Health 4013 - Health Promotion Research and Assessment - 3 Credit Hours
Fall 2010

Instructor: Michael Olpin, PhD, CHES
Office: Swenson Gym Office #125G
E-mail:
molpin@weber.edu  
Phone: 626-6485
Class Time & Location – TTH 9:00-10:15 Swenson Gym 62

Required Materials
Practical Research 9th Edition, by Leedy & Ormrod. Merrill, (2010) Prentice Hall Publishers.

Course Description
Application of research methods used both in assessing individual and community needs for health education, and in assessing the effectiveness of health education programs. Prerequisites: Health 3000, HIM 3200.

Course Direction
Aim: The course will give students the skills to do research and evaluation within the field of health promotion. The course is dedicated to learning the skills necessary to evaluate health education, health promotion, and disease prevention programs for the various settings: community, school, university, worksite, and clinical. The specific focuses of the course are: research and evaluation skills necessary for needs assessment, conducting and implementing evaluations using appropriate research design methodologies, and analyzing and interpreting data.

Rationale: This course concentrates on two of the seven competencies of the Certified Health Education Specialist: 1) Assess Individual and Community Needs for appropriate health education, and 2) Conduct Research to expand our base of knowledge of health promotion. Knowledge of both of these skills is required in order to pass the national CHES Exam.

Goals: The following goals/learning activities will focus upon developing two major CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) competencies. The research methods taught in the course will enable the health educator to: 1) assess individual and community needs for health education (Competency 1), and 2) be responsible for assessing the effectiveness of health education programs. (Competency IV).

Class Activities
Using the text and the accompanying text website, you will complete projects, self-assessments, and practical applications. These may be accessed by linking to them from the underlined lessons in the schedule below. The course will also include several in-class activities designed to support the process of learning about research and evaluation.

Grading
Your grade will be calculated by the accumulation of points from the following items:

Chapter Homework

375 points

  Grades are based on a percentage of the total possible points earned in the class. The following total number of points is associated with the final grades.

 

93% and above A 

73% C 

Class Activities

50 points

 

 

90% A- 

70% C- 

Research Study

100 points

 

 

87% B+ 

67% D+ 

   

 

 

83% B 

63% D 

Total Points

525 points

 

 

80% B- 

60% D- 

   

 

 

77% C+ 

less than 60% E 

There are no exams in the traditional sense. Each chapter has assignments and activities that will test your knowledge and skills in learning how to assess programs and do research.  

Assignments & Schedule

A large portion of the work we do in this class will happen inside the class web space. The assignments and activities will follow the text.

Additional work will develop from regular class activities

Anything that is to be submitted should look professional. Be sure to spell check all your work and check it for grammar as well. Poor spelling and grammar will receive less than the maximum amount of points (and it is very distracting).

Week

Book Chapter

Topics

Assignments 

1

Chapter 1

What is Research? 

Lesson 1 & 2

Chapter 2

Tools of Research

Lesson 3

3

Chapter 3

The Problem: The Heart of the Research Process

Lesson 4

4 & 5

Chapter 4

The Review of Related Literature

Lesson 5

6

Chapter 5

Planning Your Research Design

Lesson 6

7

Chapter 6

Writing the Research Proposal

Lesson 7

8

Chapter 7

Qualitative Research

Lesson 8

8

Chapter 8

Historical Research

Lesson 9

9 & 10

Chapter 9

Descriptive Research 

Lesson 10

11

Chapter 10

Experimental and Causal-Comparative Designs

Lesson 11

12 & 13

Chapter 11

Statistical Techniques for Analyzing Quantitative Data

Lesson 12

14 & 15

Chapter 12

Style, Format, and Organization and Presentation of the Research Report

 

Finals

 

Presentation of Reports Continued  

Class Ground Rules

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. 

Starting and Dismissing Class
Please come to class on time. If you know you will always be late for this class, please take it a different semester when you are able to arrive on time. 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.

Food in the Classroom
If you must bring food into the classroom, make sure you bring enough food to share with everyone (including the instructor).

 

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.

  

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."