project saw significant benefits in engaging with learning and assessment opportunities that were embedded in local, real-life contexts. 5. As the theoretical approaches underpinning the design and implementation of the health literacy unit were explicitly designed to encourage student (Begoray et al., 2009), students and teachers alike registered their surprise at the knowledge, skills and resources that young people had access to and could utilise in their efforts to enhance their own, and most significantly, other’s health and wellbeing. Interestingly, not many students felt the unit would influence their own health behaviours, but overwhelmingly they felt that this unit allowed them to help others change their health behaviours. Indigo SHS students stated they were not particularly concerned about their grades for the unit, but were pleased to have the knowledge to help family and friends, and get it [health messages] out ‘to there to a lot of people’ (Jesse, student, Indigo SHS). actually got into this work because it was going towards helping others. The other work in ‘I other class the physical education classes was more about you being healthy and stuff like that. It – didn’t really tell us about helping others and stuff like that.’ (Alexander, student, Indigo SHS). Students across all school believed they had gained practical strategies to help others and reported feeling more confident to give advice to friends and family: [Excerpt: Indigo SHS student focus group transcript] Facilitator: So you feel now that through your research you feel you'd be able to help others with the questions they have? Alexander: Yes. Facilitator: Have you done any of that? Have you told anybody or have you changed anything yourself? Alexander: I've spoken to three people about it. Facilitator: Have you? Alexander: Yeah - three of my friends because they get teased a bit about their weight because they're big boys as well. So yeah I've spoken to them about it. Facilitator: You just told them about them or did you give them some website addresses or what did you do?
project saw significant benefits in engaging with learning and assessment opportunities that were embedded in local, real-life contexts. 5. As the theoretical approaches underpinning the design and implementation of the health literacy unit were explicitly designed to encourage student (Begoray et al., 2009), students and teachers alike registered their surprise at the knowledge, skills and resources that young people had access to and could utilise in their efforts to enhance their own, and most significantly, other’s health and wellbeing. Interestingly, not many students felt the unit would influence their own health behaviours, but overwhelmingly they felt that this unit allowed them to help others change their health behaviours. Indigo SHS students stated they were not particularly concerned about their grades for the unit, but were pleased to have the knowledge to help family and friends, and ‘to get it [health messages] out there to a lot of people’ (Jesse, student, Indigo SHS). ‘I actually got into this work because it was going towards helping others. The other work in other class – the physical education classes was more about you being healthy and stuff like that. It didn’t really tell us about helping others and stuff like that.’ (Alexander, student, Indigo SHS). Students across all school believed they had gained practical strategies to help others and reported feeling more confident to give advice to friends and family: [Excerpt: Indigo SHS student focus group transcript] Facilitator: So you feel now that through your research you feel you'd be able to help others with the questions they have? Alexander: Yes. Facilitator: Have you done any of that? Have you told anybody or have you changed anything yourself? Alexander: I've spoken to three people about it. Facilitator: Have you? Alexander: Yeah - three of my friends because they get teased a bit about their weight because they're big boys as well. So yeah I've spoken to them about it. Facilitator: You just told them about them or did you give them some website addresses or what did you do?