J Korean Community Nurs.  1999 Jun;10(1):183-203.

A Study on High School Health Education Teachers' Activities and Other Influential Variables

• Yoo JS

Abstract

High school is regarded as the period when many important physical, mental and social developments occur, and when many health-related behaviors are formed. School health education is one of the major learning resources influencing health potential in the home and community as well as for the individual student. High school health education in Korea has a fundamental systemic flaw however, in that health-related subjects are divided and taught under various subjects at school. In order to achieve quality health education, it is essential to assess the learners' and teachers' educational needs. So far, most of the research projects that had been carried out for improving high school health education were limited to only the learners' educational need. They failed to include an educational assessment of the teachers. Therefore, in this study the high school health education teachers' needs relating to health education were investigated through a focus on the teachers' health education activity level, health education activity self-efficacy level, and perceived level of importance in health education content. In this study, research instruments these factors were constructed by Yoo(1997) on the basis of the PRECEDE model. The data for this study were collected from a sample consisting of twenty general and vocational high schools in Seoul and Chongju for a two month period beginning in July, 1996. In analyzing the data, an ANOVA test and stepwise multiple regression were accomplished using an SPSS - PC+ program. The results were as follows: The average level of health education activity and self-efficacy among high school health edu cation teachers were found to be low. But, teachers' perceived importance of health education contents was high. Teachers' activity and perceived importance concerning sex education were lower than in other health education areas. Health education activity of Military drill teachers was higher than that of physical education teachers as well as school nurses. But it was not significant. Health education activity self-efficacy of school nurses was higher than that of other teachers(p<.05). Perceived level of importance of health education contents was the most influential variable in teachers' health education activity. Health education activity self-efficacy level was not an influential variable in teachers' health education activity. The significance of this study is that it has diagnosed the needs of high school health education through the teachers' assessment of a variety of health factors related. These findings suggest that the management of an integrated health education, program requiring large changes in the curriculum of health education is necessary.

MeSH Terms

Curriculum
Education*
Educational Measurement
Health Education
Health Status
Humans
Korea
Learning
Military Personnel
Physical Education and Training
School Health Services*
Seoul
Sex Education
Social Change