Internet based public health capacity building for developing countries: People's Open Access Education

Initiative

Richard Heller, Gracia Fellmeth, Terence Harrison

Steve Fabricant & Jessica Sheringham

Context: Ideas behind the Peoples-uni

• Develop public health capacity in low income countries

• Keep costs very low using•open educational resources •open source delivery mechanisms•volunteers

• Position outside (but in collaboration with) traditional university system

1 2 3 4

Context: History of Peoples-uni

2006 2007

URL created

Module pilot

Charitystatus

2008

1st semester

20102009

2010: 86 + volunteers

2010: 200 students

Modules

Foundation SciencesBiostatisticsIntroduction to EpidemiologyEvidence Based PracticeHealth economicsInequalities and SDHPublic Health concepts for

policy makers (F+S) Evaluation of InterventionsPublic Health Ethics

Public Health ProblemsCommunicable diseasesDisaster management &

emergency planningHIV/AIDSMaternal MortalityPreventing child mortalityPublic Health nutritionPatient safetyNon-Communicable Disease:

Diabetes & CVD

Developing a module – selecting open educational resources

1. Good search engines

Health Sciences Online ( http://hso.info)Open Courseware Consortium ( http://www.ocwconsortium.org/)OER Commons ( http://www.oercommons.org/)Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Opencourseware (http://ocw.jhsph.edu/topics.cfm)Tufts Opencourseware ( http://ocw.tufts.edu/)Global Health elearning centre ( http://www.infoforhealth.org/elearning/)

2. Our own appraisal

3. Student comments

Case study: Evidence Based Practice

Module follows Peoples-Uni template:• 5 topics (2 weeks each)• Online facilitation by volunteer tutors following

facilitators guide• Automated application and enrolment process

http://courses.peoples-uni.org/course/applications.php

• MCQs available during module• Assessed assignment after module• Automated records & creation of academic

transcripts

Commend to others?

Relevant to job?

More modules?

Diploma/ MSc?

How did we do? Student feedback

How did they do? First semester pass rate

Facilitating on People’s Uni: experiences and challenges

• Learning from vastly diverse student experiences & cultures– Students also have wide range of abilities: pitching it right

• Maintaining quantity and quality of discussion throughout entire module – Stimulating postings (dealing with online ‘silences’!)– Tried realtime chat, but timezones & connectivity problems

• Maximising potential of the technology, distance learning ourselves…whilst appreciating limitations faced by our students:– Access to online materials– Limited bandwidth, computer access– Extremely challenging day jobs

Student activity report: example

Student experience: developments

• Separate CPD and academic award streams• Upgrade to Masters in Public Health to start

semester 1 2011• More structure to resources and discussions• Improve information to create realistic expectations

among the students• Charge fees as condition of enrolment ($50 US per

module charged)

Peoples-uni and Partnerships

• Collaboration and partnerships essential• Local relevance of education• Local credibility• Add value not compete

• Institutional• Double badge awards• Internet access centres

• Individual • Course module developers• On-line facilitators• Technical support

Finally

Peoples-uni’s 'social model' approach can•contribute to Public Health capacity-building in low/middle-income countries• work in other academic areas

• All collaboration welcome, please join in or make suggestions:•Individuals: developing modules, facilitators, technical support •Institutions: jointly develop & deliver courses of mutual interest

• More information:•http://peoples-uni.org•rfheller@peoples-uni.org•jsheringham2004@yahoo.co.uk