CAPHIA Australian Teaching and Learning Program 2018

The Cairns Campus of James Cook University, Room A3-003

Day 1 – 24 September 2018

8:30-9:00 Registration and welcome coffee

9:00-10:15 Session 1: Welcome, keynote address and scene setting

Session chair: Colleen Fisher 9:00 Welcome and introduction Colleen Fisher 9:10 Welcome to Country Sarah Addo-Amber 9:30 Keynote address Lee Stewart 9:55 Keynote address Terry Slevin

10:40-11:00 Morning Tea

11:00 -12:30 Session 2: Online and blended learningSession chair: Devin Bowles

11:00 Creating innovative and interactive online learning environments that provide foundational knowledge and an engaging experience Alexandra Bhatti

11:15 Applied improvisations in blended learning pedagogy and active learning in postgraduate MPH courses Tazeen Majeed

11:30 Staff and student perceptions of the Canvas Learning Management System James Kite 11:45 Distance postgraduate students’ preference for type of tutorial participation and their

subsequent participation and performance Naomi Noguchi 12:00 Facilitating genuine student engagement in an online biostatistics course: Teacher

and learner perspectives Katherine L Baldock 12:15 Using a series of interactive e-learning activities and non–threatening assessment

tasks to drive flexible learning in busy clinician students Sharon Reid 12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30 Session 3: Online and blended learning workshop Session chair: Basia Diug

1:30 Building and evaluating online learning resources Bethany Howard & Basia Diug

2:30-3:00 Session 4: Teaching in developing countriesSession chair: Devin Bowles

2:30 The role of fieldtrips in improving public health knowledge and understanding among undergraduates: An evaluation Julie Saunders & Jane Heyworth

2:45 Setting up a Master of Public Health course when the SWOT analysis says, ‘Don’t do it!’ Elisabeth Schuele

3:00-3:30 Afternoon tea

3:30-4:30 Session 5: CAPHIA Awards Session chair: Prof Colleen Fisher

4:30-6:00 Drinks and finger food reception

Day 2 – 25 September 2018

8:30-9:00 Welcome coffee and tea

9:00-10:30 Session 5: Bridging cultures, facilitating transitionsSession chair: Philip Baker

9:00 The WFPHA Global Charter – A tool for mapping public health competencies and curricula Priscilla Robinson & Leanne Coombe

9:15 Removing silos: Integrating research training, practicum placements, and coursework to support population health learning for tertiary students Karen Martin

9:30 Building population health workforce capacity: A New South Wales Approach Lisa McCallum, Rani Lawler & Dawn Arneman

9:45 Healthlit4Kids: A primary school program, crossing boundaries for positive health literacy outcomes Rose Nash

10:00 Transitions for international postgraduate public health students at an Australian University Catherine MacPhail

10:15 PHILE Update Vanessa Lee

10:30-11:00 Morning tea

11:15-12:45 Session 6: Public health in medical curriculaSession chair: Susan Pennings

11:15 Partners in learning: Medical students, patients, teachers and researchers John D Dockerty

11:30 How to integrate public health content into medical training: A case study from University of Newcastle and University of New England Erica L James

11:45 The transition from the MBBS to the MD: A round table discussion of changes at a national level Basia Diug, Roger Hughes, Erica James & Colleen Fisher

12:45 – 1:45 Lunch

1:45 – 3:00 Session 7: Teaching diverse forms of communicationSession chair: Julie Saunders

1:45 Teaching public speaking in public health: A multidisciplinary approach to equipping students with analytical and rhetorical skills to advocate for social and political change Julie-Anne Carroll

2:00 Does increasing the experiential component improve the efficacy of the ‘This is Public Health’ photo essay task? A non-randomised controlled trial Kate Dundas & Caroline Shaw

2:15 Public health video assignments: A look at three universities, and the future Siobhan Hickling, Alexandra Bhatti & Devin Bowles

3:00 – 3:30 Afternoon tea

3:30 Session 8: Personalising pedagogySession chair: Susan Pennings

3:30 Early identification of online students at risk of failing in an introductory postgraduate unit in clinical epidemiology Naomi Noguchi

3:45 Personalising pedagogy in undergraduate public health education: Operationalising ‘Big Picture Learning’ design at the University of Newcastle Kate Dundas & Erica James

4:00 The impact of viewing personalised feedback on the final assignment marks in an introductory postgraduate unit in clinical epidemiology Fiona Stanaway

4:15 Session 9: Teaching future leaders in policy, research and humanitarian aidSession chair: Colleen Fisher

4:15 Beyond the guest lecture – embedding the wisdom of public health leaders into teaching to inspire the next generation Lisa Wood

4:30 Use of critical appraisal as a tool for peer instruction and assessment in post-graduate epidemiology Philip Baker & Daniel Demant

4:45 Humanitarian assistance curriculum development for Master of Public Health students at Australian Catholic University John Oldroyd

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5:00 Closing remarks Colleen Fisher

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Abstracts

Creating innovative and interactive online learning environments that provide foundational knowledge and an engaging experience

Alexandra Bhatti1, Mathew Robson1

1 Macquarie University

Master of Public Health (MPH) students are typically diverse, with varying levels of relevant experience. Approximately 70% of the Macquarie University (MU) MPH cohort are international students, who come from almost 20 countries. Students are also diverse in terms of mode of study (full time or part time), educational background and language ability. Approximately 20% of students enter directly from varied undergraduate degrees.To participate fully in the MPH curriculum, it is essential that foundational knowledge be established early in the program to provide the building blocks for connected student learning. Cementing student engagement early in programs is also important for setting up students for continued engagement. The development of adaptive environments that enable students to navigate their own pathway through choices within the degree is an established way of supporting inclusive learning.The MU MPH (first offered in 2017) developed and implemented a suite of interactive and innovative online resources designed to support student learning and complement face-to-face teaching that enables access for all learners. These resources are included in the Foundations of Public Health unit, a core unit and often the first interaction students have with the MPH program.The online resources include interactive timelines, discussion forums, online quizzes, knowledge checks and online virtual bulletin boards. These resources aim to create a memorable and engaging learning experience for students by tailoring content to individual need. Students with little previous public health knowledge utilise links and functions to access more information, whereas students with knowledge can skip these functions. The resources also allow for flexibility in learning styles where students can work at their own pace and some resources additionally provide immediate formative feedback.This presentation discusses the journey of creating and implementing these resources at Macquarie University and explores the resources in more detail.

