Chapter 10 Case Study - Can Freire’s model of adult education

Discussion, Nurse

CHAPTER 10 CASE STUDY

Can Freire’s model of adult education be used to design effective health education digital games among adolescents? Health education and health promotion programs are often not very well received by adolescents, who perceive these to be meaningless, thus making the task challenging. Monteiro and colleagues (2018) experimented with the development of a serious digital game (a game with an educational purpose) for adolescents (aged 11 to 19 years) based on Freire’s model of adult education. The game was called DECIDIX and focused on imparting sexual and reproductive health education. DECIDIX was developed by the Center for Studies and Research on Vulnerability and Health in Childhood and Adolescence (NEPVIAS) of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) in Brazil. The game uses instant messaging around a storyline for a teen to chat with another teen and make decisions about issues such as sexuality, gender issues, liability for contraception, and consequences and responsibilities in an unplanned pregnancy. At the end of the game, participants reflect on their actions and are debriefed by the instructor. The methodology was based on Freire’s model of adult education. For qualitative evaluation, data were collected through audio recordings, focus group discussions, interviews, and observa- tions by participants and nonparticipants. Collected data were coded and categorized thematically. Four themes emerged: the approach to daily life by adolescents, critical reflection, relation- ship between educator and learner, and emancipatory (freeing) learning and experience. The researchers concluded that DECIDIX had a positive impact on the lives of adolescents and engaged them in meaningful reflection. Monteiro, R. J. S., Oliveira, M. P. C. A., Belian, R. B., Lima, L. S., Santiago, M. E., & Gontijo, D. T. (2018). DECIDIX: Meeting of the Paulo Freire pedagogy with the serious games in the field of health education with adolescents. Ciencia & Saude Coletiva, 23(9), 2951–2962. https://doi. org/10.1590/1413-81232018239.12782018

Questions for Discussion

1. Do you think Freire’s model of adult education can help develop interesting and effective health education programs for adolescents? Why or why not?

2. Do you think the case study adequately operationalized all the constructs of Freire’s model of adult education? Why or why not?