Health 3100 —Technological Applications in Health Promotion

 Spring 2007

 

Instructor: Michael N. Olpin, PhD, CHES                                        

Office: SG 125F                                                                               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 8:30-9:40 SG19

 

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:

         CDCynergy

         Computerized Databases

         Health instructional software

         Health Self-Assessments

         Multimedia

         Podcasting (new)

         PowerPoint

         Professional documents

         Statistical analysis of data

         Website development

 

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

Student will create a Podcasting web page.

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. 

 

 

Go Ask Alice! http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/

Go Ask Alice! is a service of Columbia University's Student Health Education Department. Originating as an interactive means of answering common student questions about health topics, the site was discovered by other Net users and soon grew to an enormously popular site (currently accessed more than 2.5 million times a month by readers in over 60 countries). Responses to questions are researched by a team of health professionals and are then provided in a frank and sometimes humorous format. Question and answers are archived by topic area and are comprehensive. (15 points)

 

CDCynergy -

Develop a health promotion program plan based on the CDC software CDCynergy. (30 points)

 

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.  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. They will also learn how to plug a computer into an LCD projector and make it work. (20 points)

 

Group Newsletter

As a group of 2-3 students, 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)

 

Electronic Hardware competency

Students will learn how to do the following:

1. Understand how to hook up a VCR/DVD player, know where the signal goes, be able to troubleshoot if it doesn't work. Be able to copy from DVD to video tape, video tape to video tape, or possibly video tape to DVD.

 

2. Be able to competently set up and operate a video camera.

 

Class Participation

Participate actively in class discussion, interactions, and class attendance. (20 points)

 

Summary of Points:           

         Discussion Participation                            10 points

         CDCynergy                                                30 points

         Website of the Week                                10 points

         Website Project                                        20 points

         Electronic Resume & Portfolio                    20 points

         Groups Newsletter                                    20 points

         PowerPoint Presentation                           20 points

         Statistical Analysis of Data                        10 points

         On-Line Health Appraisal                           10 points

         Class Participation                                    20 points

               Total                                               170 points

 

Grading Scale:       

         A    90-100%

         B    80-89%

         C    70-79%

         D    60-69%

         F    Less than 60%

 

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."

 

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.

 

Classroom Chatter
It is rude to talk in class when someone else, either the instructor or another student, is speaking. Please be courteous by avoiding idle chatter during class. If you must carry on a conversation, please leave the room to do so.

 

Dismissing Class
We will dismiss class when the class activities are finished for the day. Please refrain from "packing up" before we are officially through. If you absolutely must leave during class, please leave in a way that does not disrupt the flow of the class.

 

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices

Please turn off, and leave in your bags, any cell phone or other electronic device that you might have in your possession while in the classroom…except for a laptop.