Information Technology - Assisted
Education and Communication at HSPH:
The Role of Distance Learning
Distance Learning Working Group at HSPH
John Spengler, Chair
Nancy Kane
Don Bialek
Taso Markatos
Paul Campbell
Michael Reich
Deane Eastwood
Marcello Pagano
Wafaie Fawzi
David Shore
David Harrington
Alix Smullin
Robin Herman
Winnie Yip
8/15/00
1
Dean’s Challenge to the Working Group
•Why pursue distance learning?
•What level of resources should be committed?
•What strategies should be advanced?
8/15/00
2
Rationale for DL at HSPH
HSPH Education and Communication Mission includes:
•Students attending School
•Practicing public health professionals
•Many other health-related professionals
•Alumni
•Media
•Political Leaders
8/15/00
3
Rationale for DL at HSPH
Educational Objectives include:
•Improving teaching and teaching facilities
•Expand connections to alumni
•Enroll more minority students and students from developing
world
8/15/00
4
Rationale for DL at HSPH
Communication Objectives include:
•Influencing national and international policy
•Creating media-based prevention programs
•Expanding discussion and debate
•Broadening participation in community-based public health
practice
8/15/00
5
Rationale for DL at HSPH
Competition is Hard at Work:
•Johns Hopkins offers degrees and executive training
•London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has ~400 DL
students from 66 countries
•University of North Carolina is leading an attempt to form a DL
consortium for public health education through APHA
8/15/00
6
Current Capacity at HSPH
HSPH lags behind KSG, GSD, HMS, HBS, and HLS in its
capacity for DL course and seminar production as well as
facilitation of two-way instructional communication
8/15/00
7
Current Capacity at HSPH
Available equipment and technical expertise in underutilized:
•Only 100 web accounts have been authored on the HSPH server.
•CourseInfo 3.0 by Blackboard.com is available with training and
assistance but only 63 out of ~300 courses used the system in the
1999/2000 academic year (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/courses).
•Real Networks’ Basic Server is available for short audio/video
transmissions. Only 100 streams per week, but substantial
upgrades are needed to videostream a full class and course. Visit
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/video for demonstrations.
8/15/00
8
HSPH Faculty Interest in IT
•Increase teaching effectiveness in the classroom
•Interest high in currently available tools (e.g., “Blackboard”
course organizer)
•Available systems under-utilized:
33% use Blackboard for courses
>20% use Internet communications
10% use teleconferencing
•Reservations about expanding to on-line teaching
•Cautious about joint ventures with commercial companies
8/15/00
9
Choosing Our DL Future at HSPH
Matriculating
Courses
Supporting HSPH
collaborating centers
Special outreach programs
Continuing Professional Ed
Collaborations with World Bank et al.
Advance
Technical
Training for
Alumni
MPH Track 2
Other degree programs
DL Programs
Production and Broadcasting Capacity: •satellite uplinks
•conferencing
Classroom Upgrades: •recording
•IT connections
8/15/00
Basic Services: •course web support
10
Guide to HSPH DL Strategies
•Possible DL Programs
•Required HSPH Infrastructure
•Strategies/Recommendations for an IT/DL transition
•Issues to be Resolved
•Recommendations: Conclusions or Beginnings
8/15/00
11
HSPH DL Activities Compatible
with Mission
•Track 2:
–MPH with distance learning component
•Training Centers:
–international partnerships targeting
region-specific needs
•Professional Outreach
–rural public health agencies
–alumni
–CPPE certificate program
•Enhanced HSPH courses/programs
–matriculation of required courses
–visiting lecturers/virtual field trips
8/15/00
12
Track 2: MPH-DL Component
•4-Week Session at HSPH during the Summer or Intercession:
–to introduce a course/week
–meet faculty and TA’s
–associate with fellow students
•Continue courses over a year with:
–chat lines, e-mail
–net meetings, web cameras
–CD or web server providing course content
•Hold several teleconferences and/or web-camera meetings
throughout course to track performance orally and with test and
reports
8/15/00
13
Track 2: MPH-DL Component
•4-Week Session at HSPH during the Summer or Intercession:
–to introduce a course/week
–meet faculty and TA’s
–associate with fellow students
•Continue courses over a year with collaborative tools, such as:
–chat lines, e-mail
–net meetings, web cameras
–CD or web server providing course content
•Hold several teleconferences and/or web-camera meetings
throughout course to track performance orally and with test and
reports
8/15/00
14
Track 2: MPH-DL Component
•4-Week Session at HSPH during the Summer or Intercession:
–to introduce a course/week
–meet faculty and TA’s
–associate with fellow students
•Continue courses over a year with:
–chat lines, e-mail
–net meetings, web cameras
–CD or web server providing course content
•Hold several teleconferences and/or web-camera meetings
throughout course to track performance orally and with test
and reports
8/15/00
15
Milestones for Track 2 MPH
•Gain approval of MPH director and faculty.