Applied improvisations in blended learning pedagogy and active learning in postgraduate MPH courses

Tazeen Majeed,1 Erica L James,1 Kate Dundas1

1 University of Newcastle

Blended learning approaches aim to find a harmonious balance between online access to knowledge and face-to-face interactions with teaching staff. There are many advantages of blended pedagogy such as pedagogic richness, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and improved efficacy of classroom learning. The traditional model is to record face to-face lectures and upload them on Blackboard for the ‘online’ students. This raises questions about equity, such as whether online students receive a quality product? There is growing evidence on the importance of using ‘blended learning activities’, specifically tailored and structured for the ‘online’ learning environment and for different student cohorts.At School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, we have mixed student cohorts – online, face to face, onshore, offshore, national and international students. Therefore, we need to identify teaching strategies that cater for multimodal delivery, while providing equitable level of satisfaction and enhanced learning experience. However, there is lack of evidence-base around this area.This presentation will focus on our evidence-based application of blended learning pedagogies in some courses of Masters of Public Health. These improvisations increased the cognitive activity required of students in class and during the course. We describe our approach to incorporating some innovations in techniques and technologies by improvisation of various learning approaches. Our re-structured and re-designed courses have the potential to be used at cross-faculty level, while also ensuring better learning outcomes, successful completion and enhanced career opportunities for all students.

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Staff and student perceptions of the Canvas Learning Management System

James Kite, 1 Sarah Craske, 1 Ying Zhang, 1 Michelle Dickson1

1 Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney

E-learning now plays a large and growing role in how students learn and how academics teach within higher education. Moreover, available evidence demonstrates that online learning management systems can facilitate or impede student learning. All units of study in the Sydney School of Public Health, at the University of Sydney now have at least some online presence, with many units being available to students fully online. This means that staff must feel competent in being able to teach efficiently and effectively within the online environment, while students must be able to find and use all important information and complete all necessary tasks to achieve positive learning outcomes. Within this context, the University of Sydney is currently transitioning from Blackboard to Canvas as its default learning management system, with SSPH commencing roll-over of its units of study in Semester 1, 2018. The change was made to better facilitate teaching and learning in online environments. This study aims to examine staff and student perceptions of the Canvas Learning Management system so that the School can optimise its use of Canvas.We conducted semi-structured interviews with both staff and students (n≈10 in both groups). Staff interviews explore their experience of designing and managing their units, including whether they feel competent in using Canvas, features of Canvas that they like and dislike, how Canvas compares to Blackboard, and their experience with available support. Student interviews examine their experience of using Canvas, including by asking students to navigate through some of their units of study, highlighting features that they like or dislike. They were also asked about their previous experience with Blackboard, where relevant. Interviews will be analysed thematically.This presentation will report on the results of this study and draw out lessons for those using learning management systems to teach public health.

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Distance postgraduate students’ preference for type of tutorial participation and their subsequent participation and performance

Naomi Noguchi ,1 Fiona Stanaway1

1 School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney

AimsTo determine distance postgraduate students’ preference for type of tutorial participation and their subsequent tutorial participation and performance. MethodsDistance postgraduate students undertaking Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Sydney in Semester 1 2018 were offered different options for completing the same weekly tutorials: 1. submitting tutorial answers online each week; or 2. attending two 7-hour intensive workshops on weekends. Option 2 was strongly recommended to students. To receive the 1% participation mark for each tutorial, online submission students needed to submit answers to all questions by the weekly deadline; and intensive workshop students needed to actively participate in discussions. Results162 students (85%) chose to submit tutorial answers online and 28 (15%) selected intensive workshops. 79 (41%) of the online submission students submitted satisfactory work for all 10 modules and 154 (95%) for at least 5 modules. 26 (93%) of the intensive workshop students attended both workshops (equivalent to 10 modules) and 28 (100%) attended at least 1 workshop (equivalent to 5 modules). The median marks for the final assignment excluding absent fails were 46.0/60 in the online submission group and 51.5/60 in the intensive workshop group. There was no difference in baseline knowledge between online submission and intensive workshop students. Students attending the intensive workshops reported that they found it easier to ask questions in person, enjoyed their interaction with tutors and other students, and liked the flexibility of not having to meet weekly due dates.Conclusion1 in 7 distance students chose to attend intensive workshops and most students turned up on both days. Their better performance in the final assignment may have resulted from their increased participation as we showed in our previous study. Attending face-to-face intensive workshops is an effective way for distance students to learn.

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Facilitating genuine student engagement in an online biostatistics course: Teacher and learner perspectives

Katherine L Baldock,1 Sarah N Schwetlik1

1 School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia

Biostatistics is a fundamental topic in public health education, and statistical literacy is a relevant competency for public health practitioners. Statistics anxiety is experienced by undergraduate and postgraduate students alike. Statistics anxiety can be a barrier to student engagement and can negatively impact learning outcomes in biostatistics courses. In addition, difficulties in engaging students in fully online courses have been well documented, and students tend to demonstrate poorer learning outcomes when they are not prepared for online learning. Thus, the teaching and learning of biostatistics in the online environment presents a unique set of challenges.Given the shift towards online course delivery in higher education, many courses in biostatistics are now being delivered in the online environment, either through blended learning arrangements (blending face to face contact with online activities) or fully online delivery. Aligned with the Digital Learning Strategy of the University of South Australia (UniSA), the program teaching team for UniSA’s Masters of Research (Population Health Practice) proactively opted to have all course offerings, including the course Biostatistics for Population Health Practice, delivered fully online from 2017. Based on previous research, it was assumed that many students enrolled in the UniSA postgraduate biostatistics course would experience a level of anxiety around the topic. Consideration was also given to the fact that there may be students enrolled who had never studied online before. This case study will discuss consideration of three key elements in facilitating student engagement in an online postgraduate biostatistics course at UniSA, 2017: creating a supportive learning environment, understanding one’s students, and the teacher-learner relationship. This teacher-learner co-presentation will report on a variety of strategies implemented at the stages of course development and course delivery and will discuss the impacts on student engagement from both teacher and learner perspectives.

