Effectiveness of a Participatory Learning for Covid-19 Prevention Program in School-aged Muslim Students

Abstract

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had health impacts on the community members, particularly in school-aged Muslim students. Promoting participatory learning is vital to preventing COVID-19. 

Objectives 1) To compare COVID-19 prevention awareness, COVID-19 prevention knowledge, and COVID-19 prevention behaviors in school-aged Muslim students in the experimental group before and after the program, and 2) to compare COVID-19 prevention awareness, COVID-19 prevention knowledge, and COVID-19 prevention behavior in school-aged Muslim students between the experimental and comparison groups after the program. 

Design A quasi-experimental study with a two-group pretest and posttest design, applying Kolb’s experiential learning theory as the conceptual framework 

Methodology The sample comprised school-aged Muslim students in a central province. Two schools were randomly assigned to the experimental and comparison groups. Subsequently, 37 students in the experimental group and 38 students in the comparison group were allocated based on their respective schools. The control group participated in a 6-week participatory learning program for COVID-19 prevention, structured in four stages: 1) sharing experiences, 2) reflection and discussion, 3) conceptualization, and 4) experimentation and concept application. Data collection instruments consisted of three questionnaires: 1) COVID-19 Prevention Awareness, 2) COVID-19 Prevention Knowledge, and 3) COVID-19 Prevention Behavior. The questionnaires revealed reliability of .91, .89, and .94, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-test, and Paired t-test. 

Results After participating in the program, the experimental group had COVID- 19 prevention awareness (M = 3.17, SD = 0.43), knowledge (M = 22.30, SD = 3.88), and behavior (M = 3.43, SD = 0.59) higher than before the program (M = 3.10, SD = 0.32, t = 0.524, p = .026; M = 21.59, SD = 3.50, t = 5.376, p = .003; M = 2.92, SD = 0.51, t = 5.376, p < .001, respectively) and higher than the comparison group with statistical significance (M = 3.16, SD = 0.25, t = 7.316, p = .035; M = 21.13, SD = 3.12, t = 7.316, p < .001; M = 2.91, SD = 0.54, t = 7.316, p < .001, respectively). However, knowledge about infectious disease outbreaks and self-care behavior to prevent infection with COVID- 19 had no statistically significant difference from before the program. 

Recommendation Health team and other stakeholders can apply participatory learning programs to promote awareness, knowledge, and behavior for COVID-19 prevention in Muslim school-aged children.