Media and curriculum analysis

Advanced Health and Physical Education.

Issues discussed in presentation:

• Healthy and active lifestyles:

• Local media content in relation to this topic (community events, active participation in activities etc).

• Benefits that these activities can have on health problems.

• Can be found in Appendices A – I.

• Childhood obesity:

• Is a separate issue to healthy and active lifestyles.

• Implications of obesity to be discussed in relation to local media content.

• Can be found in Appendices J & K

-Local media article analysis (addressing key themes, concepts and values).

-Personal reflection of articles

-Victorian Essential Learning Standards HPE curriculum document (VCAA, 2008) will be analysed.

-Personal reflection of HPE curriculum.

-Media and curriculum content to be analysed together to reflect upon similarities and differences.

Contents and order of Presentation

Part A:

Local Media Articles.

Local media articles show community values including:

• The importance of HPE.• Belief that HPE is vital in childhood health.• HPE can help create active community members.• Many articles actively promoting healthy lifestyles.

(Appendices A-I)• Several articles are linked to childhood obesity.

(Articles J & K)

• Has become a nationwide news topic.• Has implications for public health.• Has implications for the economy.

• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2009) found that $58 billion was spent in 2008 on health services due to nationwide obesity.

• Media has demonstrated the worries of the community on this issue.

• Media focuses more on the solution of healthy and active lifestyles, than on the problem of obesity.

Childhood Obesity:

Healthy and active lifestyles:

- Stakeholders are actively working to create positive change in childhood health.

- Similar education and initiatives are being provided around the country to address this issue.

Examples of articles:

• Appendix G: Community group calling for better education of dietary habits to combat Type 2 diabetes. (issue)

• Appendix E: Local school creates an organic garden which the children plant and learn about healthier food options. (possible solution)

Personal reflection of media articles:

I believe that:

-Childhood obesity and healthy lifestyle issues are frequently commented upon in the media.

-These articles show that the problem of obesity are seldom mentioned in articles relating to healthy lifestyles.

-Education of risks and issues need to be included so that children and communities can be informed of the dangers of an obese lifestyle.

Reflection of local media (cont’d)

-Obesity can decrease a child’s quality of life and learning capacity.

- An example of this is in Appendix H, where better education of food choices in the form of student lunches are called for.

- This also effects the teacher’s capacity to effectively teach as children do not have stable energy levels.

-Appendix G aligns with this viewpoint of healthy eating amongst children to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Part B:

Curriculum analysis and reflection.

Victorian Essential Learning Standards Health and Physical Education

Curriculum document (VCAA, 2008).

Works towards:

-Children creating a healthy and active lifestyle-Engaging children in physical activity.-Children understanding why HPE is beneficial.

-Department of Health and ageing (DHA, 2004) agree, noting:

-Children aged 5-12 benefit from physical activity by:-Helping maintain a healthy weight,-Improved self-esteem-Developing physical skills-Promoting body growth.

Benefits of active learning in Health and Physical Education.

-Develop skills in personal learning, interpersonal development and civics and citizenship (VCAA, 2008).

-Development of understanding implications of food choices.- Resistant to a range of diseases.

-Some of these diseases are outlined by the DHA (2008): “such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancers, osteoarthritis, kidney and gall bladder disease, and respiratory and musculoskeletal problems”

-Also resistant to mental and self esteem issues.

Reflection of curriculum:

• HPE curriculum covers most areas in relation to providing a quality health and well-being education. (VCAA, 2008)

• Happy to find movement and physical activity is taught in classrooms from prep.

• This helps children to learn to control their body movements and develop physical skills.

Reflection of curriculum (cont’d):

• I feel disappointment that health knowledge and promotion is only taught from level 3 (grade 3 and 4) because:

• Children may already have developed unhealthy habits by this time.

• My own nephew is following a similar path of inadequate education.

• This is a contradiction of the curriculum’s (VCAA, 2008) belief that food choices are an important aspect of the curriculum.

Reflection of curriculum (cont’d):

Evidence that children and families are not being properly educated on healthy dietary food choices is demonstrated below:

The Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Preventative Health National Research Flagship and the University of South Australia (2007), found that children are not eating foods which help them achieve a healthy daily dietary intake, yet eat more than in the past.

Reflection of curriculum (cont’d):

- Obesity is not mentioned in the curriculum, yet is an important issue as is demonstrated by Hesketh, Waters, Green, Salmon and Williams (2005), who found that obesity prevention is a key objective to promote a healthy diet and lifestyle.

- I also believe that food education needs to be consistent in all aspects of the community to be of value to the child and the curriculum (Hesketh et al., 2005).

- This would help to avoid sending children “contradictory messages” (Hesketh et al., 2005).

Reflection of curriculum (cont’d):

• The curriculum needs teaching standards relating to obesity education.

• This could include implications of health and figures of obesity in different cultures including indigenous populations.

Part C:

Comparison of media content and curriculum.

Media and curriculum analysis:

• Media content shows community values in favour of improving participation of outdoor activities and healthy lifestyles.

• Curriculum content agrees, placing importance on student participation in sporting groups.

Media and curriculum analysis:

• Most of the media articles fail to address the health implications which exist with obesity.

• Children need to be able to make informed decisions relating to obesity and health education.

• The curriculum needs to provide full disclosure to students by including obesity education.

Media and curriculum analysis:

• Appendix H calls for improved education regarding childhood dietary habits.

• This is justified since the curriculum does not commence health knowledge and promotion until level 3 (grade 3 and 4) (VCAA, 2008).

• The Better Health Channel is further justification, noting that an improved diet education can improve individual health.

• This shows that the curriculum actually undervalues health knowledge and promotion. (VCAA, 2008)

Reflection of analysis:

• Healthy and active lifestyles need to be promoted in schools.

• This promotion is not enough for children to become informed citizens.

• Children need to learn that being healthy and active is a role in addressing the issue of obesity.

Conclusion:

• Analysis shows that the local community and curriculum both want to create healthy and active children.

• While children benefit from this work, these groups and failing to educate children of the dangers of obesity.

• Failure to educate children about dietary choices in early primary years could be creating unhealthy children.

• These two curriculum oversights mean that children are not being provided the tools to combat obesity.