| Summary: | The development of nutrition education as part of the school curriculum is considered in the first section of this thesis. The second part focuses on an action research project which was part of in-service courses for primary teachers at the Institute of Education. Teaching and learning about food as part of science and health education provided the context for the research. Each of the seventy teachers involved in the project interviewed three children in their class to explore the ideas which children held about the foods they ate, how they grouped food items, and the types of food choices which they made, as well as the reasons for those choices. Data from the interviews were used as a means of helping teachers to reflect on teaching and learning and to explore their own ideas about food and health. Reflection on practice was encouraged through discussion and the writing of reports based on the interviews. The findings from the interviews indicate that children's ideas, particularly about nutrients, are frequently different from accepted scientific views. There is also evidence that children choose foods which they like, rather than those which they consider to be healthy.Analysis of the reports written by teachers indicates that the interviews have helped to alert teachers to the range of ideas held by children and to increase their own understanding about diet and health. There is evidence that the process of reflection and writing has helped teachers to consider and to develop teaching strategies which are consistent with constructivist learning theory. The findings from this study have implications for teaching and learning about food in science and health education in primary schools. The information about children's ideas about food and health has importance also for policy and practice at an individual, school and national level.
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