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Developing educational videos to inform rightly about school foodservice from kindergarten to high school: a case study
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Research Article
Developing educational videos to inform rightly about school foodservice from kindergarten to high school: a case study
Gyoungok Gang, Chaewon Park, Haejin Kang, Wan Soo Hong, Yoo Kyoung Park, Sook Hee Choi, Seung Hye Kim, Jieun Choi, Jihyun Park, Hyeja Chang
Korean Journal of Community Nutrition 2024;29(2):97-113.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2024.29.2.97
Published online: April 30, 2024
1Associate Researcher, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea
2Master Student, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea
3PhD Student, Department of Medical Nutrition (AgeTech-Service Convergence Major), Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea
4Professor, Department of Foodservice Management and Nutrition, Sangmyung University, Seoul, Korea
5Professor, Department of Medical Nutrition (AgeTech-Service Convergence Major), Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea
6Nutrition Teacher, Seoul Kongduck Elementary School, Seoul, Korea
7Nutrition Teacher, Seoul Robotics High School, Seoul, Korea
8Staff, Eunpyeong Center for Children’s Foodservice Management, Seoul, Korea
9Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea
Corresponding author:  Hyeja Chang, Tel: +82-41-550-3478, Fax: +82-41-559-7567, 
Email: hjc10@dankook.ac.kr
Received: 29 November 2023   • Revised: 20 February 2024   • Accepted: 20 March 2024
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Abstract

Objectives
Since the enactment of the School Nutrition Act in 1981, school lunch programs in South Korea have grown quantitatively and qualitatively with a current student participation rate of 99.8%. Nonetheless, educational materials are needed to reduce misunderstanding and ignorance about school lunch programs. This study aimed to develop 3 educational videos that help students of various ages (kindergarteners/lower-grade elementary, upper-grade elementary, and secondary school, respectively), understand the school lunch program.
Methods
A scenario was created, was made, and the opinions on the scenario from experts in foodservice sectors were collected. A survey was conducted to students and parents to determine topics they wanted to know about school foodservice. The final videos were produced using this information and the expert opinions. The data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 for Mac (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA); a P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Three videos on school foodservice were developed for various age levels of students: kindergarten/lower-grade elementary, upper-grade elementary, and secondary school. Additionally, English subtitles were included for the multicultural student population. These videos, each lasting about 7 minutes, cover topics such as nutrition, hygiene, and the cultural significance of the school lunch program. The survey results showed that parents and students wanted to know the following topics about the school lunch program: “nutritionally balanced diet” (11.9%), “purchasing safe food ingredients” (10.9%), and “healthy eating habits” (9.9%).
Conclusions
The developed videos will serve as valuable educational resources on school foodservice, foster a deeper understanding of the school lunch program in parents and students, and potentially address their inquiries regarding production processes, nutrition, hygiene, cultural heritage, and health.


Korean J Community Nutr. 2024 Apr;29(2):97-113. English.
Published online Apr 25, 2024.
https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2024.29.2.97
© 2024 The Korean Society of Community Nutrition
Original Article

Developing educational videos to inform rightly about school foodservice from kindergarten to high school: a case study

Gyoungok Gang,1) Chaewon Park,2) Haejin Kang,3) Wan Soo Hong,4) Yoo Kyoung Park,5) Sook Hee Choi,6) Seung Hye Kim,7) Jieun Choi,8) Jihyun Park,8) and Hyeja Chang9)
    • 1)Associate Researcher, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea.
    • 2)Master Student, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea.
    • 3)PhD Student, Department of Medical Nutrition (AgeTech-Service Convergence Major), Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea.
    • 4)Professor, Department of Foodservice Management and Nutrition, Sangmyung University, Seoul, Korea.
    • 5)Professor, Department of Medical Nutrition (AgeTech-Service Convergence Major), Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea.
    • 6)Nutrition Teacher, Seoul Kongduck Elementary School, Seoul, Korea.
    • 7)Nutrition Teacher, Seoul Robotics High School, Seoul, Korea.
    • 8)Staff, Eunpyeong Center for Children’s Foodservice Management, Seoul, Korea.
    • 9)Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea.
  • Corresponding author: Hyeja Chang. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, 119 Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan 31116, Korea. Tel: +82-41-550-3478, Fax: +82-41-559-7567, Email: hjc10@dankook.ac.kr
Received November 29, 2023; Revised February 20, 2024; Accepted March 20, 2024.

