Pupils’ views on an ICT-based learning environment in health learning

Abstract

This paper presents a study that examined pupils’ views on an ICT-based learning environment in health learning. The study was a part of the wider European Network of Health Promoting Schools programme (ENHPS; since 2008, Schools for Health in Europe, SHE) in Finland, and particularly its sub-project, From Puijo to the World with Health Lunch, which sought to renew secondary schools’ health education by developing and utilising an ICT-based learning environment. The research data were collected through a structured questionnaire presented to pupils (N = 92) in two secondary schools, one rural and one urban, in Eastern Finland. The results showed that pupils’ opinions about the ICT-based learning environment were fairly positive. Pupils felt that the ICT-based learning environment was easy to use and supported cooperative learning. Computing and Internet skills positively supported pupils’ favourable attitudes towards the ICT-based learning environment. An interesting result from the point of view of e-learning was that the pupils increased their awareness of how to critically evaluate health information found on the Internet.