How do we write an effective education package for children and young people? The KICk-OFF Group experience Julie Knowles Paediatric diabetes research nurse

Where to start? Idea Aim/Goal Reflection:- What is our experience in designing and implementing an effective teaching package for children and young people? Can we:- Write an effective teaching package? Deliver the package in a way that promotes learning?

Reflection: Is there a difference between teaching children to Adults? Qualifications Trial and error! No specific course to educate HCP’s how to teach children or how to develop an effective teaching package 730 ENB 998 Gaining theoretical knowledge about subject

“..invest time in understanding how teaching children differs from teaching adults.” “Being a good nurse does not automatically mean one is a good teacher.” Woodring Paed. Nursing 2000 “Teaching requires you to transform the knowledge you possess into suitable tasks which lead to learning.” Learning to teach in secondary school

Adult education Education programmes for adults with type 1 diabetes should be designed and delivered by members of the Multidisciplinary diabetes team in accordance with the principles of adult education NICE 2004 Children and young people education Diabetes education should be delivered by HCP with a clear understanding of the Special and changing needs of young people and their families as they grow through the different stages of life Educators should have access to continuing Specialised training in diabetes education and educational methods

Principles of Adult Learning Pioneered by Malcolm Knowles Adults are autonomous and self-directed Adults have a wealth of life experiences and knowledge Adults are goal orientated Adults are relevancy orientated Adults are practical Adults demand respect from instructors

How do children learn? Cognitive development “This is the process through which pupils develop their knowledge, understanding, problem solving and creative thinking. Influenced by maturation and the learning environment both at home and at school”. Chapel et al (2005) Learning to teach in the secondary school

Theories Behaviourism Learning from external stimuli. It can be conditioned by giving rewards and punishments Piaget – 4 stages of child development. Focused on maturation. Growing up does not mean knowing more but it changes how we think. Vygotsky – Learning is a social process Language development and learning through interaction with others of same age and older. IQ – Focused on the concept of intelligence General intelligence that determines our capacity for learning. Multiple intelligences (Gardner's theory (1983) Muijs et al (2005) Effective Teaching

Learning styles Many different preferred learning styles e.g. VAK model Visual (seeing and reading) Auditory (listen and speak) Kinaesthetic (touching and doing) Extended by others to include: Print-oriented (reading) Interactive (group work) Olfactory (use of smell during a lesson)

Teaching styles A good teaching style presents information in a number of ways therefore matching more students to their preferred learning environment.

KICk-OFF Kids In Control Of Food DAFNE Focus groups Working with school teachers to write the curriculum Work with Sheffield Hallam University to get an insight into how children learn Pilot RCT - DUK Sept. 2008

Points to think about when planning to develop an education package What are your aims and objectives? Who is the target group? Do you have a curriculum/lesson plan? Is it age appropriate? How many are invited to each session? Are the parents/carers/friends involved? How long will the learning experience last?

When will it be delivered? Who will deliver the education? How much will it cost? Do the educators need training and how? How will the information be delivered? Think about presenting the topic in a way that helps children learn How will you assess the impact of that learning experience for the learner and the teacher? Have you changed behaviour?

Evaluation of the whole teaching package/experience Schools Teachers appraisal Self reflection OFSTED (Office For Standards in Education) Lessons should be purposeful ………. Pupils give chance to organise their own work….. Lessons should elicit interest, be relevant and challenging.. Work well matched to the child’s ability and learning needs Pupils language should be developed and extended... A variety of learning activities …….. Show good order, control and mutual respect……

Evaluation, professional development, and continuing education process Data collection/audit Comparison study looking at new package compared to old regimen Cost implications to families and trust Assess family satisfaction Educators experience/peer review/appraisal ?where to go for skills training related to teaching children and young people Transition to adult educational diabetes service

Thank you for listening Please let us know if you are interested in joining the KICk-OFF project.