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APPENDICES
to the Report:
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-ASSISTED EDUCATION AND
COMMUNICATION AT HSPH: THE ROLE OF DISTANCE LEARNING
Appendix A: Distance Learning Programs at Schools of Public Health
Appendix B: Summary of Current DL/IT Capacity at HSPH
Appendix C: Summary of DL/IT offered at Schools within Harvard University
Appendix D: Report on HSPH Faculty Survey, Spring 2000
Appendix E: An Example of an International Center
Appendix F: What Others Are Doing
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Appendix A:
Distance Learning Programs at Schools of Public Health
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Distance Learning Programs at Schools of Public Health
School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health through its MidSouth
Program for Public Health Practice (MSPPHP) offers a Certificate in Public Health Leadership
in a distance learning format. This program is primarily designed for public health professionals
in Alabama, Indiana, or New Mexico. For more information, visit
http://www.uab.edu/PublicHealth/
School of Public Health, University of Albany SUNY
The School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York presently
offers non-credit courses in a distance learning format. The courses are mainly delivered through
satellite broadcast to local health department employees, community-based organizations, and
health care organizations.
The School is considering offering a Masters of Public Health (MPH) to be delivered by distance
learning media, primarily the Internet. The School is also considering the development of three
certificate programs that could be taken singularly or, upon completion of all three, qualify as a
MPH degree. For more information, visit http://www.albany.edu/sph/
Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
The Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, through its Division of
Sociomedical Sciences, offers a Program in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in a
distance learning format. The program is designed for employees of the New York Department
of Health. Distance education courses are taught on the Columbia University Health Sciences
Campus and transmitted live via two-way audio/two-way visual teleconferencing technology.
Students in the distance education program take the same curriculum and complete the same
requirements over the same period of time as the evening program in Health Promotion and
Disease Prevention. The MPH requires 45 credits (15 courses). Selected courses are augmented
by using a variety of web-based materials. For more information, visit
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/sph/
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University offers two separate programs via
distance learning: a Graduate Certificate Program and a Career MPH program.
Graduate Certificate Program (GCPE): Students in the GCPE attend seven on-campus, fiveday sessions over the course of a year. During these sessions, students attend classes, seminars,
and computer workshops. Between on-campus sessions, students complete assignments and
communicate with faculty and student colleagues via distance learning. Credits can be applied
towards a Master of Public Health degree at Rollins. The program is 21-credit hours. For more
information, visit http://www.sph.emory.edu/gcphome.html
Appendix A
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Career MPH Program: The Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University offers a Career
MPH Program for mid-career professionals who have 5 to 10 years experience in public health
or related fields. The program began in the fall of 1999. The Career MPH is a 42 credit-hour
program in which students participate in both traditional face-to-face instructional sessions and
in a web-based learning environment. The program is designed to allow working professionals
to complete an MPH degree in approximately two and a half years. Students in the CMPH
program are required to attend on-campus sessions only twice per semester (Thursday through
Sunday). Between the on-campus sessions, students will participate in courses via the web,
receiving instruction and interacting with faculty and classmates. Students can select the
Prevention Science Option or Management Science Option. For more information, visit
http://www.sph.emory.edu/
School of Public Health and Health Sciences, George Washington University
The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) offers
a Graduate Certificate Program through distance education. Upon completion of the Certificate
Program, all credit may be transferred, upon acceptance, to specific tracks and concentrations of
the Master of Public Health program. 15-credit hour program may be completed partially or
entirely by distance education. Students can select one of the three options to complete the
Graduate Certificate Program: Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) Option, MPH Core
Courses Option, or Health Services Option. For more information, visit
http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/
School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health Distance Education Division and the
School of Public Health offers two programs in distance learning format. Graduate Certificate
Program in Public Health.
The certificate program provides public health practitioners the opportunity to enhance their
effectiveness in a rapidly changing health care environment through a flexible curriculum that
combines distance education and traditional educational methodologies. The certificate program
requires 35 academic credit units and may be completed in 18 months. Students who have earned
the certificate and who also qualify for the MPH degree program may transfer all earned credits
toward a MPH degree at JHU. For more information, visit the School's web site at
http://www.distance.jhsph.edu/certificate
Internet-based Master of Public Health Program: Beginning in 1999, the School will offer its
Master of Public Health via the Internet. Completion of the Internet-based program requires 80
credit units, with a maximum of 60 earned via the Internet. The remaining 20 credits must be
earned in a face-to-face environment. For more information, visit the school's web site at:
http://www.jhsph.edu/SASS/admiss/
Appendix A
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School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
The UIC at Chicago School of Public Health offers a number of courses that utilize the Internet.
