttests to determine students' conceptions about influenza biology, epidemics/pandemics, and vaccination; and 2) design an intervention that supports conceptual change to promote improvements in influenza knowledge based on these primary conceptions. Thirty-five female students from a high school biology class participated in a series of instructional activities and pre- and posttest assessments. Results from the pretest indicated that high school students exhibit a limited understanding of concepts related to viruses. Six weeks after an intervention that promoted active learning, results from a posttest showed that conceptions about influenza are more accurately related to the provided scientific knowledge. Although adolescents have nonscientific models to explain influenza biology, we showed that a carefully designed intervention can affect students' knowledge as well as influence the implementation of health education programs in secondary schools. (Contains 4 tables and 3 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Society for Cell Biology. 8120 Woodmont Avenue Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20814-2762. Tel: 301-347-9300; Fax: 301-347-9310; E-mail: ascbinfo@ascb.org; Website: http://www.ascb.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10