ERIC Number: EJ1464835
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1836-9391
EISSN: EISSN-0312-5033
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Enhancing Nutrition Information Utilisation, Confidence, and Role Legitimacy and Adequacy among Early Childhood Education Professionals through Evidence-Based Online Training
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, v50 n1 p50-65 2025
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an online short course based on the Health Promoting Schools Framework and specifically designed for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professionals. The short course aimed to enhance ECEC professionals' nutrition knowledge, confidence, role legitimacy and adequacy to model healthy behaviours, teach healthy food habits and create health-promoting environments. Participants (n = 116) working at Australian ECEC services were assigned to control (n = 62) or intervention (n = 54) groups. Both groups completed a pre-intervention survey. The intervention group accessed the four-week course and completed the post-intervention survey. The control group completed a second survey after four weeks but before accessing the course. Statistical analyses revealed significant positive changes in confidence, nutrition information utilisation and role perception for the intervention group. This study's findings suggest that evidence-based online nutrition training could be used to improve ECEC professionals' practice to foster better nutrition outcomes for young children.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Teachers, Inservice Teacher Education, Minicourses, Health Behavior, Health Education, Health Promotion, Nutrition Instruction, Computer Assisted Instruction, Professional Development, Eating Habits, Knowledge Base for Teaching, Knowledge Level, Teacher Role, Evidence Based Practice
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A