Health Education Instructional Program in Schools in Saudi Arabia

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Introduction

Saudi Arabia’s educational curriculum focuses on the conventional subjects taught in many schools worldwide. In addition to emphasizing on sciences, languages, and mathematics, the curriculum also contains other fields such as history that allow the learners to know the country’s background and world history. However, a few schools have managed to offer additional subjects as well, such as computer classes that can gain some experience useful in the modern age and first aid that can improve the health standards of children (Mobarak, Afifi, & Qulali, 2015). However, the policies formulated from the national level have undermined the importance of integrating first aid education in schools in Saudi Arabia.

First aid education can impart several benefits for Saudi Arabian children. The topic allows the students to gain valuable insights into how to deal with accidents as well as other medical emergencies. For example, many children get injured while playing at the school grounds or home and often require immediate medical attention. In this context, first aid skills will enable the children to offer the appropriate help as they wait for an ambulance. Such intervention can help reduce bleeding and even help resuscitate children who have become unconscious or suffered some cardiac issue (Mobarak et al., 2015). Therefore, first aid as part of the school curriculum will offer valuable skills and information to both the teachers and the students.

The curriculum change will also help formalize first aid practices and raise awareness of different medical emergencies. Children will appreciate the importance of making swift decisions in case of emergencies. For example, they will learn to call an ambulance as soon as they see a serious injury. Both students and teachers will also benefit from the introduction of first aid education by having the ability to treat some minor injuries occurring in the school and home (Mobarak et al., 2015). Therefore, the topic will allow the recipients to save money by not necessitating the attention of doctors in some medical emergencies.

Context of the Issue

Education helps to enhance the quality of life of Saudi Arabia. Alsubaie (2017) indicates that various hazards exist in school and that endangers the welfare of children. The issue of first aid can help children and many other people to offer basic medical care to injured people. They can help students to take care of their wounds before they can consult with experienced medical doctors. The integration of first aid education in the curriculum of Saudi Arabian schools will facilitate healthcare and promote the overall well-being of society.

Definition of Terms

First aid – the earliest medical attention that an individual receives before going to the hospital to mitigate damage.
Curriculum – denotes the instructions and subjects that students receive in school.
CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) – medical procedure for resuscitating unconscious human beings.

Literature Review

Studies have shown that many people around the world lack a basic understanding of first aid. In this regard, De Buck et al. (2015) opined that each year, laypeople offer inappropriate first aid care in about 83.7% of the recorded accidents or emergencies. A survey conducted in the USA in 2013 further showed that only 25% of the people had some clue about hands-only CPR, while only 75% exhibited a willingness to learn about the exercise. Galindo Neto, Caetano, Barros, Silva, and Vasconcelos (2017) revealed that many examined teachers in India lack the necessary first aid skills required in the school environment. According to the author, many accidents have occurred in the school area and that without the help of teachers or students, many individuals often need to wait for long periods of time to get to the hospital.

Several other studies have focused on the issue of first aid in the school curriculum. For instance, Bakke and Schwebs (2017) highlighted that students could benefit from teachers’ knowledge on first aid. The authors indicate that the lack of CPR mannequins and other materials act as a significant hindrance to teachers intending to acquire the skills. Therefore, the development of a curriculum requires the acquisition of the appropriate tools to educate children.

Evidence has shown that the use of first aid education can help in improving the lives of children. Ammirati, Gagnayre, Amsallem, Némitz, and Gignon (2014) conducted a survey of 285 pupils selected from different schools. This study included 140 pupils who had received first aid training. The researchers noted that the majority of trained pupils showed excellent response to emergencies. Hence, the study pointed out that students with knowledge in first aid could have the ability to replicate the skills in real life.

Theoretical Framework

Theory of Cognitive Development

The theory of cognitive development proposed by Lev Vygotsky (Vygotsky, 1980) highlights the importance of socialization in learning. Vygotsky indicates that learning among children initially occurs through social interaction with other people. The Russian scholar noted the cognitive development of children flourishes when they interact in social contexts and observe adults socializing. The insight helps to show the significance of socialization in learning and thus will help in the pedagogy of first aid Saudi Arabia (Vygotsky, 1980). The theory of cognitive development asserts that teachers should strive to engage the students in practical demonstrations in addition to delivering theoretical knowledge (Paas, Renkl, & Sweller, 2016).

