Experiences of Beginning Health Educators and Changes in Their High School Students' Health Behaviors and Attitudes

Abstract

This study explored the instructional experiences of beginning health educators and changes in their high school students' health-related behaviors and attitudes. Qualitative data were collected through observations and personal interviews from five novice health teachers two times per week over an 8-week period. Quantitative data were collected from 92 high school student participants using a 60-item survey with a pretest/posttest administration. Dependent t tests were calculated to detect mean differences between total sample pretest and posttest scores with a significance level, where p < .05. Mean raw scores were calculated in 12 health categories to detect differences between pretest and posttest scores for each of the five individual health classes. A deeper understanding of beginning health teachers' practices, thoughts, and potential effectiveness offered insight into the interplay between teaching, learning, and health. The contribution to the enhancement of professional teacher preparation programs is provided.