Food Safety Practices Assessment Tool: An Innovative Way to Test Food Safety Skills among Individuals with Special Needs

Abstract: This article describes an innovative assessment tool designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety skills curriculum for learners receiving special education services. As schools respond to the increased demand for training students with special needs about food safety, the need for effective curricula and tools is also increasing. A Food Safety Education for High School and Transition Special Needs Students curriculum served as the basis upon which our assessment tool was developed. The project was a collaborative effort by food safety and education professionals in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. This USDA‐funded initiative emerged from teacher‐generated data that identified critical gaps in food safety knowledge and skills among students with disabilities (SWD) receiving special education services. As an adjunct to this curriculum, a Food Safety Practices Assessment Tool was developed to: 1) conduct observations of students as they demonstrate food safety practices, and 2) use this information to design classroom‐based learning activities that are aligned with students’ Individual Education Plans (IEP). Pilot data suggest that the tool is valid and reliable for use in a kitchen‐based setting. This is the first known tool of its kind to test food safety skills of individuals with special needs in a real‐world environment. Further testing is needed to determine the usefulness of the tool for broader audiences.     

Assessment of an online piloted module targeted toward home‐based food operators in Iowa

Understanding safe food practice is important for home‐based food operators to prevent foodborne illness. Earlier work has found that home‐based food operators lack food safety knowledge and may benefit from training that is specifically tailored to their needs. Unfortunately, home‐based food operators may be deterred from enrolling in traditional educational formats due to their busy schedules. The objective of this study was to pilot and evaluate the effectiveness of an online food safety education module for home‐based food operators in Iowa through three learning assessments. Twenty‐one participants enrolled in a blended workshop in which participants completed one online module before attending a face‐to‐face session where they completed the remaining five modules. The effectiveness of the online module was measured by examining the first‐attempt average scores on learning assessments, the number of assessment attempts required to achieve 100%, and the first‐attempt performance by question type. The three learning assessment tools resulted in first‐attempt averages of approximately 86%, 90%, and 83%, surpassing our standard of effectiveness of 75% and showing good potential for the online format. The learning assessment attempt numbers of 4.65, 1.67, and 3.81 showed difficulty with knowledge transfer for some topics. Comprehension and analysis‐style questions had first‐attempt success rates of approximately 85% and 88%, respectively. Scores on knowledge and application‐style questions were lower with first‐attempt success rates of approximately 80% and 75%, respectively. These findings were used to improve the first online module and guide the transition of the remaining five modules to the online format.     

基于网络的远程培训系统的建构

在线教学逐渐成为了一种重要的远程教学手段。由于技术上的先进性,人们也理所当然地认为在线教学也是一种成本效率高的教学手段,但是事实却并非如此。本文在对在线教学系统进行分析的基础上,提出了一系列量表来评价在线教学和面对面教学的成本效率。     

Helping preservice teachers learn to assess writing: Practice and feedback in a Web-based environment

Writing is a highly valued skill that is often neglected in the classroom; one reason is that teachers often do not receive adequate training in writing assessment and instruction. Teachers, particularly preservice teachers, need practice making detailed assessments of student writing and to build their confidence for assessing student writing, but practical issues of time and resources often constrain the frequency and quality of training they receive. This mixed method study focused on the design and evaluation of an online tool for building preservice teachers’ writing assessment skills and self-efficacy for writing assessment. In the study, teacher education students interacted with actual 4th-graders’ writing samples via a Web-based critical thinking tool. They received scaffolded practice in assessing multiple student papers and justified their assessments using analytic criteria. After each paper, they received feedback that included access to expert assessments and those of their peers, along with both teacher and peer rationales for their ratings. Participants significantly improved in ability to accurately assess student writing using an analytic approach and in knowledge of the writing traits. They also showed significantly greater self-efficacy for assessing student writing and high levels of satisfaction with the Web-based tool and their overall learning experience.     