Social Learning Theory

The social learning theory highlights that human beings learn through observation. The school of thought developed by Albert Bandura shows that individuals develop new habits by watching the conduct of other people (Bandura & Walters, 1977). For example, children can learn about violence by watching violent movies. The theoretical framework provides the basis for developing a curriculum that allows youngsters to learn through observation and imitation. It can enable educators to effectively teach first aid processes to students (Bandura & Walters, 1977). Thus, the approach indicates that schools should procure CPR mannequins to facilitate first aid learning.

Behaviorism

The school of thought of behaviorism likely started with B.F. Skinner (1985). Skinner focused on the ideas of operant conditioning. The theory highlights that students learn through the association of stimuli and responses. The school of thought shows that children can behave differently depending on environmental factors or context. The approach indicates that teachers can educate students through the use of emergency drills to incorporate practical skills (Skinner, 1985). The tactic will enable the learners to respond appropriately in cases of emergencies.

Cognitive Learning Theory

The cognitive learning theory emphasizes that learning occurs through the internal processing of information. The school of thought is attributable to the Swiss scholar, Jean Piaget. The approach shows that children usually learn regardless of the influence of external stimuli. Piaget (1964) indicates that in many cases, children learn through the internalization of concepts learned or observed in the real world. Thus, the approach shows that teachers can use analogies, real-world examples, or associating first aid procedures with known experiences to promote learning in the classroom. The perspective shows that educators should provide children with an opportunity to internalize huge chunks of information (Piaget, 1964). The application of the theory will promote thinking and improve the understanding of first aid mechanisms.

Objectives

The new curriculum will aim to enhance knowledge of first aid care among students and teachers in Saudi Arabia. The schools will need to monitor the progress of students by recording instances where the young adults have used the information in practical scenarios. The schools will also need to acquire appropriate tools in order to enhance student learning in the subject (Tomal, Schilling, & Trybus, 2013). Lastly, as per the new curriculum, teachers will strive to apply the transformational style of leadership to promote learning in the school environment.

Integration of Health Education in the Curriculum

Convening a Curriculum Development Committee

The implementation of a new curriculum will require the approval and involvement of all the stakeholders in the school, namely, teachers, students, and board members, in order to determine whether it addresses the concerns of students and teachers. The process of developing the instructional program and changing the school curriculum will commence with the creation of a steering committee that will consist of the school principal, three board members, five teacher, and ten students (Tomal et al., 2013). The committee will also help set the vision, which will involve the change of the curriculum to include first aid education.

Identifying Key Issues and Trends in the Specific Content Area

The steering committee will establish questionnaires for the students and teachers in the school. The tools will help to derive the opinions of the individuals pertaining to the subject of first aid in the education system. The data collected will highlight the attitudes and values of the stakeholders and help in creating a robust curriculum. For example, the questionnaires will help to show whether the teachers and students have experienced accidents within the premises. They will show how the new program will impact on the education (Tomal et al., 2013). Therefore, the answers provided in the questionnaires will depict the existing views and attitudes towards the topic before the steering committee implements the program.

Needs Assessment

The rising cases of school accidents have highlighted the need for making first aid a necessary part of the school curriculum. Alsubaie (2017) shows that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contains around six million individuals under the age of 18 that spend a lot of time in school. The author shows that the average child in the country spends around 6-8 hours in school. Alsubaie (2017) shows that many accidents have occurred in schools in Saudi Arabia that have left several children and teachers injured and dead. For example, in 2002, fourteen girls died while trying to escape a fire at their school.

A six-year-old child was also found dead in the school bus after all the other children disembarked. In another incident that occurred in 2014, a fire occurred in Jazan city and injured three girls that received medical treatment in the hospital. In all the cases, the individuals nearby did not provide any recorded first aid care that would mitigate the injuries. The cases have shown the importance of creating a curriculum that can aid to provide the teachers and students with skills and the knowledge to cope with emergencies.

The needs assessment will include interviews with students and teachers alike. The interviews will provide a broader picture of the issue of first aid education and aim to show whether the stakeholders view the topic as an essential component of education. These interviews will likely reveal other details related to the experience of teachers and students, especially regarding accidents within the school premises (Tomal et al., 2013). These interviews and questionnaires will reveal some of the changes needed to create a new curriculum.

