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Phase II

OBJECTIVE
To design and pilot test selected modified exam questions and new instructional materials for the under-educated and limited English proficient food service personnel in Massachusetts (MA), Rhode Island (RI), and Connecticut (CT) schools.

METHODS
Quantitative measures were used to collect information about participants, the exam, and educational materials.

  • Food Safety Surveys I and II - gathered information about demographics and experience in food service, assessed food safety practices, and obtained feedback on course materials
  • Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE) - indicated reading ability by grade equivalent
  • National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) Cafeteria Food Manager Certification Exam scores from traditional and modified exams – assessed knowledge of food safety.

Based on data collected in Phase I:

  • Selected exam questions were modified and tested with the target population
  • New supplemental instructional materials were developed and evaluated with exam participants.

RESULTS
Twelve certification courses were conducted in MA, RI and CT with food service personnel in Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP).  A total of 214 individuals participated in Phase II.

Demographics
Similar to Phase I, most of CACFP personnel surveyed were:

  • female (92.1%)
  • White (65.2%)
  • English-speaking (90.8%)
  • between 30-49 years old (56.2%)
  • most (73.0%) participants identified themselves as food workers, 19.1% as managers or supervisors

 Exam Outcomes

  • Two versions of the certification exam were administered in Phase II, with approximately half (47.8%) receiving an exam with ten revised questions.
  • A total of 41 (20.5%) of participants failed the exam.
  • Exam results indicated a slightly higher pass rate with the revised exam, as compared to the standard exam (84.2 vs. 75.2, respectively).

Reading Ability
The mean reading level, as assessed by TABE data, revealed that those who failed the exam had a grade equivalent of 5.0, compared to grade equivalent of 9.7 for those who passed the exam.

New Instructional Materials
Supplemental materials were developed and incorporated into class sessions. These included flash cards for review of food safety terms and a “Microbe Match” activity for review of pathogens. Also developed were the Food Safety Word List and Instructor’s Guide, which were designed in collaboration with World Education (http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs/comp/).

The Word List was evaluated using a survey format. Data from those who responded to survey questions revealed the following:

  • 91.6% said it was Very Helpful or Helpful
  • More specifically:
    • 30% said it helped with understanding the meaning of words
    • 15% said it was easy to use (to find words)
    • 15% said it helped with definitions
    • 10% said it helped with pronunciation of words

 

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