LEARNING Q LLC — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NIDILRR

Description

This project develops and tests HEALTHY COOKING BASICS, a microlearning curriculum for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to be used with the LearningQ platform currently in development. The curriculum is used as a tool within Independent Living programs, Health and Wellness, and Workforce Training, and provides 25-30 new skills organized into badges. The HEALTHY COOKING BASICS certification currently consists of four badges: Healthy Eating, How to Cook, Grocery Shopping, and Quick Recipes. Each badge consists of several 1-3 minute skill units with content like KNIFE SKILLS. The goal of this project is to improve access and effectiveness for building cooking skills by augmenting existing programs with on-demand microlearning resources and tools. The objectives are to: (1) introduce microlearning into existing independent living, health and wellness, and workforce training programs for improved access to support; (2) improve participant engagement and comprehension of cooking skills with easy repetition and real-time application; and (3) increase access to cooking skills by reducing the demands put on the direct service providers, allowing for learners to more effectively practice at home. Project outcomes include: (1) participants with IDD will choose to engage with microlearning skill development; (2) agency staff will have more efficient support per participant using this tool, allowing them to serve a larger audience; and (3) all stake holders will have greater transparency regarding the effectiveness of specific skill development, allowing for more personalized coaching.