Development and Evaluation of an Online, Inquiry-Based Food Safety Education Program for Secondary Teachers and Their Students

ABSTRACT:  Secondary science teachers who integrate food safety (FS) into curricula can provide FS knowledge and skills to youth while reinforcing science skills and concepts. National science education standards and the Biological Science Curriculum Study 5E Inquiry-based Learning Model were used to design an online training, Food Safety FIRST. The training has 3 modules, each with 15 h of web-based instruction, interactive discussion, and tools to conduct experiments or critical evaluation projects. A CD-ROM, web site ( http://foodsafetyfirst.org ), and lab kit were developed to accompany module activities. Seventy-one teachers registered for the program; 38 matched pretest/posttest evaluations were analyzed. When asked their intention to teach FS in the next year, enrollees responded "definitely" (60.5%) or "possibly" (34.2%), reaching potentially 3570 students. Participants found the training very valuable (71.1%) and were significantly more comfortable teaching FS at posttest (3.6 ± 0.5 on a 4-point Likert scale) than at pretest (2.8 ± 1.0; P < 0.0001, n = 35). Self-reported FS practices also improved from pretest (24.8 ± 5.7 out of a possible 35) to posttest (27.7 ± 4.8; P < 0.001, n = 32). On 4-point Likert scales, teachers were confident answering FS questions (3.4); confident that if they did a good job teaching this topic, students would be interested in FS (3.4); and confident FS concepts taught would meet national science standards (3.4). They found the program satisfactory for demonstrating inquiry-based learning (3.8). Most agreed that they would change FS habits (3.2). Using 5-point scales, participants agreed that they felt more able to critically evaluate FS information on the Internet (4.2) and that the training was enjoyable in an online format (4.3).     

线上教学的设计和支持服务的设计法则

一、线上教学活动的设计线上教学活动的设计是教师在课前针对线上教学所做的规划,它包括:对整门课程实施线上教学的规划、每次上课对整个单元教学流程的规划、还有在进行单元教学如何带领学生从事教学互动的规划等三部份。我们将整门课程及每次单元上课的流程规划,称为“活动流     

A Comparison of Live Classroom Instruction and Internet-Based Lessons for a Preparatory Training Course Delivered to 4th Year Pharmacy Students

To compare the effectiveness of an internet-based training series with a traditional live classroom session in preparing pharmacy students to oversee a diabetes management program in community settings. Two cohorts of students were identified that prepared by utilizing a recorded online training exclusively, and two separate cohorts of students prepared by receiving only live classroom instruction. All students in the four cohorts were given a survey to evaluate the training sessions, and results were analyzed using the analysis of variance statistical test (ANOVA). Preceptors at the sites who interacted with students in all four cohorts were surveyed to evaluate which students appeared more prepared; these data were compared using paired t tests. Final assessment data for students in all four cohorts were analyzed using ANOVA. There were statistical differences between the two live training groups, with the second group finding the training to be more beneficial for preparing them, feeling the training length was appropriate and preferring the live modality for delivery. The two internet training cohorts were similar except for perceptions regarding the length of the online training. Comparing responses from those students who received live training with those receiving internet instruction demonstrated a statistical difference with the live groups rating the trainings as more helpful in preparing them for the clinics, rating the training as necessary, and rating their confidence higher in seeing patients. Preceptors rated the live training statistically higher than online training in preparing students. There was no difference between groups on their final site assessments. Live classroom training appears to be superior to the recorded internet training in preparing pharmacy students to oversee a diabetes management program in community settings.     

Two reading assessments for youth in alternative basic skills and livelihood skills training programs

This article describes two assessment tools that have been used to assess the reading skills of youth participating in alternative basic skills and livelihood skills training programs. The Rapid Assessment of Reading Skills (RARS) was developed to identify potential participants who needed to improve their reading skills before beginning training and to assign them to the proper level of basic reading instruction. The Out-of-School Literacy Assessment incorporates RARS into a more complex impact evaluation tool. Both assessment tools can also be used to inform program design, define benchmarks, and assess impact.     

