00:00:01:00 - 00:00:35:05 Leigh Szucs Hi. Welcome to today's webinar titled Overview of CDC's Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool. My name is Leigh Szucs and I'm a health scientist in CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, known as DASH. For the last five years, I have worked on the health education and sexual health education portfolio, supporting both research and practice activities in schools and school districts across the United States. 00:00:35:19 - 00:00:41:15 Leigh Szucs For today's webinar, I'm so excited to be joined by a colleague from CDC's Division of Population Health, Melissa. 00:00:42:10 - 00:01:13:28 Melissa Fahrenbruch Thanks, Leigh. And hello, everyone. I'm Melissa Fahrenbruch, program and Professional Development Team Lead in the Healthy Schools Branch Division of Population Health and the National Center for Chronic Disease Control and Health Prevention. In today's webinar, you will learn about the foundations of school health education, importance of curriculum selection and development, and how CDC HECAT Resource can assist schools, school districts and other youth serving organizations in analyzing new or revised health education curriculum. 00:01:14:12 - 00:01:48:11 Melissa Fahrenbruch We will also share other important resources to help in the curriculum analysis process. Let's begin by discussing some key foundations of health education. One is health education. Health education is the formal, structured combination of planned learning experiences that provide the opportunity to acquire information and skills needed to make health promoting decisions, achieve health literacy, adopt health enhancing behaviors, and promote the health of others. 00:01:50:26 - 00:02:35:04 Melissa Fahrenbruch One is health education curriculum. It is a primary organizing framework for the delivery of health information and skills through schools and communities. Curriculum health identifies the focus of what is important to address in health education and guides measurement of student learning and performance, and teacher facilitator instruction. CDC's HECAT defines health education curriculum as planned, structured learning experiences to provide students with opportunities to acquire the attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and skill. To adequately use the HECAT, a health education curriculum should contain specific elements. 00:02:36:11 - 00:03:08:26 Melissa Fahrenbruch A set of intended learning outcomes or objectives that directly relate to students acquisition of health knowledge, attitudes, and skills. A planned progression of developmentally appropriate lessons for learning experiences that lead to achieving health objectives. Continuity between lessons or learning experiences that clearly reinforce the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors. Content or materials that correspond with the sequence of learning experiences and help teachers and students meet learning objectives. 00:03:10:01 - 00:03:26:01 Melissa Fahrenbruch Assessment strategies to determine if students achieve the desired learning. And if educational materials do not meet all the essential elements, CDC considers them supplemental resources and not a complete health education curriculum. 00:03:28:21 - 00:04:28:13 Melissa Fahrenbruch Because health instruction in schools is shaped in large part by the health education curriculum, choosing or developing the best possible health education curriculum is a critical step in ensuring that health education is effectively promoting healthy behaviors. The curriculum selection or development process, however, can lack structure and focus, which can result in choosing or developing curricula that are inadequate or ineffective. Schools need the processes and tools to conduct a thorough, complete and consistent examination of health education curricula. Then, those results can help schools select or develop appropriate and effective health education curricula. As quality curricula is used, implementation quality is strengthened and improves the ability of school health educators to include healthy behaviors and outcomes among youth. 00:04:28:13 - 00:05:05:09 Melissa Fahrenbruch The selection and delivery of the health education curriculum is critical to what will be taught. The selection and delivery of quality health education can help to improve student health outcomes. Improving the health of students by reducing health risk factors and improving protect factors. Remember, curriculum selection matters. Let's talk about elements or core pieces that may be helpful in selecting or developing health education curriculum. For any health education curriculum, regardless of topic, 00:05:05:18 - 00:05:37:20 Melissa Fahrenbruch users should be able to: basic information about the curriculum to determine its match with users' general interests and needs, accuracy and acceptability of content, feasibility of use and implementation, and affordability of materials, analyze aspects that are expected to be reflected in any curricula, expected health outcome behaviors for students to achieve, essential knowledge to help students achieve expected health behavior outcomes, 00:05:38:07 - 00:06:09:21 Melissa Fahrenbruch Essential skills to help students achieve expected health behavior outcomes, and criteria to help reviewers determine complete list and quality. For the purposes of making decisions about curriculum selection, schools, communities, and other youth serving organizations can turn to CDC's Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool. This resource includes guidance and tools to help carry out clear, complete and consistent analysis of health education curricula. 