Explore. Define. Measure: An Integrated Curriculum for the Elementary Classroom
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
“Explore. Define. Measure: An Integrated Curriculum for the Elementary Classroom” (EDM) is the educational component of the Asthma 411 Initiative in St. Louis, Missouri and aims to increase asthma awareness among elementary school children using an integrated asthma curriculum. EDM consists of 15 lesson plans, which concentrate on nine major asthma concepts. Teachers are trained to deliver the lessons plans and are able to incorporate practical asthma information into current elementary school core curricula.
Goal / Mission
The EDM program integrates asthma education into elementary school core curriculum with the intentions of raising asthma awareness and increasing asthma management knowledge.
Impact
The EDM program provides students the opportunity to increase knowledge and develop health literacy about asthma as well as expand the availability of resources for teachers.
Results / Accomplishments
The effectiveness of the curriculum was evaluated between January and May 2007 using an experimental study design with 167 intervention students and 69 comparison students. Fifteen fourth and fifth grade teachers were trained to incorporate a 15-lesson asthma curriculum into their core curricula. The comparison group consisted of four classrooms without the asthma curriculum. Only ten out of 15 intervention teachers reported their students’ pre- and post-test scores; thus, investigators analyzed data per protocol. The study assessed the EDM program based on the outcomes of gained asthma knowledge and teacher acceptance of the program. Asthma knowledge was evaluated using 18-question pre- and post-tests and standardized scoring rubrics.
Intervention and comparison students began with comparable baseline levels of asthma knowledge. Asthma knowledge increased 26.6% and 39.3% among fourth grade and fifth grade intervention students, respectively. The post-test mean score for intervention students was 26.0% higher than the post-test mean score for comparison students.
Intervention and comparison students began with comparable baseline levels of asthma knowledge. Asthma knowledge increased 26.6% and 39.3% among fourth grade and fifth grade intervention students, respectively. The post-test mean score for intervention students was 26.0% higher than the post-test mean score for comparison students.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Controlling Asthma in St. Louis
Primary Contact
Topics
Health / Respiratory Diseases
Health / Children's Health
Health / Children's Health
Organization(s)
Controlling Asthma in St. Louis
Date of publication
2011
Date of implementation
2006
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
St. Louis, MO
For more details
Target Audience
Children
Submitted By
Tiffany Gee, Jennifer Kahng, Sadaf Sareshwala - UC Berkeley School of Public Health