Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

Figure10-1Assessing Factors in CurriculaKnowledgePerception of risk ofpregnancy and STDAttitudes and valuesregarding sex and # ofpartnersAttitudes and valuesregarding condoms/contraceptionPerceptions of peernorms regarding sex,# partners and condoms/contraceptionSelf-efficacy to avoidunwanted sexSelf-efficacy to insiston condoms/contraceptionSelf-efficacy touse condoms/contraceptioncorrectlyIntentions to abstainor use condoms/contraceptionParent-child communicationregardingsex, # partners, andcondoms/ contraceptionSpecifyActivity 1✓ ✓ ✓SpecifyActivity 2SpecifyActivity 3Continue forall activities✓ ✓ ✓ In each cell, specify whether the activity identified on the left can significantly improve the factor above.Notes:1. Typically, multiple activities are needed to significantly improve each factor.2. Often, factors need to be specified more precisely than in the example above.Final Activities—Conducting FocusedReviews and Pilot TestingThe final phase of developing or adapting your curriculumshould include two types of activities: 1)using focused reviews to assess the entire curriculumfor specific instructional principles, inadvertentbiases and/or imbalances that may not be as obviousin any single lesson and 2) pilot testing individualactivities as well as the entire curriculum.To conduct focused reviews, read a draft versionof the entire curriculum for specific characteristics(e.g., key instructional principles or biases) that, ifnot addressed, could reduce its relevance or impact.The approach requires that one or more internal staffreview the lessons with a single focus one at a time(e.g., inclusiveness for sexual minority youth—i.e.,gay, lesbian, bisexual and questioning youth, or thecognitive level of the objectives). Reviewing a curriculumfor a single issue is more productive in identifyinginconsistencies or imbalances than trying toconsider all issues during a single reading. A few ofthe key areas for review are highlighted below.Reviewing for InstructionalDesign Issues• Types of activities. One review pass should focuson the types of activities (learning strategies) usedacross the lessons. Most critically, these strategiesshould reflect the theory-based approaches forchanging the targeted risk and protective factorsas outlined in this and other books. They alsoshould be aligned with the program goals andChapter 10 Conclusions 121