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Objectives

Since the enactment of the School Nutrition Act in 1981, school lunch programs in South Korea have grown quantitatively and qualitatively with a current student participation rate of 99.8%. Nonetheless, educational materials are needed to reduce misunderstanding and ignorance about school lunch programs. This study aimed to develop 3 educational videos that help students of various ages (kindergarteners/lower-grade elementary, upper-grade elementary, and secondary school, respectively), understand the school lunch program.

Methods

A scenario was created, was made, and the opinions on the scenario from experts in foodservice sectors were collected. A survey was conducted to students and parents to determine topics they wanted to know about school foodservice. The final videos were produced using this information and the expert opinions. The data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 for Mac (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA); a P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Three videos on school foodservice were developed for various age levels of students: kindergarten/lower-grade elementary, upper-grade elementary, and secondary school. Additionally, English subtitles were included for the multicultural student population. These videos, each lasting about 7 minutes, cover topics such as nutrition, hygiene, and the cultural significance of the school lunch program. The survey results showed that parents and students wanted to know the following topics about the school lunch program: “nutritionally balanced diet” (11.9%), “purchasing safe food ingredients” (10.9%), and “healthy eating habits” (9.9%).

Conclusions

The developed videos will serve as valuable educational resources on school foodservice, foster a deeper understanding of the school lunch program in parents and students, and potentially address their inquiries regarding production processes, nutrition, hygiene, cultural heritage, and health.

Keywords
school foodservice; kindergarten; educational videos; nutrition education

INTRODUCTION

School foodservice aims to provide students with a nutritionally balanced diet in accordance with the School Meals Act with the goal of promoting public health [1]. In South Korea, the School Meals Act was established on January 29, 1981, laying the legal foundation for school meals. By 1998, school foodservices were fully implemented in all elementary schools nationwide, and since 2003, meals have been provided in all levels of education, including elementary, middle, and high schools [2]. Institutional foodservice refers to providing meals continuously to facility members in dormitories, schools, hospitals, businesses, and other social welfare facilities, without profit motives [3]. According to the School Meals Act, school foodservice is defined as meals provided to students at schools and adjacent school facilities or jointly provided by local education authorities/superintendents to allow the establishment of commissary kitchens for students within their jurisdiction [1]. School foodservice is implemented with the public purpose of supporting systematic dietary management, hygiene management, and dietary education by nutrition teachers or dietitians [4].

With the implementation of the School Meals Act in public kindergartens and private kindergartens with 50 or more students, the financial support for kindergarten and school foodservice has expanded [5]. This will be contributed to maintaining the health and physical development of kids by providing meals with optial meal price [6] and improving quality of foodservice management [7]. As of 2022, all 7,726 kindergartens subject to the School Meals Act provide meals, with 99% being directly operated. On average, 540,000 preschoolers utilize school meals daily, supported by 2,199 nutrition teachers or dietitians and 3,344 cooks, with a budget of approximately 452.7 billion Korean won (KRW) [8]. As of 2022, school foodservice is provided in 100% of elementary, middle, high, and special schools, totaling 11,987 schools. The meal service is divided into direct operation in 11,751 schools (98%) and outsourcing in 236 schools (2%). The average daily student attendance for meals is 5.31 million, with an average of 443 students per school. The financial scale of school foodservice is approximately 7.831 trillion KRW, with food costs accounting for 51.4% (3.6382 trillion KRW) and labor costs accounting for 36.2% (2.5684 trillion KRW) [9]. This contributes significantly to employment creation, economic growth in the agricultural, food, and foodservice supplies and facility industries, and the realization of sustainability on social, environmental, and economic dimensions. South Korea's school foodservice prioritizes the use of safe and high-quality domestic agricultural products, providing nutritionally balanced meals, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based meal management, demand-driven meals, and open meals [10]. Therefore, the role and importance of kindergarten and school foodservices are expected to further increase.

