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Greetings From. A Strategy for Improving Sexual Health in Diverse Population of University Students. Using Qualitative Research to Improve Curriculum By Prof. J. Sue Fletcher. About the University. Liberal Arts In California’s Northern Central San Joaquin Valley
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A Strategy for Improving Sexual Health in Diverse Population of University Students Using Qualitative Research to Improve Curriculum By Prof. J. Sue Fletcher
About the University • Liberal Arts • In California’s Northern Central San Joaquin Valley • Approximately 8,000 students • An official Hispanic-Serving Institution • Globalization of learning goals into upper division general education curriculum with a multicultural course requirement
Colleges within the University • Six college form the university • The College of Education housed the Department of Physical Education and Health • The Department of Physical Education and Health prepares teachers for the elementary and secondary public school system and offers lower and upper division general education courses • HLTH 4300 - Family Health is an upper division general education course meeting the multicultural course requirement
HLTH 4300 - Family Health • Provides a major focus on sexuality education for the young adult • Offers an educational experience to enhance one’s ability to look at issues from multiple perspective especially the connection to global issues • Discusses four major cultures in regard to sexuality • Shows ways to study the differences between cultures and encourages additional studies
Cultures Studied in HLTH 4300: African American, Asian American, Mexican American, Native American
Assisting Students In Identifying Their Attitudes, Values, and Beliefs About Sexuality • Students anonymously complete a class mixer called Sexuality Introspection Survey • Results of the survey are tabulated and discussed in class • Students are able to compare their own views with those from other cultures • An essay called Sexuality Introspection is assigned
Sexuality Introspection Essay Components • Sharing beliefs with significant other, family members, friends, and their children (may project to future children) • Beliefs about sexuality education in school, sexuality behavior, and relationship options • Discuss how attitudes, values, and beliefs about sexuality were developed • Comparison of their beliefs with others in class especially from the cultural perspective
Major Objective of Study Students will demonstrate recognition of one’s view of the world not being universally shared and that others may have profoundly different perceptions in regard to human sexuality
Purpose of Study • Collect examples of student work to measure student understand of one global learning goal • Measure effects of gender and ethnicity • Identify themes in student’s view of human sexual health on the basis of their own attitudes, values, and beliefs • Determine changes in assignment needed for increasing students levels of understand
Research Questions One Through Three • Will students enrolled in HLTH 4300 recognize their view of sexuality is not universally shared and that others may have profoundly different views? • Will students enrolled in HLTH 4300 be able to describe at least one viewpoint on sexuality different from their own? • Will cultural differences impact sharing knowledge of attitudes, values, and beliefs of viewpoints on human sexuality?
Research QuestionFour Through Six • Will students be able to synthesize data from group discussion into an essay assignment? • Will student Sexuality Introspection Essays meet at least the minimal Thematic Rubric Grading Criteria? • Will it be necessary to restructure the Sexuality Introspection essay grading criteria?
Hypotheses One Through Three • There will be no difference based on gender or ethnicity in the student’s recognition that their view of sexuality is not universally shared. • There will be no difference based on gender or ethnicity in the student’s ability to describe at least one viewpoint on sexuality different from his or her own. • Culture will affect the student’s attitudes, values, and beliefs in their descriptions of viewpoints on human sexuality.
Hypotheses Four Through Six • There will be no difference in ability to synthesize data from group discussion based on gender or ethnicity. • There will be no difference based on gender or ethnicity in meeting the minimal criteria for a Sexuality Introspection essay assignment. • There will be no need to re4structure the Sexuality Introspection essay grading criteria based on results of the essay scoring rubric.
Limitations • This study was based on a convenience sample • Not all of the student enrolled in the course elected to participate in the study • Results are limited to generalization to this convenience sample • The study relies on self-report with no measure of impact on sexual health
Methods • Qualitative thematic research design • Convenience sample • Pilot study to test demographic survey and determine number of courses from which to collect student work
More on Methods • Students completed anonymous in-class mixer questionnaire on their attitudes, values, and beliefs about sexuality • Students discussed results of the questionnaire with an emphasis on cultural differences noted • Students were asked to write a two to three page essay on their attitudes, values, and beliefs about sexuality after discussing the grading criteria to be used
More on Methods • The essay called Sexuality Introspection Paper was scored then returned to the student • The last week of the semester prior to final exam, student were asked to voluntarily participate in the study
More on Methods • Students participating in the study signed an Informed Consent • Subjects then completed a demographic profile • Subjects were asked to resubmit an unmarked, anonymous coy of the Sexuality Introspection Paper • The paper was given a score based inclusion of grading criteria, submitted to an emergent thematic rubric for a score, and emergent themes linked to the global learning goal were identified
Sample Studied Some Examples of Cultures Identified by Subjects
Russian American, Italian American, Irish American, and Assyrian American
Description of Sample • 62 students enrolled in HLTH 4300 • 31 students agreed to participate in the study • Represented a 50% return rate of papers to review for emergent themes • Graphs 1 through 6 presents descriptive statistics of sample
Graph 2: Gender PercentagesKey: 1= Female, 67.752= Male, 32.3%
Graph 3: Ethnicity FrequenciesKey:1= White,10 2= Hispanic, 93= Middle Eastern, 44= Asian,8
Graph 4: Ethnicity PercentagesKey:1= White, 32.3%2= Hispanic, 29.053= Middle Eastern, 12.9%4= Asian, 25.8%
Graph 5: Universality Belief FrequencyKey: 1= Yes beliefs are profoundly different, 16 2= No beliefs are not profoundly different, 15
Graph 6:Universality Belief PercentagesKey:1= Yes, 51.6%2= No, 48.4%
Results • Hypotheses were tested using a one-way ANOVA for the mean of each score: Sexuality Introspection Paper Score Universality Thematic Rubric Score • The variables tested were: Gender Ethnicity Universality Belief
Statistical Results • Failure to reject all null hypotheses • One exception: the ethnicity variable was significant at the .05 level in regard to the score on the Sexuality Introspection Paper Score • Supporting data appear on Tables 1 through 3
Table 4 Emergent Themes Related to Perception of Origin of Attitudes, Values, and Beliefs About Sexuality(In descending order beginning with most prevalent)
Discussion • K-12 sexuality education curriculum models vary so it follows college students need to build on previous learning • Since there was a failure to reject the 6 null hypotheses this assignment will be retained with the current grading criteria • The findings support the global leaning goals of the institution providing the student with an educational experience that will afford them an ability to look at issues from multiple perspectives
Conclusion • Using qualitative data supports curriculum review and improvement • The design could be modified to include specific cultural beliefs linked to sexuality
Recommendations • Demographic surveys should be submitted with the Sexuality Introspection • The question testing the global learning goal could be expanded to include the emergent themes identified • Students from the major ethnic groups should be encouraged to submit their paper for analysis • The Sexuality Introspection paper should remain a fundamental assignment in the course
References May be obtained by contacting: J. Sue Fletcher, RN, EdD Department of Physical Education & Health California State University, Stanislaus One University Circle Turlock, CA 95382 USA E-Mail: JSFletcher@csustan.edu