00:06:10:15 - 00:06:51:14 Melissa Fahrenbruch Specifically, the HECAT includes priority health topics, content and quality standards, healthy behavior outcomes, knowledge expectations, skill expectations, curriculum fundamentals, student assessment, guidance and scoring rubrics. Curriculum coordinators, administrators, teachers and students should also know what healthy behavior outcomes are of most critical importance. What essential content should students know to better achieve expected health behavior outcomes? What essential skills should students be able to do to better achieve expected health behavior outcomes? 00:06:52:10 - 00:07:25:03 Melissa Fahrenbruch How and How to determine success in student Learning, success in students skill acquisition and improve instructional delivery. Polling Question: What is your experience using CDC's Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool? A. This is my first introduction to CDC's HECAT, I've never used it. B. I'm familiar with CDC's HECAT, but do not use it in my work. C. I use CDC's HECAT in my current role. 00:07:25:29 - 00:07:40:15 Melissa Fahrenbruch Or D. I assist others through training or technical assistance in using CDC's HECAT. I will now turn it back over to Leigh to provide information on he features and components. Leigh. 00:07:41:28 - 00:08:15:06 Leigh Szucs Thanks, Mel. Now, let's dove into some key features and components found within CDC's HECAT. As Melissa talked about earlier, let's set the stage for what is the health education curriculum analysis tool. It is CDC's primary evidence informed resource for advancing health education through schools. The HECAT contains process guidance, appraisal tools and resources for carrying out clear, complete and consistent examination of both commercially developed curricula and locally developed curriculum materials. 00:08:15:24 - 00:09:02:03 Leigh Szucs Analysis results can help schools and community leaders select or develop appropriate and effective health education curricula, revise and improve locally developed materials, strengthen the delivery of health education, and improve the ability of health educators to influence healthy behaviors and outcomes among youth. The HECAT aligns with the National Health Education Standards as well as CDC's 15 characteristics of effective health education curriculum. The tool addresses a comprehensive array of health topics, including alcohol and other drugs, food and nutrition, mental and emotional health, personal health and wellness, physical activity, safety, sexual health, tobacco, violence prevention, and comprehensive health education. 00:09:03:17 - 00:09:29:23 Leigh Szucs The HECAT is shaped by guiding principles which help make it relevant and valuable for users, the tool uses current science and research in the practice of health education, including a rigorous analysis and synthesis of the peer reviewed literature and expert feedback from practitioners in the field. Let's highlight a few of the guiding principles found in the HECAT. First, the tool reflects the priority health concerns and issues affecting young people today. 00:09:29:23 - 00:10:01:14 Leigh Szucs It recognizes the need for and encourages parent and community involvement in the review and selection of materials, and it respects local authority in setting health education priorities, determining relevant content, and making curriculum decisions. In addition to the guiding principles, CDC HECAT integrates to commonly used frameworks from the field. First, the National Health Education Standards and the 15 characteristics of effective health education curriculum. 00:10:02:01 - 00:10:52:04 Leigh Szucs Importantly, both the national standards and the characteristics of effective curricula are currently being updated, and CDC will provide updates not only to HECAT, but also to funded partners, schools through resources and other technical assistance materials as they become available. Information about both of these resources can be found on CDC's web pages. HECAT has several intended audiences that could benefit not only from the content but the process, including state, local, territorial or tribal health and education agency staff, curriculum committees, teams, educators at schools, school districts, or even community organizations, youth serving community organizations themselves, institutions of higher education or other pre-service teacher training programs, and commercial curriculum developers. 00:10:54:00 - 00:11:20:23 Leigh Szucs In brief review, HECAT was first published in 2007 and revised again in 2012 following a review of the scientific literature and expert panels. Most recently an updated version of the HECAT was published in the fall of 2021. Throughout each revision, HECAT has reflected current research and scientific evidence in adolescent development and health behavior, as well as up to date health education professional practice. 00:11:21:07 - 00:11:51:00 Leigh Szucs Several individuals and groups have provided extensive feedback throughout HECAT's development and revision including subject matter experts within school health curriculum and instruction, and risk and protective factors research. The updated release of HECAT in 2021 reflects accessibility in two formats as you see displayed here. First, the tool is available as PDFs, downloadable via CDC's Healthy Youth web page. 00:11:51:22 - 00:12:15:17 Leigh Szucs A second interactive online application called HECAT online is also available for users. Together, these multiple formats help improve the quality and accessibility of the HECAT. As part of this overview webinar, we want to talk a little bit about how HECAT is actually organized. The tool has six main chapters, including a table of contents, overview, general 00:12:15:17 - 00:12:48:27 Leigh Szucs instructions, summary forms and scoring cards, curriculum considerations and fundamental assessments and health topic modules. Additionally, the tool includes supporting resources such as appendices and a glossary. Now I'll dive a little deeper into each of these key chapters. In chapter one, General Instruction, the user is guided through a process of how to start a curriculum analysis, how to review and analyze health education curricula, including how to use results to inform curriculum decision making and adoption. 