Date of Award

Spring 1982

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

Abstract

Based on the premise that the school-age child can understand concepts of body parts, this essay was designed to measure the knowledge school-age children have of internal and external body parts and to measure change in knowledge after participation in learning experiences. The essay contains a review of the literature in tow major areas: the cognitive development of the school-age child; and the measurement of knowledge of body parts, using a blank body outline as an assessment tool. A group of fourth grade children were asked to draw the parts they thought they had inside their body. They were provided with a blank body outline to complete this task. The children then participated in a weekly series of learning experiences in which they were presented with information about body structure and function. At the end of twelve weeks the children's knowledge of body parts was reassessed using the blank body outline. The two drawings were then compared. An increase in total number of body parts and an increase in the number and diversity of internal body parts were evident in the comparison. It is suggested that the body outline was a useful tool for assessing school-age children's knowledge of body parts. It is further suggested that through the use of this assessment tool, the nurse who works with school-age children can effectively measure their knowledge of body parts and can modify delivery of health care so that it is appropriate to the child's cognitive level.

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