Impact of Technology-Enhanced, 4C's Focused Health Education Instruction on Students at a Low Performing School

To be successful in their personal lives, community, and future workplace, students must develop critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration skills (4C’s; P21.org).  In schools where college readiness is below average, bolstering these life skills is even more important. This study identified the impact of technology-enhanced, health education instruction on the 4C’s.  METHODS: This was a pre-post, non-experimental design. Participants were 119 health education students at a Midwest high school. Compared to state averages, students at this school academically underperform. As the intervention, students: 1) constructed a safe social media profile; 2) discussed cyberbullying, sexting, and digital footprints; 3) used online apps to calculate body mass index and recommended calorie intake; 4) used reputable health information websites to research nutritional value of fast foods and symptoms of STIs; and 6) worked in teams to develop an ATOD Google Slides presentation. A 23-item survey, rooted in the 4 C’s, was administered at the beginning/end of the semester. RESULTS:  There was a significant change [t(118) = 3.7, p<.001] in critical thinking (efficacy in using technology to find information and to manage/improve health; and in communication [t(118) = 3.5, p<.001)] (efficacy in using technology to communicate). There was no change in creativity (efficacy in using technology to showcase learning), or in collaboration (efficacy to work with a classmate to create something using technology). CONCLUSION: Small efforts to intentionally develop the 4C’s can make a positive impact, but students might need direct guidance in how to use technology to collaborate or to foster creativity.