There are a number of fully online credit courses and many courses that have associated web
sites. Currently, up to 12 semester hours can be taken in a credit non-degree status and applied
toward a degree at UIC-SPH if accepted into their program. The UIC School of Public Health,
through its Great Lakes Center for Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, offers
continuing education courses to occupational and environmental health and safety professionals.
For more information, visit http://www.uic.edu/sph/.
School of Public Health, University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina School of Public Health distance learning degree programs are
designed for health professionals currently employed, and unable to enroll in a degree program at
the Chapel Hill campus. The UNC School of Public Health through its Distance Learning
department offers the following degree programs:
Executive Masters Program in Health Administration: The Executive Master's Program (EMP)
is designed to provide the skills and competencies critical for leadership in upper-level
management positions in all areas of health services. It is open to professionals with at least 3
years of prior experience in health administration or a health profession or holds a prior
academic or professional doctoral-level degree in an appropriate field. There are two variations
of EMP: The National Program: The National Program is designed for working professionals
from across the nation. International students also frequently enroll in this Program. The
structure of the Program is limited to 35 new executive students each year. The expanded
Distance Learning format of this program will begin in May 2000. The format will consist of
three eight-day sessions in Chapel Hill over a 12-month period with the bulk of the work
performed via the WWW.
The North Carolina Program: The North Carolina Program was designed to serve working
public health and health care professionals who are within commuting distance to program sites
located in the western and eastern parts of the state. The North Carolina Program is a joint effort
of the Department of Health Policy and Administration and the Area Health Education Centers
(AHEC). Programs are offered in AHEC facilities one day a week (typically Fridays). Students
attend class every Friday for the fall and spring semesters, completing eight courses over two
years. Students take distance learning courses and summer institute courses to complete the
requirements for a MPH or MHA.
Masters Program in Public Health Leadership: The distance learning MPH degree in Public
Health Leadership is a 39-credit hour program. The distance learning program is designed to be
completed in three years. Course contents are delivered over the Internet, using two-way
videoconferencing, self-paced CD-ROMS, videotaped presentations, and programmed selfinstructional modules. For more information, visit http://www.sph.unc.edu/
Appendix A
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College of Public Health, University of South Florida
The purpose of the distance learning program at the University of South Florida is to build
capacity for providing essential public health services, community by community.
Masters of Public Health in Public Health Practice: Offered via satellite technology, using a
television receive only (TVRO, or one-way video, two-way audio) format. The MPH is offered
at host sites throughout the state of Florida and other certified host sites in the nation and
internationally. In fall 1998, the College graduated its first graduates from this program. For
more information, visit: http://www.hsc.usf.edu/PUBHEALTH/DLP
The College also offers an Executive MPH Program for health professionals. For more
information about the Executive program, visit:
http://www.hsc.usf.edu/PUBHEALTH/exmphsum.htm
School of Public Health, University of Texas-Houston
The University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health offers two different distance learning
programs. Certificate Program offered through the Outreach Education Program: Courses are
offered using a variety of electronic delivery media, including video, Internet, CD-rom and video
tapes, as well as print-based materials. Currently being offered only to the public health
professionals who are employed by state and local health departments in Texas. A certificate is
issued on successful completion of five core courses. For the second distance learning program,
the UT-Houston SPH and its campuses in San Antonio, El Paso and Dallas deliver courses to
students using the University of Texas system-wide videoconference network. For more
information, visit http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University
The Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine offers two programs in
distance learning format.
Internet-based MPH program in Occupational Health and Safety Management through its
Center for Applied Environmental Public Health (CAEPH). This program is targeted towards
mid-career working professionals who traditionally do not have the opportunity for advanced
professional education and who need additional education for job advancement, to stay abreast of
new knowledge and developments in public health and to meet professional demands and
challenges. Many of the distance learning programs offered at Tulane are unique in providing
educational opportunities for those with the greatest potential to influence worker health and
safety, implement health and safety programs, and advance occupational and environmental
public health policy. Courses are delivered using Video Conferencing and Internet
For more information, visit http://www.caeph.tulane.edu/
Appendix A
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Graduate Certificate Program (GCP) in Public Health. Provides a strong academic foundation
in public health theory, research, and practice via on-site classes and through distance-based
computer technology. Three on-campus experiences during a 15-month period. Students earn 21
graduate credits. Credits are applicable to degree programs in public health at Tulane. For more
information, visit their web site at http://www.tulane.edu/~cdctrain/
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington
The University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine offers a
Graduate Certificate Program in Public Health for public health professionals who wish to gain
additional expertise in their field Graduate Certificate Program (GCP) in Public Health The
program is a 15-month graduate credit program delivered through 4-1/2 weeks of intensive onsite instruction on the UW campus, and through distance learning. Students include CDC field
assignees, state and local public health agencies and others wishing to advance in public health.
