Health 3100 —Technological Applications in Health Promotion
Spring 2010

Instructor: Michael N. Olpin, PhD, CHES
Office: SG 125G                                                                        Office Hours: TBA
E-mail: molpin@weber.edu                                                         Phone: 626-6485
Snail Mail: 2801 University Circle, Ogden, UT 84408                     Fax: 626-6228

Class Time & Location:
TTH 9:00-10:15 Stromberg PE/Health 12

Course Description:
This course is an exploration of current and future uses of technology in the health promotion fields. Students should have met university computer literacy standards.

Objectives: The student will have the opportunity to:

• Become familiar with the concepts and terminology of computer hardware, peripherals, software, and on-line information sources as they apply to various aspects of the health promotion profession.

• Understand the potential uses and misuses of technology in health promotion.

• Critically evaluate health promotion software and on-line services.

•  Apply the technological skills they acquire as students and in the future as health science professionals.

Course Activities - During the course, the following subjects will be covered:
Computerized Databases
Health instructional software
Health Self-Assessments
Multimedia
Podcasting
PowerPoint
Professional documents
Statistical analysis of data
Health Websites Evaluation
Health Related Newsletter
Website development
Blogging and other online Social Marketing

The extent to which these topics will be covered will depend on the skill level and interest of the students in the class. Other areas of technology and computers as they relate to health promotion may be considered.

Evaluation
A grade for the course will come from the accumulation of points from the following items:

Podcasting & Blogging
Student will create an online Blog that includes a podcast and other items.

Listserv/IM Participation
Participate in the class listserv or Internet Messaging. Each student will submit a minimum of 2-health promotion related questions. Additionally, each student will respond, on two different occasions, to health related questions posed by other members of the class. (10 points)

Website of the Week
Each student will contribute to the classroom discussion of a Cool/Hot Site of the Week. Student contributions will include the title, URL and short written description (more than one sentence) of 10 health related Websites that they think are especially interesting or useful. The written description should include who sponsors the site, its purpose and an explanation of why they think their chosen site is so cool/hot/useful/interesting. (See example below). Websites are available on a first come basis. You can not use a site that has been used by someone else. Students will also be required to demonstrate and discuss their selected sites with the class at various intervals. All Websites descriptions must be submitted to the discussion area in the proper format in order to be acceptable.

Website Project
Students will develop a personal Website using Microsoft Word, FrontPage, Publisher, or some other page editor. At a minimum, the site must contain any written work completed as part of this course (e.g., a sample letter of application, a personal resume with a photograph, a sample three page newsletter or brochure), and active links to additional Web pages as appropriate during the class. The Website must be fully functional with no broken links and must conform to elements of style discussed in class (e.g., attractive layout, text and graphics).

Note: All written work produced for this class will be saved as HTML or PDF files, uploaded, and accessible with links from this site. Five points for functionality (working links), five points for logical navigation and appearance, and ten points for inclusion of all required components. Required links include: Electronic Portfolio, Resume, Website Review, Software/Multimedia Review, PowerPoint, and the Spreadsheet Assignment. Additional pages with appropriate links to them are encouraged. (20 points)

Electronic Resume and Portfolio
Using FrontPage, students will develop the structure and the basic necessary components of an electronic resume and an electronic portfolio. (20 points)

PowerPoint Presentation
Students will learn how to deliver a multimedia presentation. They will integrate pictures and/or video into a Power Point demonstration. They will learn how to scan and possibly edit photographs for use in PowerPoint, or other presentations. (20 points)

Health Newsletter
Students will develop a health promotion newsletter of four pages that will have at least four (4) different health promotion topics (you may include more than 4). Each group will use a desktop publishing program such as PageMaker, WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher or other appropriate programs. The newsletter will be presented in class via the students’ websites. (20 points)

Statistical Analysis of Data
Students will be given a set of data from the instructor. From this data, students will run the following statistical analyses: mean, standard deviation, correlation, and t-test (10 points).

On-Line Health Appraisal
Students will find and complete an on-line health appraisal. This could include a fitness, wellness, nutrition, stress, health risk appraisal, or other type of health appraisal. Students will include a printout of the results of the appraisal and a short paper describing their thoughts on the validity and reliability of the appraisal. (10 points)

Other Activities
Given the fluid and dynamic nature of technology, as it relates to health education, additional activities will be appropriate as they arise. Be ready for anything.

Class Participation
Participate actively in class discussion, interactions, and class attendance. (10 points)

Grading Scale:
A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
F Less than 60%

Class Ground Rules

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices
Please turn off, and leave in your bags, any cell phone or other electronic device (besides your computer at which you'll be working - keep those on)  while in the classroom.

Food in the Classroom
Don't bring food into the lab.

Classroom Chatter
If you need to carry on an extended conversation with someone else in the room on an unrelated topic, please be courteous and leave the room to do so.

Academic Misconduct
Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Evidence of not doing your own work will result in an automatic zero for that assignment on the first infraction. Evidence of not doing your own work a second time will result in an automatic failing grade for the class. This rule applies for all tests, in-class assignments and outside of class assignments unless the instructor stipulates that the work may be done with partners or groups. Obviously, studying for tests and such may be done with others.

Students with Disabilities
"Any student requiring accommodations or serviced due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Services Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including the syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary."