Perspectives of serving teachers on the respective importance of areas deemed suitable for inclusion in the health education curriculum for Cyprus schools

Abstract

Objective The paper aims to survey the perceptions and attitudes of a representative sample of Cyprus teachers on the importance of areas deemed suitable for inclusion in the health education curriculum and to offer suggestions for the development of a health education curriculum for Cyprus schools. Design Twenty-eight areas that included both those identified by a panel of experts as relevant to health education and also those obtained from the literature were included in a questionnaire. This was developed and designed to sample teacher views on the school curriculum areas into which health education can be integrated. Setting Greek speaking schools in all levels of Cyprus education (teachers of pre-primary, primary, secondary and special education). Method After piloting,1000 questionnaires were distributed to random samples from each of the four teacher populations (pre-primary, primary, secondary and special education). Importance ratings for each of the 28 areas were obtained from a representative sample of 648 (65 per cent) Greek Cypriot teachers (seven per cent of the teacher population), and the areas ranked in importance in accordance with these ratings. Results Significant response differences emerged between sub-samples categorised by type of school, subject specialisation, sex and years of service. Multivariate analysis of the ratings yielded eight factors indicative at UNIV OF WINNIPEG on August 13, 2015 hej.sagepub.com Downloaded from 174 of major health education domains. Factor analysis (varimax rotation) of the data on the overt curriculum revealed eight factors of potential relevance to curriculum development. Conclusion The paper concludes by drawing from the data a number of suggestions for future progress. The findings have implications for training Cyprus teachers in health education, and for health education curricula in general.

Medicine education for schoolchildren: what do the teachers think?

“…Previous studies indicate that the nature and scope of health education as a whole may also be somewhat confusing for teachers (Pateman et al , 1999; Apostolidou and Fontana, 2003). Accordingly, some studies have concluded that teachers need supplementary training to teach health education (Pateman et al , 1999; Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001; Apostolidou and Fontana, 2003).…”

Associations between beliefs about medicines and medicines education: A survey among Finnish comprehensive school teachers

“…If they had experience of medicating a long-term illness in their own child, this increased their probability of teaching topics related to medicines. Thus, it may be concluded that teachers seem to rely on their own experiences gained through everyday life in teaching topics related to illnesses and medicines as well as in teaching health education in a holistic manner (Downie and Fyfe, 1990;Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001).…”

The impact of group teaching on the acquisition of key skills to teach personal, social and health education

“…This need for continuing professional development in all aspects of health promotion is now widely recognised in many countries (Hausman and Ruzek, 1995;Hurrelmann et al, 1995;Rowling, 1996;Bowker and Tudor-Smith, 2000;Turunen et al, 2000;Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001;Lee et al, 2001;St Leger, 2001). The role of initial teacher training institutions in preparing trainee teachers to deliver personal, social and health education (PSHE) is also viewed by some as a crucial stage in the continuing professional development provision (Hurrelmann et al, 1995;Jensen, 2000;Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001).…”

“…The role of initial teacher training institutions in preparing trainee teachers to deliver personal, social and health education (PSHE) is also viewed by some as a crucial stage in the continuing professional development provision (Hurrelmann et al, 1995;Jensen, 2000;Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001). However, there is clear evidence that health education has become marginalised in initial teacher education courses since the introduction of government reforms in initial teacher training in England and Wales in 1992 (Scriven, 1995;Walsh and Tilford, 1998;Department for Education, 1992;Welsh Office, 1992).…”

“…This need for continuing professional development in all aspects of health promotion is now widely recognised in many countries (Hausman and Ruzek, 1995;Hurrelmann et al, 1995;Rowling, 1996;Bowker and Tudor-Smith, 2000;Turunen et al, 2000;Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001;Lee et al, 2001;St Leger, 2001). The role of initial teacher training institutions in preparing trainee teachers to deliver personal, social and health education (PSHE) is also viewed by some as a crucial stage in the continuing professional development provision (Hurrelmann et al, 1995;Jensen, 2000;Fontana and Apostolidou, 2001). However, there is clear evidence that health education has become marginalised in initial teacher education courses since the introduction of government reforms in initial teacher training in England and Wales in 1992 (Scriven, 1995;Walsh and Tilford, 1998;Department for Education, 1992;Welsh Office, 1992).…”