Health aspects of early marriage and reproductive patterns
Acsadi, G.T.; Johnson-acsadi, G.
Ippf Medical Bulletin 19(4): 2-4
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-0357 PMID: 12280232 Document Number: 245645
This paper attempts to systematically conceptualize population education. Hilda Taba's listing-grouping-labelling sequence is 1 strategy which could be used for conceputalizing population education. A list presents several items associated with the term population and those which affect or are affected by population phenomena. Those terms which appear to have something in common are grouped into the following categories and labelled: population situation/demography; quality of life themes; human reproduction/sex education; family; and population programs. These concepts become more meaningful if learners discover a new or verify the asserted relationships between and among them using the inquiry approach. Inquiry is an umbrella term for the inductive, problem-solving, and discovery learning. Whatever name it assumes inquiry is characterized by systematic and scientific steps, namely: problem formulation; hypothesizing (developing tentative answers); data gathering and testing the hypothesis; and developing a conclusion and applying the conclusion/generalization. The inquiry approach assumes that real learning starts with a confusion, puzzle, dilemma, or problem bothering the learners, if not blocking their life goals. An important thing to remember in problem formulation is to state the questions/problems in explicit and precise terms and in researchable forms. The statements of the problems imply relationships between clusters of population concepts. There are 2 main variables in each statement. It is not enough in population education to understand and conceptualize the interrelationship of population concepts and quality of life themes. Attitude and value changes and eventually desirable fertility-related behavior are more important. There are 3 levels of teaching: facts level, concept level, and values level. It is in confronting learners value dilemmas and leading learners to modify what are otherwise pronatalist values that population education has a unique contribution to offer through values clarification. Values clarification involves 3 main steps: choice from alternatives; free choice made only after thoughtful consideration of the consequences of each alternative; and making sound decisions for action about population issues. In each of the research questions/problems, the concepts -- population situation, human reproduction, sex education, family planning, and population programs -- are viewed as independent variables, while aspects of quality of life are regarded as the dependent variable.