Practice, Practice, Practice: Practice, Practice, Practice: Learning by doingLearning by doing

Anne Fidler, ScDAnne Fidler, ScDAsst. Dean for Public Health Practice

Scott Harris, MPHScott Harris, MPHPracticum Director

BUSPH Practice OfficeBUSPH Practice Office

What does chocolate taste like?What does chocolate taste like?

• Like chocolateLike chocolate

• Like the color red looksLike the color red looks

• Like heavenLike heaven

Experiential LearningExperiential Learning

the process whereby students “learn by doing” and by reflecting on the experience

For example… hands-on laboratory experiments field exercises studio performances practicums

Service LearningService Learning

Type of experiential learning

Method of teaching, learning, and reflecting that combines academic classroom curriculum with meaningful service, in the community

Can these be combined?

ExperienceExperience

ClassroomClassroom

ExperienceExperience

ClassroomClassroom

Preparing to LearnPreparing to Learn

But, Experience-But, Experience-OnlyOnly Methods Methods

PracticePractice

TheoryTheory

Often fall short in helping students:

Assimilate theory into practice

Learn how to challenge an reflect on their own operating assumptions

Effect enduring change

It views learning as acquired in the midst of action and dedicated to the task at hand.

It sees knowledge creation and utilization as collective activities.

Its users demonstrate a learning-to-learn aptitude.

Work-Based LearningWork-Based Learning

Knowledge/SkillsKnowledge/Skills

LEARNINGLEARNING

Experimentation Experimentation

Real ExperienceReal Experience

ReflectionReflection

The Experiential Learning CycleThe Experiential Learning Cycle

R e – T

h e o r i z i n

g

Technical knowledge knows how to mine a database

Interpersonal ability actively listens

Problem solving thinks analytically

Professional Responsibility acts ethically

Results orientation gets things done with others

Path-finding expresses curiosity; seeks challenges

Competency Sequences in Competency Sequences in Work-Based LearningWork-Based Learning

Core Competencies for MPH Students*Core Competencies for MPH Students*

Discipline-specificDiscipline-specific Biostatistics Environmental Health Epidemiology Health Policy and

Management Social and

Behavioral Sciences

Cross-cuttingCross-cutting Communication &

Informatics Diversity and Culture Leadership Professionalism Program Planning Public Health Biology Systems Thinking

* developed by Association of Schools of Public Health, 2003

Importance of ReflectionImportance of Reflection

…the practice of stepping back to ponder and express the meaning to self and to others in one’s immediate

environment of what has, will, or is happening.

“If I continue to believe as I have always believed, I will continue to act as I have always acted; and if I continue to act as I have always acted, I will continue to get what I have always gotten.”

--Marilyn Ferguson

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. "

--Albert Einstein?/Mark Twain?/ Benjamin Franklin?

Content reflection looks at how we have consciously applied ideas in solving a problem

Process reflection examines how we go about problem solving with a view toward the procedures and assumptions in use

Premise reflection questions the very presuppositions attending to the problem to begin with

Three Levels Of ReflectionThree Levels Of Reflection

Experiential learning is particularly Experiential learning is particularly important in public healthimportant in public health

Public health is based on APPLICATION of knowledge to effect change, using effective partnerships

General lack of understanding about what public health is (even among students)

Younger students lack real-world work experience

Good for the students…..Good for the students…..

Provides opportunities Provides opportunities to reinforce concepts to reinforce concepts learned in class learned in class

Allows students to try-Allows students to try-out different potential out different potential career avenuescareer avenues

Personal growthPersonal growth Builds contactsBuilds contacts Possible post-graduate Possible post-graduate

jobsjobs

Good for community partners…..Good for community partners…..

Provides opportunities for additional staffing resources

Increases contacts with faculty interested in similar work

Opportunity for “adjunct faculty” status

Job auditioning

Good for the school…..Good for the school…..

Contacts with practitioners interested in similar research

Opportunities for community-based participatory research

Opportunities to incorporate practitioners in classroom

Improves ability to attract top students

BUSPH Practice-based EducationBUSPH Practice-based Education

Integrating practice in courses Address real-world case studies Use adjunct faculty from practice world Field trips

Practicum Required of all MPH students 56 to 112 hours in field setting

BUSPH Practice-based EducationBUSPH Practice-based EducationPracticum for MPH students:Practicum for MPH students:

2008: 278 students at 226 sites

2007: 260 students at 218 sites

2006: 257 students at 219 sites

2005: 237 students at 195 sites

2004: 208 students at 164 sites

What is a Practicum?What is a Practicum?

Course to prepare public health professionals supervised practical application of theory

Provides an opportunity to: integrate and apply classroom learning learn from professionals in the field contribute to the mission of the agency

It’s not just that we are getting older....It’s not just that we are getting older....

They They areare getting younger! getting younger!

BUSPH incoming students, 2007BUSPH incoming students, 2007

What do we want students to learn?What do we want students to learn?

How knowledge, skills, and abilities from academia translate in the “real world”

Inform what student does next

Increase understanding of workplace culture and/or culture of another country or group

Identify practicum site Orientation to practicum On-site work

minimum of 112 hours Learning contract

signed by student, faculty, site supervisor

Mid-term evaluation conducted with site supervisor on-line discussion forum (in

development) Integration seminar Poster presentation

What do students do for practicum?What do students do for practicum?

Range of ExperiencesRange of Experiences

Appropriate Practicum ProjectsAppropriate Practicum Projects

A few examples:A few examples: Develop emergency preparedness plan

Recruit for a research study

Use SAS to analyze survey data

Conduct a needs assessment

Analyze/develop legislation

Not so Appropriate Not so Appropriate Practicums…Practicums… These projects will not fit the bill:

Mentoring or Job-Shadowing

Photocopying 101

Student’s full or part-time job

Practice-based courses….Practice-based courses….

EH807 Urban Environmental Health EH807 Urban Environmental Health

Examines urban physical and social health hazards (e.g., lead, asthma, obesity, poor housing, racial segregation, income inequality)

Highlights solutions (e.g., community empowerment, urban gardens, lead-safe yards)

Environmental justice field trip in the Dudley St. Neighborhood Initiative area in Roxbury

Students research topic on urban environmental health (final paper and class presentation)

EH783 Application of EH Principles in PracticeEH783 Application of EH Principles in Practice

Hands-on application of EH principles (e.g., water-borne diseases, food safety, housing, disaster sanitation)

Helps prepares students for RS certification exam

Co-taught by practitioners

Students required to visit LHD and complete project relevant to local community

In addition to Practicum Program….In addition to Practicum Program….

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

Professional Development Workshops ‘Beyond the Classroom’

Partnership for Effective Emergency Partnership for Effective Emergency Response (PEER)Response (PEER)

Hospitals

Community Health Centers

AmbulanceServices

Long-Term Care

Public Health Departments

MA Public Health MA Public Health Regionalization ProjectRegionalization Project

Project goal: To strengthen the MA public health system by creating a state-funded regional structure for equitable delivery of local public health services across the Commonwealth

Community PartnershipsCommunity Partnerships

Partnering with community organizations to identify and address issues that significantly affect our neighbors.

New England Alliance for Public New England Alliance for Public Health Workforce DevelopmentHealth Workforce Development

Let’s discuss……Let’s discuss…… What are the elements of effective practice-

academic relationships?

What kinds of learning take place in practice setting?

How can the educational academic/practice relationship extend to other research or service activities?

How does the experience at BUSPH translate to your situations and institutions?