Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles
This pilot study evaluated the impact of the Katalyst curriculum, a fifth-grade experiential learning program, on students’ knowledge of a healthy lifestyle’s impact on body functions. Katalyst’s interactive curriculum spans two days and includes four, 60-min stations o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/5/12/162 |
| _version_ | 1818560508483076096 |
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| author | Rebecca L. Hagedorn Kathryn Baker Sara E. DeJarnett Tyler Hendricks Melissa McGowan Lauren Joseph Melissa D. Olfert |
| author_facet | Rebecca L. Hagedorn Kathryn Baker Sara E. DeJarnett Tyler Hendricks Melissa McGowan Lauren Joseph Melissa D. Olfert |
| author_sort | Rebecca L. Hagedorn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This pilot study evaluated the impact of the Katalyst curriculum, a fifth-grade experiential learning program, on students’ knowledge of a healthy lifestyle’s impact on body functions. Katalyst’s interactive curriculum spans two days and includes four, 60-min stations on body systems: cardiovascular/endocrine, gastrointestinal, neurological, and respiratory/musculoskeletal. Three schools were recruited, and two schools completed the intervention sessions. Prior to beginning the stations, fifth-grade students completed a 37-item questionnaire to assess knowledge and perceptions. Students completed the same survey at the end of the Katalyst intervention. Teachers at the school also completed a survey post intervention to provide feedback on the program. Frequency and paired analyses were conducted on student responses and summative content analysis on teacher and volunteer feedback. The School 1 completer (<i>n</i> = 63) baseline mean knowledge score was 66.2%. The School 2 completer (<i>n</i> = 47) baseline mean knowledge score was 67.3%. Following the Katalyst intervention, both schools showed a statistically significant increase in the mean post score to 70.3% (<i>p</i> = 0.0017) and 78.4%(<i>p</i> < 0.0001) at School 1 (<i>n</i> = 63) and School 2 (<i>n</i> = 47), respectively. Teacher feedback (<i>n</i> = 7) revealed that Katalyst was effective in meeting state educational health standards and teachers perceived that the students benefitted from the program more than “reading about the body systems in a textbook or health magazine„. The Katalyst pilot study appeared to improve fifth-grade students’ knowledge of body systems and health. Katalyst aligned with state educational standards and is supported by teachers for an experiential learning opportunity. The Katalyst curriculum could be a potential avenue for health educators in Appalachia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T00:39:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f78b230e48845afb878f74931521db8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T00:39:18Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f78b230e48845afb878f74931521db82022-12-21T23:24:27ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672018-11-0151216210.3390/children5120162children5120162Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy LifestylesRebecca L. Hagedorn0Kathryn Baker1Sara E. DeJarnett2Tyler Hendricks3Melissa McGowan4Lauren Joseph5Melissa D. Olfert6Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Design, West Virginia University, G025 Agricultural Science Building, Morgantown, WV 26506, USASchool of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USADivision of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Design, West Virginia University, G025 Agricultural Science Building, Morgantown, WV 26506, USASchool of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USASchool of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USASchool of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USADivision of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Design, West Virginia University, G025 Agricultural Science Building, Morgantown, WV 26506, USAThis pilot study evaluated the impact of the Katalyst curriculum, a fifth-grade experiential learning program, on students’ knowledge of a healthy lifestyle’s impact on body functions. Katalyst’s interactive curriculum spans two days and includes four, 60-min stations on body systems: cardiovascular/endocrine, gastrointestinal, neurological, and respiratory/musculoskeletal. Three schools were recruited, and two schools completed the intervention sessions. Prior to beginning the stations, fifth-grade students completed a 37-item questionnaire to assess knowledge and perceptions. Students completed the same survey at the end of the Katalyst intervention. Teachers at the school also completed a survey post intervention to provide feedback on the program. Frequency and paired analyses were conducted on student responses and summative content analysis on teacher and volunteer feedback. The School 1 completer (<i>n</i> = 63) baseline mean knowledge score was 66.2%. The School 2 completer (<i>n</i> = 47) baseline mean knowledge score was 67.3%. Following the Katalyst intervention, both schools showed a statistically significant increase in the mean post score to 70.3% (<i>p</i> = 0.0017) and 78.4%(<i>p</i> < 0.0001) at School 1 (<i>n</i> = 63) and School 2 (<i>n</i> = 47), respectively. Teacher feedback (<i>n</i> = 7) revealed that Katalyst was effective in meeting state educational health standards and teachers perceived that the students benefitted from the program more than “reading about the body systems in a textbook or health magazine„. The Katalyst pilot study appeared to improve fifth-grade students’ knowledge of body systems and health. Katalyst aligned with state educational standards and is supported by teachers for an experiential learning opportunity. The Katalyst curriculum could be a potential avenue for health educators in Appalachia.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/5/12/162health educationlifestylesexperiential learningstudentselementary |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca L. Hagedorn Kathryn Baker Sara E. DeJarnett Tyler Hendricks Melissa McGowan Lauren Joseph Melissa D. Olfert Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles Children health education lifestyles experiential learning students elementary |
| title | Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles |
| title_full | Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles |
| title_fullStr | Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles |
| title_short | Katalyst Pilot Study: Using Interactive Activities in Anatomy and Physiology to Teach Children the Scientific Foundation of Healthy Lifestyles |
| title_sort | katalyst pilot study using interactive activities in anatomy and physiology to teach children the scientific foundation of healthy lifestyles |
| topic | health education lifestyles experiential learning students elementary |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/5/12/162 |
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