Students earn 33 graduate credits, a majority of which can be applied toward the Master's in
Public Health. Courses utilize variety of distance-learning modalities, including self-study,
email, telephone, print media and the World Wide Web.
The Department of Health Services in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine
offers a three-year, part-time program delivered through a combination of intensive four-week
summer sessions on the UW campus, directed independent study, and intensive weekend
seminars during the academic year. For more information,
http://www.extension.washington.edu/extinfo/certprog/pht.
Appendix A
5
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Appendix B:
Summary of Current DL/IT Capacity at HSPH
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CURRENT CAPACITY AT SPH FOR DL/IT:
1) Computer/Video projection systems
Built-in units in Auditoriums: Kresge G-1, FXB G-11, G-12, G-13
Portable units: Infocus LP750, Infocus LP425Z
ElmoEV500AF Document Camera system
2) Audio Systems
Built-in Audio cassette recording systems in Auditoriums: Kresge G-2, FXB G-11, G-12, G-13
Portable units: (4) pro quality audio cassette recorders, (2) Shure audio mixers
3) Video Production Equipment
Parkervision Cameraman: built-in auto-tracking camera system in FXB G-11
JVC pro quality analog video camera
JVC VHS camcorder
Panasonic AG 2510 VHS VCR
Panasonic AG 1300 VHS VCR (2)
Digital Capture cards
Cannon XL-1 Digital Camcorder
Panasonic Digital Video VCR
4) Video Conferencing Equipment
Two Intel TeamStation video conferencing units
5) Audio/Video Streaming
RealNetworks' Basic Server (25 simultaneous streams) installed in HSPH web server box. Space and
stream capacity suitable for small communications pieces (public service announcements, audio press
conferences, etc.) at bandwidths of up to 80 Kbps. AV server is currently underutilized, serving 100
streams per week.
Higher bandwidth productions, longer pieces, and higher volume productions (such as video taping a
class a week for a course) requires more server hard disk space, upgraded software, and likely a dedicated
server.
Web Site with streaming AV demonstrations: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/video
6) Courseware
CoureInfo 3.0 by BlackBoard.com is currently available to all faculty. Software is installed in HSPH web
server box. Software allows faculty members to create and manage course web sites from an intuitive
web browser interface. The software allows faculty members to create web pages, upload files, create
links to external sites, control access, create quizzes, add bulletin board/chat features, send email to class,
etc. Training and coordination with the Registrar's Office is led by the Instructional Computing Group of
the IT Department.
Web Site: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/courses
Appendix B
2
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7) Video Uplink/Downlink
Currently able to downlink via the University’s satellite dish in Cambridge to the SPH internal video
network at $100 per hour, with a 2-hour minimum charge. This signal can be sent to multiple internal
SPH locations to provide audio and video of the transmission, however without provision for interaction
with the transmission. Uplinks from SPH are not currently possible without the use of an outside vendor
truck for a remote satellite feed.
The SPH video network is currently limited to the following locations in the Kresge building:
Auditoriums: G-1, G-2, G-3; Cafeteria; All second floor classrooms and Room 502.
8) Computer Servers
Web Server: Sun Enterprise 250, with 18 GB disk space, running Solaris and Apache web server
There are roughly 100 users with web accounts representing units of the school (departments, centers,
student groups, faculty research projects, etc.).
Mail Server: Sun Enterprise 5500
Majordomo Listserver
ILS Server
9) Network Infrastructure
Designed to be video ready.
Entire data network has been upgraded to 10/100 MB Ethernet Cisco switches in all wiring closets.
Core network backbone is Gigabit Ethernet between all buildings.
SPH network connection to LMAnet is 100mb Ethernet
LMAnet connection to Harvard Cambridge campus (HSDN) is 45mb Ethernet (T-3).
