Course Syllabus
Overview
---Note: This course code has changed from HS 381 to PUBH 381. You may occasionally see references to the old course code or title.
Evaluating programs is a necessary competency for public health professionals. In order to know if the interventions we engage in are working, we have to complete a sound, ethical, efficient, and robust evaluation. For instance, in 2020 a vaccine for COVID-19 has been rapidly developed by a number of companies. Public Health and healthcare agencies around the world will implement vaccination campaigns to halt the massive pandemic. How will they know if the vaccine is effective? Where will they provide the vaccine? Will they know what percentage of the population will have immunity in the short term (6 months) or the long term (1–5 years)? If they are not reaching some populations, how should they correct their methods?
All of these questions are answered with evaluation.
Evaluation is one of the 10 essential public health functions, one of the seven core competencies of health education, and is critical to effective practice. This course will cover the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct program evaluation. Students will be able to design appropriate process, impact, and outcome evaluation. They will also discuss the ethical issues involved in evaluation.
In this course, you will learn the basics of evaluation methods, data collection processes, and the beginnings of data organization. You will use this process throughout your career. You will also use the information you glean from this class in your PUBH 391 Research Methods course.
Credits: 2.
Requirements
Prerequisites
No prerequisites.
Required Resources
There is no specific textbook for this course. Instead, all materials will be incorporated within the course pages. You still need to complete the readings each week, even though you do not have a single textbook.
Structure
Course Outcomes
- Develop an evaluation plan for health education/promotion
- Develop an appropriate data collection plan
- Develop, select, and evaluate data collection instruments
- Apply evaluation findings and make recommendations for program adjustment
Major Assignments
The table below is meant to help you see the relevance of each major assignment as it pertains to the course outcomes (CO).
| Major Assignment | Description | CO# |
|---|---|---|
| Data Collection Instruments Project (Weeks 10 - 12) | Identify different ways to create data collection instrument and create a data collection instrument | CO 1, CO2, CO 3 |
| Week 14 Assignment: Resources for Evaluations and Conclusion | Students identify a list of evaluation resources that can be used later in their career | CO 4 |
Weekly Patterns
The table below displays typical weekly activities, due dates, and activity descriptions.
| Due Date* | Learning Model | Activity Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midweek | Prepare | Overview | View goal and outcomes for the week |
| Midweek | Prepare | Materials | Read and study articles, chapters, etc. |
| End of Week | Teach One Another/Prove | Assignment | Complete a group assignment |
*Set your time zone within user preferences so the dates and times for course activities will display correctly for your time zone.
Learning Model
Most weeks consist of preparing by study, coupled with an open discussion board to ask questions of your instructor and peers. Most weeks also include an end-of-week assignment in which you prove your learning. However, when coding your first program, you will also participate in a peer review of your classmates' code thus far.
- Exercise faith in Christ as a principle of action and power.
- Understand that true teaching is done by and with the Holy Ghost.
- Lay hold upon the word of God as found in the holy scriptures and in the words of the prophets in all disciplines.
- Act for themselves and accept responsibility for learning and teaching.
- Love, serve, and teach one another.
Expectations
Workload
You can count on working 4–6 hours on average per week on this course.
Group Work
There is no group work in this course.
Late Work
As a sign of professionalism and respect, you should complete your work on time. However, your instructor has the discretion to accept late work or extend due dates as appropriate.
Retries
No retries are allowed for assignments.
Extra Credit
There is no extra credit in this course.
Academic Honesty
As followers of Christ, all BYU–Idaho students, staff, and faculty are expected to be honest in all their dealings. This also applies and extends to behavior and actions related to academic work. It is critical for students to understand the seriousness of academic dishonesty and misconduct, which are not tolerated by the University, and strive to produce and submit only the results of their own effort and original work.
To copy another person’s work from the Internet, a book, or from any other source and claiming it to be your own work, is plagiarism.
It is worth remembering that while students are encouraged to work with one another and share ideas, the sharing of text, code, or anything like unto it is inappropriate. When working on a group project, you have the responsibility to assure that others in the group do not plagiarize. Remember: there is never an acceptable excuse for plagiarism or cheating.
Penalties for Academic Dishonesty
Although the Academic Honesty section of the University Policies explains what constitutes each of the many forms of academic dishonesty as well as procedures and guidelines for handling such incidents, specific application of consequences is left up to each individual instructor.
In this course, all cases of plagiarism or cheating will be reported to the BYUI honor office and could result in an automatic failure of the course. Cases may be analyzed on an individual basis and penalties applied according to the severity of the misconduct.
USING ELECTRONIC STUDY MATERIALS!!
Academic honesty is required in every part of our program. Students are expected to be academically honest in their study habits and, especially, in the taking of quizzes and examinations. With that in mind, we advise you that all examinations and quizzes are to be taken without the aid of any outside materials. We do not permit the use of any electronic devices to access outside materials during an exam or quiz. Do not seek answers from on-line sources during an exam. During a test/exam/quiz, you are to perform strictly from your memory. Do not prepare answers using outside sources and then paste or copy them into your exam.
Many students have turned to electronic learning tools to help them prepare for quizzes and examinations. These websites can be very helpful. However, you may not post any quiz or test materials on these sites. Doing so violates academic integrity, not only for you but for anyone else who uses that material. Please be aware that you may not use other people’s materials on this site either. Study from your own efforts.
Be aware that all BYU Idaho quizzes, exams, and tests are copyrighted. The textbooks that we use are also copyrighted. It is unlawful to copy test questions or content from any examination into electronic learning tools. It is also unlawful to copy any textbook content or verbiage into these sites. We hereby inform you that plagiarism is illegal and that it is a violation of the BYU Idaho Honor Code. Copyright violations are similarly illegal and a violation of the Honor Code.
Grading Scale
| Letter Grade | Percent |
|---|---|
| A | 100%–93% |
| A- | 92%–90% |
| B+ | 89%–87% |
| B | 86%–83% |
| B- | 82%–80% |
| C+ | 79%–77% |
| C | 76%–73% |
| C- | 72%–70% |
| D+ | 69%–67% |
| D | 66%–63% |
| D- | 62%–60% |
| F | 59% and lower |
University Policies
Students with Disabilities
BYU-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by BYU-Idaho Disability Services. If you need assistance or feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established policy and procedures.
If you have any disability that may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact Disability Services as soon as possible, preferably before the beginning of the semester, in order to ensure that you receive appropriate accommodations.
Disability Services Contact Information:
- Website: Disability Services
- Phone (US only): (208) 496-9210
- Email: disabilityservices@byui.edu
- Fax: (208) 496-5210
Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at (208) 496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Disability Services Office.
Other University Policies
Go to the Student Resources module to review the university policies regarding honesty, online etiquette, communication expectations, etc.
The materials in this course are also intellectual property and taking any materials from the course and posting them outside of this course in any manner (such as posting on Course Hero) will be construed as theft. If you post course materials without authorization, the instructor has the right to impose an appropriate academic sanction (e.g., give you a failing grade for the assignment and/or fail you from the course).
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|