Local Science Lesson Development: Lanna Wisdom regarding Local Food for Elderly Health Promotion

Abstract

This mixed methods research aimed to determine the local food consumption behaviors, to develop and examine the local science lesson. Samples consisted of 297 elderly and 16 stakeholders in Suthep sub-district municipality, Muang district, Chiangmai province. The research instruments composed of a questionnaire with the reliability of .84, a record form, an interview guide, the scales, and a test. The implementation and data collection were conducted from June to September, 2014. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, paired t-test, a ratio of E1 / E2, and content analysis.

Results revealed that 1) the overall mean score of local food consumption behavior of the elderly was at a moderate level (X = 2.10, SD = .25); 2) the local science lesson was developed through identifying various local food recipes, ingredients, cooking methods, and local food consumption behaviors, together with the body of knowledge of Lanna wisdom regarding local food and 3) the efficiency of the lesson, for the elderly and the caregivers, the ratio of scores of knowledge during learning (E1) and after learning (E2) were 84.35 / 86.24 and 83.87 / 85.39, respectively, which were higher than the standard criteria (80 / 80). Regarding academic achievement, it was found that after learning, the elderly and the caregivers had statistically significant higher mean scores of knowledge than before learning (t = 3.644, p < .01 and t = 3.081, p < .05, respectively).

This study suggested that the application of contents and activities from this lesson should be designed through a learning process that integrates with a daily lifestyle, appropriately reduce the contents, as well as increase time and various activities conforming to the food consumption culture and the body of knowledge of local food among the elderly.