Thematic Unit

Childhood Obesity Program
Ivan Villarreal
Kaplan University

            The training session I would choose to focus a strategy would be for childhood obesity.  The importance of creating and sustaining available technological resources for overweight children substantiates over present day unhealthy habits and lack of technological resources.  Although there are limited amounts of computer availability, the community offers resources, and the best method to begin programming would be through audio/visual presentation implementing motivational interviewing.  This process can be introduced to the participants upon the start of the program and completion of their program.  Programming would combine behavioral, nutritional, and fitness counseling to reduce childhood obesity.  This program would introduce a change in lifestyle, which is a way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.  Although there are multiple resources available such as the internet, blogging, or even Google apps, face-to-face interviewing has demonstrated high results.  Attitude tends to be a belief that gives direction to behavior and relates lifestyle to that of a behavioral discipline.  Behaviors can be linked to addictions that may or may not be healthy; therefore motivational interviewing will be the basis for implementing an initial reference point for participants, and development of plans for change.
            The built environment is associated with the prevalence of obesity in low-income preschool children, although the impact of the environment is affected by urban-rural status” (Salois, 2012).  Therefore, the health educator must provide structure for possible discussion, help guide and support, assist with informed choice to change behavior, and respect opinion through careful listening and proper technological practice.  In accordance to NET*S and NET*T protocol, the effective teacher/student model is applicable to the design, implementation, and learning assessment.  There are experiences that are used to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues, and the community (NET).  Student assessments or readiness to change evaluations will be given at the start of the program.  They will also be given during the midterm and end of the program.  Educators would also be part of an evaluation assessing their overall methods and effectiveness.  Programs would meet twice a week and run typically 8 weeks, which would include 1 hour for fitness and 1 hour for nutritional education.  Most class formats will be taught with power point or handouts.  Visuals will be demonstrated and internet will be integrated for navigational purposes through class blogs and for educational research such as viewing the food guide pyramid.  There will be various student activities and one example would include a self-assessment given to them at the end of the fitness or nutritional programming for educational retention purposes that will be completed online.  This final assessment will be given to measure client success through nutritional behavior and educational quality.

            The typical client for a readiness to change program will consist of children aged 6-17, but will also consist of any supportive family that is interested in learning.  The family is considered a unit and would have better results with overall behavioral and readiness to change support.  Change, when integrated into computer learning, is considered to be an important component of behavioral and lifestyle fitness for beginning and advanced technological clients.  Knowing the readiness to change of a client prior to programming allows for proper instruction and increased chances of success.  During programming, each client will be given a midterm assessment to help determine if their lifestyle behavior is progressive.  Dependent on their performance, additional instruction may be needed for less computer savvy clients, therefore proper instructional techniques will be given for clients to help integrate and teach a healthy lifestyle change via internet or computer lessons.  Each client will be given technique on the strategic fitness and nutrition portion that is being worked on for that day, and will be given an assessment on what they learned at the end of each day.  Clients will have the ability to demonstrate to the class what they learned by giving a hands-on training to other members outside of the group.  The class will be integrated with computer resources by having them go on-line and find out which muscle groups are being utilized and what nutritional benefits were taught.  Computer integration will be based on their ability to use technologies and interact with other people within the facility through email in order to give instructional feedback on the proper fitness and nutritional technique which is directly correlated to their behavioral independence.  Their overall readiness to change will be assessed at the end of the program to measure if there was an increase in their survey.
            Having students interact with other people will provide a feeling of independence and overall ownership of their own programming.  While many students will be given the importance of change through power point presentations and handouts, clients will also be given the opportunity to engage the power of fitness and nutrition within local classes.  Having them participate as a group outside of the classroom will increase their likelihood of retaining the information they are learning.  A final assessment will be given to them through a fitness blog to measure overall improvement and will give the students to learn how to interact with each other outside of a fitness area.  The blog will be able to give the clients the ability to rate the educator on overall effectiveness of incorporating change into their daily lifestyle.
            The typical client for a nutritional program will consist of children aged 6-17, but will also consist of any supportive family that is interested in learning.  The family is considered a unit and would have better results with overall nutritional support.  Instructional goals will include checking prior behavioral eating habits that can be monitored through an exercise that is given before the start of evaluation.  They will be given an assessment and given instructions of what the ideal nutritional behavior comprises.  As the program progresses participants will be given educational tools, taught how to cook healthy choices for food, and participate in a hands-on seminar to ensure proper food cooking technique.  The class will take time to use technology such as Google Apps in order to prepare a presentation alongside their food preparation demonstration.  Visual literacy can be developed through two major approaches: helping learners to decode, or "read", visuals proficiently by practicing visual analysis skills and helping learners to encode, or "write", visuals to express themselves and communicate with others (Smaldino 2012).  Performance objectives are given through the form of educational tools.  As mentioned within the instructional goals, each participant would perform a learned technique in cooking or educational format and prepare a hands-on technologically based seminar for the rest of the class. 
            Children and adolescents aged 6-17 or older can participate in fitness training programs provided that they have the emotional maturity to accept and follow directions.  Strength training should be one part of a well-rounded fitness program that also includes endurance, flexibility and agility exercises. Properly designed and competently supervised youth strength training programs may not only increase the muscular strength of children and adolescents, but may also enhance motor fitness skills (e.g., sprinting and jumping) and sports performance.  Preliminary evidence suggests that youth strength training may also decrease the incidence of some sports injuries by increasing the strength of tendons, ligaments and bone (ACSM). The client age group for fitness will be split between 6-11 year olds and 12 and over to be able to properly give fitness technique or age appropriate exercises and activities.  Clients will be given techniques on cognitive awareness, affective growth, psychomotor skills, machine usage technique, and given assessments based on cardiovascular target heart rate. 
            The participants will be gauged by their body mass index, circumference measurements, overall gym usage, and heart rate monitoring.  The clients will be introduced to these concepts through handouts, and power point presentations.  Computer and technological integration will be implemented in order to understand fitness goals.  Measurement will be given at pre, mid, and post assessments for evaluation and overall goal progress.  Each participant will be given the assignment to demonstrate a learned technique and must show another classmate the purpose of an exercise through both computer and in person.  Google Charts will be used to chart overall progress, and clients will be taught so they can continue to monitor their health.  Final assessments will be given and be based off their fitness goals, whereas instructors will be rated on the level of instruction and motivation given to the clients.
             The primary consideration when selecting instructional strategies is that they result in student achievement of the standards and objectives (Smaldino 2012).  Finally, edutopia states one of its main objectives as the following, “The ability to share information with friends, family members and classmates”.  Technological integration is important for the client’s ability to learn new information and techniques.  The overall behavioral lifestyle change of clients is important and should be measured independently of other variables; however, fitness and nutrition play a big role in overall health improvement.  Integration of technology such as Google, Microsoft Office, and audio/visual technology will play a big role in lifestyle change for clients today and for tomorrow.

