What is ‘community’ for a distance-based MPH Program?
Abstract
‘Distance-based learning’, or online learning, is increasingly common in Public Health education. Distance-based learning, especially when delivered in an asynchronous format, expands educational access for Public Health students in rural or remote communities, and for adult students with work and family responsibilities. Expanding access to Public Health education is critical to training a diverse Public Health workforce that meets the needs of local communities.
Modern Public Health education is community-engaged, with an emphasis on campus-community partnerships, community-based participatory research (CBPR), and cultural humility. One of the biggest challenges distance-based programs face is the concept of ‘community’. How do we train community-engaged Public Health practitioners, and provide a sense of community among Public Health students, when they are live all over the country, or even the globe? For a Public Health program with no campus, what does ‘community’ mean?
The objective of this presentation is to explore how an online MPH program in Georgia strives to train community-engaged Public Health practitioners in the absence of a shared community campus. The analysis used a case study methodology. Data sources include document review of meeting minutes involving faculty, staff, and students. Content analysis generated important themes about challenges and successes in this arena. Themes include: 1) The challenge for the MPH Program Director to engage with community organizations local to each student to create Practicum opportunities; 2) The need for online community engagement opportunities; 3) The need for a curriculum that is rooted in the social determinants of health; and 4) Respect for local differences and perspectives. This case study aims to stimulate conversation about the role of distance-based learning in Public Health, and how to remain true to the mission of community-engaged learning in this context.
Keywords
community-engaged learning, MPH, rural and remote, Public Health education
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What is ‘community’ for a distance-based MPH Program?
‘Distance-based learning’, or online learning, is increasingly common in Public Health education. Distance-based learning, especially when delivered in an asynchronous format, expands educational access for Public Health students in rural or remote communities, and for adult students with work and family responsibilities. Expanding access to Public Health education is critical to training a diverse Public Health workforce that meets the needs of local communities.
Modern Public Health education is community-engaged, with an emphasis on campus-community partnerships, community-based participatory research (CBPR), and cultural humility. One of the biggest challenges distance-based programs face is the concept of ‘community’. How do we train community-engaged Public Health practitioners, and provide a sense of community among Public Health students, when they are live all over the country, or even the globe? For a Public Health program with no campus, what does ‘community’ mean?
The objective of this presentation is to explore how an online MPH program in Georgia strives to train community-engaged Public Health practitioners in the absence of a shared community campus. The analysis used a case study methodology. Data sources include document review of meeting minutes involving faculty, staff, and students. Content analysis generated important themes about challenges and successes in this arena. Themes include: 1) The challenge for the MPH Program Director to engage with community organizations local to each student to create Practicum opportunities; 2) The need for online community engagement opportunities; 3) The need for a curriculum that is rooted in the social determinants of health; and 4) Respect for local differences and perspectives. This case study aims to stimulate conversation about the role of distance-based learning in Public Health, and how to remain true to the mission of community-engaged learning in this context.
