Using biology to teach adolescents about STD transmission and self-protective behaviors

Characterizing Children's Intuitive Theories of Disease: The Case of Flu

To advance the study of children's knowledge and understanding of disease, we devised a methodology for assessing key features of intuitive theories laid out by Wellman and Gelman (1998). We then assessed a disease-relevant biological ontology, causal propositions involving unobservables, and coherence in explanations of influenza offered by children aged 8 to 13. Use of disease-relevant terms and mention of propositions in a biological theory of flu causality, although not coherence or connectedness of ideas, increased with age. Measures were moderately correlated with one another and with a traditional Piagetian measure of level of disease understanding, each contributing uniquely to the characterization of children's thinking. In multiple regression analyses, scores were highest for older children, Latino/minority children, and children of more educated parents with other factors controlled. Specific gaps in children's intuitive theories are identified to guide theory-based interventions aimed at helping children understand and protect themselves from infectious diseases.

Development and Coherence of Beliefs About Disease Causality and Prevention

Guided by a naïve theories perspective on the development of thinking about disease, this study of 188 children aged 6 to 18 examined knowledge of HIV/AIDS causality and prevention using parallel measures derived from open-ended and structured interviews. Knowledge of both risk factors and prevention rules, as well as conceptual understanding of AIDS causality, increased with age. Younger children displayed more advanced knowledge in response to structured questions than in response to open-ended questions. Contrary to hypothesis, knowledge of causality was not more advanced than knowledge of prevention in elementary school. Moreover, correlations between the two types of knowledge were often nonsignificant except when the same method was used to assess both. Thus, methodology matters in assessing children's knowledge of disease, children's intuitive thinking is not consistently coherent, and it may be safest to educate children explicitly about sound prevention rules rather than assume they will infer the rules themselves from information about a disease's causes.

Teaching young children a theory of nutrition: conceptual change and the potential for increased vegetable consumption

In two experiments, we used a novel approach to educating young children about nutrition. Instead of teaching simple facts, we provided a rich conceptual framework that helped children understand the need to eat a variety of healthy foods. Using the insight that children's knowledge can be organized into coherent belief systems, or intuitive theories, we (a) analyzed the incipient knowledge that guides young children's reasoning about the food-body relationship, (b) identified the prerequisites that children need to conceptualize food as a source of nutrition, and (c) devised a strategy for teaching young children a coherent theory of food as a source of diverse nutrients. In these two experiments, we showed that children can learn and generalize this conceptual framework. Moreover, this learning led children to eat more vegetables at snack time. Our findings demonstrate that young children can benefit from an intervention that capitalizes on their developing intuitive theories about nutrition.

Folkbiology meets microbiology: a study of conceptual and behavioral change

Health education can offer a valuable window onto conceptual and behavioral change. In Study 1, we mapped out 3rd-grade Chinese children's beliefs about causes of colds and flu and ways they can be prevented. We also explored older adults' beliefs as a possible source of the children's ideas. In Study 2, we gave 3rd- and 4th-grade Chinese children either a conventional cold/flu education program or an experimental "Think Biology" program that focused on a biological causal mechanism for cold/flu transmission. The "Think Biology" program led children to reason about cold/flu causation and prevention more scientifically than the conventional program, and their reasoning abilities dovetailed with their mastery of the causal mechanism. Study 3, a modified replication of Study 2, found useful behavioral change as well as conceptual change among children who received the "Think Biology" program and documented coherence among knowledge enrichment, conceptual change, and behavioral change.

Money, sex, and drugs: a case study to teach the genetics of antibiotic resistance

The goal of the work reported here was to help students expand their understanding of antibiotic resistance, the Central Dogma, and evolution. We developed a unit entitled "Ciprofloxacin Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae," which was constructed according to the principles of scientific teaching by a team of graduate students, science faculty, and instructors. A variety of activities and assessments were used, including a case study, short lectures, and group problem-solving. Implementation of "Ciprofloxacin Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae" in a college freshman seminar suggests these materials are useful in increasing understanding of complex biological topics and improving problem-solving abilities.

What do children learn about biology from factual information? A comparison of interventions to improve understanding of contagious illnesses

BACKGROUND

Children have been shown to hold misconceptions about illness, and previous work has indicated that their knowledge can be improved through the use of interventions.

AIMS

This study aims to evaluate interventions based on the provision of factual information for improving understanding of contagious illness.

SAMPLE

The participants were 96 children from two age groups: 7 and 11 years.

METHODS

During the pre-test, the children were asked about three contagious illnesses and one novel illness. There were three intervention conditions, differing in the level of factual information provided: explanations provided, no explanations provided and scientific factual style. The interventions were focused on contagious illnesses (cold, chickenpox). A post-test was conducted 6 weeks later.

RESULTS

Results from the pre-test show that the older children have more sophisticated understanding of illness than the younger children. Mean pre- to post-test change was calculated and analyses revealed that there is greater pre- to post-test change in the explanation and scientific fact conditions when compared with that in the no-explanation condition. The improvements in knowledge generalized to other contagious illnesses, and the older children showed more improvements than the younger children.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add to the literature on children's understanding of contagious illnesses and contribute towards discussions on the best approach to health education.