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The purpose of this paper is to consider the importance of structured and consistent practical cookery skills intervention in the 11-14-year age group. This paper reviews the impact and development of statutory and non-statutory cooking skills interventions in the UK and considers limitations in relation to life skills training. Currently practical cooking skills are mainly derived from two sources namely the non-statutory sector (community cooking interventions) and the statutory sector (Home Economics teaching).

The paper compares the two interventions in terms of effective long-term outcomes. Non-statutory cooking interventions are generally lottery funded and therefore tend to be single teaching blocks of, on average, six to eight weeks targeting mostly low-income adults and the literature emphasises a deficit of empirical measurement of the long-term impact. In contrast Home Economics classes offer a structured learning environment across genders and socio-economic groups. In addition it is taught over a substantial time frame to facilitate a process of practical skills development (with relevant theoretical teaching), reflection, group communication and consolidation, where according to current educational theory (Kolb, 1984) learning is more thoroughly embedded with the increased potential for longer term impact.

The review identifies the limitations of too many community initiatives or “project-itis” (Caraher, 2012, p. 10) and instead supports the use of the school curriculum to best maximise the learning of practical cooking skills.

This review will be of particular value to educationalists and health policy decision makers.

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of video-based learning on the cooking skills development of students. More specifically, exploring the first stages in the learning process through embedding declarative knowledge utilising both video content and learner profiles, with the purpose to make teaching practice more effectively and efficiently targeted.

A quantitative social experimental approach was employed. The sample consisted of 414 students from three post primary schools in Northern Ireland. Students were randomly allocated into both control and experimental video content groups. All participants were made aware of ethical procedures and the nature of the study.

Through the application of latent class analysis (LCA), three distinct types of students were classified. Class one (n = 250) students were termed independent learners, class two (n = 88) students were motivated and benefited from video-based learning and class three (n = 52) students demonstrated an inability to apply information because video did not assist in embedding declarative knowledge.

Implications from this research inform content generation for video-based cooking skills.

Given the unprecedented move towards online teaching in 2020 due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions, there is increasing interest in targeting resources effectively to meet the requirements of all learning groups. This paper fulfils an identified need to study how video impacts on skills development and learning within specific learning typologies.

This research will be of interest to educationalists in promoting a cost-effective resource in line with constructivist values to streamline and meet the needs of individual learners.