Harvard’s HSDN has multiple redundant Internet feeds, including ATT, MediaOne, and Internet2.
10) The Intel Multimedia Grant is providing us with the following equipment:
Two Intel TeamStation conference room video conferencing units (2)
Intel ProShare desktop video conferencing system (30)
Matrox RT2000 digital video capture boards, bundled with Adobe Premier (3)
Intel Graphic Video Editing workstations (3)
Intel Web servers (2) for web and ILS function
Intel Video Server (1)
Intel Curriculum Development workstations (3)
Macromedia Director software (3) for the curriculum development workstations
11) Human Resources:
We currently have only 2 FTE’s to fulfill all AV/Media services functions throughout the school.
The school has 2 FTE’s for the functions of webmaster and graphics designer.
1 FTE from the microlab staff is primarily responsible for working with faculty members on the webbased Blackboard Course Info software, as well as doing the first pass at digitizing video clips to pass on
to the webmaster for posting on the school’s web site.
Appendix B
3
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Appendix C:
Summary of DL/IT offered at Various Schools at Harvard University
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WHERE IS THE UNIVERSITY HEADED?
1) Medical Area Video conferencing facilities
HMS: has 4 conference rooms wired for videoconferencing, each holding 100 people.
BI-Deaconess: Center for Clinical Education has a multimedia production facility
2) Cisco MCU (multipoint conferencing unit) for simultaneous multipoint delivery of online
video, available for experimentation through UIS. ISDN/IP Gateway also being set up for
experimentation.
3) DCE video editing facility: The Harvard Extension School’s Division of Continuing Education (DCE) has
a post-production video facility in Cambridge, which they are willing to discuss possibly opening up to us
for some collaborative endeavors. May be available on fee for service basis to get us started initially.
Appendix C
1
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DL Comparison Across Harvard University as of April 1999
GSE
HMS
FAS
Name
Suzanne Teuteberg/John Hahnfeld
Jason Alverez
Paul Bergen
Is there demand?
yes
yes
yes
Do you provide support?
yes
yes
yes
Teleconferencing facilities
Teleconferencing equipment
Satellite downlinking thru UIS-HITS MEC Amphitheater--3 ISDN lines
HMS Bldg A Conf Rms--3 ISDN lines
network
ea.
audio conferencing classroom
renovation
PictureTel Venue 2000
Teleconferencing
software/platforms
beginning in Dec. 1999
Cu-See-Me; experimented w/
NetMeeting
PictureTel
see above
Digitizing video
Adobe "Premiere" software;
MovieMaker Encoder--MPEG
Public access for Media 100 station thru
PowerMac 7600
compression
Tech showcase; adding 3 public video
5 video conf. Stations (Intel Team);
Intel Grant may add desktop-level
see above
digitizing & compressing workstations
to Showcase, on Intel machines using
Broadway capture cards & a variety of s/w
to support various compression stds.
Broadcasting lectures
no
RealNetworks
Real Media for capture/digitize/compress
and serving 7 courses w/more added next yr
Video production
Mavica still digital cameras; VHS
camcorders; JVC analog edit desk
VHS
Professional Quality Video Camera
Media 100 station & 3 stations w/
Media 100 Digital Editing System
Broadway cards, Adobe Premier, &
system
Some lighting equipment
other compression and digitizing software
Videotaping Equipment (VHS, S-VHS,
Hi-Beta)
Server video storage capacity
none
10gig currently on server
3 multi-processor NT servers w/ 36
Larger server to be purchased for AY00 GB storage ea.
Number of FTE's
analog video=1.5 fte
Media=5; Digital Video svcs=1
Obstacles
hardware; software; staff
gathering content fr faculty-slides fr
ICG: 4; IMS/Prep Rm: unknown
lecturers; staff for prep web content;
recruiting tech staff; staff training on
new digital software/equip; network
troubleshooting w/ high bandwidth video
Resource Needs
dedicated hardware/software for
digitizing
faculty support; addl staff-Media Tech
more student help
& serving video in a lab environment; Specialists; more Network monitoring &
trained staff to provide video for web
apps
analysis tools & in-hse expertise for
troubleshooting network probs.