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Using a series of interactive e-learning activities and non–threatening assessment tasks to drive flexible learning in busy clinician students

Sharon Reid ,1 Emily Hamilton 1

1 Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney

AimsDescribe the development, delivery and evaluation of a new online course ‘Introduction to Systematic Reviews’ aiming to offer a flexible and valuable learning experience for busy clinician students. MethodsCourse development (2016-2017) involved merging updated content from two older-yet-relevant courses with emerging content. Over a 12-week 4-module structure, the pedagogical principles behind delivery re-design were: provide a flexible online course engaging busy learners through a series of highly-interactive Learning Activities (LAs), and 12 weekly assessment tasks which aim to motivate and reinforce learning. In 2017, for 46 enrolled students, online interactivity with others was optional but facilitated by the provision of an on-line discussion forum. Eight self-paced LAs were developed using an eLearning authoring tool. LAs involved interactive multimedia slides incorporating embedded videos, interactive images, diagrams, quizzes, and ‘Test-Your-Learning’ exercises providing immediate feedback to students. The entire course assessment comprised 12 weekly tasks: 8 participation-only (24%) and 4 graded (6%); and a final graded assignment (70%). To drive learning in a non-threatening way, weekly tasks were predominantly participation-only and contributed only a small amount to the final mark. Course evaluation included: student online-discussion participation, assessment completion, mark distribution, and course survey, and end-of-LA surveys. ResultsOf the students 22% participated in the discussion forum; 37% did not complete all weekly tasks (number of tasks not completed/student range = 1-6, median = 2). All students passed the final assignment (median final assignment mark in ‘task completers’: ‘task non-completers’ = 86.9% : 80.7%). Twenty-four percent and 33% of students provided end-of-LA and course feedback respectively. Eighty percent were ‘Overall satisfied’ with the course. ConclusionHigher assignment marks in task-completers and student feedback could reflect learning benefit from weekly tasks or differences in the student groups. Technical and design issues in LAs are priorities for course improvement.

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Building and evaluating online learning resources

Bethany Howard ,1 Basia Diug1

1 Monash University, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Medical Education and Research Quality Unit

AimsThere is an increasing trend and demand for higher education to shift to the online environment, through either a flipped learning approach or online only courses. This shift has seen the development of numerous resources, all of varying educational approach, expertise and outcome. This workshops aims to work with educators to develop the skills and confidence to effectively create successful online learning.

Methods Attendees will be guided to create a public health related online learning activity using interactive online tools. The activities will contain video, text, and/or images consistent with attendees’ own University or Faculty style guidelines. This will be followed by a demonstration of an online tool to capture qualitative feedback.Results & ConclusionThere are many challenges to creating online resources. However, the opportunities for redefinition, modification and augmentation of learning tasks with technology provide many opportunities to improve public health education.

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The role of fieldtrips in improving public health knowledge and understanding among undergraduates: An evaluation

Julie Saunders1, Ruisi Chen ,1 Stefanie Faraone,1 Paul Knight,1 Mary-Jane Mohamudally,1 Kaila Stevens,1 Jane Heyworth1

1 University of Western Australia

AimsUndergraduate students from the University of Western Australia regularly undertake public health fieldtrips to India. In 2017, postgraduate public health students accompanied the undergraduates and evaluated the fieldtrip experience. The evaluation sought to determine the degree to which the fieldtrip enabled students to increase cultural awareness and sensitivity, understand health inequities, improve field observation skills, and increase their understanding of health and its determinants in a developing country.MethodsEighteen undergraduates, and five postgraduates, undertook fieldwork with Grama Vikas (GV), a non-government organisation in rural India in November/December 2017. Student travel was supported by New Colombo Plan and Endeavour scholarships. Postgraduate students used a range of tools to evaluate the fieldtrip, including semi-structured interviews, surveys (pre and post) and observations. Data were provided by undergraduates (n=18), postgraduates (n=5), unit coordinators (n=2), and GV staff (n=3). Quantitative data were analysed descriptively using SPSS, while qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis.ResultsQuantitative analyses suggested self-reported increases in students’ communication skills and understanding of major health issues in the area, health inequities within India, locally relevant determinants of health, and community organisations working in the health sector in India. Post fieldtrip, undergraduates also self-reported a greater understanding of the differences betweenAustralia and India in health systems and inequities. Qualitative data suggested undergraduates achieved a range of skills in collecting data and questioning, as well as experienced, and to an extent overcame, challenges and barriers in areas including communication, project boundaries and data access. GV staff reported improvements in undergraduates’ communication, knowledge and understanding of health issues and determinants, and cultural sensitivity over the course of the fieldtrip.ConclusionPublic health fieldtrips are a valuable method to improve students’ public health knowledge and application of their knowledge and skills, particularly around inequities, social and environmental determinants of health and fieldwork.

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Setting up a Master of Public Health course when the SWOT analysis says: Don’t do it!

