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?