Product demos
Appendix C
"Real Networks"
Real; Microsoft
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GSD
HLS
KSG
Name
Jeff Pooser
Susan Vik
Anne Drazen
Is there demand?
yes
no
yes
Do you provide support?
yes
no
yes
Teleconferencing facilities
ISDN Lines are available;
none
1 55-seat classroom w/ permanent
Intel Team Station
not currently;
PictureTel Concorde; PolyComm in
adding ISDN lines
maybe by end of summer
DC & Cambridge; CD See Me Reflector
Team Station; a great deal of interest
used at least once a month
Teleconferencing equipment
Teleconferencing
software/platforms
Digitizing video
3 media 100 editing systems, 3-4 PC's yes
Real Server; Getting Avid Cinema
w/ lower-end
a/v cards (ospry 100, videum)
Broadcasting lectures
realnetworks 5.0 publisher;
piloting the Real product
realnetworks G2 publisher
Video production
3 media 100 systems, various
Real Server available but
not used for broadcasting yet
yes
other PC's/Mac's
Digital video camera; tape to
digitized video on disk
running premiere, after-effects, media
cleaner pro, photoshop, debabelizer,
soundedit, macs, PC's, video cameras,
video decks, video monitors, disks
Server video storage capacity
60 user license for version 5.0
pilot server
n/a
Number of FTE's
1
None; 3 staff mbrs working on pilot
0.2
Obstacles
lack of staff who are trained and
staff; time
staffing for marketing, support &
know the medium; lack of dedicated
production
equipment/space
Resource Needs
trained staff; studio space;
staff; time
dedicated equipment
Central Harvard staff/facility to work
w/ faculty on developing/formating
courseware, & to provide guidance
Product demos
Appendix C
interested in anything
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HBS
HSPH
Name
Larry Bouthillier
Taso Markatos
Is there demand?
yes
yes
Do you provide support?
yes
no
Teleconferencing facilities
conference rm. w/ PicTel 4500
n/a
Teleconferencing equipment
portable SwiftSite PicTel unit for
n/a
classroom use
Teleconferencing
software/platforms
see above
n/a
Digitizing video
OptiBase MPEG Fusion encoder,
n/a
several NT & Linux machines w/
Osprey 100 capture cards for Real/
Video encoding, Virage Video Logger
& Audio Logger software
Broadcasting lectures
RealVideo & Starlight Networks video n/a
servers, experimental SightPath
system
Video production
Avid MC4000, Avid Express, Linear n/a
editing suite
Server video storage capacity
500GB
27GB of disk space is available on
a SPARC 250 that is also used for other
purposes
Number of FTE's
online video encoding & delivery: 1.5 2 FTE's in AV department
Obstacles
keeping up w/ rapid growth in usage & Staffing, training, funding, space
Resource Needs
volume while keeping reliability
also equipment and facilities are not
at 100%
available
a content creation & encoding
info/training sessions conducted by
facility; sufficient dedicated servers
staff who are currently utilizing this
technology; other inst. Utilize a
centralized
media center.
Product demos
Appendix C
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Appendix D:
Report on HSPH Faculty Survey, Spring 2000
Advancing the Harvard School of Public Heath’s Mission
with Information Technology
A Report
May 21, 2000
Heather Hue, MD
Harvard School of Public Health
MPH Candidate, June 2000
Sponsor: Nancy Kane, DBA
Harvard School of Public Health
Distance Learning Working Group
Appendix D
1
The Report
Over the past decade, universities across the United States have began to explore the
development, implementation, and integration of Information Technology (IT) for use in and
out of the classroom, in an effort to enhance the quality of university teaching.
Accompanying this university-navigated exploration and development of Information
Technology, there has arisen the need to examine and evaluate the impact, effectiveness, and
appeal of this evolving teaching methodology. In response to this need, the Harvard School of
Public Health (HSPH) has created a Distance Learning Working Group whose purpose is to
investigate the current capacity and application of IT around the country; and to determine the
level of interest and the need for Information Technology at the Harvard School of Public
Health. Of note, the HSPH Distance Learning Working Group is part of a larger, university-wide
effort created in order to investigate technology in teaching and learning at Harvard University.
