Situating curriculum in context: Using Glatthorn's Standards-Based Curriculum Development Model to contextualize food safety learning competencies

Despite the increasing cases of foodborne disease outbreaks involving high school students in the Philippines, the country's basic education lacks a dedicated space for food safety education (FSED). This study problematizes such an issue where education and health intersect. Stemming from benchmarking efforts conducted in the United States of America (USA), FSED learning competencies, specifically intended for Filipino junior high school (JHS) students, were formulated using Glatthorn's Standards-Based Curriculum Development Model. A researcher-developed instrument with Cronbach Alpha of .96 and an interview protocol were employed to collect data from 40 foreign and 100 local participants. These data were analyzed using content analysis, descriptive statistics, and Fleiss' kappa statistics. It was found that USA middle and high schools demonstrated outstanding curricular and pedagogical practices in FSED concerning learning objectives, number of teaching hours, content description and focus, instructional activities, assessment methods, educational resources, and required certifications and trainings. These variables were considered in formulating contextualized learning competencies in food safety for JHS students. Results of the statistical analysis yielded weighted mean, standard deviation, and Fleiss' kappa of 1.00 +/- 1.19 (Kappa = 0.97), 1.00 +/- 1.23 (Kappa = 0.96), 1.00 +/- 1.62 (Kappa = 0.94), and 1.33 +/- 1.38 (Kappa = 0.96) in personal health and hygiene, hazards in food, cleaning and sanitation, and good manufacturing practices, respectively. With overall rating of 1.08 +/- 1.04 (Kappa = 0.96 at p < .05), topics embedded in the learning competencies are considered to be highly beneficial. It is recommended that these contextualized and localized learning competencies are incorporated into the country's present K to 12 Curriculum to educate the Filipino youth about food safety.

Automated summary

Despite the lack of dedicated space for food safety education in the basic education system in the Philippines, a study found that benchmarking efforts in the USA resulted in the formulation of learning competencies for Filipino junior high school students. The study recommends incorporating these competencies into the Philippines' present K to 12 Curriculum to educate youth about food safety based on outstanding practices observed in American schools.