Increasing the asthma knowledge of new Early Childhood Education students through technology

In the course of their education, California-based childcare and preschool teachers receive basic health and safety training as required by Emergency Medical Services Administration. Although asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions in children, most Early Childhood Education (ECE) students receive only the most basic information and very little practical guidance on managing asthma in the childcare setting. To fill this need, California Breathing, a California Department of Public Health asthma program, created an online learning module adapted from the Asthma Education for Childcare and Preschool Staff curriculum developed by Children's Medical Services in the California Department of Health Care Services. Utilizing traditional and new outreach methods, California Breathing encourages community college professors across the state to use the online module as a part of their curriculum for ECE students.

The outcomes of this project have applicability for all health educators looking for new and innovative ways of communicating targeted health information to a defined population. During the presentation, the author will demonstrate how the module is used by students and by teachers interested in gauging how much a student has learned. The learning platform that the module was built on will be described, along with the challenges of utilizing new technologies to supplement classroom learning. Additionally, the author will discuss how successful this pilot project was in diffusing the curriculum across California and increasing the amount of asthma education that childcare providers and preschool teachers receive prior to entering the workforce.