00:12:49:10 - 00:13:19:24 Leigh Szucs There's also additional guidance on using HECAT online to conduct curriculum analyzes and to create scope and sequences for health education. In Chapter two, General Curriculum Information, users are shown 22 unique items to guide the collection of descriptive information about the curriculum, including who developed it, in what year was it published, what topic areas or grade levels is the curriculum designed for or targeting? 00:13:20:24 - 00:14:11:24 Leigh Szucs Although most information can usually be found within the health education curriculum materials, it may be necessary that the user contact the publisher or seek out additional descriptive information via curriculums website. Chapter three, Overall Summary Forms, contain both individual and multiple curriculum scoring forms to help record results from the users curriculum analysis. Chapter four, Preliminary Curriculum Considerations, contains tools to help analyze and score important characteristics of any health education curriculum, including accuracy analysis, which helps rate accuracy of information, acceptability analysis helps rate the appropriateness of the curriculum based on community and school norms and student health needs, 00:14:12:14 - 00:14:40:02 Leigh Szucs feasibility analysis helps determine if the curriculum is feasible to be implemented based on the amount of time and instructional minutes allocated to health education, and the affordability analysis helps the user determine if the curriculum is affordable for the school or school district implementing. Chapter five, Curriculum Fundamentals, contains eight tools to help the user analyze fundamental components of curriculum, including curriculum design, 00:14:40:25 - 00:15:16:06 Leigh Szucs culturally responsive and inclusive characteristics, learning objectives, teacher guidance and preparation, instructional strategies and materials, teaching health education skills, student assessment, promoting healthy norms, as well as continuity and uniformity of comprehensive programing. Chapter six, Overview of Modules, contains ten health topics specific modules as well as a comprehensive module for health education. Each module contains a description of the health topic to be addressed, including the healthy behavior outcomes relevant for the curriculum 00:15:16:06 - 00:15:54:05 Leigh Szucs in that topic area. All modules use the National Health Education Standards or concept standard one as the framework for knowledge expectation analysis. This framework helps determine the extent to which the curriculum is likely to enable students mastery of the essential knowledge and skills that promote healthy behavior. Because school curriculum must meet local community needs and conform to requirements at the state or local level, users are encouraged to review the healthy behavior outcomes, knowledge, expectations, and skill expectations before using any of the health topic modules found in Chapter six. 00:15:55:21 - 00:16:28:19 Leigh Szucs Now that we've provided an overview of the core features of HECAT chapters, guidance and tools, let's talk briefly about how results from a curriculum analysis can be used. There are several ways to summarize and present findings from the user's HECAT analysis, some critical elements to consider during group discussion and decision making include what strengths were found. A strength is an element of the curriculum that closely meets all of the HECAT criteria that Melissa spoke about earlier in the presentation. 00:16:29:12 - 00:17:01:03 Leigh Szucs What weaknesses were noted? A weakness is an element of the curriculum that does not closely match any any or all of the HECAT criteria. For example, within a curriculum, teachers only talk about the skill of goal setting, but students are never provided an opportunity to practice or receive feedback on their skill mastery. What omissions were found? An omission is an element of a curriculum that was missing. Again, based on the criteria or based on priorities or needs of the school community. 00:17:01:23 - 00:17:31:16 Leigh Szucs And lastly, was there anything extra, or were any additional elements noted within the curriculum analysis that should be considered when making decisions about curriculum selection, adoption or implementation? Additionally, after completing the analysis, there are several ways to apply the results to school health education broadly. For example, users might share curricula recommendations to appropriate decision makers such as coordinators, community partners, parents or educators. 00:17:32:13 - 00:18:05:11 Leigh Szucs Results might be used to identify a plan for completing revisions, supplements, or improvements to curriculum, content, activities, or assessments. Users might communicate and disseminate selected curriculum for teacher or facilitator use based on their decisions from the analysis process. And lastly, using the results can help schools and school districts monitor curriculum implementation and conduct periodic assessment to ensure that students health needs are appropriately being addressed through curriculum materials and implementation. 00:18:06:28 - 00:18:10:08 Leigh Szucs And now a passive presentation. Back to Melissa to talk about resources. 