The operation of school foodservice constitutes a complex system influenced by various factors such as food safety, nutrition, hygiene, risk management, planning, management, and execution. While school foodservice is operated in accordance with the School Meals Act [1], the compilation of food poisoning incidents and food hygiene administration are carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Other administrative tasks for meal operations are led by the Ministry of Education (MOE), provincial education offices, taking into account stakeholders' opinions in policy setting and implementation. Through such integrated efforts, school foodservices strive to provide hygienic and safe meals by establishing trust in the procurement of safe food ingredients, implementing HACCP-based production management, and developing hygiene management systems focusing on preventive measures [11]. Nonetheless, stakeholders such as schools, on-site nutritionists, students, the MFDS, and education offices may have diverse perspectives and desires. In addition, there still exists a prevalent misconception among the public that school foodservices are the main cause of food poisoning incidents, fueled by media reports on food poisoning outbreaks and annual statistics on food poisoning incidents released by the MOE and the MFDS. Given that, due to misinformation propagated through newspapers or word of mouth, students and parents may not have a proper understanding of the nature of school foodservice, efforts from school meal stakeholders are required to rectify these misconceptions and to accurately convey the characteristics of school foodservice.

Moreover, despite emphasizing the enhancement of hygiene and safety in school meal policies each year [10], the level of awareness among students and parents regarding school foodservice remains inadequate. A recent study has indicated a low level of awareness among parents of children attending public kindergartens regarding free meal support [12]. In a satisfaction survey targeting parents of students attending public kindergartens, dissatisfaction with meal costs and meal quality was prominent [13].

Perception regarding food safety of school meals was also assessed in a survey, with responses indicating a moderate level of satisfaction across various aspects including overall hygiene conditions of school meals (48.7%), trays and utensils (54.1%), and serving utensils such as tongs and ladles (54.9%) [14]. Therefore, there is a need to produce videos that can simultaneously educate and promote school meals accurately and effectively to students and parents.

In comparison to the participation rate of the United States' National School Lunch Program, which stands at 56%, the participation rate in South Korea reaches an exceptionally high level at 99.8%. Providing accurate information about school foodservice to students and parents could significantly contribute to enhancing trust in school meals. School foodservices are designed to offer a balanced diet tailored to meet students' nutritional needs. Consuming a balanced diet is crucial for children's health, growth, and development, as well as for establishing lifelong healthy eating habits [15]. However, some students may exhibit picky eating habits, skip breakfast, consume excessive snacks, or prefer certain foods, leading to increased food waste and instances where the nutritional standards of a meal are not met [16]. Therefore, there is a need to promote understanding about nutrition and encourage changes in students' eating behaviors. While school foodservice provides balanced meals and appropriate portion sizes as part of nutrition education, there is a lack of awareness about these aspects. Emphasizing the importance of optimal nutrient intake and appropriate portion sizes is essential.

In light of this, the current study aimed to develop educational videos tailored to kindergarten and school levels to facilitate easy understanding and dissemination of the purposes and significance of school foodservice, dietary composition, procurement of quality ingredients, HACCP-based meal production processes, and the effects of school foodservice to students and parents. Through this initiative, we aim to increase understanding of school foodservice among students and stakeholders in education sectors, utilizing the developed educational materials as tools to enhance awareness and effectively promote school foodservice.

METHODS

Ethics statement

  • The informed written consent was obtained from each participant. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Dankook University Review Committee (approval number: 2022-10-063-001).

1. Research design

The development process of the “Informing Rightly School Foodservice” video was conducted as depicted in Figure 1.

Fig. 1
Flowchart for developing educational video on school lunch.

2. Scenario development for the videos

The content structure was designed using storytelling techniques to effectively convey the information. In this process, the content was structured based on the analysis of survey results to include topics of greatest interest for each school level (kindergarten, lower-grades of elementary school, higher grades of elementary school, middle and high schools). The storyboard encompassed an overview of kindergarten and school foodservice, menu planning according to Korean dietary guidelines, procurement of good practice produces, ensuring HACCP-based food production management, characteristics of dietary education, and concepts of sustainable activities in economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Considering the academic level of each school level and the length of the video, different core educational contents were developed to create video scenarios of 5–7 minutes in length. Videos with English subtitles were also produced for multicultural households.