Topic 1: Childhood Obesity Program
Readiness to Change Survey:

1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Undecided
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree
 
1. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have any problems that need changing.  
2. I think I might be ready for some self-improvement.  
3. I am doing something about the problems that had been bothering me.  
4. It might be worthwhile to work on my problem.
5. I'm not the problem one. It doesn't make much sense for me to be here.   
6. It worries me that I might slip back on a problem I have already changed, so I am here to seek help.  
7. I am finally doing some work on my problem.  
8. I've been thinking that I might want to change something about myself.   
9. I have been successful in working on my problem but I'm not sure I can keep up the effort on my own.   
10. At times my problem is difficult, but I'm working on it. 
11. I'm hoping that this place will help me to better understand myself.  
12. I guess I have faults, but there's nothing that I really need to change.   
13. I am really working hard to change.  
14. I have a problem and I really think I should work at it.   
15. Even though I'm not always successful in changing, I am at least working on my problem.   
16. I wish I had more ideas on how to solve the problem.  
17. I have started working on my problems but I would like help.   
18. Maybe this place will be able to help me. 
19. I may need a boost right now to help me maintain the changes I've already made.   
20. I may be part of the problem, but I don't really think I am. 
21. I hope that someone here will have some good advice for me. 
22. Anyone can talk about changing; I'm actually doing something about it. 
23. I'm here to prevent myself from having a relapse of my problem.   
24. It is frustrating, but I feel I might be having a recurrence of a problem I thought I had resolved.   
25. I have worries but so does the next guy. Why spend time thinking about them?  
26. I am actively working on my problem.
27. I would rather cope with my faults than try to change them.   
 

1. PRE-CONTEMPLATION
2. CONTEMPLATION
3. PREPARATION
4. ACTION
5. MAINTENANCE
6. RELAPSE

Topic 2 & 3 Satisfaction Survey

Childhood Obesity Program

I. Nutrition

Please circle the answer that best applies to you and your family.

II. Physical Activity

Please circle the answer that best applies to you and your family.

Reference

http://www.edutopia.org/google-educators Retrieved October 12, 2012.

http://www.iste.org/STANDARDS Retrieved November 6, 2012

Avery D. Faigenbaum, Ed.D. and Lyle J. Micheli, M.D., FACSM; American College of Sports Medicine "Youth Resistance Training," Sports Medicine Bulletin, Vol. 32, Number 2, p.28.

Salois, M. J. (2012). Health & place. The built environment and obesity among low-income preschool children, 18(3), 520-527.

Smaldino S.E., Lowther D.L., Russell, J.D. (2012) Instructional Technology and Media for Learning. 10th ed. Pearson