Comparing the Effectiveness of a Supplemental Computer-Based Food Safety Tutorial to Traditional Education in an Introductory Food Science Course

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether a Web-based computer tutorial for food safety is an effective tool in the education of food science and nutrition students. Students completing the Web-based tutorial had a greater improvement in pre-test scores compared with post-test scores and compared with students who attended lecture only. Students completing the tutorial indicated a favorable attitude toward computer-supplemented instruction.     

项目式教学体系在食品安全综合实验中的应用

构建基于人才培养目标评价的教学机制是评价和完善大学本科教育的重要举措。食品安全是食品工程的基本要求,也是食品科学的重要研究方向。"食品安全学"课程体系建设是食品科学与工程专业工程教育体系的重要内容。通过食品安全综合实验教学内容与教学方式的改革探索与实践经验,创建了"食品安全学"课程的项目式教学体系。"食品安全学"课程建设显著提高了教学质量,实现了学生从被动学习向主动学习的转变,取得了理想的教学效果,对于综合实验具有较好的示范作用。     

A descriptive study of community college teachers’ attitudes toward online learning

The data gathered provided valuable insights into the attitudes of teachers in relation to distance education. Most of the participants of the survey felt that with adequate training, technology could be a valuable tool in education. The confidence of the respondents in their own computer skills was rather high, although it was apparent that this confidence did not cover the application of their computer skills to the development of online instruction. None of the respondents currently use a course Web site, and most had little interest in doing so. There was also a strong feeling that there was little support from administration, which made the incentives for providing online instruction low. The survey also raised additional questions such as what type of incentives would be required to make distance education a desirable option for a teacher, or whether they would be interested in receiving training on preparing distance course materials. Further research into possible correlation between the subject matter taught and feelings towards online instruction would be beneficial.     

基于贝叶斯网络的网络交互教学成效评价系统

网络交互质量是影响网络教学效果的重要因素。已有的网络交互教学成效评价系统缺乏对学习过程的监控和对学习者的良好建模,评价大多凭借专家经验,评估的主观随意性大,评价结果与实际值存在一定的误差。贝叶斯网络有很强大的解决不确定问题的处理水平,是目前基于概率的不确定表达和智能推理方面最有效的理论模型之一。基于贝叶斯网络的网络交互教学成效评价系统,基于领域知识关系构建贝叶斯网络学生模型,并引入模糊数学变换方法对学生认知水平进行评估。能减少不正常因素的干扰,提高对学生认知能力评价的精确度．实现对网络教学交互的质量评估和个性化导学。     

Exploring early adolescents’ evaluation of academic and commercial online resources related to health

This study assessed the ability of 426 students (ages 12–13) to critically evaluate two types of online locations on health issues: an academic resource and a commercial resource. The results indicated limited evaluation abilities, especially for the commercial resource, and only a small, partial association with prior stance and offline reading ability. Only about half (51.4%) of the students questioned the credibility of the commercial online resource and only about 19% of the students showed an ability to fully recognize commercial bias. Wide variation existed in students’ ability to evaluate online information, as approximately one-fourth of the students performed poorly when evaluating the overall credibility of both online resources and one-fourth performed well. Logistic regression models showed that offline reading skills accounted for only 8.8% of the variance for the academic online resource and 15.1% of that for the commercial resource. No association appeared between evaluation and background knowledge, although an association with prior stance was observed for each online resource. The results are discussed in light of previous research and the need to pay greater attention to the critical evaluation of online resources during classroom instruction.     

Genetics in practice

Conclusion The development of templates such as Genetics in Practice is feasible and presents the potential to be a powerful training tool for online instruction. It is important to keep in mind, however, that use of the tool does not ensure quality case-study development.     

