Key Concepts From Health Promotion Evaluations: What Psychology Needs to Know

Competing perspectives and debates about the meaning of health promotion and the best ways to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives that focus on enhancing wellness pervade the literature. Given the emergence of health promotion, the impetus for outcomes-based practice in psychology, and the push for evidence-based care in the health system (Thorogood & Coombes, 2000), demonstrations of value and effectiveness are fundamental to the sustainability of mental health promotion activities. Psychology (and counseling as a sub-set field) needs to place itself as a profession vital to the sustainability of wellness initiatives. This paper proposes that psychologists’ awareness and understanding of six key concepts from health promotion evaluation are essential for advancing psychology as a profession and enhancing applied practice for wellness initiatives. The key concepts include: formative, process and outcome evaluations, the qualitative/quantitative debate, the ecological nature, the participatory approach, the focus on community and the underlying philosophies of empowerment and utilization. The use of key concepts from health promotion evaluation strategies support psychologists to a) deal with issues of major public health importance and b) collaborate with other disciplines for the benefit of the public (Sartorius, 1999). Finally, this paper makes recommendations to secure psychology’s place as a vital contributor to future research directions in health promotion, in part because of adherence to the scientist-practitioner model.Whilst Psychology is the generic term used here to represent the broad field, counseling as a sub-set in the discipline is particularly relevant for the ideas and issues discussed. Rather than adding the sub-set qualifier each time the broad field is referred to, the reader in this context is encouraged to hold this perspective of the place of counseling in regard to psychology as they work through the materials presented.     

Using Food Science Demonstrations to Engage Students of All Ages in Science,Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics (STEM)

Abstract: The overarching goal of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Initiative is to foster effective STEM teaching and learning throughout the educational system at the local, state, and national levels, thereby producing science literate citizens and a capable STEM workforce. To contribute to achieving this goal, we have assembled six food science demonstrations for use at all educational levels and have presented these lessons to students at the elementary through higher education levels. The focus of this article is to share these food science demonstrations and our experiences using them so that others can use them for engaging students in STEM disciplines, through food science, at any educational level. Featured demonstrations include: (1) liquid nitrogen ice cream: a matter of changing phases, (2) seeing our senses work together, (3) whipping up the cream, (4) milk versus dark: what is the difference?, (5) counting calories by burning them, and (6) culinary spherification: the wonders of cross‐linking. Overall, our experience with using these demonstrations has been very positive. Students appear engaged in the learning process and love to consume the demonstration end products. Downloadable handouts containing demonstration details for each demonstration are available as supporting information.     

Effects of a Teacher‐Designed and Teacher‐Led Numerical Board Game Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Study with 4‐ to 6‐Year‐Olds

The purpose of the current pilot study was to examine the effects of a teacher‐designed and teacher‐led numerical board game intervention. Fifty‐four 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds were randomly assigned to either the number board game intervention or an active control group. Relative to the control group, children who received the number game intervention demonstrated significant improvements on a numeral identification task. This finding is significant in so far as numeral identification skills play a critical role in more advanced numerical and mathematical reasoning. There was no evidence of training‐related improvements on any of the other tasks. In addition to the intervention effects, the present study provides an example of a successful teacher‐researcher collaboration, providing new insights into the making of bidirectional relations between research and practice.     

Will the Academy survive 9/11? Scholarship,security, and United States Government policy

This paper examines the direct and indirect impacts of 9/11 on the academy. The USA Patriot Act and other legislative and administrative responses are discussed in relation to previous actions in times of crisis. Cases involving free speech and academic freedom are examined. It is concluded that requirements and procedures for tracking overseas students, along with long delays in processing visas, have had the most direct impact on the academy in terms of on-going administrative requirements and reduced applications and enrollments by international students. Self-censorship appears to have chilled free speech from within the academy. Outside, critics increasingly question the concepts of academic freedom, tenure, and the underlying values and autonomy of the academy. The passing of time without additional terrorist attacks in the United States may result in reduced levels of fear and some relaxation of restrictions; however, this could be offset by continued high level security alerts. The acceptance of increased surveillance in all aspects of society and terrorist attacks throughout the world make it too early to predict the long-term outcome of 9/11 on the academy in terms of enrollment, speech, and academic freedom.     

Experientially learning how to communicate science effectively: A case study on decoding science

The need for science communication programs is matched with the need for program evaluation. This case study is an evaluation of the “Decoding Science” program (DSP) [Rodgers et al. (2018). Science Communication, 40(1), 3–32], a science communication training program, and examines key experiential-learning themes [Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall]. Specifically, we discuss the program's emphasis on learning that science communication is a process that (a) is continual, (b) involves conflict resolution, (c) requires adaptation to the world, (d) requires environmental interaction, and leads to (e) knowledge creation. Additionally, we discuss our analysis of student feedback. Results suggest that the DSP successfully utilizes experiential learning to facilitate the learning of science communication techniques and that future evaluations can lead to the development and improvement of science communication training programs.     

Exploring elementary students’ perceptions of disabilities using children's literature

The portrayal of characters in children's literature can be a very powerful influence on young children. Teachers have a responsibility to expose children to characters of all types, including those with disabilities. The goal of this study was to explore how third and fourth grade students responded to characters with disabilities in children's books. We read a total of 12 books that included characters with disabilities to students in two third‐grade and one fourth‐grade class at three elementary schools. We video‐recorded discussions about the books and identified the following four themes, all of which related to influences on students’ responses to the character with a disability: (a) societal messages, (b) academic responses, (c) teacher influence and (d) portrayal of disability. We recommend that teachers carefully select books featuring characters with disabilities based on the way the disability is portrayed in the book, and, after the read‐aloud, use questioning strategies that encourage students to make thoughtful, deep comments rather than giving ‘expected’ responses.