3. Expert opinion survey

To enhance the quality of the content, an expert advisory group composed of experts in school foodservice sectors was formed. The advisory group consisted of 15 members, including 9 teachers, 3 officials from the MOE and provincial education offices, and 3 academic professors. After the initial content development, the members of the expert advisory group were contacted via email to explain the purpose of the video production and gather opinions on scenarios. From November 9–20, 2022, a survey was conducted to gather opinions on the appropriateness, importance, and validity of the scenarios.

4. Contents of questionnaire

A survey was conducted with consumers (i.e., students and their parents) that consisted of general information and 16 topics related to school foodservice. General information included age, father's education level, mother's education level, and average monthly household income.

Topics related to school foodservice that consumers were interested in according to school levels included the importance of kindergarten and school foodservice, menu planning with nutritionally balanced diets, reasons for not providing meals with high-simple sugar and high-sodium, procurement of safe food ingredients, school meal production process, HACCP-based hygiene management, objectives of kindergarten and school foodservice, healthiness of school meals, transparent management of food ingredient costs, meal etiquette, succession of traditional food culture, utilization of the computerized system (i.e., National Education Information System [NEIS]) for meal management, reducing food waste movement, healthy eating habits, the history of kindergarten and school meals, and reasons for not serving fast food. The evaluation method allowed participants to select 3 topics of interest from the 16 topics provided.

5. Kindergarten and school meal consumer survey

The survey was conducted from December 1–28, 2022, both online and offline, and a total of 538 responses were collected. For kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students, it was challenging for them to respond to the survey directly, so parents were asked to listen to the opinions of preschoolers and lower-grades of elementary school students and respond on their behalf. Upper-grade elementary, middle, and high school students were directly involved in responding to the survey. With the cooperation of 10 provincial education offices, one school per institution level was selected, and 10 participants per school were requested to participate, totaling 400 participants. Schools that preferred offline participation were sent the survey via mail. Moreover, additional surveys from kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as kindergarten parents, were conducted online through the research team. Six participants with many missing data were excluded, and the results of the survey, consisting of responses from 101 parents of kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students and 431 responses from upper-grade elementary students and middle and high school students, totaling 532 surveys, were analyzed.

6. On-site filming and editing

For video production, 3 companies were selected, and suitable video production strategies were derived through meetings with these companies. The conditions for video production were as follows: 1) the research team, assistant researchers, and video producers visited school sites for video filming; 2) educational materials were provided in PowerPoint format; 3) dubbing was conducted using a professional narrator; and 4) high-definition quality videos were produced, incorporating various visual elements such as computer graphics, infographics, motion graphics, and English subtitles. For multicultural households, school meal videos were produced in both Korean and English versions.

7. Second round of expert survey

An expert survey on the video production material was conducted with 15 members of the kindergarten and school meal-related expert advisory group. In this process, members were asked to freely describe their opinions, and the interest value, comprehensibility, and degree of assistance in understanding school foodservice from the perspectives of various potential audiences were evaluated on a 5-point scale. The survey was conducted from December 30, 2022, to January 5, 2023, and based on the results, the videos were finally revised.

8. Finalization of video production

To complete the final videos, a video demonstration was held for 17 provincial education officials on January 12, 2023. During this process, opinions from education office officials were gathered, and the videos were modified.

9. Student survey on the final video

The student survey on the final video was conducted from January 2–4, 2023. This survey targeted upper-grade elementary school and first-year middle school students and kindergarten parents. The survey was conducted online, and the content focused on multiple-choice questions assessing the interest value, educational value, and comprehensibility on a 5-point scale (1 point: not at all, 5 points: very much). Additionally, 2 open-ended questions (strengths of the video, improvement points) allowed students to freely express their opinions. The survey results from 19 kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students, 62 upper-grade of elementary students, and 49 middle and high school students were utilized for data analysis.

10. Statistical analysis

Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 27.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive analysis was conducted for demographic information of the participants and topics of interest regarding school foodservice. For the analysis of opinions on the final video by institutional level, one-way analysis of variance was conducted followed by Scheffe post hoc tests. Statistical significance was determined at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

1. Strategies for writing scenario

The strategy for developing the video to promote school foodservice is outlined as follows: 1) Provide accurate information on the purpose and significance of school foodservice, basic operational policies, nutrition management, meal production processes, and dietary education; 2) Address misconceptions, incorrect dietary behaviors, and misunderstandings about nutrition/hygiene related to school foodservice; 3) Develop tailored videos for kindergarten, elementary school, and middle/high school students according to their knowledge levels and the school foodservice environment; 4) Introduce the current situation, characteristics, and advantages of Korean school foodservice operation to students and parents as educational materials, and further use them as promotional materials not only to the domestic public, but also to foreign countries.

