Delivering Food Safety Education to Middle School Students Using a Web-Based, Interactive, Multimedia, Computer Program |
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| Authors: | Rebecca A Lynch M Dale Steen Todd J Pritchard Paul R Buzzell Stephen J Pintauro |
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| Institution: | Authors Lynch, Pritchard, Buzzell, and Pintauro are with Dept. of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Univ. of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, U.S.A. Author Dale Steen is with the Univ. of Vermont Extension, Burlington, VT 05405, U.S.A. Direct inquiries to author Pintauro (E-mail: ). |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: More than 76 million persons become ill from foodborne pathogens in the United States each year. To reduce these numbers, food safety education efforts need to be targeted at not only adults, but school children as well. The middle school grades are ideal for integrating food safety education into the curriculum while simultaneously contributing to national and state education standards in science, technology, and family and consumer sciences. For this project, a multimedia, self-paced online resource for delivering a food safety curriculum to middle school children was developed. Animated characters were used to deliver the lesson content. The application also included video segments, quiz feedback, and interactive games and activities. The effectiveness of the Web site was evaluated using validated cognitive and attitudinal assessment tools, and by comparing student cognitive gains to individual student learning styles. Participants were recruited from 6 middle schools in 5 states, totaling 217 students (20 sixth graders, 157 seventh graders, and 40 eighth graders). The results show that students had statistically significant modest gains in pretest to posttest knowledge and enjoyed using the Web site. The 6th grade students had significantly lower pretest to posttest improvement compared to 7th and 8th grade students, suggesting that this program may not be appropriate for this grade level. Furthermore, the results indicate that this Web-based computer application meets the needs of varying individual student learning styles. |
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