Teacher Competencies in Health Education 

We just came across this study on Teacher Competencies in Health Education (2015) which we find very interesting and, as usual, we want to repurpose, simplify, make it into a list and then a game!

The aim of this research study was to identify the core competencies for health education teachers in supporting the development of health literacy among their students.

I like this introduction which hopefully will inspire you to follow the link and keep reading…

Defining the teacher’s role in health education is complex. It lies at the intersection between the private and public domains and is related to behavioural issues that are determined culturally. Teachers have many priorities including building literacy and numeracy skills; scientific and artistic competencies; societal, historical and cultural dimensions. They are also expected to provide the means for students to succeed. With these many priorities it is not always easy for teachers to have a clear view of their contribution to the promotion of health and well-being in schools.

Lack of coherent conceptualisation of the competencies required for health education teachers further exacerbates this complexity. The competencies identified by the expert panel, can be categorised into three domains: knowledge, skills and attitudes (see the diagram). However, the authors suggest that how these competencies are achieved and operationalised in the school context can be quite complex, multi-faceted and at times overlapping.