Elisabeth Schuele ,1 Miila Gena1

1 Divine Word University, Papua New Guinea

There are a host of reasons not to have established the only Master of Public Health – Health Services Management (MPH – HSM) in Papua New Guinea. When the Department of Public Health Leadership and Training at Divine Word University (DWU) resolved to do so, the decision was based on a strong moral commitment and as a champion of gender equality. PNG has a fragmented health care system resulting in poor health outcomes. There are serious problems in the quality of health services with deteriorating rural health facilities. These are compounded by severe shortages of human resources for health, especially medical doctors, nurses and midwifes. Other constraints include inadequate general infrastructure such as transportation, energy, water and expensive, unreliable communication and internet systems. The risk of violence is heightened by population growth.DWU does not receive government funding. Students have to pay tuition, which causes high attrition rates. At the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, research capacity is limited and research grants difficult to obtain. A support system as in Australian Universities for early career mentoring has not been established.Presently, the number of academic staff with PhDs/Doctorates able to teach the MPH units are just enough. After development of the curriculum it was approved by the academic board and university council in March 2018.The course was first advertised after Easter 2018. Out of the 17 applicants only ten were able to pay the school fees. The MPH-HSM program is delivered by blended mode which consists of two-week residential sessions followed by 13 weeks of supervised work with communication through Moodle.On 18 June 2018 the first MPH-HSM course was launched in PNG.

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The WFPHA Global Charter – a tool for mapping public health competencies and curricula

Priscilla Robinson ,1, 2 Leanne Coombe1, 3

1 World Federation of Public Health Associations Public Health Professionals' Education and Training Working Group2 La Trobe University3 The University of Queensland

In 2010, the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) formed the Public Health Professionals' Education and Training (PET) working group. Its membership consists of global representatives of the student and trained public health workforce. One of the tasks the PET is undertaking is to develop a strategy to globally harmonise essential public health functions and competencies based on practice needs.In 2017, the group published a set of definitions related to ‘education’ and ‘training’ in public health. This document enables a global conversation through a common language.The WFPHA has separately published ‘A Global Charter for the Public’s Health’, which the World Health Organization has endorsed as a framework for understanding the structures and functions of public health. As a strategy for achieving the first objective in the work plan, we performed an analysis of five sets of public health competencies against the framework. All competency sets mapped to the framework in all areas, although coverage varied in some interesting ways.This exercise has demonstrated that the framework is an excellent tool for mapping competencies, and should be used in the future for designing and revising competency sets and public health curriculum. Public health educators will find it particularly useful for designing teaching and assessment, when understanding and providing evidence of multidisciplinary content is required. 

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Removing silos: Integrating research training, practicum placements, and coursework to support population health learning for tertiary students

Karen Martin1

1 University of Western Australia

Ideally, population health tertiary students gain some experience within service, policy and/or research institutions prior to their workplace transition. However, the often gaping teaching, practice and research divide is a barrier for graduate skill development. In the School of Population and Global Health at the University of Western Australia, we have attempted to bridge the theory and skills gap by bringing together external institutions, researchers, and students using integrated learning strategies.The School of Population Health has a history of linking students with institutions, including a second year assignment incorporating the development of a real work project proposal for an agency, semester-long agency placements and research dissertations. In the last five years, however we have increased the activities that link students, industry and research. The strategies that we now incorporate are connected and progressive; for example an agency may provide a project concept that is developed as a project plan by a third year student group is then offered as a placement project the following year then subsequently as a dissertation project. Our integrated learning strategies are varied and include approaches such as workplace learning, generating project proposals as an assessment piece, work experience in research teams and industry, formal industry placements, student and industry expert communication activities, presentations by industry experts, and honours projects involving industry research. Positive outcomes of this integrated training have been experienced by students, agencies and researchers alike. The model has been instrumental in generating new and strengthening existing relationships between services, the university and students. Further opportunities to integrate learning, expertise and assistance are often identified by students as well as agencies and university staff; as such this model is considered iterative and responsive to needs of students, industry and researchers. This presentation will include a description of the integrated model, strategies that have been used, enablers and barriers, advice and tips, and the reported impact of the integration model on students, industry and the university.

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Building Population Health Workforce Capacity: A New South Wales Approach

Lisa McCallum ,1 Rani Lawler ,2 Hopi Yip,3 Dawn Arneman ,, Jeff Standen3

1 Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health2 Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District3 Aboriginal Environmental Health, Health Protection NSW

Improving the health of the people of New South Wales (NSW) requires an adaptive and diverse population health workforce. NSW Health has developed a range of training programs to build the capability and capacity of the population health workforce, including: the Aboriginal Population Health Training Initiative (APHTI), Aboriginal Environmental Health Officer Training Program (AEHOTP), Public Health Training Program (PHTP) and Biostatistics Training Program (BTP). These programs use comprehensive, competency-based training to develop flexible and adaptive practitioners with the skills to respond to NSW’s current and emerging needs. Each program uses a model of delivery that has been tailored to best address the target specialty. Trainees are employed full-time and actively participate in or lead a wide range of priority projects, in a variety of workplace settings. As at March 2018, the four programs had enrolled 328 trainees, 194 trainees had successfully completed the programs, and 173 trainees had attained a tertiary qualification. More than two thirds (>68%) of trainees continued to be employed by NSW Health after finishing their training. These programs remain successful because they adapt to a changing healthcare landscape and actively engage key leaders within each specialty. Regular evaluations ensure the programs are enhancing the workforce and trainees are developing relevant, evidence-based skills.This presentation will discuss the approach taken by NSW Health; the lessons learned and will include a presentation of a trainee’s perspective of the Aboriginal Population Health Training Initiative.

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HealthLit4Kids: A primary school program, crossing boundaries for positive health literacy outcomes.

