Swim Instructor Beliefs About Toddler and Pre-School Swimming and Water Safety Education

Abstract

To study the teacher component of the parent-teacher-learner triad in preschool aquatics and explore compatibility of instructor messages with current drowning prevention beliefs, 133 preschool aquatics instructors were surveyed. Instructors with basic swim teacher accreditation and those with a preschool/infant instructor extension ("Extension") were compared. More Extension instructors selected "safety" as an important outcome (χ 2 = 7.907, df = 3, p = 0.048). Both instructor groups considered parental education important but Extension instructors held this view more strongly. Disturbingly, more Extension instructors disagreed that increased toddler confidence following lessons necessitates greater supervision around water (χ 2 = 4.141, df = 1, p = 0.042). To avoid such messages, instructor education should place even greater emphasis on close and constant adult supervision and counter the misconception that early age lessons protect children from drowning

Toddler Drowning Prevention: Teaching Parents About Child CPR in Conjunction With Their Child’s In-Water Lessons

“…Fewer supported CPR training via their health professionals (58%) or via online computer programs (48%). A recently-reported Australian study on swim school instructor beliefs on toddler water safety education suggested that almost all (97%) of the 133 respondents considered themselves capable of performing child CPR, although this study did not explore instructors capacity to teach CPR or the recency of their training (Blitvich, Moran, Petrass, McElroy, & Stanley, 2012). In light of this background and perceived needs, it was the purpose of the current study to devise and evaluate a pilot parent education program aimed at enhancing the CPR knowledge and confidence of parents while their young children were enrolled in lessons in commercial swim schools.…”

Promotion of Parent’s Competence in Infant Floating

“…Ceturtajā zināšanu komponentē iekļauts saturs par drošību un drošināšanu uz ūdens, veicot zīdaiņu peldināšanu (Brenner, Gitanjali, & Gordon, 2003;Blitvich et al, 2012):…”

Physical Education Teacher Candidates' Beliefs About Instructing Students With Disabilities in Adapted Aquatics

“…In the United States and elsewhere, researchers have focused on exploring aquatic instructors' attitudes and beliefs in teaching individuals with disabilities (Blitvich, Moran, Petrass, McElroy, & Stanley, 2012;Conatser, 2007bConatser, , 2008Conatser, Block, & Gansneder, 2002;Sato & Hodge, 2012). For instance, Conatser (2008) surveyed aquatic instructors from seven countries (New Zealand, Australia, Cayman Islands, Germany, Canada, Mexico, and Argentina) to assess their attitudes 2 International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, Vol.…”