Simulation‐based enhancement of learning: The case of food safety

Importance of online learning has become more critical with the advent of a global pandemic. Effective online learning requires design characteristics that support learning that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries. The example of educational delivery of food safety encompasses multiple disciplines to prepare students for real‐world situations, practical problem‐solving, and to be “future proof” as food safety becomes more quantitative. This study explicates how six simulation‐based learning modules were evaluated, two each in microbiological growth/inactivation, food process dynamics with microbiological growth/inactivation, and risk assessment. Each group of three modules was targeted to the students in undergraduate food science and engineering programs. Altogether, the 6 modules were implemented and assessed in 17 courses at 14 universities over 5 years. The effectiveness of the module‐based approach was sustained across subject matter (microbiology, process, and risk), disciplines (food science and engineering), and their implementations. Students’ and instructors’ survey responses indicated the modules’ value in real‐world and practical problem‐solving ability. Instructors were also motivated to implement the modules as they saw the potential for improvement in student understanding, how modules reinforced course learning outcomes, the quality of support provided with modules, and their ability to replace existing course assessment without adding work for the instructor or the students. This self‐learning, module‐based approach to introduce interdisciplinary content employed has proven successful. The template for making these modules is described in sufficient detail so future modules can be built for a wide variety of subject matter beyond food safety.     

Literacy instruction: From assignment to assessment

This action research demonstrates the answer to this question: How can literacy professors provide effective training in evaluating writing to preservice graduate education students? The study examines writing assessment instruction in the context of a literacy course required of preservice teachers seeking secondary (7–12) certification in content area instruction. Approximately half of the course is devoted to instruction in 3 areas of writing assessment: (1) theory and practice in aspects of holistic writing assessment analysis, (2) methods for designing teachable rubrics, and (3) approaches to creating and sharing written feedback. Student-participants’ written responses to protocols demonstrate learning outcomes in these 3 areas along with their attitudes and the effects of their practice with an authentic set of high school students’ essays. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of this assessment instruction as a part of overall effectiveness in teacher preparation programs at the graduate level.     

Online Training: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Training Law Enforcement Personnel over the Internet

Evaluation of online training is a necessity to its future as a viable alternative method to classroom training. The purpose of Study 1 was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiencies of online training as it compared to current classroom training with Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center's (NLETC's) Jail Management trainees. Trainees were randomly assigned to receive either online or classroom training. Learning, motivation, and attitudes were measured for instructional effectiveness. Instructional time and cost/benefit calculations were used as measures of efficiencies. Results indicated, as predicted, that online training is as effective an instructional method as classroom training, and more efficient than classroom training. No meaningful learning differences occurred between the two groups, but online training was completed in almost half the time of classroom instruction and at a lesser cost. However, the classroom group reported higher motivation and positive feelings concerning their instruction than did the online group. Study 2 experimentally examined learning, instructional time, motivation, and attitude advantages of multimedia included in the Jail Management online training courses. Although hypothesized that video would enhance learning, motivation, and attitude, there were no differences in UNL student participants' test scores or surveys scores whether they received training with text only, audio with the text, or video with the text. Only instructional time differed among the groups.     

The Urban Bridge is a symbol

Response to Intervention (RtI) is a general education initiative that takes place prior to evaluation for placement in special education. Essentially, the first two tiers of RtI require general education teachers to use research-based instruction with all students and then to evaluate the effectiveness of that instruction. Given that the use of RtI as an assessment tool begins in the general education classroom, the following question remains: Are general educators aware of the development and implementation of RtI as a process for assessing and, eventually, possibly placing students into special education? The purpose of this study was to review the literature to answer the following two questions:

1. To what extent is RtI evident in the professional literature of educator groups (teachers, administrators, and teacher educators) who will be responsible for implementing these school practices?

2. What is the nature of the published literature (concept papers, assessment practices, instructional practices, and research) on RtI?