Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The PA IPM program partnered with Better Kid Care (BKC) to create the Healthy Air plus Healthy Spaces equals Healthy Children (H3) module which explores the connections between children's health and indoor environments for childcare facilities. It covers Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and green cleaning and includes an instructor manual with script, a PowerPoint presentation, activities, handouts and an evaluation. It's designed for Extension Educators to deliver to childcare staff. To promote the module, we delivered one webinar to 16 Extension Educators in PA and a second webinar hosted by the Iowa State University for CYFERnet (Children, Youth, and Families Education and Research Network). One hundred-four individuals across the country participated in this webinar which provided information on IPM and how to use the module. We evaluated this webinar using SurveyMonkey. We traveled to Maryland to give a train-the-trainer workshop on using the module to Extension Educators in Maryland. Three online, on demand modules were developed from the H3 module. Two of the modules are completed with the third near completion. The first module, Healthy Child Care Environments: Pest Prevention Using IPM was launched in the online system in May 2012. This lesson explores the connection between children's health and pest control in a childcare facility. Safer pest control practices to help assure the indoor environment for children is safe using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are explored in this lesson. The second module developed was Healthy Child Care Environments: Pest Treatment Using IPM. This module was added in June 2012. Because children spend many hours in child care center directors and staff need to know how to properly manage pests and protect children from the risk of pesticide exposure. Participants learn about common pests found in childcare facilities, how to manage them safely and effectively using IPM, and about using pesticides safely. Over the last year, video footage was taken to include in these two on demand modules. The third module covers using greener cleaning practices in a childcare setting and will be available soon. Penn State's Better Kid Care program's (BKC) reach extends to 48 states and their training modules fulfill child care licensing requirements in 14 states, including PA, and are accepted for the national Child Development Associate national credential formal education hours. The H3 module was also presented to childcare providers at the Early Years Are Learning Years Conference (2 times), at the Building Blocks to Early Learning Conference and a modified version of the module at the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAECY) annual conference. Maryland Extension Educators also presented the module 3 times and Pennsylvania Extension Educators from Luzerne, Lehigh, and Westmoreland counties presented the module for a total of 9 times. Evaluations were collected at all workshops. Filming continues for the second part of the H3 project. A monthly article (Go Green for Kids) covering IPM and other relevant topics is written for the BKC e-newsletter reaching over 10,000 people. PARTICIPANTS: The PA IPM program at Penn State partnered with Better Kid Care and the University of Maryland for this project. Ed Rajotte (Penn State IPM Program) and Claudia Mincemoyer (Better Kid Care) oversaw the project and offered guidance and support to the development of the modules. Lyn Horning (Better Kid Care) assisted with the conversion of IPM content into Better Kid Care format for the Healthy Air plus Healthy Spaces equals Healthy Children module and the online on demand lessons. She made sure the modules met appropriate child care licensing requirements. Amber Brunskill developed the Healthy Air plus Healthy Spaces equals Healthy Children module including the instructor's manual, PowerPoint presentation, handouts, activities and evaluation. She also presented the workshop to several groups and offered training and support to other Extension Educators who would be offering the workshop. Elisabeth Maring is the Children, Youth and Family Extension Educator at the University of Maryland and assisted with offering the module in Maryland. TARGET AUDIENCES: This project provided informal education and outreach to child care professionals including child care providers, directors, administrators, facility managers, and childcare owners on the topics of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and green cleaning. These efforts took place through online lessons, face-to-face workshops, and monthly articles written in Better Kid Care's e-newsletter. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Because of this project, childcare providers are becoming more aware of the relationships between pests, pesticides and children's health. Many childcare staff are still unaware of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and there haven't been many trainings on IPM offered in the past. CYFERnet Webinar survey results: Before the presentation on IPM and the module only 12.9 percent (pct) had received prior training on IPM and only 11.9 pct had received training on green cleaning. Rating knowledge on IPM before presentation: None 5.9 pct; below average 26.5 pct; average 43.1 pct; above average 16.7 pct; very high 7.8 pct. Rating knowledge on IPM after presentation: None 0.0 pct; below average 3.9 pct; average 16.5 pct; above average 65.0 pct; very high 14.6 pct. Rating knowledge on green cleaning before presentation: None 3.9 pct; below average 28.2 pct; average 45.6 pct; above average 16.5 pct; very high 5.8 pct. Rating knowledge on green cleaning after presentation: None 0.0 pct; below average 3.9 pct; average 20.4 pct; above average 61.2 pct; very high 14.6 pct. How likely to offer this module within the next year to child care staff in your state: definitely won't 7.0 pct; probably won't 20.0 pct; maybe 31.0 pct; probably will 31.0 pct; definitely will 11.0 pct. Evaluation results from workshops (248 participants): Participants who indicated an increase in knowledge about IPM as a result of the presentation: 206 (83 pct); an increase in knowledge about green cleaners as a result of the presentation: 175 (71 pct); intend to change their behaviors related to pests and pest control as a result of the presentation: 226 (91 pct); intend to change their behaviors related to cleaning products as a result of the presentation: 229 (92 pct). Most of the participants were childcare providers, but other attendees include Extension Educators, and childcare directors, administrators, and facilities managers. The total number of children cared for from all surveys was over 7000, although we hypothesize this number is a high estimation. However, the number of children cared for by any given participant indicated on the evaluation ranged from 2-300 (if they answered the question). For the online on demand lessons - Healthy Child Care Environments: Pest Prevention Using IPM: In only three months, 210 childcare professionals have successfully completed the 2-hour lesson. An assessment at the end of the lesson indicated a mean of 3.4 for knowledge gained using a likert-type scale of 1 equaling no knowledge gained to 4 equaling much knowledge gained. Participants also indicated their intent to use the information in their centers/homes with the children. The mean response for intent to use information was 3.5 (1 low/4 high). Healthy Child Care Environments: Pest Treatment Using IPM: In the first two months of availability, 55 childcare professionals have successfully completed the module. The mean for knowledge gained was 3.6 and intent to use the information was 3.7. Over time, information from this project learned by childcare staff has the potential to directly affect the health and environment of thousands of children in childcare facilities.