Rose Nash ,1 Shandell Elmer,1 Richard Osborne,2 Kira Patterson 3

1 School of Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000. 2 Health Systems Improvement Unit, WHO Collaboration Centre for Health Literacy, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, 3 School of Education, College of Arts, Law and Education (CALE), University of Tasmania

HealthLit4Kids is an education package designed for use in schools to raise awareness of health literacy (HL) and prompt discussions about health amongst teachers, children, families and communities. AimsTo determine if HealthLit4Kids can affect the health literacy awareness and responsiveness of the school community.MethodsHL is complex. HealthLit4Kids employs program logic and responds to nine distinct research questions. A sequential mixed methods design involving convenience sampling and pre/post measures from multiple sources was used. Measured variables included teacher health literacy knowledge, skills and experience(KSE); a measure of the school’s health literacy responsiveness (HelloTas); focus groups (parents/teachers); teacher reflections; workshop data/evaluations; and student health literacy artefacts (creative pieces) and their descriptions.ResultsTeachers: Workshop data/evaluation revealed teacher confidence and application of health literacy in the classroom developed over time. Statistically significant improvement in pre/post teacher KSE survey results were attained and supported by teacher reflections.Whole School: Shared definition of HL and improvements on all domains of HelloTas at completion.Children: 176 individual artefacts and 10 group artefacts submitted for HealthLit4Kids competition, shared with families/community at School Fair. Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education (ACHPE) areas covered: Mental Health/Wellbeing, Food/Nutrition, Health Benefits of Physical Activity.ConclusionStrengths of program include its ability to respond to the health literacy needs of the local community/school, the co-design of solutions with teaching team, and development and subsequent ownership of their school-wide action plan. The empowerment, motivation and engagement gained from a whole-school approach was seen as vital to program success, as was support from the school’s leadership team. Key recommendations:

Involve parents in the conversation at project commencement. Identify local champions at each school. Use “teacher speak” instead of health language. Introduce a 6-12 month follow up to determine program sustainability. Consider enablers including communication, motivation, resources, time, parental/community

involvement.

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Transitions for international postgraduate public health students at an Australian university

Catherine MacPhail ,1 Alison Bell,1 Heike Schütze,1 Lesley Hare1

1 School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong

International student recruitment is increasing in Australian universities. The Public Health discipline in the School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, has a significant cohort of international students, largely from central Asia. Our international students face particular challenges when commencing their studies in Australia: prior experience and expectations of university study that do not match Australian university systems; lack of familiarity with essay-based critically reflective assessment tasks; social isolation; culture shock; and low confidence to seek assistance from teaching staff.To assist students, we have implemented a number of changes to teaching practice at both subject and course levels. First, we are working at the Faculty level to ensure that students get access to orientation information despite enrolment delays due to visa processing. This includes course-specific learning platform pages where information can be disseminated, a communication plan for new students, and recording of orientation information so that it can be accessed online at a later date when late students arrive. Second, we have allocated significant time in the mandatory first semester core subject to teach essential academic skills to assist students prepare for assessment tasks. This has increased student confidence in their ability to complete their university studies and assessment tasks at levels required for Australian universities. Thirdly, we have created an international student mentor programme. Mentors are international students selected from countries commonly represented in our cohort, who have successfully learned and navigated the university processes. They are employed to help integrate new students into the course by answering queries, providing referrals to student support and learning services, and by providing encouragement to students having difficulties. Finally, international students are being employed as casual academics to tutor in classes, thereby increasing international student aspirations for further academic engagement.The presentation discusses implementation of these strategies, challenges and successes experienced to date, and future directions.

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PHILE update

Vanessa Lee ,1, 2 Leanne Coombe,1, 3 Priscilla Robinson 1, 4

1 Public Health Indigenous Leadership in Education (PHILE) Network2 The University of Sydney3 The University of Queensland4 La Trobe University

In 2011, the Public Health Indigenous Leadership in Education (PHILE) Network grew out of the National Indigenous Public Health Curriculum Network, which was first established in 2003. It is a coalition of leading Australian academics and professionals specialising in Indigenous public health teaching and research. The goal that has been the driving force of work to date is to ‘build the capacity of Indigenous public health teaching and learning throughout Australia’. A number of important recent changes have occurred for PHILE, brought about when Commonwealth funding for PHILE ceased at the end of 2016. Since 2017, administrative support has been formally provided by CAPHIA. During this time, the two organisations have been working closely to increase the profile of Indigenous public health needs through a number of key initiatives, including review and publication of their respective complementary curriculum framework documents. However, with an increasing focus on competencies and accreditation processes at a global level, PHILE’s agenda is currently shifting to take on a global charter for improving Indigenous public health education. We will present an outline of these developments and PHILE’s ongoing work plan, including some important international linkages.

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Partners in learning: Medical students, patients, teachers and researchers

John D Dockerty1

1 Associate Professor, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

BackgroundMedical students at Otago get good foundations in public health and evidence. Some struggle with application to their clinical work. We help bridge the gap through the ‘health care evaluation project’ (HCEP) in their final year. To give an example, two successive groups of final year HCEP students worked with teachers and patients on audit-type surveys.AimsTo equip students with methods for health care evaluation and focus them on their ultimate goal of serving their patients and communities.MethodsSuccessive groups of final year medical students ‘trainee-interns’ worked on two phases of surveys of patients in secondary care (phase I) and primary care (phase II), to obtain patient feedback about medical student teaching and learning.The groups contributed to questionnaire development, they deployed the surveys, and they conducted analyses. Each group presented findings and wrote a report on their phase of the work. Here, the data they collected has been cleaned and pooled; and a qualitative study of patient, teacher and learner views has been added.ResultsOf 305 eligible patients in secondary and primary care settings, 187 (61%) completed questionnaires about their involvement in teaching and learning. Patients were very satisfied with interactions with students: with 84% reporting these as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’. They offered suggestions. Ratings of students and teachers were highest in primary care, followed by emergency and outpatients, and then wards.Students struggled with the short time for completing their projects, however they found the results encouraging. As with some other HCEPs, teachers are now working collaboratively with students to draft a journal article.ConclusionHCEPs bridge clinical medicine and public health. Over the last 33 years, many valuable projects have been completed. These are good opportunities for students to think about quality, to work in a team and to take a partnership approach.

