The Shifting Public Health Landscape and Virtual Learning Environment: The Effectiveness of Practice-Based Teaching Delivered In-Person, Virtual, and Hybrid

Abstract

The pandemic necessitated teaching competencies that allow public health (PH) students to be immediately workforce ready. The shift to virtual learning provided an ideal time to consider pedagogies focused on applied learning opportunities, such as practice-based teaching (PBT). This multi-year, post-test evaluation of one PBT course explored differences in students’ competency achievement immediately post-course with different modalities of delivery: fall 2019 in-person (n = 16), summer 2020 virtual (n = 8), and fall 2020 hybrid (n = 15). Using a variety of methods to assess across semesters, the study found virtual and hybrid learning environments resulted in equally high levels of competency achievement as in-person delivery. Regardless of course delivery, students reported, with no difference across semesters, PBT directly contributed to their workforce readiness, helped with acquisition of essential workforce skills such as problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork, and led to skill and knowledge acquisition they would not have achieved in a non-PBT course. The increased emphasis on virtual learning changed the higher education landscape and the need for students to be workforce-ready with the technical and professional skills demanded by the field and offered opportunity to redesign courses with an emphasis on applied opportunities. Virtually delivered PBT is an effective, adaptable, and sustainable pedagogy worth the investment.

Promoting Sickle Cell Trait Awareness and Education: A Typology of Interventions in the United States to Inform Ongoing Efforts to Patients and Providers

“…The interventions in this category suggest further sickle cell trait awareness and educational efforts could be delivered effectively in many modalities, including virtual or in-person formats and in individual or group settings. While most of these interventions happened pre-COVID-19 pandemic, the shift to virtual education strategies has increased and the effectiveness of virtual education to change behavior and practice is important to consider when designing interventions in a post-COVID-19 context [55]. Additionally, these interventions offer various ways to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions, specifically by using surveys, focus groups, or interviews to assess baseline knowledge pre-intervention and educational attainment post-intervention though focus less on how knowledge will be translated to practice behaviors.…”

Facilitation of Competency-Based Learning With a Practicum Administration Software: The User Experience

“…Technology has become an integral part of graduate programs, with active research on the impact on staff and students. Using internet/web-based platforms for the delivery of educational content has become commonplace, especially after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (Cunnington et al, 2023). The implementation of course management platforms improves the delivery of professional development courses, saves space and time, and creates opportunities to absorb more students every academic year (Abel, 2005; Harley et al, 2003; Twigg, 2003).…”

“…The implementation of course management platforms improves the delivery of professional development courses, saves space and time, and creates opportunities to absorb more students every academic year (Abel, 2005; Harley et al, 2003; Twigg, 2003). With the lessons learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many higher education institutions will implement more hybrid modes of teaching whereby web-based learning complements the traditional modes of content delivery in order to reach students in different jurisdictions and provide access to the course content at any time (Bashir et al, 2021; Cameron-Standerford et al, 2020; Cunnington et al, 2023; Nguyen et al, 2021). Besides the delivery of educational content, web-based solutions have been instrumental in the smooth running of higher institutions, facilitating such activities as student registration, fee payment, and library administration (Habib et al, 2021).…”