PHS 5204 Principles of Community Health Education Fall 2014 Hybrid Class Tuesdays 5:30-7:30pm VMIA 220 (Vet Med) Course Syllabus Revisions 8.21.14 Professor Susan Marmagas, MPH 100 Sandy Hall 231-6778 swm@vt.edu Course Description: This course is designed to present the major concepts, methods, and issues involved in the profession of health education/health promotion. The overall goal is to provide a solid grounding and appreciation for the history, science, and foundations of health education/health promotion. The key topics covered in the course include: The profession of health education and the Certified Health Education Specialist exam; Community organization and capacity building Partnerships and coalitions Community needs and assets Health education theories Training techniques Communications and media tools Policy and advocacy Learning Objectives Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to: Discuss the profession of health education including the seven areas of responsibilities for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES). Discuss the theoretical foundations of health education; Critically examine and apply principles of community organizing and engagement, coalition building, leadership and communications;
2 Apply principles and theories of health education to a specific public health problem; Design a training program using principles of community health education and tools and skills learned in the course; and Explore basic concepts of communications, media advocacy, and policy making Prerequisites MPH Program; Graduate standing Texts Meredith Minkler, ed. Community Organizing and Community Building for Health and Welfare Rutgers University Press July 16, 2012 ISBN-10: 0813553008 ISBN-13: 978-0813553009 Edition: Third Edition, Revised Mel Silberman. Active Training: A Handbook of Techniques, Designs, Case Examples, and Tips Pfeiffer; 3 edition (April 14, 2006) ISBN-13: 978-0787976231 ISBN-10: 0787976237 Edition: 3 rd Both of these texts are available as e-books with the VT University Libraries, although it is recommended that you purchase the texts. Course Design: This course is taught as an in-person class with on-line work to be done before class (watching lectures and reading), small group work done out of class, and on-line discussion forums. The intent is to give students independent time to prepare for class and use the classroom time for discussion, debate, interaction and hands-on exercises. I hope students will find this approach useful in learning and applying the material. This course address key principles in community health education, most notably elements of the profession and use of theory, community organizing and community building, partnerships, assessment of needs and assets, coalition building, training, communications and policy advocacy. The NCHEC competencies that serve as the focus of the course are: Responsibility I: Competency 1.1. Plan Assessment Process Responsibility I: Competency 1.6. Examine Factors That Enhance or Compromise the Process of Health Education Responsibility II: Competency 2.1. Involve Priority Populations Responsibility III: Competency 3.3. Train Individuals Responsibility V: Competency 5.3. Demonstrate Leadership 2
3 Responsibility V: Competency 5.5. Facilitate Partnerships Responsibility VI: Competency 6.2. Provide Training Responsibility VII: all competencies in this responsibility Students will choose a topic where there is a need to develop a training program (the training sites and topics will be provided by Professor Marmagas). Over the course of the semester, students will work in groups of four to design and implement the training session (2-3 hours long). Students will engage the following activities through the semester: Read chapter and other reading assignments BEFORE class Review lectures BEFORE class for the weeks that I post an on-line lecture for you to watch Participate in class discussions. During the first few weeks of the course we will be discussing the first several chapters of the Minkler text. I expect that these chapters will help us to engage in rich discussion and debate about the profession of health education. Please come ready to discuss. There is no one right answer, but instead a wrestling with the framework utilized in the health education field. Try out new training, classroom and meeting facilitation skills. I will introduce and use a different exercise during each class time so that you can gain hands-on practice in using different meeting and training techniques. Produce and turn in assignments as required and outlined in this syllabus. Engage in the on-line discussion forums. I will make the discussion forum group assignments after the first day of class. In groups of four students each, design and conduct a training session at the end of the semester. 3
4 Following is the schedule for the semester: Date Topic Readings/ Lectures August 26 Course Introduction Overview to Health Education; Overview to Community Building Assignments Assignment 1: Bring a job description of a health educator Discuss health education interviews September 2 Lesson I: Background of Health Education Profession The Health Education Specialist Introduction to Community Organizing and Community Building September 9 Lesson 2: Contextual Frameworks and Approaches Community Building Practice On-line Lecture on Health Education Part I, Chapter 1 (Chapter 2 is not required) NCHEC links (links posted on Scholar) Part Two (all three chapters3-4- 5) Page 57-130 Board 1: September 11 Assignment 2: Health Educator Interview Summary September 16 : Group Training Projects Lesson 3: Effective Community Engagement Partnerships Ethics and Health Part Three (Chapters 6 and 7) Page 131-178 Assignment 3: Reflection Paper on your own approach to the three layers of health education 4
