Abstract

Nationally, many health teachers have not received health education training. Minnesota does not require sexual health training or sexual health professional development for health education teachers. School Health Profiles 2018 data was analyzed to determine who teaches sexual health education in Minnesota, what they teach, how they teach it, and their desired future professional development. Teachers who received pre-service health education training were compared with teachers who received other pre-service preparation. Additionally, teachers who received sexual health professional development were compared with teachers who did not receive sexual health professional development. Data analyses included crosstabs with Phi and Cramer’s V to examine any relationships between training and instructional practices. Most teachers received pre-service training in both health education and physical education. Some health education teachers in Minnesota have not received pre-service training in health education. Teachers who had pre-service training in health education were more likely to assess concepts and skills. Although most teachers want professional development on content, skills, and methods for teaching sexual health education, most have not received it in the previous two years. Professional development in sexual health was significantly associated with teaching sexual health knowledge, concepts, and skills; providing opportunities to practice skills; and assessment of concepts and skills in sexual health education. Universities need to utilize the National Sexual Health Education Teacher Preparation Standards for pre-service teacher students. Districts must hire licensed and trained health education teachers, and provide the teachers with access to sexual health education professional development.

Advisor

Marlene Tappe

Committee Member

Marge Murray-Davis

Committee Member

Emily Forsyth

Date of Degree

2020

Language

english

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Health Science

College

Allied Health and Nursing

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Rights Statement

In Copyright