Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

learning objectives. (See Box 3-1 for examples ofcommonly used types of activities.) Curriculumdevelopers then should fine-tune activities toensure the curriculum uses an array of strategiesthat appeal to a range of learning styles (e.g.,print, oral, visual, kinesthetic).Another review pass for the learning strategiesshould focus on the level of student interactionand/or collaboration included in the plannedactivities. As noted in Chapter 3, this literaturesuggests that interactive and collaborative strategiesare more effective at promoting learningthan less interactive strategies. Activities thatare less interactive (e.g., watching a video), canbe enhanced with the addition of a brief collaborativeactivity following the video (askingstudents to watch and listen for two new insightsor “learnings” on HIV or other STDs and thenturning to a partner after the video to share thoseinsights). While completing the focused review ofthe instructional strategies, it might be helpful tocreate a tally or table showing the types of strategiesused across the curriculum (e.g., mini lecture,large-group discussion, small-group discussion,roleplay, quiz, game) to ensure the curriculumuses a range of theory-based, interactive strategiesthat address different learning styles.• Time allocation per activity. Another focusedreview should center on the time allocated foreach activity. During development, it is easy tounderestimate the time needed for a particularactivity, which contributes to creating overcrowdedlessons that lack time for discussion,reflection and personalization. This focusedreview should be completed by staff members orothers who have experience or expertise with thetiming of activities. Reviewers also should lookfor timing-related issues such as the number oftransitions required in a single lesson and howmuch disruption is likely to occur as a result ofthe transitions. Lessons with numerous transitionsmay result in significant time loss simplydue to the transition process.• Sequencing of lessons. Reviewers also shouldassess the lesson sequencing, looking for possibleadjustments within or across lessons. Oneapproach to sequencing, the deductive approach,moves from providing concepts and informationto analysis and specific inferences and application(Hedgepeth and Helmich 1996), which is similarto the levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Anotherstrategy is to include activities that first establishmotivation for avoiding sexual risk taking andthen addressing attitudes and skills to reducesexual risk taking. Further, skill lessons should besequenced to build on each other, from the lesscomplex tasks and situations to more complex.Reviewing forContent Issues• Inclusion of key messages. Research shows thatprograms with clear messages have been moresuccessful in reducing risk behaviors than in thosethat lack such messages (Kirby 2007). These messagesshould be balanced and consistent with theoverall goals of the program; should be developmentally,linguistically and culturally appropriate;and should be used repeatedly throughoutthe lessons. This review pass would be used toensure the curriculum’s key messages are woventhroughout the lessons and that they incorporatethe characteristics just noted (e.g., balanced, consistentwith program goals).• Inclusiveness and biases (e.g., gender, racial,sexual orientation). This review pass shouldfocus expressly on identifying biases in contentand/or activities that exclude sub-groups of youth(e.g., sexual minority youth) or portray them ina stereotypical fashion. Reviewers should centeron factors such as the language used in the curriculum,key messages, roleplay scenarios, stories,examples and names used in roleplays and otheractivities, noting any instances in which thecontent is biased or excludes individuals based oncharacteristics such as gender, race/ethnicity, orsexual orientation. For example, a curriculum inwhich all roleplay scenarios depict males pressuringfemales could be considered biased; it alsoexcludes pressure situations that might arise for122 Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs