Introduction to Community Health Syllabus
We are excited to have you here and hope that you enjoy your time as you expand and apply new knowledge. In scheduling your time, reserve 6-8 hours each week to be successful in this 2-credit course.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to agencies, facilities, and programs which play a role in the prevention of disease, and the promotion of health in a community. Special emphasis is placed on the competencies needed for community health professionals, and health educators to function in a variety of community and teaching settings.
Course Outcomes
By successfully completing this course you will be able to:
- Find current employment opportunities available for individuals with a degree in Health Science from BYU-Idaho.
- Create a resume and cover letter that will persuade future employers to invite you for an interview.
- Describe the history of the community health profession including significant figures and theories.
- Use peer-reviewed sources to research a health-related topic.
- Identify the five core areas of public health.
- Define the seven areas of responsibility for the Health Education profession.
- Identify community resources to improve health and well-being.
Learning Model Architecture
Prepare
As you complete preparation activities, you will prime your mind to learn, and to teach others. In this course, you will prepare to learn and teach by considering the “Foundation” material as the paradigm for each week. After studying the “Foundation” material, you will then be ready for the “Readings” which consists of articles, documents, or websites to read, and videos to watch. The “Relevance” information will help you make meaningful connections between your life and the week's content. The last element of the prepare process step of the Learning Model is the “Accountability Quiz,” which will allow you the opportunity to report the completion of your weekly preparation.
Teach One Another
Teaching your classmates gives you, a prepared student, the opportunity to act for yourself, and to develop a deeper understanding of the course materials. Along with teaching your classmates in formal arenas, such as application activity discussion boards and other group activities, look for informal means of teaching one another as you interact with your classmates.
Ponder/Prove
You will extend and help solidify your learning by pondering and proving new knowledge. One means of doing this is through a variety of application activities in which you will combine weekly principles with real-world application. Some of the application activities will also include a Teach One Another component and some will not. You will complete at least one application activity each week during Weeks 1–12.
Prerequisites
None
Course Materials
There is not a physical textbook for this course; all content is contained in the online weeks.
Technology Requirements
Mozilla Firefox is the recommended Internet browser for any I-Learn course. Videos, readings, and course functionality will work best when you use Firefox.
It is assumed that you either have your own computer or regular, consistent access to a computer. You need to have the appropriate permissions on your computer to download weekly content, access websites, and update and/or download software as needed along with consistent, reliable access to an Internet connection.
You need access to mobile video recording equipment such as a cell phone, tablet, or other mobile devices. (You may borrow such a device from a friend, if necessary). Most computers are equipped with a built-in microphone and webcam. If you do not already have an internal microphone and a webcam, you will need to purchase these items. (Some external webcams have a built-in microphone; either way, you need video and audio capabilities). Inexpensive equipment purchased through your local computer store or an online retailer will be sufficient for this course.
You will use Microsoft Word and Excel in this course. If you do not yet have the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) on your computer, you may use this free download to obtain the software. Note: The free download is only for BYU-Idaho students.
Vimeo.com is a free video hosting website. In this course, you will use the video capabilities on your phone, mobile device, or laptop to record interviews, upload your video to Vimeo, and submit the video to your instructor by providing your video's URL and password. You will learn how to upload and share your videos in a Week 03 assignment by using the tutorials and FAQ found at Vimeo.com. Vimeo also offers additional help features such as email support and mobile apps (for Android and Apple mobile devices as well as Windows phones) accessed through the Vimeo website.
You need a means of communicating with your group members or partner during some weekly assignments. You may also find it helpful to informally communicate with your classmates at other times during the semester. You may contact them by phone. However, it will be more cost-effective to use video chat technology such as Skype, Google Hangouts, or other video chat capability.
How to Navigate this Course
Begin each week by reading the “Introduction” and any announcements from the instructor to learn important information about the week such as the schedule and due dates. Next, take notes as you study the “Foundation” information, followed by the “Readings,” and then the “Relevance.” Review your notes, and then complete the weekly accountability report. Although these items aren’t due until Wednesday, 11:59 PM local time (in your own time zone), you should begin them early in the week because they will take you several hours to complete. In some weeks, you will also have a discussion board post due by Wednesday; check the individual “Introduction” page for specific details.
Important: If a week includes a discussion board, that often means that you will have an initial post due on Wednesday with response posts due on Saturday. However, only the Wednesday due date will appear on your calendar with an event reminder for the response posts. It is your responsibility to submit your work on time, including Wednesday discussion board posts. Therefore, it is imperative that you check the “Introduction” page to see when your work is due each week. All due dates are listed at the top of each activity within the assignments for your convenience.
During the second half of each week, the weeks focus on applying your new knowledge. You will have application assignments due by Saturday, 11:59 PM local time. Similar to the Wednesday due date, even though this deadline has also been extended to allow flexibility in your schedule, you should begin the application activities as soon as the “Foundation,” “Readings,” “Relevance,” and accountability report are complete to allow you sufficient time to be thoughtful and gain as much knowledge and experience as possible as you apply your learning.
Notes
Each week opens prior to the week it is assigned. If you complete the activities for the current week early and would like to get started on next week's activities, you may do so.
Assignments
The Introduction Week and Conclusion Week have unique assignments. In Weeks 1-12, you will encounter the following types of assignments:
Due Wednesday, 11:59 PM MST
- Foundation: The “Foundation” material is the first document in each week of this course, and as such, it should be read first. By studying the Foundation first, you will have the proper context, framework, and paradigm to study the rest of the week's material.
- Readings: In each week, there is a “Readings” page which contains the bulk of the study material for that week. In addition to articles and documents to read, there will also be videos to watch. Because of the academic nature of the content in the “Readings,” it is important to decrease your casual reading rate to a slower reading rate conducive to deeper study. Take notes as you learn the material, and then review your notes to help you solidify your learning.
- Relevance: The “Relevance” information will help you make connections between the week's material and its importance in your own life.
- Accountability Report: After studying the “Foundation,” “Readings” and “Relevance” each week, you will be prepared to report your progress on the accountability report. Each report is worth 10 points.
- In some weeks, you will have an initial post on an application activity discussion board due on Wednesday. Check the individual week's introduction for more details.
Due Saturday, 11:59 pm MST
- Application Activities: Each week includes at least one application activity in which you will apply and extend your learning of week topics through completion of a real-world activity. These activities will take several hours to complete, so begin them as soon as you complete the "Foundation," "Readings," "Relevance," and accountability report. The activities are varied and include discussion boards, interviews, presentations, critical thinking questions, essays, and more. The experiences vary, challenge you, and should be interesting. Take full advantage of these learning opportunities. Some activities incorporate a discussion board and some do not. Application activities vary from 10–40 points depending upon the level of difficulty.
Late Work
You are preparing for a career as a health professional. Submitting work after the deadline has passed is not a professional practice. To help you learn to meet your deadlines in a professional manner, you are expected to submit all work on time. If you fail to meet a stated deadline, your score for that particular activity will be reduced by 50%. You will not receive any credit for work submitted more than one day late. If you have any questions about late work, contact your instructor.
Grading
Assignment categories are as follows:
| Category | Points |
|---|---|
| Introduction and Conclusion Lesson Activities (varies) | 79 |
| Quizzes (12 at 10 points) | 120 |
| Application Activities (varies) | 335 |
| Total Points | 534 |
Your grade will be determined by dividing the number of points you earn out of the total possible points for the course and multiplying that by 100. That percentage will determine your final letter grade using the grading scale listed below.
| Letter Grade | Final Total Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 93% and up |
| A- | 90% – 92.9% |
| B+ | 87% – 89.99% |
| B | 83% – 86.99% |
| B- | 80% – 82.99% |
| C+ | 77% – 79.99% |
| C | 73% – 76.99% |
| C- | 70% – 72.99% |
| D+ | 67% – 69.99% |
| D | 63% – 66.99% |
| D- | 60% – 62.99% |
| F | 59.99% and below |
Note: Don't expect your final grade to be rounded up. You have all semester to earn your grade; therefore, do not email your instructor at the end of the semester asking to round up your grade.
Additional Information
Honor Code
Following the Honor Code is of great importance as you strive to be a disciple of Christ. Academic honesty and integrity is expected of all BYU-Idaho students. To copy another’s work from the Internet, a book, or from any other source and claiming it to be your own work is plagiarism. Read the official definitions of plagiarism and cheating from the Academic Honesty portion of the Honor Code. Each case of plagiarism or cheating will be dealt with by the instructor. When working on a group project, you have the responsibility to assure that others in the group do not plagiarize. Any academic dishonesty issue(s) will be referred to the BYU-Idaho Dean of Students, if necessary. Even though you are taking this course online, BYU-Idaho’s Dress and Grooming standards still apply. By adhering to the Honor Code, you will create a learning environment “consistent with the ideals and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (Honor Code web page)
Tutoring
Tutoring options for online students, such as help with your writing questions, are available through the Academic Support Centers. Check their web page for further information.
ADA Statement
In compliance with applicable disability law, qualified students with a disability may be entitled to “reasonable accommodation.” It is the student's responsibility to disclose to the instructor any special need he or she may have by the end of the first week of the semester.
University Policies
Read the University Policies document which includes: Student Honor, Students with Disabilities, Sexual Harassment, and Complaints and Grievances.
Disclaimer
This Syllabus and the Course Schedule may be changed at any time prior to or during the semester as the need arises based upon circumstances. Any changes will be available to view on the course documents.