Lesson 6 ongoing: Healthcare Investigation & Research

It Takes 7 Healthcare Investigations & Research 

OK. Now you have a better understanding of It Takes 7  healthcare practices! You have learnt more about your own healthcare practices and about healthcare practices of others in your group. Are you ready to begin your own healthcare investigation and research?

What’s the difference between research and investigation?

An investigation is a searching inquiry where you look for the facts, record the details and carefully examine what you have found. Research is more a more systematic approach where you test the information you have investigated. In research you do not know the answer to your research question. The research is a way of helping you find out what you don’t know or for testing your hypothesis (something you think might be true).

Here is an example. You may choose as your health research assignment to make an It Takes 7 healthcare poster and test its effectiveness. Firstly, your investigation will involve talking to others about their healthcare practices and examining literature on healthcare. You will then decide on which healthcare messages seem most important for your audience (those who will view your poster). Your research might involve displaying the poster and keeping notes on how the poster has influenced the behaviour of those who have viewed the poster. You may ask them questions like: Did they change their healthcare behaviours? How? Did they choose to ignore the healthcare messages? Why?

Getting started

Firstly, come up with some key questions you would like to find answers to in your research.

Secondly, discuss with your group, or teacher, how you will go about finding reliable information for your investigation.

Thirdly, decide how you can gather data for your research, analyse it and present your findings to the class. Make sure the health wheel you created in Lesson 5 is included somewhere in your final presentation.

Here are some options for your healthcare investigation and research:

• • Healthcare Poster: After completing Lessons 1-5, make a class poster showing how to use It Takes 7 healthcare practices to help you throughout the school day. Did it work? Survey the class. What messages were the most effective?
  • Group Research: Divide the class into 7 groups and each group investigates a specific element of the It Takes 7 ABC of health and wellbeing. What observations did you make of others engaging in that health element?
  • Health Journal: After you have complete healthcare investigations, journal your It Takes 7 healthcare practices for 1-2 weeks. Start with a plan highlighting your goals (e.g. drink 6 cups of water a day) and aims (e.g. increase water intake). Review your journal at the end of 2 weeks and comment on your ‘goals and misses’ for each healthcare practice. Did you achieve your overall aim?
  • Health Goals and Aims: Investigate a healthcare area you need to improve on which was highlighted when you completed your student health survey (Lesson 3). Create a plan about how you intend to improve on that healthcare practice. For example, goal – do 1 ½ hrs of exercise each day: aim – increase time exercising each day. Keep journal notes. And review your results after 1-2 weeks. How did you go?
  • Media Review: Investigate media messages about healthcare. Examine 2-3 healthcare healthcare articles. Use the It Takes 7 healthcare wheel as a guide to tick off which healthcare practices are listed. Which healthcare message are often highlighted? Which ones are generally overlooked? See Lesson 2, Yr 4-6. Is it important to have an ABC for health and wellbeing?
  • Animals: You are the expert. Investigate It Takes 7 healthcare practices for animals. Create a health wheel poster for a pet. Hang it somewhere so you can remember to attend to your pet’s needs or ask your vet if you can display it in their waiting room. What happened?
  • Elite Athletes: You are the expert. Investigate It Takes 7 healthcare practices for elite athletes. Create a health wheel poster for an individual or group of athletes. Send it to them, request them to display it somewhere and ask if they would mind providing feedback. Did they use it? Did it help them make any changes to their healthcare practices? What else did they say?
  • Healthy vs Unhealthy: You have done all the investigations. Show both sides of the coin. Healthy verses unhealthy choices for all 7 healthcare practices. Create your own survey questions and interview others about which side of the coin they most often represent?
  • Puzzles and Board Games: Do further healthcare investigations and make word search puzzles or board games. See Lesson 1 (Part 3). Did doing the puzzle or playing the board games help you or your friends learn, remember and act on important healthcare messages?

Presentation

Time to check in with your teacher and make a decision about what you are going to investigate and research. Discuss how you plan to present your findings. Have fun!!