2. First round of expert opinions on video scenario

The analysis of expert opinions on the video scenario is presented in Table 1. In the scenario targeting kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students, the systematic approach and use of characters to evoke interest was positively evaluated. Terms in the scenario were revised to be more suitable for a younger audience with the oversight of early childhood education professionals. Additionally, content reinforcing meal etiquette education was added to the end of the video. The comparison scene of Korean meals with foreign meals was removed to maintain a positive image.

Table 1
Contents reflecting expert opinions

For the scenario targeting upper-grade elementary students, the connection between foodservice and its environment in a drama format was positively evaluated. The natural flow of the story and the high quality of information intended for students were highly rated. Some scenes that are difficult to understand were revised based on feedback from teachers and students of the corresponding grade. Additionally, content inserted for enjoyment purposes was removed, and subtitles for the hearing-impaired were added to emphasize the educational aspect. Moreover, the parts with long dialogue and scenes on sustainable foodservice practices were replaced with visual materials to increase attention.

Regarding the scenario targeting middle/high school students, the quiz format of question and answer was highly rated, emphasizing the historical approach to school foodservice. To diversify the question and answer format and enhance interest, the utilization of a facilitator along with various visual materials were suggested from the experts. Furthermore, to emphasize the scientific aspect of foodservice management, additional screens displaying the information system used in schools (NEIS), HACCP records, and thermometers were recommended to add.

3. Topics that consumers want to know regarding school foodservice

Parents of kindergarten and lower-grade elementary, upper-grade elementary and secondary school students were surveyed regarding their topics which wanted to know about school foodservice. The demographic information of the participants is presented in Table 2. The average age of participating parents was 40 years, and the average age of students was 10 years. The survey revealed that 98.4% of fathers and 96.7% of mothers had a college level of education or higher, indicating that the participants’ parents were highly educated. Regarding monthly household income, 24.5% of respondents reported incomes below 9–15 million KRW, while 57.2% reported incomes below 4.5–9 million KRW.

Table 2
Characteristics of participants

Table 3 displays the topics of interest regarding school foodservice among parents and students. For parents of kindergarten and lower-grades students in elementary schools, the most desired topic was “nutritionally balanced diet,” with 23.5% expressing interest. Other topics included “purchasing safe food ingredients” (18.0%), “healthy eating habits” (14.2%), “HACCP-based meal hygiene management” (10.4%), and “healthiness of school meals” (8.0%). Upper-grade elementary students were interested in topics such as “purchasing safe food ingredients” (12.6%), “healthiness of school meals” (8.9%), “production process of school meals” (8.6%), and “reasons for not serving not serving meals with low-simple sugar and low-sodium” (8.4%). Middle and high school students expressed interest in “production process of school meals” (11.0%), “nutritionally balanced diet” (10.4%), “healthy eating habits” (9.3%), “reasons for not serving fast foods or favorite foods” (9.0%), and “reasons for not serving meals with low-simple sugar and low-sodium” (8.0%). Overall, the most desired topic among all respondents was “nutritionally balanced diet” (11.9%), followed by “purchasing safe food ingredients” (10.9%), “healthy eating habits” (9.9%), “production process of school meals” (9.5%), and “healthiness of school meals” (8.0%).

Table 3
Topics wanted to know about school foodservice

4. Second round expert survey on video scenario

After the production of live-action videos, the results of the second round of expert survey are as follows. For the educational video targeting kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students, the character “Pani” received positive feedback for its persuasive voice. The use of visual elements made the content easy to understand and engaging for preschoolers. The content tailored to the level of kindergarteners, including explanations of the actual foodservice process, was positively evaluated. However, suggestions were made for language modifications regarding content related to food digestion.

The educational video for upper-grade elementary students received favorable reviews for addressing not only foodservice-related topics, but also environmental issues. However, there were opinions that the insertion of foreign food photos and videos felt disjointed. Suggestions included deleting scenes related to sweetness measurement, blurred pictures for the food-preserved refrigerator, detailed explanations on the food-preserved refrigerator, and clear communication of expiration dates and preservation periods on the preserved foods for the food safety verification. Additionally, adding content on nutrition counseling and education was recommended.

