Description of a process evaluation model for nutrition education computer-assisted instruction programs

Computers have been promoted as a tool to facilitate learning. Subsequently , health education software programs have been developed, but few of these programs have been evaluated. Little is known about, how students use or le arn from computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Qualitative research methods are needed to reveal the critical issues related to CAI in nutrition educat ion and establish the direction for future research. The purpose of this pa per is to describe a process evaluation model that was used to test a nutri tion education CAI program for middle school students. The specific outcome that was measured was learning. Learning was assessed by changes in studen ts' cognitive structures of basic nutrition concepts included in the progra m. Concept maps were used to represent students' cognitive structure and we re constructed from data collected by semistructured interviews with childr en before and after they completed the program. Context was defined by stud ents' interaction with the computer and with other students. There data wer e collected by observation and analyzed by grounded theory methods. The val ue of the model is in the integration of measurements of change and context . Together, change and context provide a dynamic, continuous, and inductive evaluation of the learning process and the effectiveness of a nutrition ed ucation program.