Transcript What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU?

Service-Learning Nutrition Program
UCHSC School of Pharmacy
Catherine Jarvis, PharmD, BCNSP
Presented at CCPH Summer
Service-Learning Institute
June 2005
What is service-learning?
• Students meet the learning objectives of the
curriculum by performing a service to the
community
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Students and community benefit
Curriculum is extended beyond the lecture hall
Students apply learning to real world situations
Students develop a sense of civic responsibility
Students reflect on their experiences
How does service-learning fit
into the pharmacy curriculum?
• Provides real life, complex, social situations
for students to explore:
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Communication
Social, ethical, cultural issues
Personal biases, assumptions & prejudices
Adapting messages to their audience
Decision making
Context of healthcare in society
Why nutrition for elementary
school students?
• Nutrition is a basic, health-related topic
• Rates of obesity are rising dramatically
across the US, particularly among children
of minority groups
• Children are much more likely to change
and adopt new dietary practices as
compared to adults
• Children are an amenable audience
Why nutrition for elementary
school students?
• Children influence the dietary practices of
their families
• Obesity is strongly correlated with diabetes,
high blood pressure, high cholesterol and
other diseases commonly encountered by
practicing pharmacists
• A foundation of basic nutrition knowledge
is important for practicing pharmacists
What is the service-learning
nutrition program at CU?
• Required course, 1st year pharmacy
students
• Each pharmacy student matched to a group
of 3 to 4 elementary school students
• Elementary school classroom one hour per
week for seven weeks
• Pharmacy students submit written reflection
assignments
What is the service-learning
nutrition program at CU?
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Preparatory work
Elementary school visits
Reflection assignments
Quiz and survey
What is the service-learning
nutrition program at CU?
• The six module topics:
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The food guide pyramid
Variety and balance
Grains & breakfast
Fruits, vegetables & snacks
Dairy, meats & portion sizes
Fats, oils & sweets
Elementary School
Demographics
– 325 Elementary school children
– Grades kindergarten to 5th grade
– Ethnicity
• 75% Hispanic
• 25% African American
– Language
• 25% English as a second language
• 9% Spanish speaking only
– 95% Qualify for free or reduced lunch program
What is the service-learning
nutrition program at CU?
• Each elementary school visit consists of:
– 1. A major nutrition concept & activity
Nutrition Concept & Activity
Nutrition Concept & Activity
What is the service-learning
nutrition program at CU?
• Each elementary school visit consists of:
– 2. A physical activity emphasizing nutrition concepts
Physical Activity
Physical Activity
Physical Activity
What is the service-learning
nutrition program at CU?
• Each visit consists of:
– 3. Tasting of foods
Tasting
Tasting
What were the results
from the first year?
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Cereal
Banana
Carrot
Chicken
Milk
Cookie
n=253
average correct =
5.5 out of 6
What were the results
from the first year?
– n=249
percent correct 83%
– Turkey sandwich, apple, skim milk
– Cheeseburger, French fries, Pepsi
– Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy,
whole milk
Pharmacy Student Survey
I learned to work
with others more
effectively
This experience
contributed to my
communication skills
This experience
contributed to my
leadership skills
I learned a new
appreciation of
different cultures and
socioeconomic
groups
Agree
(%)
Strongly Agree
(%)
40
48
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48
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39
n = 85
Pharmacy Student Survey
Fairly Often
(%)
Very Often
(%)
I felt I made a
valuable contribution
48
31
I was actively
involved
29
58
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58
I worked with people
from diverse
ethnic and social
backgrounds
n = 85
Pharmacy Student Reflections
• “I really believe that because of this, coupled with
the excitement of the activities, they are going
home and telling their parents about it, and
perhaps requesting healthier snacks”
• “What we have accomplished with the children is
spectacular. In my wildest dreams, I never
thought that the children would be able to change
their eating habits as well as their family’s eating
habits”
Pharmacy Student Reflections
• “Through this experience, I have learned that I
have to treat each child and family member as a
different and unique individual”
• “This is not a role that I am playing for my
instructor with my other classmates, these are not
just words I am repeating from a book. I am being
responsible for someone obtaining knowledge
from me as if I were in a pharmacy setting.”
Pharmacy Student Reflections
• “This experience is enabling me to learn how to
use less complicated language without “talking
down” to people”
• “I have had to step back and think about how to
approach some topics in order to ensure that I
come across in a manner that the kids will
understand. In the healthcare world, I want to be
very conscious of the fact that people may not
understand, so I can have the patience and
knowledge to explain anything to them until they
feel the concept is 100% clear.”
Acknowledgements
• SOP students
• Vickie James
– Cooking Light
• SOP Faculty
– Chris Turner
– Joel Giles
• SOP Curriculum
Committee