Toward an internet-driven, theoretically-based, innovative approach to sex education

Journal of Sex Research, Nov, 2001 by Azy Barak, William A. Fisher

Emerging technologies are often adopted in educational settings to make instruction more effective and engaging. This has been true historically, for instance, of the introduction of film, television, and video technologies into the classroom. More recently, computers have contributed to an emerging revolution in technology-assisted education. Computers provide an optimal means for storing, searching, and retrieving educational materials, and for composing and editing written work. Critically, computers also permit self-directed and individualized instruction and feedback in almost any area of interest. The emergence of the Internet affords very widespread access to computer-assisted "e-learning" or "cyberlearning" opportunities (Barron & Ivers, 1996; Maccormack & Jones, 1997; Starr, 1997).

Benefits of Internet-based educational technology for complementing standard educational practices may be numerous. For example, in crafting Internet-based educational materials, significant resources may be efficiently invested in creating instructional programs that provide expert instruction to a very large audience in an extremely cost-effective fashion. Such educational materials may also be regularly updated and upgraded to deliver state-of-the-art instruction on a continuous basis. Internet-mediated e-learning also enables those who reside in remote locations or who are physically confined to receive varied educational programming of high quality. Moreover, because Internet-based educational websites connect with numerous additional sources of information, e-learning technology can access content to fit a very wide range of learner needs and interests. Internet-based educational technology, as part of the World Wide Web, can also access multiple types of media, allow rapid communication between learners and instructors, and enable "classroom discussions" among physically isolated learners.

The advantages of Internet-driven educational technology are applicable to any area of instruction, but there are specific subjects that may benefit more than others from Internet-assisted teaching. One such subject is sex education, an area of instruction that may profit dramatically by exploiting the Internet's unique characteristics to reach its particular goals.

Sex education--aimed at equipping individuals with sex-related information, motivation, and behavioral skills that will enable them to avoid sex-related problems and achieve sexual well-being--has been advocated for decades. Although the scope and methods of sex education are broad and varied and often differ as a function of cultural, political, and religious considerations, sex education of some kind is believed to be necessary in most societies (McKay, 1998). Typically, sex education includes topics relating to the biological aspects of sexuality and the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease, sexual exploitation, and sexual assault, and may (as policy permits) also focus on interpersonal relationships, sexual orientation, and sexual function.

Although sex education programs are numerous and their methods diverse, and much effort and many resources have been invested in sex education, its effectiveness--in terms of engendering actual change in learners' behaviors--has been questioned (e.g., Dailey, 1997; J. Fisher & Fisher, 1992; Franklin & Corcoran, 2000; Grunseit, Kippax, Aggleton, Baldo, & Slutkin, 1997; Kirby & Coyle, 1997). Reviews of sex education efforts have pointed out that most involve information-only interventions which entirely ignore the issue of individuals' motivation to apply what has been learned and the behavioral skills required for applying sex education lessons effectively in real-world situations (J. Fisher & Fisher, 1992; 2000; W. Fisher & Fisher, 1993, 1999). The current discussion focuses on exploiting the multiple capabilities of the Internet to deliver near optimal sex education which more successfully addresses individuals' sex-related information, motivation, and behavioral skills needs, in relation to their sexual problems, sex-related risks, and sexual well-being.

It is well recognized that there are specific circumstances that may enhance learning across most topic areas. Such circumstances involve environmental factors (e.g., class size, availability of textbooks), instructor capabilities (e.g., knowledge of pedagogic principles, comfort level), and learner characteristics (e.g., intelligence, study skills), in interaction with an effective curriculum. Because sex education is a sensitive and value-laden enterprise that is often aimed at the challenging objective of behavior change, sex education may require not just special but unique environmental conditions, teacher characteristics, learner characteristics, and curriculum elements.

In relation to environmental factors, special characteristics required in the sex education context may include a setting for learning about sensitive sexual issues that is perceived to be private and respectful. Unique characteristics of sexuality educators are also required and involve threshold levels of comfort with sexuality (Yarber & McCabe, 1981), willingness to withhold personal judgments, sophisticated knowledge of sex-related scientific developments, and skill in the area of group communication processes. Special characteristics are required of learners in the sex education context as well and involve at least a threshold level of comfort with sexuality which is required to attend to, retain, and retrieve sexual information (W. Fisher, Byrne, & White, 1983; W. Fisher et al., 1988). Learners' comfort levels with sex education may be enhanced by environmental conditions of privacy and anonymity, and by instructors who are sensitive and skilled at protecting learners from stigmatizing reactions. These same environmental conditions and instructor parameters are conducive to individual expression and exploration of solutions to sensitive sex-related problems. Finally, in interaction with optimal environmental, teacher, and learner characteristics, an effective sex education curriculum is necessary to provide the sort of information, motivation, and behavioral skill inputs which are likely to be useful in learners' efforts to avoid sexual problems and to achieve sexual well-being. It is our belief that the Internet can be harnessed to provide many of these unique requirements for effective sex education.