Evidence-Based Educational Practices for Public Health: How We Teach Matters

Sophie Godley, Betsy Aumiller, Viviana Horigian, Naila Khalil, Jessica Kruger, Cara Pennel, Emily Youatt, Marc T. Kiviniemi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

An eight-member team of the Teaching Working Group of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Task Force created a call to action advancing the use of evidence-based strategies for public health education. The goal of this article is threefold, to assess briefly the current status of evidence-based teaching in public health, strengthen the case for using evidence-based teaching practices in public health courses, and propose strategies for educators in public health to engage along a continuum of evidence-based teaching. In this article, we define evidence-based teaching (EBT) proposes that EBT is demonstrated by: student mastery of specific short-term learner outcomes (e.g., enhanced effectiveness such as represented by improved knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes); increases the likelihood of successfully completion of a particular public health degree or program, which represents an intermediate- or long-term outcome; and ultimately posits that effective teaching in public health aims to produce well-prepared graduates who contribute to a ready workforce (Impact 1) who are able to improve the health of the public (Impact 2), highlights effective evidence-based teaching practices that improve student learning outcomes, encourages both seasoned faculty and newcomers to the field to incorporate EBT into existing public health curricula and to begin by making small changes, and concludes with a call to action for EBT that improves student learning.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-94
Number of pages6
JournalPedagogy in Health Promotion
Volume7
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Society for Public Health Education.

Funding

This paper was developed by the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Task Force Teaching Working Group sponsored by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH).

FundersFunder number
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

    Keywords

    • academic public health
    • best practices
    • education for public health
    • evidence-based public health

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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