The educational video for middle and high school students received higher scores for its structure, starting from the history of school foodservice and addressing students' curiosity. Positive feedback was given for the presenter's pronunciation and voice, as well as for the use of quiz format to engage students and aid understanding. However, there were suggestions for making blurry pictures for specific food brands and logos, as well as for including contents related to nutrition counseling and education. Overall, the use of quizzes to stimulate student interest, along with positive evaluations of contents were noted.

5. Final video content composition

The composition of the final videos for each school level is presented in Table 4, with examples shown in Figure 2. The main goal of the educational video for kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students is to introduce school foodservice with the character “Pani” (the plate fairy). The video has a duration of 7 minutes and 22 seconds and is designed to educate children about the importance of school foodservice at their knowledge level by characterizing the plate. Furthermore, it was produced using child-friendly language through scenario modification and improvement under the supervision of early childhood education specialists. The contents of this video include discussions on the healthiness of school meals, the role of nutrition teachers, nutritionally balanced diets, and hygienic production processes (i.e. safe ingredient procurement and inspection, dishwashing, personal hygiene, and serving). Additionally, it aims to promote proper dining etiquette to foster healthy eating habits.

Table 4
Education goals and final contents of the videos

Fig. 2
Video clip example and URL addresses. (A) Kindergarten/lower-grades of elementary school (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6HZstRf6xc), (B) Upper-grades of elementary school (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJMHYuv4dU0), and (C) Middle and high school (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thHHnbE9lvI&t=201s).

The main theme of the video for upper-grade elementary students revolves around introducing school foodservice in a drama format with the “Three Musketeers of School Foodservice.” This video, with a length of 6 minutes and 56 seconds, is designed to facilitate easy and engaging understanding of the excellence and importance of school foodservice. Major topics covered include the influence of friends' moods on meal preferences, forming the “Three Musketeers of School Foodservice” and uncovering school meals, hygienic production processes (inspection, cooking, serving, and disposal), nutritionally-balanced dietary composition, the impact of nutritionally-balanced intake on growth, and reducing food waste for environmental protection.

The video for middle and high school students is structured around the purpose and significance of school foodservice, as well as nutrition and hygiene management standards. This 7 minutes and 37 seconds video covers the history of school foodservice, the advantages of school foodservice, the purpose and significance of school foodservice (balanced nutrition management), and school meal production processes (HACCP-based hygiene management, procurement of high-quality ingredients with transparent purchase contracts). Produced under the concept of “Problematic Boys in the Attic,” the video is designed to be easy for middle and high school students while stimulating curiosity. Special effects, graphics, and Korean and English subtitles are used to enhance attention for the audience and enable accessibility for hearing-impaired individuals and children from multicultural backgrounds.

6. Student feedback on final videos

Table 5 presents the feedback obtained from students regarding the final videos targeting each school level. The level of enjoyment of the video was rated higher by parents of kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students (4.79 points) compared to upper-grade elementary students (3.73 points), indicating a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference observed among the 3 groups regarding the perceived usefulness of the video in understanding school foodservice, with an average score of 4.29 points. The comprehension of the video was rated significantly higher by parents of kindergarten and lower-grade students (4.84 points) compared to upper-grade elementary students (4.31 points) (P < 0.05).

Table 5
Student opinions on the final video

Upon examining responses based on school level, 19 parents of kindergarten and lower-grade students in elementary schools participated in the survey. In the aspect of video enjoyment, 84.2% of respondents answered “very much enjoyed,” while 68.4% responded positively regarding the helpfulness of the video in understanding school foodservice. Approximately 84.2% of participants responded that they understood the video very well. Respondents expressed that the video was easy for those age groups to understand and could be used as an education material for school foodservice at the beginning of the semester. Improvement suggestions included concerns that the word “diverse” might be difficult for the target audience to understand.

For the upper-grade elementary students, 62 respondents from grades 4 to 6 participated in the survey. Among them, 30.6% found the video enjoyable, while 40.3% responded “very much enjoyed” and 41.9% responded positively regarding the helpfulness of the video in understanding school foodservice. Approximately 98.2% of the upper-grade elementary students rated the comprehensibility of the video as “average or above.” Respondents appreciated learning about the process of meal preparation and answered that it was easy to understand because the video explained in easy way why the school foodservice meals were not salty. Improvement suggestions included reducing the volume of background music and keeping the video length within 5 minutes.

