Formative evaluation of a STEAM and nutrition education summer program for low-income youth.

In-depth formative evaluations are vital for curriculum development and program planning but are often not conducted before a program pilots. A formative evaluation of Project stRIde was conducted to gain insight from experts and identify revisions to the curriculum. Project stRIde is a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) and nutrition-based curriculum developed for 4th and 5th grade students from low-income and diverse families. Nine experts spanning the fields of nutrition education, cultural competency, elementary education, summer programs, and STEAM outreach were recruited to participate in an expert content review (ECR) survey and virtual interviews. Seven core themes were identified: effectively promoting student engagement, increased guidance or support needed, activity too difficult for age, time, confidence in teaching lessons, cultural appropriateness, and strengths of curriculum in promoting STEAM education and innovation. Across the lessons, all reviewers agreed that the lessons were accurate, incorporated STEAM concepts, and were culturally appropriate for this population. Future major edits to the curriculum include creating supplemental videos, modifying some activities for age level, and incorporating more opportunities for participant engagement. Overall, an ECR is an effective way to examine a program's strengths and limitations and should be included in the beginning stages of program planning.

Using Interactive Nutrition Modules to Increase Critical Thinking Skills in College Courses.

OBJECTIVE: To understand how the addition of an evidence-based framework to an online nutrition module influences college students' critical thinking decision making (CT-DM). DESIGN: Students were individually randomized into an intervention group or a control group. The nutrition modules focused on 2 topics related to different types of eating behavior. Students completed a CT-DM activity to generate a score. PARTICIPANTS: College students, between 18 and 24 years old, recruited from introductory nutrition and agriculture science courses at 2 universities. INTERVENTION: Intervention and control received 2 nutrition modules. The intervention added a CT-DM framework that framed the topic as a problem, incorporated activities, and provided scaffolding. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CT-DM was scored using a validated rubric to assess the use of critical thinking skills when making a food-related decision. Green eating and critical thinking disposition were measured. ANALYSIS: Hierarchical linear regression and t tests were used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 431 students participated (intervention = 203; control = 228). After controlling for university, the intervention group scored significantly higher on CT-DM (18.1 ± 7.6) compared with the control (15.4 ± 8.4); F (3,428) = 14.58, P < .001. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results show that an evidence-based framework using nutrition topics encourages CT-DM skills. Future higher-education nutrition interventions should use frameworks to enhance student learning.