00:18:11:03 - 00:18:39:15 Melissa Fahrenbruch Thankfully, in this last section, we will discuss other helpful resources for conducting curriculum analysis. To accompany the HECAT, CDC created a new fact sheet detailing the tools, core features, and forms, intended audiences and information on how to access HECAT online or obtain a copy for use. To learn more about HECAT features, forms, updates and how to use HECAT online, 00:18:39:16 - 00:19:15:05 Melissa Fahrenbruch check out CDC'S HECAT FAQs page. Other curriculum related include CDC's developing a scope and sequence for sexual health education, guidance tool to create a scope and sequence. A scope and sequence is an essential element of a curriculum framework and is intended to serve as a guide for curriculum directors, administrators, teachers, parents, and school board members. A health education scope and sequence outlines the breadth and arrangement of key health topics and concepts across grade levels. 00:19:15:18 - 00:19:47:19 Melissa Fahrenbruch And the logical progression of essential health, knowledge, skills and behaviors to be addressed at each grade level from pre-kindergarten through to 12th grade. CDC developed a pre-service training guide Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool, A Guide for Health Education, Teacher Preparation Programs, and institutions of higher education to help future health education teachers understand how they can improve health instruction and curriculum selection 00:19:47:19 - 00:20:23:14 Melissa Fahrenbruch using the HECAT. The guide and accompanying presentation materials are designed for use by college and university instructors in health and physical education, professional teacher preparation programs. The lessons can be used for upper division undergraduate, pre-service courses that focus on education curricula and instruction, as well as for graduate level health education courses. Everything presented in today's webinar can be found on CDC is Healthy Youth web page. 00:20:24:06 - 00:20:49:03 Melissa Fahrenbruch Additionally, CDC's tools for Healthy Schools offers a e-learning training series about HECAT that overviews key features of the tool and how it can be used. Both web pages and training series offer information about using the HECAT. Check them out today. Now that we've covered HECAT resources and updates, it's time to check your knowledge. 00:20:49:29 - 00:21:25:10 Melissa Fahrenbruch Knowledge Check: HECAT Scenario: You are a member of your school district's newly formed Health Education Curriculum Review Committee. The committee is discussing how to approach this task. You suggest using the Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool. The committee has a lot of questions about HECAT. See if you can answer their questions correctly. Now let's check. Which topic is not addressed in the HECAT? Mental and emotional health, safety, consumer awareness, or sexual health? Correct answer is C. 00:21:25:27 - 00:22:05:01 Melissa Fahrenbruch The HECAT does not address the topic of consumer awareness. Knowledge Check: Select which of the following statements does not accurately describe the HECAT: The HECAT makes federal recommendations and endorsements of curriculum for local districts. HECAT encourages involvement of parents and community members in the curriculum review and recommendations process. HECAT uses science to improve practice or the HECAT aligns curriculum content with the national health education standards the correct answer is A. 00:22:05:01 - 00:22:41:24 Melissa Fahrenbruch The HECAT does not serve as a recommended or endorsement tool for specific curricula to be used by local districts. Knowledge check: your Health Education Curriculum Review Committee, who will review and score possible curriculum might include the following members except: school board members, principals, curriculum directors and teachers, local health department representatives, physical education and school health services representatives, or curriculum developers or curriculum sales representatives. 00:22:43:03 - 00:23:18:17 Melissa Fahrenbruch The correct answer is D. Curriculum developers and curriculum company representatives should not be included in your analysis or scoring process, nor should they be allowed to unduly influence review committee members analyses. Most developers of commercially packaged curricula have a primary interest in selling their product they might be invited to showcase their curriculum materials. For example, scope and sequences, chart showing alignment with the National Health and Standards, but done before the committee starts their review. 00:23:18:17 - 00:23:43:10 Melissa Fahrenbruch Knowledge Check: The Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool should only be used when a school or district is interested in selecting a new health education curriculum. Which of the following is true? The HECAT can be used for more than just selecting a new health ed curriculum, or the HECAT analysis results can help in the selection, development, or enhancement of new or existing packaged health education curriculum. 00:23:44:20 - 00:24:24:02 Melissa Fahrenbruch The correct answer is b. HECAT analysis results can help in the selection, development, or enhancement of new or existing packaged health education curricula used by schools and districts. Knowledge check: If HECAT identifies preliminary considerations that can be used to eliminate some unsuitable curriculum options before investing time in an extensive content review, which of the following is not a preliminary consideration recommended by the HECAT? A. curriculum popularity b. curriculum acceptability C. Curriculum Affordability or D. curriculum accuracy? 00:24:25:24 - 00:24:34:02 Melissa Fahrenbruch The correct answer is A: The HECAT does not include curriculum popularity as one of its preliminary elimination criteria. 00:24:35:03 - 00:24:46:08 Melissa Fahrenbruch This concludes our webinar overviewing CDC's HECAT. If you have questions or need additional assistance, please reach out to CDC. Thank you and be well.