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WEEKS 4 AND 5
Prototype design, Monday 1 November
Classes design prototypes of hand washing initiatives and accompanying health education with particular reference to their:
Effectiveness
The aim of the hand washing prototype is to ensure waterborne diseases are not passed from one person to another while dispensing a small amount of water at a time.
The device must be effective in providing sufficient storage of water to wash the hands of say 10 children in between fillings and deliver just enough water, or other liquid to enable hands to become germ free after using the toilet. It should preferably be operated in such away that it is not contaminated by dirty hands during its use.
Durability
The hand washing prototypes need to be very robust. Often they will be situated close to a sports field and need to withstand a rugby ball hitting it at high velocity.
Many students will be using the device and it cannot fall apart after a few uses. It needs to be able to withstand rough handling by school pupils and to be outside where it may be buffeted by wind, rain and sun. To ensure your device is durable hold it one metre above the floor and drop it.
User-friendliness
The hand washing prototypes should not be too complicated and should be easy to use. Papua New Guinea students should find them intuitive i.e. be able to work out how to use them without having to read a list of instructions.
The device needs to be able to be used by school children of varying ages and heights. Possibly very small children might have a special low stand, while bigger children might have a higher one. The device would need to be easily refilled and easily cleaned.
Communication
Communication refers to the health education materials that should accompany the prototype. Also, the device needs to be easily seen by all pupils using the toilet so they will remember to wash their hands. Effective messages to explain how people get sick from bacteria need to be displayed so that everyone gets the message that cleanliness leads to good health.
Three really important points on the KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) principle to consider when designing the education materials to accompany the handwashing prototype include:
Knowing is not enough.
Knowing why, how, and when to wash hands is no guarantee that individuals will wash their hands with soap. Many handwashing and hygiene promotion programmes rest on the assumption that people will change their behaviour once they are informed of the health benefits of handwashing.
Less can be more.
Promoting a change in behaviour in hygiene usually tends to cover a wide set of behaviours rather than to focus on a single behaviour. This may ultimately achieve little behaviour change.
Target a specific group.
Excellent examples of varied health education materials include those designed by Limehills School. Check them out here.