Expanding school–district/university partnerships to advance health promoting schools implementation and efficacy in Taiwan

Abstract

In 2011, the Taiwan government expanded its support of school-district/university partnership programs that promote the implementation of the evidenced-based Health Promoting Schools (HPS) program. This study examined whether expanding the support for this initiative was effective in advancing HPS implementation, perceived HPS impact and perceived HPS efficacy in Taiwan. In 2011 and 2013, a total of 647 and 1195 schools, respectively, complemented the questionnaire. Univariate analysis results indicated that the HPS implementation levels for six components were significantly increased from 2011 to 2013. These components included school health policies, physical environment, social environment, teaching activities and school-community relationships. Participant teachers also reported significantly greater levels of perceived HPS impact and HPS efficacy after the expansion of support for school-district/university partnership programs. Multivariate analysis results indicated that after controlling for school level, HPS funding and HPS action research approach variables, the expansion had a positive impact on increasing the levels of HPS implementation, perceived HPS impact and perceived HPS efficacy.

Health-promoting schools in Taiwan: School principals’ and teachers’ perspectives on implementation and sustainability

“…School principals reported that challenges to HPS implementation included low levels of parental engagement, poor teacher capability and weak community collaboration. Prior studies have shown that good schoolparent/community collaboration helps promote HPS implementation and enhances HPS efficacy (Liu et al, 2015). It also helps improve students' healthy behaviours (Busch et al, 2013;Chang et al, 2014).…”

Interventions to Support System-level Implementation of Health Promoting Schools: A Scoping Review

“…In 2004, supports were initiated to facilitate HP adoption through a network, teacher training and resource center and website and support was expanded in 2011 with an action research school–district/university partnership program. Experts from universities participated in support network by providing technical support and local school action research training workshops to build teacher capacity and support implementation [ 74 ]. One study examined the support of the partnership program on continuous improvement for HP [ 74 ] and another assessed if the action research approach was effective in advancing HP implementation [ 75 ] ( micro-, meso- and exosystem ).…”

“…Experts from universities participated in support network by providing technical support and local school action research training workshops to build teacher capacity and support implementation [ 74 ]. One study examined the support of the partnership program on continuous improvement for HP [ 74 ] and another assessed if the action research approach was effective in advancing HP implementation [ 75 ] ( micro-, meso- and exosystem ). In Hong Kong, HPS was first launched in 1998, and further developed as a Healthy Schools Award Scheme in 2001 with an aim to promote educational achievements, and to enhance the well-being of school students and staff [ 76 ].…”

“…If alignment was not achieved, studies reported many undesirable ‘side-effects’ [ 36 ] with professed lack of time and the busy school workload being a common barrier reported when HP was not well integrated into the system [ 36 , 39 , 41 , 61 , 66 , 71 ]. Studies also reported on the different types of incentives that were provided to encourage school participation, including financial resources through grants and provision of time for health promotion work through substitute coverage [ 32 , 34 , 37 , 39 , 41 , 51 , 52 , 61 , 66 , 71 , 72 , 74 , 76 ]. However, it is important to note that, one study mentioned that although having sufficient time was challenging, schools found ways to compensate [ 39 ].…”

“…Engagement in and success of exchange opportunities in HPS generally may also be influenced by individual factors, such as teacher motivation, professional learning and discretion, or personal interest [ 38 , 41 ]. However, some studies suggest that, HP implementation levels, perceived HP impact and HPS efficacy of teachers are higher when there is increasing participation and system support [ 74 , 75 ].…”