Bay Jacquie L, Vickers Mark H, Mora Helen A, Sloboda Deborah M, Morton Susan M
1Liggins Institute and Gravida, National Centre for Growth and Development, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
4Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92109, Victoria Street West, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand.
Int J STEM Educ. 2017;4(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s40594-017-0077-0. Epub 2017 Sep 6.
Scientific literacy development is widely emphasized as the overarching goal of science education. It encompasses development of understanding of the nature of science as well as knowledge, attitudes, and values that contribute to empowering adolescents to engage with and make evidence-based decisions about socioscientific issues. Scientific literacy development is enhanced when learning is contextualized in exploration of socioscientific issues.Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) associated with a combination of obesity and adverse environmental exposures are examples of pressing health-related SSIs facing the world today. Evidence emerging from the field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) has identified adolescence as a key life-phase where population-wide education-based interventions that empower teens to engage in science-based health-promoting behaviors could significantly change the course of this epidemic. To achieve this, learning resources that support scientific and health literacy development contextualized in issues linking NCD risk and DOHaD are required.The Healthy Start to Life Education for Adolescents Project is a school-university partnership program designed to support scientific and health literacy development, knowledge translation, and participant-led actions relating to NCD risk prevention. This study assesses the impact of program participation in a cohort of 11-14-year-olds in New Zealand. Evaluation comprised analysis of individually matched questionnaires, pre-, 3 months, and 12 months post-intervention ( = 201) and 6 months post-intervention interviews ( = 40).
Positive engagement in science learning occurred. Positive changes in health-related awareness and attitudes 3 months post-intervention were sustained to 12 months. Adolescents reporting pre-intervention dietary behaviors associated with increased obesity risk reported sustained positive behavior changes ( < .001). Qualitative evidence revealed that these changes resulted from application of scientific and health literacy. This has the potential to improve long-term health outcomes for adolescents and their future offspring. Furthermore, feedback from parents demonstrated that adolescents became science communicators within their families.
We demonstrated that contextualized learning promoting scientific and health literacy development facilitated knowledge translation. This allowed adolescents to decide if, and how, to use scientific evidence in relation to their current and future wellbeing. Exploration of the transferability of scientific and health literacy capabilities, and impacts on future health would enhance understanding of the value of the intervention.
科学素养的培养被广泛视为科学教育的首要目标。它包括对科学本质的理解以及知识、态度和价值观的发展，这些有助于青少年参与社会科学问题并做出基于证据的决策。当学习以社会科学问题为背景时，科学素养的培养会得到加强。与肥胖和不良环境暴露相关的非传染性疾病（NCDs）是当今世界面临的紧迫的与健康相关的社会科学问题的例子。健康与疾病发育起源（DOHaD）领域出现的证据表明，青春期是一个关键的生命阶段，在此阶段，基于人群教育的干预措施使青少年能够参与基于科学的健康促进行为，这可能会显著改变这一流行病的发展进程。为了实现这一目标，需要有学习资源来支持在将非传染性疾病风险与健康与疾病发育起源联系起来的问题中培养科学素养和健康素养。青少年健康生活教育启动项目是一个学校与大学的合作项目，旨在支持与非传染性疾病风险预防相关的科学素养和健康素养发展、知识转化以及参与者主导的行动。本研究评估了参与该项目对新西兰一群11至14岁青少年的影响。评估包括对个体匹配问卷的分析，干预前、干预后3个月和12个月（n = 201）以及干预后6个月的访谈（n = 40）。
青少年积极参与科学学习。干预后3个月与健康相关的意识和态度的积极变化持续到12个月。报告干预前与肥胖风险增加相关的饮食行为的青少年报告了持续的积极行为变化（P <.001）。定性证据表明，这些变化源于科学素养和健康素养的应用。这有可能改善青少年及其后代的长期健康结果。此外，家长的反馈表明，青少年成为了家庭中的科学传播者。
我们证明，促进科学素养和健康素养发展的情境化学习有助于知识转化。这使青少年能够决定是否以及如何将科学证据用于他们当前和未来的健康。探索科学素养和健康素养能力的可转移性以及对未来健康的影响，将增进对该干预措施价值的理解。
