Skip Maine state header navigation
A Publication Featuring The Information
Services Technology of Maine State Government
| Volume VII, Issue 7 | July/August 2004 |
|
|
|
|
By Dr. Susan N. Donar
Maine’s Women Infants and Children’s (WIC) Program web-based, interactive "Nutrition Education" modules were developed in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine’s (USM) Muskie School, Institute for Public Sector Innovation (IPSI) Distance Delivery Office. These modules were developed to utilize the Web in delivering nutrition education to Maine WIC clients.
The modules are interactive and focused on engaging parents with a 12-36-month old child enrolled in the WIC Program. A wide range of "Eating and Feeding" and "Developing and Growing" information is presented in the modules and addresses WIC participant barriers to nutrition education on two levels:
a) Reduce the geographical (rural isolation), time (limited hours of operation), and financial (e.g., lack of reliable transportation, child care) barriers to obtaining nutrition information at clinic sites, and
b) Provide relevant nutrition education on the Web.
The sub-title of Maine’s WIC Web Ed Project is "Give People What They Want, When They Want It." Thus, WIC Program staff and Muskie researchers tested the hypothesis that WIC clients would find value in obtaining nutrition and child development information from the convenience of their homes or at public libraries, thereby increasing levels of participation in WIC when children turn one year old. (After a child turns one, the financial value of the WIC food package decreases significantly.) This project also serves to collect and analyze data about WIC clients' use of the modules that will inform the federal and other state WIC Programs as they design Web-based education options for clients.
 |
Data Collection and Analysis This statewide project includes WIC’s ten local agencies as either an experimental or comparison group. The research design will:
Data obtained via clients’ use of Web modules is being analyzed to ascertain if their nutrition knowledge has changed from the demographic information initially provided.[1] This analysis will help determine effectiveness of on-line learning for WIC clients that might ultimately be replicated nationally. As clients accessed the module, additional data was collected regarding how often the person visited the web site and how long s/he remained there. |
Once the pilot period ends, additional data will be gathered regarding knowledge attainment and retention, ease of use, likes/dislikes with Web learning, accessibility and availability, and if the client would like the opportunity to learn additional information via the Web. Additionally, a "Management Procedures and Daily Log" has been provided to WIC Office staff to record the status of WIC client enrollment, questionnaire completion, and pre-test completion.
Use Enrollment is ongoing throughout the pilot period, and client use of modules is continually monitored and reported monthly to WIC Offices. Additionally, as each module was added, enrolled clients were encouraged to visit the age-appropriate information by WIC program staff and via e-mails sent to clients enrolled in the study every three to four weeks. The e-mail messages encourage non-enrolled clients to find answers to nutritional or developing and growing questions.
A demonstration WIC Web Ed Site (http://www.ipsitech.org/wic) was designed to allow project staff and others access, while not affecting the data accumulation. This demonstration site providing an opportunity to "market" this learning approach to other potential clients as well as provided project staff with "quality check" opportunities.
Design Considerations A graphic artist researched layout, color schemes and maneuverability to accommodate WIC clients and any visually impaired web site users. Additionally, each module met the following effective on-line design criteria.
Final Product Initial project feedback has been very positive. Clients report enjoying web site accessibility, and fewer trips to the WIC Office. Follow-up data indicates clients who obtained nutrition, and developing and growing information via the Web learned and retained more than those who made regular office visits.
However, the overall usage of the WIC Web Ed was below anticipated levels. Throughout the project, incentives were offered to encourage local WIC Offices to enroll clients; and client incentives encouraged web site access, and on-line completion of training modules.
Lessons Learned When initially considering the idea of WIC information being available via the Web, counselors and clients anticipated convenience, and a valuable resource. However, as the modules became on-line, WIC clients gave the following reasons for not accessing them:
"I went to another web site for information.", "Haven’t had time.", "No Internet access at home." and "I asked someone."
Based on the initial follow-up data, suggestions to encourage future Web learning projects include:
For more information about this project and other distance delivery projects, call Sue Donar, Distance Delivery Coordinator, USM Muskie School, Institute for Public Sector Innovation by calling 207-626-5203 or visiting the Office’s Web site at www.ipsitech.org/dd.