The committee will also conduct research on the prevalence of accidents within the school premises. The institution keeps records of emergencies that have occurred since inception. The analysis of the response of teachers and students will reflect the first aid knowledge levels in the school. In most cases, teachers and students rely on the expertise of the medical officers to deal with the injuries, which, in turn, underpins the need to introduce first aid education (Tomal et al., 2013). The information will form the basis for the formulation of the new curriculum.

Articulating and Developing the Instructional Program

Articulating Program Philosophy

The program will stem from the need to improve healthcare safety in Saudi Arabia. The instructional program will apply the vision of “improving the safety of children and adults in and out of school using first aid knowledge.” The philosophy will help to show the relevance of the subject in the school curriculum in Saudi Arabia. The vision set will also show the practical goals of introducing the studies in the institution.

Defining Program, Grade-Level, and Course Goals

For teachers, the instruction program will seek to show the appropriate ways of teaching students about first aid. The results from the surveys, interviews, and questionnaires conducted will highlight the extent to which the teaching staff will receive training. These training sessions will also involve experts from the healthcare system and other individuals who have specialized in the area. Subsequently, the instructional program will require teachers to use different tactics while teaching the subject. Theoretical perspectives have shown that human beings can learn through various methods (Tomal et al., 2013). Thus, the use of a multifaceted approach will aid these teachers to maximize on first aid education.

Developing and Sequencing of Grade-Level and Course Objectives

The first aid classes will have different learning objectives. Students learning the subject in the first year will require to know all the theoretical aspects of the topic, such as the identification of seizures, heart attacks, convulsions, and internal bleeding. The reason for it is that theoretical knowledge will assist the students in determining the appropriate first aid procedures to apply in case of emergencies. The teachers will determine the learning outcomes of the learners through the use of standardized tests. The rationale for this is that the standardized tests will aid to show whether the students have grasped the basic concepts of first aid.

Moreover, the tests will help the teachers to assess whether they should expose young adults to practical scenarios. Subsequent grades will receive practical training on first aid. The teachers will show some of the ways to deal with emergencies and other accidents. In addition, they will show the appropriate ways of handling injuries in case students will encounter such a situation (Tomal et al., 2013). Eventually, the teachers can use performance-based assessments at the end of the course to determine the practical skills of the learners. Such a step will help educators to assess whether students are prepared to possible emergencies.

Identifying Resource Materials to Assist with Program Implementation

Lastly, the instructional program will require resources that it can utilize. For this purpose, the steering committee will need to assess the human resource available within the institution. The human resources will entail the staff members creating extra time for the new lessons. It will also involve experts with credible knowledge in first aid. The experts will help train both the teachers and the students. Meanwhile, the committee will assess the availability of funds in the school (Tomal et al., 2013). The instruction program will require the money to hire new teachers as well as to equip the school with the appropriate first aid apparatus.

Developing Instruments to Measure Student Progress

The steering committee will set a feedback box where the students and teachers will deposit their opinions/concerns on the new curriculum. The approach will allow the stakeholders to highlight some of the challenges facing the program. Teachers will then extend the standardized tests on first aid to the other subjects (Tomal et al., 2013). However, practical tests will entail the use of mock accidents to gauge the practical knowledge of the students.

Implementation

Putting the New Program into Practice

As the teachers avail appropriate training, the school will also need to acquire the necessary equipment to facilitate first aid teaching. The school will then organize a pilot program whereby the committee will assess the performance of both the students and educators in the first year. This steering committee will monitor the progress of the teachers through observation and the development of feedback mechanisms to reveal some of the issues associated with the topic. The steering committee will also receive the views of students to determine their perceived importance of the subject (Tomal et al., 2013). Student feedback will highlight whether or not the teachers have the requisite skills to support the program.

Evaluation

Updating the Program

Upon the completion of the pilot program, the steering committee will evaluate the feasibility of the curriculum change. It will make some improvements to the program depending on the feedback of teachers and students. The modifications will help enhance the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of first aid education in the school curriculum (Tomal, Schilling & Trybus, 2013). The updates will occasionally occur to keep the curriculum in line with other schools or international standards.

Determining the Success of the Program

Subsequently, the committee will assess the success of the program by keeping records of responses to accidents as well as other emergencies within the school premises. The committee will subsequently highlight the success of the program by evaluating the scores on standardized tests. However, the committee will mark long-term success by monitoring the practical applications of the knowledge gained in school (Tomal et al., 2013).

