Christina Stark

Online Course Increases Nutrition Professionals' Knowledge, Skills, and Self-Efficacy in Using an Ecological Approach to Prevent Childhood Obesity.

OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of an online continuing education course on the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of nutrition professionals to use an ecological approach to prevent childhood obesity. DESIGN Quasi-experimental design using intervention and delayed intervention comparison groups with pre/post-course assessments. SETTING Online continuing education course. PARTICIPANTS Nutrition and health professionals in an online course (n = 105) and a delayed intervention comparison group (n = 37). INTERVENTION A 6-week, facilitated online course titled, Preventing Childhood Obesity: An Ecological Approach. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes in knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in using an ecological approach to address childhood obesity. ANALYSIS Paired and independent sample t tests, factor analysis, regression analysis. RESULTS In contrast to a comparison group, nutrition and health professionals who participated in a 6-week online course had statistically significant increases (P < .01) in their knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy related to using an ecological approach to prevent childhood obesity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS A facilitated online course can be effective at increasing the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of community-based nutrition and health professionals in using an ecological approach to prevent childhood obesity in their communities.

Massive Open Online Courses: How Registered Dietitians Use MOOCs for Nutrition Education

F OR SEVERAL DECADES, LEARNers have been able to take courses and get continuing education online; but in 2011, a new type of distance learning took off in the form of massive open online courses, or MOOCs. These large-scale courses typically share some common features: open access using the Internet, free of charge, asynchronous, interactive user forums, and the opportunity to earn a document of completion or achievement. Most MOOCs are offered through several existing web-based platforms or initiatives that have formed collaborative partnerships with top global universities to provide courses on a wide range of subjects. A typical MOOC includes videos, resources, assignments, and assessments offered within a defined time period with characteristics similar to traditional face-to-face classes. Coursera (www.coursera.org), edX (www.edx. org), and Udacity (www.udacity.org) are some of the more well-known platforms, although there are many other MOOC providers (www.mooclist.com). Some providers, such as Udacity, focus on technology-related topics, whereas others, such as Coursera and edX, offer a growing number of food-, nutrition-, and health-related MOOCs developed by a diverse group of academic institutions. The conversations and controversy surrounding MOOCs have stimulated discussion about teaching and learning in general, and challenged many educators to evaluate and elevate teaching strategies. On the one hand, MOOCs have been praised for their ability to bring the educational opportunities of elite institutions to a wider audience and as a way to address the increasing costs of higher education. On the other hand, they have been criticized for their inconsistent quality and low completion rates (rarely >15%) and for the limited amount of research on their effectiveness to promote learning. Figure 1 highlights some key pros and cons of MOOCs for participants and instructors. Although concerns that MOOCs might dismantle traditional higher education are likely unfounded, there is little doubt that the role and scope of educational technology and informatics will continue to expand in the classroom and beyond. Nutrition and health professionals can play a role in usingMOOCs to educate awide range of audiences. Two examples (discussed later) show how MOOCs have been used by registered dietitians (RDs) to provide nutrition-related educational opportunities for global audiences— public and professional.

Characteristics associated with the application of an ecological approach to preventing childhood obesity.

OBJECTIVE Applying an ecological approach to childhood obesity prevention requires a new way of thinking and working for many community-based practitioners who are used to focusing on individual behaviour change. The present study investigated individual and organizational characteristics associated with the application of an ecological approach by practitioners 6 months post-training. DESIGN Individual and organizational characteristics and outcomes of a 6-week online training course were assessed at pre-course, post-course and 6-month follow-up. The application of an ecological approach was measured by three outcomes (application of course content, implementation of an action plan and trying a different approach) and analysed using a generalized estimating equation model with a binomial distribution and logit link and linear mixed models. SETTING An online course for participants in the USA and abroad. SUBJECTS Public health nutrition and youth development educators and their community partners, and other community practitioners, who completed the course and all three surveys (n 240). RESULTS One individual characteristic (networking utility) and three organizational characteristics (ecological approach within job scope, funding, course content applied to work) were positively and significantly associated with the application of an ecological approach (P<0·05). Individual characteristics that were negatively and significantly associated with the application of an ecological approach were being a registered dietitian and having ≥16 years of work experience (P<0·05). CONCLUSIONS Training of community practitioners and the scope and funding of their positions should explicitly emphasize the usefulness or utility of networking and the use of an ecological approach for preventing childhood obesity.

Factors Affecting Application of an Ecological Approach to Preventing Childhood Obesity

Description: The treatment received by intervention schools was promotion of low-fat white milk, fruits, and vegetables. For the fall, 6 intervention (3 urban, 3 rural) and 6 control schools participated. In the spring, the control schools will become intervention schools, while fall interventions become maintenance schools. Evaluation: Process and outcome measures were collected. Conclusions and Implications: Most treatments were feasible to implement. Initial analysis indicates reduction in waste in treatment schools for entrees, fruit, and milk. The spring intervention is in progress. Funding: USDA Grant #2012-68001-19604.