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

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

Peoples-uni: History

2006 2007

URL created

Module pilot

Charitystatus

2008

1st semester

20102009

First semester’s students

Educational experienceMedical degree 46Other Health degree 34Other non-health degree 30No degree 7Postgraduate degree (in addition to any above) 25

Current occupation*Public Health worker 48Mainly clinician 56Student 4Academic 7(*2 no answer)

Commend to others?

Relevant to job?

More modules?

Diploma/ MSc?

How did we do? Student feedback

How did they do? First semester pass rate

2010: where we are now

4th semester: 13 modules; 6 in preparation

~ 100 active volunteers, working as:•Trustees•International advisory group•QA, IT, Operations groups•Course delivery & development teams •Education officers

Semester 1, 2010 (86 volunteers)

Semester 1, 2010 (143 students)

Modules (4 =Certificate; 8 = Diploma; Masters to require two reports+ dissertation)

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

policy makers (F+S)

Public Health ProblemsCommunicable diseasesDisaster management &

emergency planningHIV/AIDSMaternal MortalityPreventing child mortalityPublic Health nutritionPatient safety

Case study: Using Moodle to deliver Evidence Based Practice

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

facilitators guide• Automated application and enrollment process

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

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

transcripts

Student activity report: example

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

• Learning Moodle’s capabilities ourselves whilst…• Appreciating limitations faced by our students:

– Access to online materials– Limited bandwidth, computer access– Extremely challenging day jobs

Peoples-Uni developments

New modules• Avoiding blindness, Chronic disease,• Evaluation of interventions• Environmental health, Climate change• Research methods module(s)/certificate in planning

stage with Journal of Clinical Epidemiology and Afro-European Medical and Research Network (AEMRN)

Institutional partnerships• Seeking accreditation or double badging

Student experience: developments

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

semester 2, 2010• 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• Moodle support

Our questions to you

• Interested in collaborating?• Individuals: developing modules, facilitators, Moodle support • Institutions: jointly develop & deliver courses of mutual interest

• Ideas for using Moodle to best effect in People’s Uni context? • talented, committed, global student base• diverse range of experiences, cultures• limited IT access/experience, time

• Advice on issues currently facing us, eg• system for co-authoring remotely• how to communicate (for free) in real time • how to avoid drop off in discussion postings

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

• More information:•http://peoples-uni.org•rfheller@peoples-uni.org•jsheringham2004@yahoo.co.uk, Terence.Harrison@mh.org.au