For middle and high school students, 80% found the video enjoyable, while 49% responded “very much enjoyed” and 36% responded “yes” regarding the helpfulness of the video in understanding school foodservice. Approximately 55% rated the comprehensibility of the video as “very much enjoyed” and 36% as “yes.” Respondents felt that the video helped them understand aspects such as the history of school foodservice and appreciated the clear explanations. Improvement suggestions included adding more diverse materials and avoiding informal phrases that were not natural.

DISCUSSION

The educational videos developed in this study aimed to promote school foodservice in a way that was suited for students at various ages. As confirmed by the expert opinions on the videos, all 3 episodes of “Informing Rightly School Foodservice” were designed to aid in the understanding of school foodservice by effectively conveying age-appropriate elements in an understandable and enjoyable way.

Previous studies evaluating the effectiveness of nutrition education have emphasized the development of educational media, such as reducing the time spent on developing educational materials by nutrition teachers, standardizing educational materials, and utilizing audiovisual media [17, 18, 19]. Particularly, considering that video-based education for elementary students has been shown to increase students' self-efficacy and learning outcomes [20], the development of educational videos should take into account students' interests and cognitive abilities [21]. However, the current situation regarding education videos related to school foodservice is biased towards hygiene [22] and nutrition [23] topics, and there are very limited videos providing accurate information about school foodservice. Therefore, the development of the “Informing School Foodservice” videos in this study holds significant value.

Factors considered by parents when selecting public kindergartens include meal expenses and meal quality [13]. Nevertheless, parents tend to have a high reliance on rumors rather than a proper understanding of the production process and characteristics of meals served at kindergarten. A survey conducted on the perception of meals among parents and students in the Incheon region revealed that although 87.2% of students were aware of the operation of free meals, 95% did not know how much the cost of free meals was [24]. Students perceive free meals as a given, showing low interest in meal expenses and the efforts of the kitchen staff. A study [25] comparing the perceptions and satisfaction levels of middle school students regarding school meals either with paid or free meals found that although students receiving free meals showed a more positive opinion about their meals, their satisfaction with the actual meals was lower than that of students with paid meals (P < 0.05). Although further analysis is needed on the qualitative differences between free meals and paid meals, the results seems to stem from the perception that the quality of school meals is poor because students eat for free rather than paying for meals [26]. To reduce such biases, materials providing accurate information about school foodservice tailored to the age level of the students are necessary.

Improving awareness of school foodservice has a positive impact on encouraging healthy dietary practices through school foodservice [27] and enhancing satisfaction with the quality of meals provided [28, 29]. A study investigating the dietary habits and perceptions of school foodservice among middle school students [27]. A study investigating the dietary habits and perceptions of school foodservice among middle school students [27] found that school foodservice positively influenced students’ dietary life, including nutritionally balanced diets, diverse menu options, correcting picky eating, regular meal times, and promoting meal etiquette. It was noted that 40.5% of students were satisfied with school foodservice. While students were generally satisfied with the menu provided, they expressed a desire for more consideration of their preferences. Although actual experiences with nutrition education were limited, the perceived importance of nutrition education was very high among students. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to provide continuous information to students regarding the purpose, significance, expected effects of school foodservice, and misconceptions students may have about school foodservice. In a study examining elementary school students’ perceptions of school foodservice hygiene [28], students considered food ingredient hygiene to be the most important aspect of school foodservice. In addition, methods which effectively deliver food hygiene-related information to students were suggested, such as cooking practice, school broadcasts, TV programs, and home newsletters. In the study by Park and Choi [29], it was found that awareness of middle and high school students regarding the operational characteristics of school foodservice were low, showing the higher awareness of school foodservice, the statistically significant higher satisfaction with school foodservice (P < 0.001). Students participating in meal helper programs showed higher awareness of school foodservice compared to non-participating students. These results demonstrate that by involving students in school foodservice programs such as meal service activities, accurate information about foodservice can be acquired, leading to a broader understanding, higher awareness, and satisfaction with school foodservice (P < 0.001).