5 Education/Promotion September 23 Lesson 4: Assessment of Needs and Assets Meetings with small training groups Design Resource Inventory Use either PRECEDE- PROCEED or McKnight s Mapping Tool (in Minkler text) to frame the approach to the training program. Part Four (Chapters 9 and 10) Page:205-245 Silberman text (Part II: Chapter 1) On-line lecture on PRECEDE- PROCEED, Assessment and Mapping Board 2: Ethical dilemmas Assessment: PRECEDE- PROCEED Model September 30 Designing Training Needs Assessment Lesson 5: Coalitions SWOT Analysis Part Seven (Chapters 17 and 19) 17: Page 394-419 19: page 439-470 Assignment 4: Draft ideas for training program; design needs assessment (group report) October 7 Lesson 6: Theory- Based Approaches Health Belief Model Transtheoretical Model Theory of Planned Behavior Reading: Doyle chapter; Theory- Based Approaches (on e- reserves, link on Scholar site) 5
6 Social Cognitive Theory On-line Lecture on Health Education Theories October 14 Lesson 7: Training Design 101 Training Groups Meet in Class Silberman text (Part I; Part II: Chapter 2) Assignment 5: Application of theory to training program (group report) October 21 Lesson 8: Implementing Training Programs Techniques for Lectures, Small Group Work, Experiential Learning Silberman text (Part II: Chapters 4, 5, 6) Forum 3: Share and discuss training techniques Deadline: 28th Oct October 28 Lesson 9: Work Session to Design Training Programs Leading Training Workshops Training Groups Meet in Class November 4 Lesson 10: Communications 101 Framing Public Silberman text (Part III: Chapters 11,12, 13, 14) Readings: TBD On-line Lecture on Assignment 6: Training program summary of needs/assets, audience, learning objectives, training techniques (group report) Deadline: Nov 4th 6
7 November 11 Health Issues Message Maps Lesson 11: Communications, Media Advocacy, Social Media Framing, Message Maps Chapter 22 (page 515-528) and Chapter 15 Forum 4: Framing and Message Map November 18 November 25 Lesson 12: Policy and Advocacy Play Policy Bingo (Minkler Appendix 11) NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK Chapter 21, Page: 489-514 Appendix 11: Page: 579-584 Assignment 7: Draft Training Manual (group report) December 2 December 9 Week of December 16 Training Workshops Training Workshops Training Workshops Final Project: Training Materials Due (group project) Course Highlights Course Deliverables: 1. Assignments -- (45%) a. 6 assignments each worth 5% -- 30% b. Assignment 7 worth 15% -- 15% 2. Boards (20%) a. 4 discussions each worth 5% 3. Participation in class you need to come! (10%) 4. Final Training Project (25%) Assignments: The assignments will be posted in each Lesson on Scholar. Assignments should be placed in the Assignments tab in Scholar at 5pm on the date it is due. 7
8 Participation: This course has been redesigned to allow for lots of discussion and interaction between the professor and the students, but just as importantly between students. Since the lectures will primarily be on-line, please read and watch the lectures prior to coming to class. This will allow for more discussion time in class. One individual meeting with Prof Marmagas (either in-person or by phone) Tools, Skills, Techniques: I will introduce a new technique in every classtime session. The hope is that these tools can assist you in being a better health educator. If you have a tool you have come across in your travels, and would like to share it in class, please let me know! Final Project: Students will work in small groups (n=4) to design and conduct a short (2-3 hour) training program for a specific audience. More details will be discussed in class on September 9. Grading Scale 94% - 100% = A 90% - 93% = A- 89% = B+ 83% - 88% = B 80% - 82% = B- 79% = C+ 73% - 78% = C < 73% = We need to talk! Course Policies Virginia Tech Graduate Honor Code -- The tenets of the Virginia Tech Graduate Honor Code will be strictly enforced in this course, and all assignments shall be subject to the stipulations of the Graduate Honor Code. It is expected that all students will be familiar with the Honor Code. For more information on the Graduate Honor Code, please refer to the GHS Constitution at http://ghs.grads.vt.edu. Teaching Approach I would like to encourage as much interaction as possible. I will use classtime, discussion forums, and small group work to build more engagement between all of us. Preparation and Attendance: You are expected to complete the readings, review the Power Points, and complete the assignments each week. You are also expected to be able to discuss the content in the course, and your critical thinking of the material, with Prof Marmagas and your fellow students in the interactive classroom sessions. 8
9 Attention to Detail Students are expected to write in this class. Please take the time to check your work, proofread, and also take advantage of university resources at the library and the Writing Center. Your written and spoken assignments in this class will give you opportunities to better prepare for public health practice. Late Work: In order to be fair to all students in the class, late work will NOT be accepted without an excuse from a verifiable source, such as a doctor. Accomodations: The university makes reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the university setting. In doing so, a variety of supplemental services are offered to help offset the functional disadvantage of a disability and help increase students educational opportunities. Students desiring particular accommodations or assistance should contact me. Prof Marmagas is happy to discuss ways in which we can improve the learning environment. Final Note I hope that you will find the material, and its practical application in this class, engaging! Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can make your learning experience better. 9