An inquiry into Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students' knowledge of food and nutrition education and their role in supporting pupils in adopting health promoting behaviours

McLaren, Evelyn (2026) An inquiry into Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students' knowledge of food and nutrition education and their role in supporting pupils in adopting health promoting behaviours. Ed.D thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Food and nutrition education (FNE) is recognised as a vital aspect of promoting health and wellbeing of learners, and, in turn, enhancing educational outcomes for them. The Health Promoting Schools initiative has been in existence for over 40 years (led by the World Health Organisation and UNESCO) and yet concerns about global health are still apparent. There appears therefore to be a misalignment between aspirations for Health Promoting Schools and outcomes for health and wellbeing as realised through professional practice in schools. Teacher education students in Scotland will have an important role in FNE in primary schools, but there is limited research into the role of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students in relation to this aspect of the Scottish curriculum. While teacher education programmes provide foundational knowledge, the complexity of supporting learners' health promoting behaviours extends beyond simple content delivery. It encompasses exploration and understanding of professional values, ethical reasoning, and the negotiation of opportunities and constraints within educational contexts. Motivated by this gap, this research aimed to explore how ITE students understand their role in relation to FNE and the ways in which they perceive themselves as supporting pupils' capabilities to engage in health promoting behaviours.
Underpinned by the Capabilities Approach, this research adopted a qualitative, interpretivist design using focus groups and individual interviews. Themes emerging from focus groups informed the development of interview questions, allowing for deeper exploration of participants' knowledge, experiences, roles, responsibilities and perceived capabilities. The analysis of findings focused not only on what student teachers knew and did but also on the conditions and resources that shaped their ability to act meaningfully in supporting pupils' wellbeing. The findings indicate how ITE students negotiate professional responsibilities, preparedness and the structural and relational factors that influence their practice. By exploring the values, opportunities and constraints inherent in their emerging professional roles, the study highlights both the challenges and possibilities for fostering capabilitiesbased approaches to FNE. In doing so, it contributes to theoretical understandings of ITE, the practical development of ITE programmes and the promotion of teacher and learner flourishing in school contexts.

• Item Type: Thesis (Ed.D)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: L Education > L Education (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Patrick, Dr. Fiona and Hedge, Professor Nicki
• Date of Award: 2026
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2026-86319
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 09 Nov 2026 13:42
• Last Modified: 09 Nov 2026 13:45
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.86319
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/86319