Course Syllabus
Course Number: HEA 759
Course Title: Community-Based Health Education Research
Credits:
(3:3)
Pre-requisites/Co-requisites: HEA 751; 752; 753; 754; 765 (concurrent); ERM 680; 681; 667
For Whom Planned:
Required course for graduate students in the Department
of Public Health Education’s Doctoral Program. May be taken with permission
from instructor by advanced graduate students in the MPH program of study.
Instructor Information: Vincent
T Francisco, PhD
437a
334-5520,
Catalog Description:
Advanced public health research methods applied to the
challenges inherent in the development of skills associated with
community-based participatory research of health promotion programs.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
1.
Discuss the
conceptual and historical roots of community based health education research,
and the values enhanced by this approach to program development.
2.
Summarize the
methods used in community-based health education research.
3.
Devise prevention
research programs in collaboration with diverse (both ethnic and economic)
communities and community representatives.
4.
Appraise the
ethical challenges in conducting action research with communities.
5.
Translate the
findings of community based prevention research projects to a variety of
audiences to facilitate the development of effective public policy.
6.
Write a review of
the relevant Community-based Participatory Research literature in an area of
focus (e.g., HIV prevention).
Teaching Methods and
Assignments for Achieving Learning Outcomes:
Reading case studies,
position papers, literature reviews, and methods papers related to CBPR,
critiques of case studies, weekly journal reflections.
Assignments will include:
1) Short written assignments
(20%). Students will be assigned short written assignments that will be either
a critical review of an article or case studies, or a component assignment of
an evaluation plan. Reviews should be no more than 3 pages (12 pt font, double
spaced) and should clearly assess the ideas and conclusions stated in the
article/case study. Directions for any component assignment of an evaluation
plan will be given with the assignment. (SLO 1-4)
2) Weekly Journal Reflections
(10%). You will be responsible for presenting a summary and critique of
selected assigned reading through BlackBoard. Each week, you must provide 1
original posting related to the readings of the week, and respond to 3 postings
of your class peers. For this assignment you should be prepared to lead a
discussion of the main points. You will be expected to focus the discussion
relative to the topic and readings of that week. All students are required to
read the articles and be prepared to contribute to the discussion (See class
participation below). (SLO 1-4)
3) Review Paper (30%). The
final product of the class will be a paper that will cover a topic within
program development of your choosing, and will review the state-of-the-art in
CBPR in an area or focus of the student’s choice. More specific evaluative
criteria will be posted on Blackboard and discussed at the beginning of the
semester. (SLO 6)
4) Group Design of a Program
(30%). In small groups, we will be developing a program of your choice. This
can be a fictional program, or a program of which you have access and want to
improve. Students will be assessed not only on their participation, but also on
the quality of their work relative to the program. You should expect to be
working independently and as part of a group for various phases of this
process. The goal here is to implement the concepts being presented in the
classroom to a real evaluation plan. It is hoped that the final product of this
group class activity is an evaluation report for the program being evaluated.
(SLO 3-5)
5) Class Participation (10%).
Students are expected to contribute to classes based on their analysis of the
readings and their own experience, when applicable. Class participation
includes online communications through Blackboard, and other written
communications. Specific evaluative
criteria will be posted on Blackboard and discussed at the beginning of the
semester. (SLO 1-6)
Evaluation and Grading:
Students will be graded on 1)
submission of three to five short written assignments (20%); 2) weekly journal
discussions (10%); 3) a review paper (30%); 4) small group development of a
program (30%): and 5) participation in class discussions, including written
responses to questions and informal writings about the readings (10%). More
specific evaluative criteria for each element will be posted on Blackboard and
discussed at the beginning of the semester.
A =
94 - 100%
A-
= 90 - 93%
B+
= 87 - 89%
B =
83 – 86%
B-
= 80 – 82%
C+
= 77 – 79%
C =
70 – 76%
F =
69% or below
Required Texts/Readings/References:
Specific reading assignments
for each week will be posted on Blackboard, and discussed in class.
Primary texts will include:
Minkler,
M., & Wallerstein, N (eds). (2003). Community-Based Participatory
Research for Health.
Additional readings will be
taken from the following, and from current peer-reviewed journals from
throughout the field of public health, and be made available through Blackboard
or the UNCG Library E-Reserves. Primary texts will also be supplemented from
the following:
*Committee on Prevention and Mental
Disorders,
*Fetterman,
D., Wandersman, A., & Kafterian, S., (1991). Empowerment Evaluation: Knowledge and tools for
self-assessment and accountability (pp. 161-187).
*Green,
L., et al., (1995). A review of participatory action research for health.
*Whyte,
W. F. (Ed.). (1990). Participatory action research.
(* Indicates seminal work in
the field, and cannot be replaced with more recent works.)
Topical Outline/Calendar:
WEEK TOPIC:
1 An Introduction to Community-based
Participatory Research for Health
2 Review of theories in CBPR and
Community Health
3 Review of theories in CBPR and
Community Health (continued)
4 The science of applied research and
program development
5 Building Community Leadership
6 Group Facilitation
7 Community Assessment, Information
Gathering, and Listening
8 Analyzing the Issue or Problem
9 Strategic Planning
10 Intervention, Program Development, and
Implementation
11 Collaboration, Negotiation, and Cultural
Competence
12 Community Organization and Advocacy
13 Evaluating and Documenting Community
Initiatives
14 Social Marketing and
Institutionalization
15 Lessons, Closing Insights, and Next
Steps
Academic Honor Code:
Students are responsible for
familiarizing themselves with the UNCG policy on issues such as cheating,
plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification and facilitation of
dishonest conduct. Procedures and penalties related to these and other violations
of the Academic Honor Policy are found in the undergraduate bulletin as well as
via the following web site. http://saf.dept.uncg.edu/studiscp/Honor.html.
Any violation of the Honor Policy may result in failure of the assignment and
subsequently the entire course.
Students are required to sign the Academic Integrity
Pledge given below on ALL major work submitted to an instructor. Please note
that “a student's work need not be graded until he/she has signed the
statement. Exceptions to the requirement of signing the statement may be
specified by appropriate persons or offices, as, for example, on theses and
dissertations. In the absence of such exceptions, students who do not sign the
pledge may be assumed to have violated the Academic Integrity Policy. In
signing the pledge, the student indicates his/her knowledge that the Academic
Integrity Policy governs his/her academic activities at the University”.
Academic Integrity Pledge:
I
HAVE ABIDED BY THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY ON THIS
ASSIGNMENT.
Signature___________________________________________________
Date__________________
Attendance
Policy:
This is a doctoral
level course. Students are expected to attend and be an active participant in
all sessions. Specific information on attendance will be posted on Blackboard
and discussed with students at the beginning of each semester.
Additional Requirements:
None.