Leadership Style

The program will rely on the transformational leadership style. The transformation leadership style involves the use of a vision to transform the attitudes, values, and practices of individuals. It requires the presence of a leader that can inspire change through example or by indicating the importance of a specific goal. Saudi Arabia relies on the autocratic model of leadership as witnessed by the monarchical form of government and the strict adherence to Sharia law.

Therefore, many teachers and students may comply with the new program without appreciating the essence of the project. The transformational style will ensure that the participants willingly engage in first aid knowledge to improve the healthcare standards in school and society. It will allow the learners to acknowledge the importance of first aid in society and promote the values of the subject (Tomal et al., 2013). The leadership style will allow the steering committee to follow the objectives of the instruction program with passion, and that will create a strong foundation for the curriculum.

The transformational type of leadership will allow the students and teachers to change the view of first aid education in society. It will help to inspire the students to become social advocates for first aid knowledge. The inspiration attained from transformational leadership will change the way in which Saudi Arabians view first aid education and promote the development of policies that support the program (Tomal et al., 2013). Therefore, it will help to achieve the curriculum goals and objectives in the long-term.

Quality Components in Building an Integrative Instructional Program

The school will strive to improve the quality of the instructional program by focusing on various factors, for example, it will aim to structure the content of the subject in a systematic and procedural way so as to avoid confusion. Educators will aim to focus on the key concepts of first aid at the start of teaching. They could also emphasize the history and significance of the topic in society. The approach will allow the students to pay attention to the subsequent classes.

The stakeholders will then improve the quality of the instructional program by focusing on the depth of the subject rather than its breadth. They should also provide the students with an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in various contexts so that they can gain practical experience. Furthermore, the curriculum should establish interdisciplinary connections to enhance the understanding of learners. On their part, the teachers should relate first aid to concepts learned in science or home science (Bakke & Schwebs, 2017). Lastly, the teachers will need to develop simulations that can allow younger students to grasp the steps required in first aid.

Assessment

The school will conduct assessments to ensure that the instructional program succeeds. The steering committee will conduct initial assessments using the data obtained from questionnaires and interviews on the students and teachers. The information obtained from research will allow the board to determine the number of resources required to integrate first aid education to the curriculum.

For instance, the information obtained will assist the committee in planning for the recruitment and training of the staff members to ensure that they have a firm grasp of the pedagogy related with first aid education. It will also equip the teachers with the practical skills to operate mannequins and other tools used in the studies (Kolomitro, Inglese, & Idzikowski, 2017). Hence, the data will form a critical aspect of assessment exercises.

The steering committee will conduct another assessment on the teaching methods used by the teachers in the school. First aid education will combine both theoretical and practical aspects. The educators will need to use the concepts learned from social learning theory, behaviorism, and cognitive development school of thought. The committee will highlight whether the teachers apply any of the techniques learned from the theories in the other subjects. The assessment will aid to show whether the staff members will need further training in first aid to align with the instructional program (Kolomitro et al., 2017). The assessment will show the level of skills attributable to the teachers and how much professional development will assist in the achievement of the goals of the curriculum change.

The steering committee will take the lead in determining the availability of time and tools for the new subject. The school contains a full schedule that accommodates existing subjects being taught in Saudi Arabia. The assessment will provide information on how the school can create more time for the new topic without disrupting learning. It will rely on history to show how the school manages to change their schedule to accommodate new areas of learning. Further, the assessment will highlight some of the tools available for first aid education. First aid education takes a practical approach and therefore, will require equipment such as CPR mannequins and first aid kits (Kolomitro et al., 2017). This analysis will enable the committee to determine the amount of money required to create the appropriate infrastructure.

Lastly, the committee will set periodical assessments to determine the quality of education offered by the teachers. The success of the instructional program will be contingent on the provision of systematic and practical knowledge to the students. It will assess the students’ performance during the first term of implementation. It will then compare the performances to other areas of study in order to show the instructional program’s efficacy (Kolomitro et al., 2017). Poor results will suggest that the school may need to modify the instruction program, while good results will highlight success.

