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Making the Connections: Delivering Nutrition and Wellness Resources to Early Care Providers
Approach: Designed and implemented an online professional development module for CACFP staff with instructional media design consultation that includes nine lessons that provide information about how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans apply to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and best practice menu makeovers.
Results: The on-line module has been well received by child care providers with over 900 providers completing the module since 2011. The on-line module has enhanced educational offerings and allows for higher participation. There is a need for more on-line modules and five additional modules are currently under development.
Discussion: On-line modules allow providers to expand their knowledge relating to the CACFP in an accessible and convenient format. Having a variety of ways the learner can practice or check their understanding allows the modules to be interactive and is a way to measure knowledge gained. Participants completing all lessons of the course and correctly answering 80% receive a certificate for four hours of continuing education in CDA (Child Development Associate) Content Area: Planning a Safe, Healthy Learning Environment, which qualifies for continuing education for the CACFP.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programsLearning Objectives:
Identify best practices in the design of online learning for adult learners.
Explain ways to assess on-line module usage and knowledge gained.
Discuss potential CACFP topics to be delivered in an on-line module format.
Keyword(s): Child Health Promotion, Nutrition
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the Co-Project Director of USDA Team Nutrition grants for the past 5 years. I am responsible for managing the work of the grants, providing training and technical assistance to child nutrition staff (Child and Adult Care Food Program and the National School Lunch Program), development and promotion of nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and support healthy eating and physical activity efforts of child care providers and schools.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.