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How to integrate public health content into medical training: A case study from University of Newcastle and University of New England

Erica L James ,1 Tazeen Majeed,1 Kate Dundas,1 Conor Gilligan,1 Mark McEvoy,1 Belinda Suthers,1 Stuart Wark2

1 University of Newcastle2 University of New England

In order to train doctors who can provide patient care and also meet the health needs of the larger population, medical educators and health planners increasingly agree that public health content and a public health perspective should be an integral part of the pre-registration medical curriculum. Various guidelines exist internationally to guide public health content in medical training. Despite these initiatives, it remains unclear how to optimally integrate public health teaching, and which competencies to emphasise or include in medical education curricula.Australian universities offering medial training require accreditation from the Australian Medical Council (AMC). The AMC guidelines specify four compulsory domains of content, one of which, called ‘Health and Society’, contains public health-related content.This presentation will describe the approach taken at University of Newcastle and University of New England to operationalise the AMC learning outcomes from the ‘Health and Society’ theme into a spiral, integrated curriculum. The multidisciplinary expert working group undertook an innovative approach to curriculum planning to ensure that ‘Health and Society’ content was appropriately scaffolded across the 5-year program. Each of the ‘Health and Society’ content areas specified by the AMC were expanded to devise an evidence-based topic list. These topic lists were subsequently converted into learning points, each of which were mapped against Bloom’s Taxonomy (a hierarchical model used to classify educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and specificity). This allows teaching staff to simply and explicitly see where their teaching activity fits within the program, ensures appropriate reinforcement of important concepts, and ensures that teaching builds on previous knowledge (allowing students to achieve higher order outcomes such as critique and analysis skills).

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The transition from the MBBS-MD: A round table discussion of changes at a national level

Basia Diug ,1 Helena Iredell,2 Erica James ,3 Roger Hughes ,4 Colleen Fisher 21 School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University 2 School of Population Health and Global Health, The University of Western Australia3 School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle4 Department of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Tasmania

The presentation aims to foster a community of practice that discusses the different models utilised to transition from a MBBS-MD amongst universities in Australia.

Within this workshop, presenters from 3-4 universities will describe the changes or planned changes to the medical curriculum of their institution. Participants will engage in a Q and A session, share their experience and discuss what impact, if any, these changes have had on the population health content within their medical degree. This workshop aims to address a series of key questions including: What changes have been made? What has worked? What have been the challenges? How were the challenges overcome/addressed? Workshop participants will be asked to share their experiences from their universities or contribute to their experience. The session will conclude with Q and A and general discussion on key themes.

Participants will have a shared understanding of the population health teaching that occurs within medical schools in Australia. A community of practice will be developed to continue support and develop population health content and skills as core elements of the medical degree. Commonalities between the degrees will be identified with a further smaller group discussion of challenges and solutions discussed.Numerous medical schools are transitioning from a MBBS-MD which entails a change to the curriculum to accommodate an AQF shift from level 8 to level 9. Different approaches have been taken to accommodate this change.

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Teaching public speaking in public health: A multidisciplinary approach to equipping students with analytical and rhetorical skills to advocate for social and political change

Julie-Anne Carroll,1 Michelle Cornford,1 John Bosco1

1 School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology

We are engaging on an innovative pedagogical project that will combine classic rhetorical training with an evidence based approach to advocating and presenting public health research and advocacy using a wide range of new multi-media tools. Our aims are as follows:i) To teach public speaking for public health to a cohort of health undergraduate students in their first year of study at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).ii) To allow students to gain the confidence to speak in a meaningful way to diverse audiences using rhetorical strategies, an evidence-based approach, and new media.iii) To have students leave the course with a sophisticated set of spoken communication skills that will benefit their careers in policy, advocacy and public health practice.We combine the three artistic proofs by Aristotle of ethos, pathos, and logos with an evidence-based approach to communication, to systematically teach students to blend their passion for social change with a strong, defensible thesis. Students will learn to apply rhetoric to their research in the weekly tutorials. We combine the proofs with classic strategies from organisational communication to encourage students to a) research their audience prior to speaking with them b) to tailor their communication to the specific needs, language, and material reality of that group, and c) communicate with authenticity and integrity when engaging with vulnerable groups. The students will learn to use wide variety of multi-media aids and software – beyond Powerpoint and Prezi – to develop aesthetically charged backdrops to augment their presentations.We will evaluate this teaching approach development in students’ spoken communication and presentation skills mid-semester via student feedback on the teaching principles practiced during the term and through assessment the quality of the presentations produced by students. We will report these findings in detail at the conference. This will include analysis of the success and limitations of this approach as a mechanism for teaching future undergraduate cohorts to advocate and inspire behavioural, social, and political change across complex global concepts and settings.

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Does increasing the experiential component improve the efficacy of the ‘This is Public Health’ photo essay task? A non-randomised controlled trial

Kate Dundas,1 Natalie A Johnson,1 Stephen Hancock,1 Lorraine Paras,1 Tazeen Majeed,1 Vibeke Hansen,2

Sue Outram,1 Erica L James 1

1 School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle2 School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University

Experiential learning (education through first-hand experience) is considered best practice pedagogy and is ‘usual care’ in undergraduate public health courses at most universities. We have previously shown that utilising the ‘This is Public Health’ (TIPH) campaign as the basis of an experiential photo essay and reflective task among led to increased understanding of the scope and definition of public health. Emerging mobile technologies provide an opportunity for innovative ways to provide experiential activities. One such example is ‘geocaching’; a high-tech scavenger hunt played with mobile global positioning system devices on smartphones. There is no previous research evaluating the efficacy of geocaching for experiential learning. To assess whether increasing the experiential component of the TIPH task (via geocaching) led to increased knowledge gains, compared to the traditional photo essay task, a two-arm non-randomised controlled trial was conducted. Students were allocated to an intervention arm on the basis of what course they were enrolled in. Group one received the standard (usual care) experiential TIPH photo essay. Group two undertook the geocaching TIPH task. Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in one of three first year public health courses at the University of Newcastle, Australia. The primary outcome was change in knowledge of public health. A structured approach of literature review, expert input and consensus refinement was undertaken to devise a coding guide to assess the quality of public health definitions provided by participants. Ethics approval was obtained.Of 785 eligible students, 302 (39%) provided consent and 217provided follow up data (71% retention). Results of the consensus decision making process and differences between the two groups in change in knowledge after taking part in the TIPH activity are discussed. These results have relevance for those considering incorporating geocaching in to teaching activities.