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In the last year, the PA IPM program has given numerous webinars and presentations about IPM in childcare facilities. During the annual PSCIP (Philadelphia School and Community IPM Partnership) meeting in October 2010, we introduced the upcoming development of the H3 module Each month, the Better Kid Care program sends out an electronic newsletter to over 10,000 people nationally, and beginning in September 2010, the PA IPM program has included a short article called Go Green for Kids. This section of the newsletter introduces the subject of IPM to a wide audience and gives tips of what they can do in their childcare facility to use IPM and make it a safer environment for children in their care. In December 2010, the Iowa State University hosted a webinar for CYFERnet (Children, Youth, and Families Education and Research Network). They invited Better Kid Care to present one of their modules to educators attending the webinar, and Better Kid Care chose the "Healthy Air" module developed by the PA IPM Program. Over 105 educators involved with children's health issues and childcare across the country attended . The PA IPM Program presented a 3-hour workshop on the H3 module to the Healthy Homes Action Team of Maryland University Extension in January 2011. Since this training, Maryland Extension Educators have used this module for several workshops with childcare staff in Maryland (57 participants). Also in January, the PA IPM Program was invited back for a second year as a session presenter during The Early Years Are Learning Years Conference at Penn State University. In May, the PA IPM presented for the first time at the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) annual conference. This conference is a professional development event for early childhood professionals. The PA IPM Program is also partnering with the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Women's Health and Environmental Network (WHEN) on a grant that AHEC received from the US EPA Office of Environmental Education. The PA IPM program is initiating conversations on meeting with other individuals and entities involved in IPM/Green childcare at the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment (MACCHE) conference in Philadelphia. The PA IPM Website where school and childcare information is presented has been updated. PARTICIPANTS: Project participants included PAIPM programs staff, Better Kid Care staff, University of Maryland Extnesion, Philadelphia School and Community IPM Partnership, Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, Area Health Education Centers and Womens Health and Environmental Network. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include Childcare facilities staff and educators in Pennsylvania and an increasing number of states, public health nurses, parents and child-centered nongovernmental associations. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
We are learning from our evaluations of the "H3" training that most childcare staff are completely unaware of IPM as a healthy solution to pest problems. IPM is not incorporated by any PA licensing or educational entities at this point. However, they are very pleased to learn more about this topic and indicate that they expect to make changes to their practices as a result. We have analyzed a subset of 122 evaluations from childcare providers attending a "Healthy Air + Healthy Spaces = Healthy Children" workshop presented by the PA IPM Program, Pennsylvania Extension Educators, or Maryland Extension Educators. The results of these evaluations are as follows: Participants who indicated an increase in knowledge about IPM as a result of the presentation: 83% (101 participants); Participants who indicated an increase in knowledge about green cleaners as a result of the presentation: 66% (80 participants); Participants who indicated they intended to change their behaviors and methods related to pests and pest control as a result of the presentation: 90% (110); Participants who indicated they intended to change their behaviors and methods related to cleaning products as a result of the presentation: 90% (110). On the evaluation, one question asked participants what changes they intended to make in their workplace. They could select multiple answers: Reduce clutter: 57% (70 participants); Use preventative measures: 57% (69 participants); Communicate with the person in charge of pest control: 43% (52 participants); Choose the least risky product for the task at hand: 70% (85 participants); Read and follow all label directions: 72% (88 participants); Store products out of the reach of children: 44% (54 participants); Wrote in their own answer: 9% (11 participants); Didn't answer the question: 7% (8 participants). Answers written in by participants include: share information in the Extension newsletter; reminder to go back and evaluate what I am already doing and see if I can make more positive changes; learn about the pest before I choose a method of control; educate children at their level age/stage if appropriate and use Mr. Yuk stickers; share information with others; securely store food products. Most of the participants in these workshops were childcare providers, but other attendees include Extension Educators, and childcare directors, administrators, and facilities managers. The evaluation also asks how many children each participant cares for at his/her facility. The total number from all surveys was 2,674, although we hypothesize this number is a high estimation. There may have been several participants from the same facility so the number of children may have been counted multiple times. However, the number of children cared for by any given participant indicated on the evaluation ranged from 2-300 (if they answered the question). Over time, information from this project learned by childcare staff has the potential to directly affect the health and environment of thousands of children in childcare facilities.
Publications
- Brunskill, A. and L. Garling. 2011. Training Module One, IPM in Childcare Facilities. The first IPM module created in partnership with Better Kid Care. http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/.
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