Regarding parental perceptions of school health behaviors, a study [30] found that over 90% of parents perceived that schools support healthy eating and physical activity. Particularly, parents who consume fruits and vegetables more than 5 times a day perceived lower support for healthy eating behaviors in school meals compared to parents of students who receive free or discounted lunches. Since parents indirectly experience the school foodservice system, efforts such as expanding parental involvement in meal activities and distributing promotional materials through home newsletters or posting menu photos on school websites are necessary to deepening understanding of school foodservice among caregivers [24].

As based on the necessity to inform students and parents about school foodservice, this study developed and produced “Informing Rightly School Foodservice” videos for 3 different age groups. The reason for categorizing them into 3 types was due to the recent application of the School Meals Act to kindergarten meals since 2022, necessitating the need for school foodservice awareness videos for kindergarten students. For first grade elementary school students experiencing school meals for the first time, a concept utilizing characters for young children was used to create videos, combining these 2 groups. Upper-grade elementary students have experienced school meals for more than 3 years and possess information about school foodservice through autonomous activities and nutrition education. Therefore, they were classified as a group to target, providing information on school foodservice topics of interest and correcting misconceptions. Lastly, middle and high school students undergo rapid physical and psychological development and have different dietary habits. Hence, this group was combined to develop videos. However, in future research, it is necessary to separate kindergarteners and lower-grade elementary school students to develop tailored videos for them.

Recently, due to the increasing number of multicultural families, English subtitles were added to the videos to inform these families about school foodservice. These videos can be used as educational materials for increasing awareness on school foodservice during on/off-line nutrition education sessions. The expected effects of these videos include 1) accurately informing students about the purpose, significance, and production process of school foodservice, 2) improving students' and parents' understanding and awareness of school foodservice, and 3) providing accurate information to students and parents about kindergarten and school foodservice. Additionally, these videos can be used as educational materials for various classroom activities for improving awareness for school foodservice programs in school settings.

Areas requiring further research include some introductory materials on Korean foodservice recognized by people worldwide, and environmental education has aimed at reducing carbon foot print and food waste especially for middle and high school students. These topics were of interest among survey participants but were not included in the developed videos. To ensure that the developed educational materials are widely utilized, teachers and school personnel should be informed of these videos so that classes in various curriculum can use these materials. For example, not only the regular classes, but extracurricular classes (i.e., club activity, career activities and free-play time) can take advantage of these educational materials. In addition, active promotion should be followed through various community networks, such as public health centers, local clinics, and pediatric clinics, so that these videos can be watched by various community members beyond school boundaries.

CONCLUSIONS

As part of the effort to inform kindergarten and school students about school foodservice, this study developed 3 videos targeting kindergarten and lower-grade elementary students, upper-grade elementary students, and middle and high school students with both Korean and English subtitles. The video for kindergarten and lower-grade elementary school students was designed with the character of “Pani” (Plate Fairy) to make it enjoyable and educational at the children's cognitive level. The video for upper-grade elementary students was developed with a drama concept featuring the “Three Musketeers of School Foodservice” to enable students to understand the excellence and importance of school foodservice in an easy and interesting way. The video for middle and high school students was produced with the concept of the TV entertainment program “Problematic Boys in the Attic” to stimulate curiosity while making it easy for students to understand school foodservice purposes, meanings, and nutritional and hygiene management standards. Furthermore, Korean and English subtitles were inserted to ensure accessibility for hearing-impaired individuals and children from multicultural families. In conclusion, the videos developed in this study are expected to provide educational value by accurately conveying the purpose, meaning, and preparation process of school meals to students. Additionally, the videos are expected to contribute to enhancing students' and parents' understanding of school foodservice and emphasizing their importance, thereby increasing awareness of nutrition, hygiene, and overall health among students. Moreover, these videos can be utilized as educational materials for kindergarten and school foodservice in virtual education sessions and can be widely utilized in various classes and activities related to school foodservice.

Notes

Conflict of Interest:There are no financial or other issues that might lead to conflict of interest.

Funding:This research was supported by Korea Educational Environments Protection Agency (R202201176).

Data Availability:Data sharing is not applicable to this article as very limited questionnaire items were used in this study.

Acknowledgments

Supported by Korea Educational Environments Protection Agency.

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