The Concept of Teaching Health Education in Elementary Schools in the Czech Republic

Subjective Evaluation Of Health Education By Czech Students

“…Health education is an educational field, which was established in the CR on the basis of Family education and since 2007 has been an integral part of compulsory education in the framework of lower secondary education (ISCED 2) in the CR. All versions of the curricular document called the Framework educational programme for elementary education (FEP EE) state that the mission of the educational field is to influence pupils in a formative way in the area of health promotion and health education, active approach to health, knowledge, attitudes and application of the principles of adequate lifestyle, prevention of risk behaviour, shaping and development of health literacy, and other related aspects (Fialova, Flemr, Maradova & Muzik, 2014;Hrivnova, 2014Hrivnova, , 2018aHrivnova, , 2018bMuzikova, 2010;FEP EE, 2013). The number of HE lessons as defined since 2007 by the FEP EE for lower secondary school is 2 lessons per week per 4 grades (grade 6 to 9) of lower secondary school (FEP EE, 2013).…”

“…The low number of lessons may cause a reduction of the 'prescribed' educational content in the educational reality, which means that some topics lack sufficient attention, and may also cause a decrease in suitable teaching methods (especially activating methods) and lapse into traditional teaching methods that lack motivation. Hrivnova (2014) states that in the CR more than 50% of elementary schools use the disposable lessons and allocate more lessons to HE then prescribed by the FEP EE. An important aspect in the HE curricular reality is the HE teacher, especially the teacher's qualification in HE.…”

“…An important aspect in the HE curricular reality is the HE teacher, especially the teacher's qualification in HE. According to Hrivnova (2014), HE is taught by qualified teachers only in one third of schools.…”

“…HE is a multidisciplinary field which in comparison with the main educational fields has specific aspects in terms of content and didactics (Muzikova, 2010;Fialova at al., 2014;Hrivnova, 2014, Svoboda, 2015. Didactic aspects include the necessity to use activating teaching methods, elements of project-oriented teaching, motivation to use the knowledge of Health education in personal life, and other related aspects.…”

“…The implementation of the state curriculum in the school curriculum was investigated by Maradova and published in Educational area of Man and health in contemporary school by Fialova, https://dx.doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2019.01.55 Corresponding Author: Michaela Hrivnova Selection and peer-review under 2014, which includes a comprehensive summary of existing curricular research studies aimed at HE. Hrivnova (2014) analysed the level of the implemented curriculum of HE in the CR from the perspective of elementary school head teachers. The learning outcomes in HE were assessed as average by Hrivnova (2018a) in her curricular research study.…”