Thesis (PhD (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Various enabling factors are required to incorporate technology in teaching and learning, moving towards a more learner-centred approach. Although efforts are being made to address the situation, the effective incorporation of ICT is not yet the norm in African higher education institutions (HEI). Data is available regarding the situation in African HEI, but very little is known about the situation of nutrition training. This research programme was divided into three phases. Phase I, assessment of the current use, awareness, attitudes and practices of ICT in nutrition training followed a descriptive, cross-sectional approach. A convenience sample of six HEI in South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe was included. Data were collected from students (N = 591) and lecturing staff (N = 29) in nutrition-related courses using a questionnaire on ICT awareness, attitude and practices. Phase II, development and validation of a purpose-designed e-learning nutrition module followed a descriptive, cross-sectional approach. An e-learning module on Nutrition and HIV/AIDS with eleven sub-modules was developed, using an e-learning platform taking the specific constraints of developing countries into account. It was validated by expert reviewers (N = 27) for content validity and students (N = 175) for face validity. Phase III, to determine the impact of the module on cognitive knowledge followed an experimental before-after approach and used a set of twenty True/False questions for eight of the sub-modules (N = 173). Although there is widespread accessibility to computers, less so to the internet, in nutrition-related courses at Southern African HEI, respondents still felt that more computers should be made available. Computers are not fast enough and lack of finances is the main barrier to home and internet access. Students rate their ICT skills as average to good. Institutional ICT policies and support seem to be lacking, but their attitude to ICT is positive and supportive. Respondents felt that ICT could add a new dimension to nutrition training and are in favour of application of ICT in different modes. Most indicate that the current use of ICT in nutrition training is inadequate. The Nutrition in HIV/AIDS module was validated and found to be useful as an educational tool, being user-friendly, interactive and self-paced. The majority of students reported that their ICT skills were sufficient to complete the e-learning activity. Although generally rated as at least as effective, or more effective than conventional lectures, clearly this mode of elearning should not replace traditional teaching. The content was found to be comprehensive and evidence-based. The depth of the content was sufficient, the level correct for undergraduates and the material relevant to the Southern African context. The interactivity was deemed important, helpful and effective. Most students indicated that they would recommend the Nutrition in HIV/AIDS module to other students, that they enjoyed the presentation and learnt something new. There was an improvement in knowledge scores and/or the number of questions being answered correctly in all but one sub-module. The results confirm previous studies indicating that well-designed elearning modules have the potential to increase the performance of students.

There is a lack of treatment guidelines for how to address the impact of nutrition on clients’ mental health. Prior research is limited regarding psychologists’ practices of nutrition counseling and has mostly focused on practices of dieticians and medical doctors. The purpose of this study was to examine psychologists’ beliefs and attitudes about nutrition counseling, amount of training and use of nutrition counseling, self-rated knowledge in the use of nutrition counseling and perceived benefits and barriers to using nutrition counseling. Data was collected using an online survey of 76 licensed psychologists’ training in nutrition and use of nutrition counseling. Findings show that most of the psychologists talk to their clients about nutrition, nearly half report using nutrition counseling, but few received training in nutrition while in graduate school. A statistically significant difference was found between those who use nutrition counseling and those who do not regarding self-reported knowledge, belief about therapy, benefit of outcome, importance of nutrition in the context of mental health, importance of discussing nutrition with clients and confidence as a barrier to using nutrition counseling in practice. A statistically significant difference was found between those who have training in nutrition and those who do not regarding self-reported knowledge, benefit of outcome, and importance of discussing nutrition with clients. The relationship between use of nutrition counseling and training in nutrition was statistically significant. As might be expected, a larger proportion of those who have training in nutrition use nutrition counseling than the proportion of those without training. The result highlights the need for a collaborative approach to client care. Psychologists reported several themes, including need for more training and guidelines for psychologists’ use of nutrition counseling.

