Utilizing a card method to promote the involvement in discussion during a Shoku-iku workshop for nursery school staff

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Health Education and Promotion Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 235 - 246
• Main Authors: TAKAHASHI, Nozomi, EZAKI, Junko, TAKEMI, Yukari, KANEKO, Keiko, NAKAMURA, Tsuneo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: JAPANESE SOCIETY OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND PROMOTION 2014
• Subjects: cards; discussion; food and nutrition education; involvement; various occupations
• ISSN: 1340-2560; 1884-5053
• DOI: 10.11260/kenkokyoiku.22.235

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of a card method for promoting the involvement in discussion between employees during food and nutrition education (Shoku-iku). Methods: Forty-one employees of a nursery school, including managers, childcare-workers, nutritionists, and cooks, participated in the discussions of a Shoku-iku workshop using a card method in January, 2011. In May 2012, questionnaires were mailed to employees asking, “can you express yourself?” and, “can you listen to the opinions of others?” to determine if they could actively participate in it. Participants were then divided into high-or low- involvement groups. Both groups were asked after the study if they would use a card method in future. Differences between the two groups were analyzed using the Fisher's Exact Test. Additional comments were categorized according to content, and differences in these categories between the two groups were analyzed. Results: Of 30 participants, 7 belonged to the high-involvement group and 23 to the low-involvement group. More participants in the high-involvement group intended to use a card method in future than those in the low-involvement group. Advantages of a card method included “easy to classify opinions” and “able to know one's opinions” for both groups and “collecting outcomes of discussions easily” in the high-involvement group. Disadvantages included “time-consuming” in both groups and “unable to express myself with cards” in the low-involvement group. Conclusions: The card method has advantages to allow participants to classify one's opinion and understand the opinion of other participants easily; however, it also has challenges such as ‘unable to express myself with cards to promote involvement.