Rationale for the Design

The design stems from the vision of “improving the safety of children and adults within and outside of the school boundary using first aid knowledge.” The vision will allow the school to integrate first aid education into the school curriculum. It also reveals the goal of improving the welfare of the students and teachers within the school premises and enhancing the safety of Saudi Arabians (Ali, 2018). Thus, the design of the instructional program aims to improve first aid knowledge that will help enhance the quality of life in Saudi Arabia.

The design relies on a steering committee to promote a democratic decision-making approach. This committee, which forms a vital component of the program’s implementation, will include all the stakeholders of the school, and illuminate the fact that the instruction program will obtain the support of teachers, students, and board members. The steering committee will also have individuals dealing with resource management in the school, which, in turn, shows that they will provide information on whether or not the instruction program will receive funding (Ali, 2018).

The use of qualitative research methods in assessing the needs of the teachers and students will help highlight some of the expectations of recipients. The use of questionnaires will show the first aid awareness among the students and teachers, as well as the frequency of accidents within the school premises. The tactic will help to determine the level of first aid knowledge, which, in turn, will help train teachers and set milestones for the curriculum. The interviews will highlight the opinions of the teachers and students regarding the topic (AlYahya et al., 2019) as well as some of the challenges that could potentially face the instructional program.

The design contains the components of the review. The analysis of the instructional program’s progress will make improvements in the first aid education in the school. The reviews may highlight some problems associated with the new curriculum. They will provide an opportunity for the committee to improve the system and enhance student learning outcomes (Ali, 2018). Therefore, updating the program will allow the school to create a robust first aid subject in the school.

Conclusion

In summation, it can be said that the schools in Saudi Arabia do need the introduction of first aid in the school curriculum. This is because children in schools may experience accidents that require immediate medical attention. In this regard, the literature review has shown that many students and teachers lack the requisite skills to attend to the emergencies, which, in turn, generally leads to deaths and aggravation of injuries.

Therefore, the introduction of first aid education in my school curriculum will help increase the safety of bother educators and students in the institution. The instructional program will have a specific vision that will lead to the achievement of the set objectives. The formation of the steering committee will facilitate the planning and implementation of the subject by preparing questionnaires and interviews to highlight the needs of teachers and students and assessing the available resources. Subsequently, periodical assessments will assist reveal the progress of first aid education in the school and help ensure that the institutional meets the required teaching standards.

References

Ali, L. (2018). The design of curriculum, assessment, and evaluation in higher education with constructive alignment. Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, 5(1), 72-78.

Alsubaie, A. S. (2017). School safety and emergency preparedness in Saudi Arabia: a call for effective action. International journal of research in medical sciences, 5(4), 1176-1179.

AlYahya, I. A., Almohsen, H. A., AlSaleem, I. A., Al-Hamid, M. M., Arafah, A. M., Al Turki, Y. A.,… Alkharfi, M. A. (2019). Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice about first aid among male school teachers and administrators in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(2), 684-688.

Ammirati, C., Gagnayre, R., Amsallem, C., Némitz, B., & Gignon, M. (2014). Are schoolteachers able to teach first aid to children younger than 6 years? A comparative study. BMJ Open, 4(9). Web.

Bakke, H. K., & Schwebs, R. (2017). First‐aid training in school: Amount, content and hindrances. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 61(10), 1361-1370.

De Buck, E., Van Remoortel, H., Dieltjens, T., Verstraeten, H., Clarysse, M., Moens, O., & Vandekerckhove, P. (2015). Evidence-based educational pathway for the integration of first aid training in school curricula. Resuscitation, 94, 8-22.

Galindo Neto, N. M., Caetano, J. Á., Barros, L. M., Silva, T. M. D., & Vasconcelos, E. M. R. D. (2017). First aid in schools: Construction and validation of an educational booklet for teachers. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 30(1), 87-93.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1980). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-hall.

Kolomitro, K., Inglese, J., & Idzikowski, M. (2017). Curriculum design handbook. Web.

Mobarak, A. S., Afifi, R. M., & Qulali, A. (2015). First aid knowledge and attitude of secondary school students in Saudi Arabia. Health, 7(10), 1366-1378.

Tomal, D. R., Schilling, C. A., & Trybus, M. (2013). Leading school change: Maximizing resources for school improvement. Lanham, MD: R&L Education.

Paas, F., Renkl, A., & Sweller, J. (Eds.). (2016). Cognitive load theory: A special issue of educational psychologist. Abingdon-on-Thames, England: Routledge.

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