PHHA 425W: Research & Evaluation in Health
PHHA 425W: Research & Evaluation in Health
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Course Description
Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with practical research skills that will be useful in a variety of professional public health settings. This is an introductory research methods and evaluation course with a focus on skill development and practical application. Because students have taken PHHA 211, prior knowledge in basic literature review skills (including APA formatting) is assumed. This course will provide students with opportunities to learn and practice each step of the research process. Students will leave this course with tangible skills and knowledge that they can use in a professional public health setting.
Course prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2), PHHA 211, MATH 105
Degree/Program: B.S Public Health/Health Science
Required course
Writing course
Course Modality
Course Modality
This class is primarily an asynchronous class (meaning that students will view instructional content on their own time). However, the instructor offers Question & Answer (Q&A) Sessions on Thursdays, during scheduled course time. These interactive Q&A sessions are an opportunity to ask questions about assignments and get personalized feedback from the instructor. Students are required to attend 8 of these sessions to receive full attendance points. If students attend more than 8, they will receive extra credit. In addition, students are required to attend two individual Zoom meetings with the instructor throughout the term.
Course Design
Course Design
Course is designed with the final quantitative research proposal in mind:
Weekly content covers steps to writing a research proposal
Each assignment addresses one aspect of the research proposal
Students submit drafts of each section of their research proposal and have opportunities to incorporate instructor feedback
Experiential learning: Qualitative data collection
Students collect qualitative data
In groups, students code and analyze data and present findings
Student Engagement
Student Engagement
Group qualitative research presentation
Two required 1-on-1 meetings with professor
Peer review of research proposals
In-class activities
Assessment of Student Learning
Assessment of Student Learning
Student Learning Outcomes:
Identify different research methodologies and the strengths and limitations for each
Understand common data collection and analysis techniques
Design and pilot a quantitative research survey
Perform all steps of a qualitative interview project and disseminate findings
Demonstrate technical writing skills through designing a high quality research proposal
Technology & Tools
Technology & Tools
Tools, software, and technology employed in the course:
Zoom: Synchronous instruction
Blackboard: Course materials and submissions
Otter.ai: Transcription of interviews
Box: Storage/coding of interview transcripts
Microsoft Word/PPT: All assignments
Google Docs: Group sign up sheets
Opportunities for Active Learning
Opportunities for Active Learning
Quantitative research proposal
Students conduct a literature review, identify a research question not addressed in the literature, design a study, create a survey, and describe how they would analyze their data
Qualitative research presentation
Students obtain consent, conduct an interview, transcribe, code, and analyze data and present recommendations based on the data
Connections to the Professional Field
Connections to the Professional Field
Students develop and test surveys
Survey development an essential skill in public health field
Students conduct qualitative interviews for a “real-world” client
Students walk through consent, recording, transcribing, coding, analyzing, and presenting findings
These skills are frequently used in the public health field
Training in Course Design
Training in Course Design
Go Virtual (Summer 2020)
Learned techniques to engage students in online learning (Zoom annotate function, Zoom polls, Google Jamboards)
Institute on Active & Experiential Learning (Summer 2021)
Learned ways to promote active learning in class assignments and activities (revamped activities and assignments covering topics such as survey constructs and variables that have been difficult for students to grasp)
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