As a result of the efforts of the HSPH Distance Learning Working Group, the following report
has been created. Specifically, this report addresses the following aspects of Information
Technology:
Section I:



General definitions for Information Technology
Prevalence of Online courses
Factors that influence the development and application of Information Technology
Section II


Current use of IT by HSPH Faculty-members
Factors that affect faculty interest in using IT
Section III


How HSPH Faculty feel HSPH should increase future participation in IT
Ancillary Concerns and Cautions
Section IV


Summary of Key Points
Recommendations
Appendix D
2
Section I:



General definitions for Information Technology
Prevalence of Online courses
Factors that influence the development and application of Information Technology
Definitions for Information Technology
The literature on Information Technology is saturated with new words and terms created to
capture the elements of the evolving industry. Because of this, for any discussion regarding IT,
it is important to first establish clear, working definitions. For the purpose of this report, the
following definitions will be used: 1
Online Instruction: Teaching and learning mediated by a computer; synonym for, “online
teaching.” There are three different Modes of Online Instruction:
1. Supplemental/Adjunct: This type of online instruction complements face-to-face
classroom teaching. Example: IT materials, such as software packages or course web
pages, are used to enhance the information that is presented by the professor in the
classroom.
2. Mixed: This type of online instruction places significant emphasis on the IT-component
of teaching rather than the classroom component of instruction. Example: the majority of
the teaching and learning occurs through IT methods while only a fraction of the
student’s time is spent in the classroom.
3. Wholly Online: This type of instruction is where course-content is delivered entirely
through IT methods that are employed by students outside classroom.
Distance Education (1) Generally used to connote “correspondence coursework” utilizing
textual, videotape, or CD materials exchanged by mail (2) Course-teaching presented over the
television (teleconferencing), videoconferencing, or totally online.
(3) The definition of
“Distance Education” also includes the use of Computer Mediated Communication.
Computer Mediated Communication: An interactive textual exchange between professors &
students; and between students & students. This communication can occur synchronously (in
real time) or asynchronously (off-line and sequentially).
Computer Assisted Instruction “Drill & Practice” instruction where there is minimal two-way
exchange of information or ideas.
Specific Examples of Information Technology Assisted Methods:
Appendix D
3
E-Mail
Web Page
CD-ROM
Videotapes
Computer-projected
applications
Teleconferencing
Internet
.
Prevalence of Online Courses
According to The New York Times1 as of April 1999, the number of online courses offered in
the United States number in the thousands. Some institutions, such as Western Governors’
Virtual University, the University of Phoenix, and Jones International University, are placing
their primary focus and strategy in developing complete, virtual universities in which students
located anywhere in the country may enroll. Other institutions, most notably UCLA, University
of Washington, Duke, Stanford, and Pennsylvania State University, are taking aggressive strides
toward not only developing and employing Information Technology on campus but also
penetrating and dominating the Online course market nationwide.
The Effectiveness of Information Technology
The state of the development and integration of Information Technology is currently in its
infancy. Even more premature than these elements, however, is the understanding of the overall
effectiveness and impact of Information Technology.
Presently there is no one method to evaluate the performance, quality, and impact of IT on
student learning. Literature that examines the issue of quality measurement concludes, “There is
a relative paucity of true, original research dedicated to explaining or predicting phenomena
related to distance learning.1” As a result, there is much need for investigation into what truly
constitutes “IT-effectiveness.”
Although the outcome of the overall effectiveness of IT is currently ambiguous, there are two
elements that, when applied to the development and application stage of IT, are considered to
augment the appropriateness and overall effectiveness of IT. The two factors are the following:
(1) Faculty Teaching Style and (2) Type of Student.
I. Faculty Teaching Style
Although there are numerous teaching methods and styles that faculty employ in order to reach
their teaching objectives, the dominant teaching styles fall into one of three categories: (1)
lecture (2) discussion and (3) mentoring.
Each one of these methods places emphasis on different teaching tools and mechanisms in order
to communicate with students; however, irrespective of their differences, the goal of all of these
teaching methods is the same—that is, to give students an effective, quality education.
Appendix D
4
With this goal in mind, the development and use of IT should be highly sensitive toward
recognizing and accommodating for the differences in the types of faculty teaching. For
example,
(1) Courses taught through discussion or seminar-type appear to be the most effective if they are
transformed into a Computer Mediated Communication IT method—an IT method that is
text-based and encourages collaborative learning 1
(2) Courses taught through the Lecture/Didactic method would be the most effective using IT if
the technology were used not as a primary information source, but as a tool in which
students can view graphics or other interactive, graphically based material.1
Because the type of teaching style directly affects what method of Information Technology
would be the most effective for teaching and learning, when universities are investigating what
type of IT-methods to be developed and implemented, in order to create the most utilized and
effective product, the prevalence of the type of teaching style faculty use should be heavily
considered.
