Qualitative Evaluation of University Students’ Experience Delivering the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) Program

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this research was to explore the perception of Northern Illinois University (NIU) students regarding delivery and benefits of the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) program in northern Illinois elementary schools. Methods The Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) program is a nationally accredited obesity prevention program that teaches children about nutrition, physical activity, and decreasing screen time. Every semester, undergraduate and graduate students from Northern Illinois University (NIU) participate in an experiential learning rotation with CATCH and deliver the program in elementary schools. After undergraduate and graduate NIU students delivered the CATCH program in local elementary schools during the 2019–2020 school year, they were sent an email questionnaire to probe their experience with CATCH and to seek suggestions for program improvement. This questionnaire consisted of 5 demographic prompts, followed by 10 open-ended questions. Grounded theory was used to analyze the responses. Two researchers assigned codes to each meaningful segment of data. From these codes, six common themes were identified. Results A total of 21 students responded (50% response rate) to the email questionnaire. The six identified themes include ‘Purpose of CATCH program’, ‘School facilities and resources’, ‘NIU students experience with CATCH lessons and activities’, ‘Benefits to NIU student’, ‘Benefits to children and teachers’, and ‘Identified weaknesses and suggested improvements to CATCH’. Each theme summarizes the NIU students’ responses relevant to that theme, including quotes from respondents. Conclusions University students that delivered the CATCH program appreciated the opportunity to practice in a real world setting, gained transferable professional skills, and learned CATCH program knowledge. Reflections on program content, delivery, and benefits to children can be used to strengthen CATCH and other future nutrition education programs for children. Funding Sources No funding sources were acquired or needed for this research project.