Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions and Experiences Implementing CATCH My Breath

• Published in: American journal of health education 2023-01, Vol.54 (1), p.20-28
• Main Authors: Moosbrugger, Michelle, Losee, Timothy M., González-Toro, Christie M., Drewson, Staci R., Stapleton, Peter J., Ladda, Shawn, Cucina, Irene
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Barriers; Careers; Collaboration; Core curriculum; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Curriculum Implementation; Education; Educational Practices; Effectiveness; Electronic Equipment; Evidence Based Practice; Focus Groups; Health Behavior; Health Education; Instructional Effectiveness; Interviews; Mastery Learning; Physical Education; Physical Education Teachers; Preservice Teacher Education; Preservice Teachers; Prevention; Program Implementation; Qualitative research; Research design; Secondary School Students; Smoking; Student Attitudes; Student Teaching; Teacher education; Teacher Education Programs; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Improvement; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Teaching Skills; Vaping
• ISSN: 1932-5037; 2168-3751
• DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2022.2142336

Vaping among American secondary students is increasing. School-based health education is well positioned to deliver messaging about the dangers of vaping and to develop refusal skills. CATCH My Breath (CMB) is an evidence-based vaping prevention curriculum that provides resources to create and sustain healthy behaviors. Given inherent challenges during the induction stage of career socialization, pre-service and beginning health and physical educators may experience heightened teaching efficacy by delivering prepackaged curriculum. Investigate health and physical education pre-service teachers' perceptions of and experiences with implementing the CMB curriculum. Basic qualitative research design was utilized to determine perceptions of 12 pre-service teachers from two teacher education programs in the eastern United States. Pre-service teachers completed semi-structured focus group interviews. Themes emerged from a detailed analysis: (a) mastery experiences, (b) support, (c) resources, (d) health education impact, (e) collaborate and lead, and (f) challenges. By implementing the curriculum, participants gained teaching efficacy and reported likelihood for future selection of prepackaged units. Translation to Health Education Practice: Implementing evidence-based prepackaged curricula into PETE/HETE programs aligned with teacher education standards supports collaboration and reflection within the student teaching triad which may increase teaching efficacy of pre-service teachers.