Comparison of Process-Based and Traditional Approaches in Developing Students’ Knowledge and Attitude towards the Prevention of HIV/AIDS in Gimijabet Elementary School

Abstract

Background and Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a school-based HIV/AIDS education through the process-based approach. More specifically, the process-based approach and lecture methods of providing AIDS education were compared to see their effects in developing students' knowledge and attitude towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Method: This study employed the experimental method of research. Out of 187 Grade 6 students, 60 were randomly selected and grouped into experimental and control groups using random assignment. The experimental group were taught by the process-based approach and the control group by the lecture method. In order to assess students’ knowledge and attitude towards HIV/ AIDS, a questionnaire adapted from WHO was given to the experimental and control groups before and after they were taught about AIDS. Paired Sample t-test was employed on the data to test the statistical significance of the difference between the two groups.
Results: The result in the pre-test indicated that both groups had a similar level of knowledge and attitude towards preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, the post-test result revealed a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group.
Conclusion: The process-based approach of providing AIDS education is an effective method to develop knowledge and attitude on preventing AIDS. Teaching, regardless of the kind of method employed, brought significant changes in both cognitive competence and attitude tests.