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Public health video assignments: A look at three universities, and the future

Siobhan Hickling ,1 Alexandra Bhatti 2 & Devin Bowles 3, 4

1 School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia2 Macquarie University3 Australian National University4 CAPHIA

In the last three years, the University of Western Australia, Macquarie University and the Australian National University each developed an assignment in which students create a public health video. The assignment is part of an MPH degree at the former two institutions, and part of a postgraduate medical degree at the latter. The independent evolution of the assignment across multiple universities and degrees is in response to proliferation of short video communications within and beyond universities. This, in turn, is due to increasingly accessible technology and changing communication patterns. The assignment offers students the chance to develop skills in this emergent method of communication, which is particularly relevant to some at-risk groups. It also offers a varied style of assessment different from the standard essay, which is likely to capture the enthusiasm of a range of students and allows demonstration of skills across a range of contexts relevant for real-world practice. This workshop will provide an overview to video assignments in public health and an outline of the assignment at all three universities, including an analysis of the causes of similarities and differences. Participants will be invited to share insights from their own experience. The session will conclude with an assessment of the appetite for the creation of a CAPHIA Award for the best student public health video and whether there might be mechanisms for broader distribution of commendable videos.

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Early identification of online students at risk of failing in an introductory postgraduate unit in clinical epidemiology

Naomi Noguchi ,1 Fiona Stanaway1

1 School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney

AimsTo identify predictors of failing the final assignment in online students undertaking an introductory postgraduate unit in clinical epidemiology.MethodsPredictive factors for failing the final assignment were examined in online postgraduate students undertaking Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Sydney in Semester 2 2017. Assessment tasks for this unit of study consisted of weekly multiple-choice quizzes (15%), participation marks for submitting answers for tutorials by weekly due dates (10%), the mid-term assignment (15%) and the final assignment (60%). Potential predictive factors examined included gender, past degrees, repeating the unit, enrolling late, baseline knowledge, number of pages viewed on the learning management system (LMS), quiz marks, tutorial participation and the mid-term assignment mark.ResultsPerformance in the final assignment varied, with 122 (93%) students passing, 5 (4%) failing and 4 (3%) not submitting (absent fail). Repeating the unit of study (1/3 students failed), enrolling late (3/11 late enrollers failed), submitting 3 or fewer of the first 5 tutorials (7/21 students failed), and not submitting or failing the mid-term assignment (3/10 and 3/20 students failed, respectively) predicted receiving either a fail or absent fail grade in the final assignment. Gender, previous degrees, baseline knowledge, quiz marks, and number of pages viewed on the LMS were not predictive of failing.ConclusionA number of factors can be used to identify online students at increased risk of failing. Early identifiers include failing the unit of study previously, enrolling late, and lack of engagement early in the semester. Increased support can be provided to these at-risk students early enough in the semester such as giving them a warning and providing tips to pass the unit of study. These findings may apply to other online units that require regular participation early in the semester.

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Personalising pedagogy in undergraduate public health education: Operationalising ‘Big Picture Learning design at the University of Newcastle

Kate Dundas,1 Vivienne White,2 Paul Sijpkes,1 Xuan Luu,1 Erica James 1

1 University of Newcastle2 Big Picture Education Australia

One of the biggest challenges facing Universities is how to enhance student engagement. ‘Big Picture Learning’ pedagogy is based on research that shows that we learn best when we are personally motivated. Putting students at the centre of decisions around what, how and when they learn nurtures engaged and independent learners. ’Big Picture Learning’ encourages a departure from traditional ‘appointment learning’ where everyone learns the same things according to a fixed timetable, instead promoting personalised, passion-based learning. Evaluation of ‘Big Picture’ secondary schools reveal positive outcomes for learners including evidence that they learn deeply, reason, apply knowledge, reflect on their learning, develop strong relationships and that re-engagement with learning is profound. There are no Bachelor Degrees internationally that utilise ‘Big Picture Learning’ as the underlying pedagogy. The School of Medicine and Public Health (University of Newcastle) is developing of a new 3-year, AQF level 7 undergraduate degree; the Bachelor of Public and Community Health (BPCH). This presentation will describe efforts of the development team towards operationalising ‘Big Picture Learning’ design throughout the proposed degree. At the core of the degree is a 10-credit point compulsory ‘Big Picture Learning’ design course in every semester called ‘Professional Pathways’. Students will work in small-groups to identify ‘public health passion projects’, devise personalised learning objectives, and identify a combination of academic work and internships to achieve their goals, working in partnership with their greater communities. Demonstration of these projects and experiences are collated via a portfolio that student’s also exhibit each semester. This is the basis of student assessment and enhances work readiness and employability. This proposed program has the potential to be a market leader in innovative tertiary curriculum design. This presentation will be of interest to academics teaching public health who are interested in practical strategies to enhance student engagement.

