Preparing the Future Nutrition Professional: Dynamic Approaches in Nutrition Higher Education

OBJECTIVES: We examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a project-based nutrition curriculum during an academic year to enhance undergraduate professional skill development and application of nutrition content. METHODS: Current approaches in nutrition higher education are traditionally rich in disciplinary content. However, complex social problems including food insecurity, diet-related diseases, and obesity require student-centered pedological approaches utilizing critical thinking and problem solving to connect course content with food, culture, and health. Often nutrition undergraduate students are not exposed to interdisciplinary teams and student-led projects that span an academic year to address wicked problems. As a result, students may enter the workforce unprepared for the challenges associated with interdisciplinary teamwork and real-world problems. To address gaps in higher education curricula, we developed sequential food and nutrition management courses with transferable skills explicitly embedded. During an academic year, 32 nutrition undergraduate students were introduced to complex social problems related food, culture, and health. Through scaffolding, instructor facilitation, and professional advisors, students developed and managed food and nutrition solutions to address complex social problems. Using reflective practice and friend-in-dialogue, we were able to assess student acquisition of professional skills. Students prepared self-assessments and peer evaluations which were then compared with observational notes to guide sequential activities to support meaningful and relevant experiences. RESULTS: Using thematic analysis, the themes that were identified include skill development in communication, teamwork, dealing with uncertainty, and appreciation for personalized education that is often unexpected in a large university class. However, students struggled with time management, scheduling conflicts, and asking for help in uncertain situations. CONCLUSIONS: Overall students were satisfied with their experience in an academic year project-based course. The course met pedological expectations for engaged student learning; however, students struggled with internal and external conflicts and expectations toward grades versus life-long learning. FUNDING SOURCES: None.