The National Association of Health Education Centers (NAHEC) use technology, exhibits, and specialized health education programs to reach school-age children in ways not often possible in conventional classrooms. NAHEC has 32 member centers in 20 states. The centers offer programs to more than 2 million students annually. In order to offer programs that best meet the needs of schools, NAHEC conducted a three-round Delphi study of elementary school administrators and teachers (grades 3-5) and another Delphi study of middle school administrators and teachers (grades 6-8).
For the elementary school study, first round participants included 25 teachers and 14 administrators; second round 19 teachers and 13 administrators; and third round 22 teachers and 17 administrators. Participants represented 12 states. For the middle school study, first round participants included 7 teachers and 5 administrators; second round 9 teachers and 10 administrators; and third round 10 teachers and 10 administrators. Participants represented 7 states. The findings include:
Health education centers offer unique hands-on learning experiences that reinforce the health education curriculum for both elementary and middle schools Elementary school administrators would like to see centers offer programs on growth and development; and alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Elementary school teachers would like to see programs offered on body systems; and alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Middle school administrators and teachers would like to see centers offer programs on sexuality and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Relevance to curriculum is the most important factor when selecting a field trip to a center. Interactive internet/website experiences were identified by both elementary and middle school administrators and teachers as distance learning opportunities provided by centers. Elementary and middle school administrators prefer to receive information from health education centers through email. Elementary school teachers prefer to receive information through newsletters and middle school teachers prefer postal mail. Beyond instructional programs for students, elementary school administrators identified providing programs for parents as a way centers can help improve the health of students. Elementary school teachers identified providing staff members in the classroom, offering instructional resources on loan and providing guest speakers. Middle school administrators identified providing speakers to the schools and forming partnerships to address family and community needs as ways health education centers can help improve the health of students. Middle school teachers also identified providing speakers and scholarship/grant funding.