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The impact of viewing personalised feedback on the final assignment marks in an introductory postgraduate unit in clinical epidemiology Fiona Stanaway,1 Naomi Noguchi1

1 School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney

Aims1. To determine the proportion of students who accessed personalised feedback for the mid- term assignment. 2. To examine the association between accessing feedback and final assignment marks.MethodsPostgraduate students undertaking Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology at the University ofSydney in Semester 2 2017 were given personalised feedback for the mid-term assignment (A1) on Turnitin. The final assignment (A2) was due 3 weeks after the feedback on A1 was released.Results15 (75%) of the 20 students who failed A1 and 68 (68%) of the 101 students who passed A1 accessed their feedback. In students who failed A1, the median A2 marks were 42/60 in those who accessed their feedback (n=15) and 37/60 in those who didn’t (n=4). In students who passed A1, the median A2 marks were 44.5/60 in those who accessed their feedback (n=68) and 41.5/60 in those who didn’t (n=32).In students who failed A1, 5 (25%) replied to the unit coordinator’s email about failing, 4 of whom accessed their feedback. The median A2 marks were 42/60 in those who replied (n=5) and 40/60 in those who didn’t (n=14).ConclusionThe majority of students accessed the personalised assignment feedback. Students who accessed their feedback performed better in the final assignment compared to those who didn’t. The difference in marks was greater in those who had failed the first assignment. Responding to the unit coordinator’s email about failing was not predictive of the final assignment mark or of accessing feedback. Due to the observational nature of this study it is not possible to establish whether the change in assignment marks is due to the feedback itself or that these behaviours represent different types of students. However, at a minimum we believe that these results can be used to encourage students to engage more with assignment feedback.

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Beyond the guest lecture – embedding the wisdom of public health leaders into teaching to inspire the next generation

Lisa Wood 1 1 School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia

BackgroundBuilding capacity in public health leadership is more critical than ever, with many of the Australasian stalwarts nearing retirement, and no signs of abatement in the challenges facing public health. Universities have a unique window of opportunity to inspire students to contribute to public health leadership and reduce health inequalities. Such inspiration is rarely found in a textbook however, and guest lectures generously given by busy public health leaders only reach a small proportion of students. Creative ways are thus needed to tap and harness the wisdom and experience of current public health leaders to inspire and enable students and the emerging public health workforce. Strategies This presentation illustrates innovative strategies trialled to embed learnings from current public health leaders into course content and assessments:

(i) A ‘virtual wall’ of public health leadership snapshots. This captures the views of key leaders in public health in relation to key skills and attributes for good public health leadership as well as current challenges for public health leadership, and who they look to for leadership inspiration;

(ii) Vignettes from public health practitioners and policy makers incorporated into teaching to provide real world examples typically missing from textbooks and published literature; and

(iii) Enabling students to investigate a public health leader of their choice as a vehicle for examining learnings for other issues and settings.

ConclusionRecent implementation of these strategies in undergraduate and postgraduate units has yielded positive feedback and improved learning outcomes. Students relish the opportunity to learn from the real world experiences of others, many of whom did not ‘start out’ with the intention of being leaders in public health. Conversely, current public health leaders have proven generous with their time and eager to share their stories and insights. These learnings are ‘gold’ and warrant bottling for the benefit of future public health leadership.

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Use of critical appraisal as a tool for peer instruction and assessment in post-graduate Epidemiology

Philip Baker ,1 Daniel Demant ,2 Daniel Francis ,1 Abby Cathcart1

1 Queensland University of Technology2 University of Technology Sydney

Critical appraisal is commonly taught in epidemiology to develop critical thinking skills before applying research in practice. The use of the ‘risk of bias’ approach to critical appraisal enables students to investigate study design principles. Often in higher education critical appraisal is used for summative assessment upon a published paper with work undertaken and submitted individually. However, this individualistic approach to appraisal does not reflect best practice of collaboration required in the work-place, nor of systematic reviews where appraisals are usually undertaken independently and then peer discussed. At Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, post-graduate Epidemiology is taught in large classes, through both internal and distance modes, as a faculty level service unit. This presentation will describe adaption of critical appraisal for engaged learning and authentic assessment. Instructors have developed an integrated scaffolded approach to study design and critical appraisal. Here, students independently undertake appraisal using the EPHPP tool, which is a series of questions for examining and scoring each aspect of the study design. To ensure originality and a substantive individual undertaking, students upload a substantial draft to Turnitin by the due date. Students then exchange drafts with a selected partner and discuss their scoring and the reasons. Upon conclusion, each student can revise their assessment. The students may then submit separately or as a pair. This sustainable form of assessment applies the principles of peer instruction, a pedagogy that deepens learning by requiring students to apply core concepts and explain them to peers. The strategy also minimises problems of unbalanced contribution common in group assignments, ensures academic integrity and builds discussion skills. Evaluation is currently underway to understand the students’ experience and the associations with academic achievement.

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Humanitarian assistance curriculum development for Master of Public Health students

John Oldroyd,1 Simon Barraclough,1 Alison Hughes,1 Marion Cincotta,1, Shawn Somerset1 1 Australian Catholic University

Humanitarian assistance is action intended to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during and after man-made crises and natural disasters. There is an urgent need to train public health practitioners in this field. Between August 2017 and February 2018 we developed a unit titled Humanitarian Assistance and Health for our second year Master of Public Health students. The learning objectives recognised knowledge, attitudes and/or skills according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. They were aligned with the CAPHIA competencies and the Australian Qualifications Framework. Efforts were made to make the unit topical. The content in relation to humanitarian assistance covered actors, legal frameworks, human rights, Australia’s role, ethics, complex emergencies, displacement and migration, research methods, and contemporary issues. The unit was run online and on-campus for the first time in semester 1 2018 for mainly international students from India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The cohort had undergraduate training as nurses, medical doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists, other health workers. Over a 12 week semester, students undertook 150 hours of study, including lecture and tutorial attendance, reading and assignment preparation. Future research should 1) undertake a detailed evaluation of the unit, 2) assess the unit’s objectives for alignment to humanitarian assistance educational programs at other tertiary institutions for example, the Enhancing Learning & Research for Humanitarian Assistance (ELRHA) program in North America. This will ensure that the unit will optimally prepare graduates from a variety of disciplines to address complex emergencies in humanitarian assistance.

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