Contexte: Depuis 1985, l’Association des services de garde en milieu scolaire du Québec (ASGEMSQ) a pour principale mission de veiller à l’amélioration de la qualité des services de garde des écoles québécoises afin que chaque enfant puisse évoluer dans un milieu de qualité, respectueux de son bien-être et de son développement. En partenariat avec Québec en forme, l’ASGEMSQ joint sa voix au vaste mouvement d’initiatives favorisant l’adoption de saines habitudes de vie et a amorcé des actions menant au développement d'un environnement favorable à une saine alimentation et à l'activité physique dans les services de garde en milieu scolaire. À cette fin, les responsables des services de garde en milieu scolaire y exercent un rôle déterminant. Objectif: Les objectifs principaux de ce mémoire sont d’étudier des perceptions des responsables des services de garde en milieu scolaire du Québec à l’égard du contexte des repas et des facteurs liés à son déroulement ainsi que d'identifier leurs besoins de formation en nutrition. Méthodologie: À l’automne 2014, un sondage électronique fut envoyé aux 1 655 responsables des services de garde en milieu scolaire du Québec. Des statistiques descriptives et des tests de chi-carré furent menés (SPSS, version 17.01). Résultats: Un total de 624 réponses fut analysé, donnant un taux de réponse de 38%. Le contexte du repas semble être un moment relativement agréable pour la majorité des enfants et du personnel éducateur. Différents obstacles ont une relation statistiquement significative avec la perception générale du contexte du repas comme étant agréable pour la majorité des enfants tels que le non-respect des consignes de la part des parents à l’égard du contenu de la boîte à lunch, le rythme personnel selon lequel les enfants s’alimentent, la nécessité d’encadrer adéquatement des enfants ayant des besoins spéciaux, le non-respect du code de vie de l’école par les enfants, et l’attitude générale du personnel. Les résultats démontrent un intérêt considérable de la part du personnel éducateur pour différentes formations en nutrition. De plus, l'intérêt pour certains thèmes de formation a une relation statistiquement significative avec certains obstacles liés au bon déroulement du repas et certaines caractéristiques du milieu. Conclusion: Les données confirment le besoin d’outiller la main d’œuvre et de maintenir des partenariats avec l’école et les parents pour que le repas en milieu scolaire soit agréable. Le service de garde en milieu scolaire primaire est un milieu à documenter. Il constitue un milieu de vie fréquenté quotidiennement par la majorité des enfants. Avec la collaboration des responsables des services, des directions d’école et des parents, des interventions peuvent être planifiées pour en faire un milieu propice à l’adoption de saines habitudes de vie. Ce portrait des contextes de repas dans les écoles primaires du Québec s’inscrit dans la volonté de comprendre les environnements alimentaires pour en faire des milieux favorables à l’adoption de saines habitudes de vie. / Context: Since 1985, the main objective of the Association des services de garde en milieu scolaire du Québec (ASGEMSQ) has been to improve the quality of child care services in schools so that each child could develop in an environment that contributes to its well-being and growth. In partnership with Québec en forme, ASGEMSQ joined a national movement searching to promote healthy lifestyles and initiated actions leading to the development of environment conductive to healthy eating and physical activities in school child care services. To this end, child care providers definitively play a decisive role. Objective: The main objectives of this research are to study the perceptions of school-age child care providers in Quebec with regards to the meal period and the factors that may impair its development, as well as to identify their training needs in nutrition. Methodology: During fall 2014, an electronic survey was sent to 1655 child care providers from Quebec schools. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were conducted (SPSS, version 17.01). Results: In total, 624 responses were obtained, a 38% response rate. The meal context appears to be a relatively pleasant moment for the majority of children and educators. Different obstacles had statistically significant relationship with the perception of the meal context as being enjoyable for the majority of children, namely failure from parents to comply with instructions regarding lunch box content, children personal eating pace, the need to appropriately support children with special needs, non-compliance to the school code of conduct and the general attitude of the school's staff. The results show considerable interest from child care providers in various nutrition training activities. Moreover, specific training themes have a statistically significant relationship with obstacles related to a favorable meal context and to certain characteristics of the environment likely to impact them. Conclusion: The data confirm training needs and the importance to support partnerships with school and parents so that the meal context represents enjoyable moments. Elementary school day care is an environment to be documented. It constitutes a living environment that a majority of children experiment on a daily base. In collaboration with child-care center managers, school principals and parents, actions can be planned to create environments that support the adoption of healthy lifestyles. This transversal study conducted in Quebec's elementary schools contributed to the study on the importance of the environments on overall healthy lifestyles.