Instructional Design, K-12 Education, Secondary Research, Evaluation, ADDIE model
Student project for National Institution of Health
Entire project management, researcher, designer, and testing
3 months
The NutriiKids Education Program (click for project details) addresses the critical issue of unhealthy eating habits among lower-level elementary school students, which contributes to high rates of obesity and diabetes. The project aims to design an immersive and practical nutrition education program that goes beyond traditional classroom instruction. By integrating culturally relevant, engaging activities into students' daily lives and collaborating with key stakeholders, the program seeks to empower students to make healthier food choices and develop sustainable eating habits. Click for visual presentation.
The research phase (click for more deatils) of the NutriiKids project began with a comprehensive needs analysis, targeting lower-level elementary school students and existing nutrition education programs. The analysis aimed to uncover barriers to healthy eating habits, such as cultural influences, lack of suitable curricula, and time constraints in schools. Key findings highlighted the need for a more engaging and practical approach to nutrition education that could be integrated into students' daily lives, with a focus on developing long-term healthy habits and addressing the gaps in current educational offerings.
Further research emphasized the importance of a holistic approach, involving various stakeholders like parents, teachers, and community partners, to effectively implement the program. The research also explored the impact of peer influence, parental attitudes, and the existing educational environment on students' eating behaviors. By identifying these factors, the NutriiKids project aimed to design a curriculum that is not only educational but also culturally relevant and adaptable to different settings, ensuring it resonates with students and encourages positive behavioral changes.
Students' eating habits are significantly shaped by their cultural backgrounds, highlighting the need for a curriculum that is culturally sensitive and adaptable to diverse student populations.
Current nutrition education in schools is insufficient, with less than the recommended hours dedicated to this subject. This lack of comprehensive and engaging content is a major barrier to developing healthy eating habits in students.
Both parents and peers play crucial roles in influencing students' dietary choices, making their involvement essential in any successful nutrition education program.
There is a strong need for nutrition education that goes beyond theoretical knowledge, emphasizing real-world application through activities like cooking classes and interactive tasks, which help students internalize and practice healthy habits.
The complexity of nutritional information can be a barrier for young students, suggesting a need for content that is age-appropriate and easily digestible to facilitate better understanding and retention.
Some students exhibit resistance to changing established eating habits or trying new foods, which indicates the importance of incorporating motivational strategies and peer support into the curriculum.
The availability and accessibility of healthy food options in students' environments are crucial factors that influence their ability to make healthier choices, highlighting the need for community and school-level interventions to support these behaviors.
Age Range:
Lower-grade elementary school students
Gender: limitless
Knowledge:
Only know how to keep healthy is important from teachers and parents
What they don’t want:
1. Boring, passive experience
2. Punishment
3. Tough food
Intrinsic Motivation: Seek to belong, Engagement, Social & emotional needs, Fun, Wonder
Extrinsic Motivation: Approval from peers and adults
What they want:
1. Approval from peers and adults alike
2. Seek to belong, engagement, social needs, emotional needs
3. Independence and mastery
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The production of NutriiKids project (click for more information) focuses on producing several key educational materials, including a Logic Model, Curriculum Structure, NutriiBook, and Evaluation Materials design. The Logic Model guides the overall program by outlining the desired outcomes and the steps needed to achieve them. The Curriculum Structure provides a comprehensive framework for delivering nutrition education, while the NutriiBook serves as a resource-rich guidebook for students, offering practical tips, activities, and storytelling elements to engage learners. Evaluation Materials Design ensures the program's effectiveness is measured and refined over time.
Our team developed a semester-long nutrition education program to address gaps in knowledge, habits, and motivation among elementary students. The program includes a storytelling guidebook to engage students through illustrative materials and cooking classes where students learn practical skills by preparing and sharing meals with peers. These elements aim to build sustainable healthy eating habits in a collaborative and interactive environment.
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The NutriiKids program is planned to run for 16 weeks over a semester.
The NutriiBook is a comprehensive guidebook designed to support elementary students throughout a semester-long nutrition education program. It presents essential nutrition concepts through engaging storytelling and vibrant illustrations, making the material accessible and interesting for young learners. The guidebook serves as a practical resource, offering students not only knowledge about healthy eating but also activities and tips that they can apply in their daily lives. Its goal is to build students' understanding of nutrition in a way that is both educational and enjoyable.
Program Highlight: NutriiBook & Journey
NutriiBook is the main resource for the NutriiKids program, designed as a narrative-style guidebook for students. It includes learning materials, cooking procedures, and assessments to help students engage with the program. This guidebook aims to address the "knowledge" gap in nutrition education for young learners.
Program Highlight: Cooking Session
Students will apply what they learned in class by participating in a cooking competition where they vote on the best dish in groups. The winning dish will be featured on the school cafeteria's menu for the week, and the student will be photographed wearing a chef hat. This activity aims to bridge the "habit and motivation" gap by encouraging students to practice and be excited about healthy eating habits.
Program Highlight: Field Trip
Students will participate in organized visits to local farms or markets, helping them connect the food on their plates to its source. Safety guidance will be provided before each session. This activity is designed to address the "habit and motivation" gap, encouraging students to develop a deeper appreciation for healthy eating habits by understanding the origins of their food.
During the user testing phase of the NutriiKids program (click for more information), several key aspects were evaluated to ensure the program's effectiveness. The testing focused on four primary areas: program assessment results, transfer of knowledge, learner feedback (survey), and stakeholder feedback (survey). The results showed that learners were able to engage actively, demonstrate their understanding, and apply the knowledge in practical settings, such as using MyPlate guidelines to create meals. Feedback from both learners and stakeholders was positive, indicating high levels of motivation, satisfaction, and alignment with program goals, confirming the program’s ability to fill the identified gaps in knowledge, habits, and motivation.
The NutriiKids Evaluation Report provides a set of assessments of the nutrition education program aimed at lower-grade elementary students. The program, designed to combat unhealthy eating habits, was evaluated for its effectiveness in engaging students, transferring knowledge, and its feasibility for integration into school curricula. Through a mixed-methods approach, including think-aloud techniques and qualitative analysis, the findings revealed high levels of engagement, clear educational impact, and practical implementation potential. Recommendations include incorporating more visual aids, increasing parental involvement, and allowing for flexible time allocation in schools.
Learning design really dives deep into educational theories and instructional strategies, much like how UX taps into human behavior and ergonomics. But what sets it apart is how much it leans into cognitive science and pedagogy to really nail those learning outcomes, not just user engagement. Reflecting on this made me realize just how broad and deep you need to go to craft truly effective educational experiences, which is a bit different from the user-first approach in standard UX design.
I learned that my ability to pivot and adjust strategies on the fly is crucial. It’s not just about sticking to a plan; it’s about evolving the plan as needed. This has made me more confident in my decision-making and more resilient as a project manager.
This project honed my problem-solving skills and taught me the value of a strategic approach. I felt more empowered to tackle complex issues and lead my team through them.
