Teaming to teach nutrition : prediction of students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices

Teaming to teach is a form of team teaching in which team membership can include the classroom teacher and any types of individuals from the school and/or community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between students' nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices and teaming to teach variables. This study was conducted in collaboration with the Tennessee Nutrition Education and Training (NET) Program evaluation component. Students' data were obtained using the Comprehensive Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices scores from the spring, 1982, NET assessment. Teachers' data were collected using the Teaming to Teach Nutrition Questionnaire that same spring. A sample of 71 teachers and their classrooms in schools throughout Tennessee were selected for participation.

Relationships were found between students' nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes and (a) the number of components of nutrition education instruction in which the teacher chose to use a team and (b) the degree to which certain types of individuals were involved as members of a team. Relationships also existed between students' nutrition-related attitudes and (a) the number of types of individuals who were included in nutrition education teaching teams and (b) the degree to which teaming to teach was used in certain components of instruction. No relationships were found between teaming to teach variables and students' nutrition-related practices. Implications are presented for nutrition education for young children; changing knowledge and attitudes; and further research in nutrition education, team instruction, and the modification of practices.