Assessing knowledge and skills retention of junior high school students on food safety lessons using modified Kirkpatrick's model

Abstract

All junior high school (JHS) students are consumers of food, and as consumers, they have a role in preventing foodborne diseases (FBD) by properly preparing and handling of food. However, food safety is not integrated in the Philippine curriculum. Due to this gap, this study validated food safety lessons (FSLs) and determined if these educational materials enhanced retention of knowledge and skills among JHS students using the modified Kirkpatrick's Model of Learning Evaluation (KMLE) where testing was done immediately after training, and repeated after 4, 8, 12, and 24 months later. There were 174 purposively selected participants in this study. Researcher-developed instruments which obtained a reliability coefficient index were used to gather data. Descriptive statistics, Cohen and Fleiss Kappa, and parametric test were performed to treat data. Results showed that the FSLs obtained a weighted mean of 1.12 ± 1.03 that signifies high validity with κ = 0.96 at p < .05. The FSLs were found to significantly increase knowledge and skills immediately after the 20-h training ( t = 75.05, p < .05), and also after 4 months ( t = 81.93, p < .05), 8 months ( t = 46.08, p < .05), 12 months ( t = 40.45, p < .05), and 24 months ( t = 93.33, p < .05). The participants' testimonies supported these results. There was also a significant difference ( t = 2.74, p < .05) between the participants' laboratory performance 12 months and 24 months after training. These results indicate that the FSLs were effective in helping JHS students retain knowledge and skills on food safety. The use of the validated FSLs can remedy the non-integration of food safety education (FSED) in the curriculum. Furthermore, students were provided with food safety knowledge and skills that are based on accepted international standards. • At present, there are no food safety lessons (FSLs) in the Philippine curriculum. • The developed FSLs are valid in terms of their essential characteristics. • FSLs are effective in helping junior high school students retain knowledge. • Teachers' observations reported that FSLs can improve skills on food safety. • It is important for FSLs to be integrated in the Philippine K to 12 Curriculum.