•Identify faculty committed to developing DL course components
•Digitally record lectures 2000-2001
•Assign in-house advance TA/web masters or hire others
(eCollege/Blackboard) to develop customized course materials
•Advertise program for limited involvement (~50) starting
summer 2001
8/15/00
16
International Centers-Supported
with DL Content &
Communication Technology
•Establish international centers in cooperation with
prominent universities.
•Develop training curriculum
•Establish IT communication capacity
8/15/00
17
Possible HSPH Centers
Athens Center for
Environmental &
Occupational Health
8/15/00
Tanzania Center for
Maternal & Child Health
18
Possible HSPH Center
Hong Kong
Center for Human
Development
8/15/00
19
Professional Outreach Initiatives
Level 1:
Advanced professional training for alumni
ranging from web site research news to short
tutorials
Level 2:
Continuing professional education structured
around certificate programs
Level 3:
Partnerships with public agencies to enhance
training and delivery of services
8/15/00
20
Professional Outreach Initiatives
Level 2:
Center for Continuing Professional Education
activities and a Certificate Program
•Capture-Release model using DL to enhance the
learning experience
•Certificate Program
–cluster of course-related to key competence
–DL to assist with home/office learning and
testing
8/15/00
21
Professional Outreach Initiatives
Level 2:
Center for Continuing Professional Education
activities and a Certificate Program
•Capture-Release model using DL to enhance the
learning experience
•Certificate Programs
–cluster of course-related to key competence
–DL to assist with home/office learning and
testing
8/15/00
22
Professional Outreach Initiatives
Level 3:
Reaching Underserved Public Health Related
Communities
•Rural and city health programs needing public
health training
•Educational content to school-based health nurses
•Health home training for public housing
authorities, tribal nations, housing inspectors, and
other social service professionals
8/15/00
23
Advancing the DL Transition
•Upgrading School facilities and staff
•Collaboration with other schools
•Access to the Provost’s Fund for Innovation
•Administrative leadership to facilitate innovative academic
programs
8/15/00
24
Advancing the DL Transition
Upgrade School Facilities:
•Outfit all auditoriums and large classrooms (including
Landmark) with built-in computers and projection system
(fix lighting)
•Auditoriums need to be upgraded to include projection
system, better lighting, and laptop plug-ins at each seat
•Install video-conferencing capabilities in every classroom
and multipoint conferencing throughout HSPH buildings.
