Traditionally, teaching and learning has involved direct teaching techniques, which are self-explanatory- students sit and listen to a teacher who explains ideas and concepts. However, students don’t always engage with this style of teaching. In this unit we have been exploring the idea of participatory approaches being adopted into the classroom, work being done by other students and concepts such as Hart’s Ladder that enhance participatory approaches.

Why should participatory approaches be adopted by health classes? Simovska (2012), stated that the issue of children’s participation is “imperative in research, policy, education, and community developments”. This idea stems from the notion that young people bring their own socio-political and cultural contexts, that are romantic, advocacy based ideas focused on rights and proactivity. By getting students involved in their learning and giving them ownership of their work, by allowing them to create their work and apply it to real world scenarios that are relevant to them, student engagement and interest in class is harnessed and students get more out of their learning. I believe this needs to begin as early as year seven, not just be a focus in VCE, because as student’s become more familiar with it the easier it will become. Hart’s Ladder is structured specifically so that in the early stages of an activity or task, students can be guided into an activity by their teachers which is why I believe it could fit into year seven easily. As the students get older, health teachers can slowly let the students take over control of their learning. To me, giving younger kids more hands on with their learning isn’t new, because scouting works in a similar way, where around the 13/14 years old mark, the kids are making their own decisions. So why can’t that work in schools? Simovska (2012) also believes that by applying participatory approaches into the health classroom, students will be motivated, feel a sense of achievement and confidence, as well as having a new social responsibility. Enhancing participatory tasks with concepts such as Hart’s Ladder and even the IVAC model will get students involved in solving issues they care about and work with the curriculum simultaneously. The IVAC model will do this by encouraging kids to Investigate concepts and issues, build a vision, take action to improve the issue and make a change to their community and society (        .

Each module that we have participated in links through the ideas of different uses of media and applying it to health education and by using blogs we are also introduced to another effective method for conveying messages and reflection which we can use in our own classrooms as well.

References

Simovska, V. (2012). Case Study of a Participatory Health-Promotion Intervention in School. Democracy & Education, 20(1), Democracy & Education, 2012, Vol.20(1).

Simovska, V., & Carlsson, M. (2012). Health-Promoting Changes with Children as Agents: Findings from a Multiple Case Study Research. Health Education, 112(3), 292-304.