8/15/00
25
Advancing the DL Transition
Upgrade the School DL Staff
•1 Instructional Technologist
•1 Video-Production/Teleconferencing Technologist as required
to support production and dissemination of DL courses
•2 FTE Junior Technical Staff
•Provide advanced training for faculty and teaching assistants
providing web-based and teleconferencing support to courses
8/15/00
26
Advancing the DL Transition
Collaborate with Others:
•Participate in the new University Consortium on DL
•Obtain access to streaming video production facility
•Ensure that the University will provide HSPH with Internet II
access
•Establish electronic publishing partnerships with the private
sector and/or Harvard University Press
8/15/00
27
Advancing the DL Transition
Collaborate with Others:
•Participate in the new University Consortium on DL
•Obtain access to streaming video production facility
•Ensure that the University will provide HSPH with Internet II
access
•Establish electronic publishing partnerships with the private
sector and/or Harvard University Press
8/15/00
28
Advancing the DL Transition
Access to the Provost’ Funds for Innovation:
•$6-7 million is available to cost-share IT innovation in
teaching and training through the office of the Provost
•The School should provide matching funds to encourage
innovating faculty
8/15/00
29
Advancing the DL Transition
Administrative Leadership:
•Embrace a DL transition strategy
•Appoint DL/IT Program Coordinator to liaison with faculty
and other schools
•Commit to fundraising and financial support
8/15/00
30
DL Strategy for HSPH
Near Term (months):
•Use summer programs and CCPE revenues to develop DL
moduals for: –matriculating students
–certification program
-online “anytime” courses
•Commit to infrastructure and tech support upgrade program
over 3-5 years
•Partner with publishing company for electronic text
•Cost share Provost’s DL innovation proposals from School
8/15/00
31
DL Strategy for HSPH
Mid Term (next academic year)
•Appoint DL/IT Program Coordinator
•Gain faculty and committee clearances for DL courses
•With faculty ad hoc advisory group decide if the HSPH will
undertake a MPH DL program or not
•Establish a working group on international training and
research centers
8/15/00
32
DL Strategy for HSPH
Long Term
•Develop full DL ready courses for selected academic program
•Establish international training centers
–collaborating with institutions
–with World Bank international centers
8/15/00
33
Expense Estimates for DL
Infrastructure1:
$500,000 over 3-5 years
$50,000 annual maintenance,
replacement, improvements
Technical Staff2:
$250,000 per year
DL Course Production3:
$25,000 to $50,000 per course
Interactive Textbook4:
$100,000 to $250,000
Cost-Sharing Innovative
Proposals5:
$450,000 over 3 years
(3 x $150,000)
Communication Costs6:
Internet Services/year, $100,000
$100/hr x 1000 hrs/year of full
conferencing services
8/15/00
34
Revenue Estimates for DL
Matriculating Courses1:
300 Students x $100/course
$30,000/year
Continuing Professional Education (CCPE)2:
500 participants x $500/course
$250,000/year
MPH Track 2 Program3:
200 students x $10,000/year
$2,000,000/year
Advanced Professional Part-Time Degrees4:
100 students x $10,000/year
$1,000,000/year
Professional Briefings
8/15/00
Free
35
Challenges to Our DL Future
•Partnerships with the private sector or other organizations
•Quality control of course content and degree granting
•Content ownership
•Faculty motivation
•Marketing of IT-assisted courses
•Upgrading technical facilities
8/15/00
36
Challenges to Our DL Future
•Partnerships with the private sector or other organizations
•Quality control of course content and degree granting
•Content ownership
•Faculty motivation
•Marketing of IT-assisted courses
•Upgrading technical facilities
8/15/00
37
Challenges to Our DL Future
•Partnerships with the private sector or other organizations
•Quality control of course content and degree granting
•Content ownership
•Faculty motivation
•Marketing of IT-assisted courses
•Upgrading technical facilities
8/15/00
38
Challenges to our DL Future
•Partnerships with the private sector or other organizations
•Quality control of course content and degree granting
•Content ownership
•Faculty motivation
•Marketing of IT-assisted courses
•Upgrading technical facilities
8/15/00
39
CONCLUSION OR BEGINNING?
•The School will be at a disadvantage if it does not provide ITassisted learning for current programs.
•Upgraded IT capabilities facilitate advancing DL.
•The School’s near-term DL target audience is the working
professional. CCPE should aggressively pursue that market
generating spin-off products for alumni, matriculating students
and other programs.
•The School’s long-term DL target is the international MPH and
MS student with the goal of providing IT-assisted education
through collaborating centers.
8/15/00
40