II. The Types of Education/Type of Student
In the literature, there are four categories of students working toward an education 1
Type of Student
Example of Degree
Students in training
Undergraduate
B.A., B.S
Continuing Education &
Professional
Graduate
MPH, MS, MD, JD, DDS,
MBA
DPh, DSc, PhD, ScD
Type of Training
Transmission of knowledge;
unilateral
Education toward earning
an undergraduate degree.
The training of the educated
The training and mentorship
of the educated.
For the purpose of this report, because HSPH is a graduate and professional institution, the type
of student that will be focused upon are Continuing Education, Professional, and Doctoral
Students. However, in order to be comprehensive, a few comments will be made about
considerations concerning using IT-teaching methods for teaching undergraduate students.
According to the current theory on the pedagogy for undergraduate students, (characterized in
this case as less than thirty years old, full-time, and on-site) these students are in need for a
special “comprehensive education.” That is, for these students, because of their age and
maturational status, education serves the purpose of not only transmitting knowledge to young
minds, but also providing and encouraging social experiences from which these students can
learn and mature. Because both educational and social components are required in order to
Appendix D
5
maximize an undergraduate student’s experience, many feel that certain modes of IT, specifically
“distance learning” are not appropriate for this type of student.
With respect to the other types of students, specifically Continuing Education, Professional, and
Graduate Students, these students are generally considered to be more mature and therefore “are
not in need of the socialization and maturational guidance [that] younger students do.” 1 Because
most of these students do not possess the same needs as undergraduate students, all modes of IT
are considered potential and acceptable learning tools. This being said, one note of caution is
needed: Although the professional or graduate student may not need the social/maturational
elements of an education that young undergraduates do, these students still need faculty
attentiveness, as well as the attentiveness of each other.
With the recognition of this factor, it follows that a university that desires to employ IT, as a
primary source of education needs to develop the product so that online attentiveness can be
achieved.
Limiting class size to a few students is one method in which online attentiveness can be
achieved. Although one may believe that through using Online Instruction more students can be
reached effectively, the opposite is generally true. With respect to the pedagogy of Continuing
Education, Professional, and Doctoral Students, to provide the best quality of Online Instruction,
class size may need to be small. 1
Appendix D
6
Section II


Current use and future interest in IT by HSPH Faculty-members
Factors that affect faculty interest in using IT
Information Technology at HSPH—An Examination
In light of considerations and recommendations regarding the development, integration, and
utilization of Information Technology that were described in Section One, a survey was created
in order to learn how the factors of faculty style of teaching and type of student affect HSPH
faculty’s present use and future interest in employing IT
The survey was emailed to 343 faculty; 65 responded . Characteristics of those surveyed and
those responding are summarized below:
Type of HSPH Appt: # Sent Survey
Primary Appt
181
Secondary Appt
81
Adjunct Appt
81
# Respondents
52
10
3
% Response
29%
12%
4%
Respondents came from the following departments:
Department:
Biostatistics
Cancer Cell Biology
Environmental Health
Epidemiiology
Health and Social Behavior
Health Policy and Mgmt
Immunology and Infect. Dis
Maternal and Child Health
Nutrition
Population and International
# Respondents :
10
0
10
10
7
16
3
5
1
3
% Total Respondents:
15%
0
15%
15%
11%
25%
5%
8%
2%
5%
Of those responding, 61 provided instruction for Doctoral Students and Research Fellows, while
54 faculty taught professional-degree students. Only 42, or two-thirds of the faculty surveyed,
taught Continuing Education, Non-HSPH Students, or Off-Site HSPH students. (Table 1A)
Clearly, most faculty taught more than one type of student.
Appendix D
7
Table IA: Total Number of Faculty Surveyed,
By Type of Student
MPH,
MS
Total number of faculty by type of
student
Total % of faculty by type of student
54
83%
DPh, DSc, PhD,
& Research
Continuing Ed, NonFellows
HSPH & Off-Site
61
94%
42
65%
With respect to Faculty Teaching Style, of those surveyed, faculty used lecture and interactive
teaching methods relatively equally, (Table 1B).
Table IB: Total Number of Faculty Surveyed,
By Type of Teaching Style
Total number of faculty who use type of
teaching method
Total % of faculty who use type of teaching
method
LECTURE
INTERACTIVE
58
56
89%
86%
The next step was to correlate this information about the Type of Student and the Type of
Teaching Style with the present use and future interest in Information Technology. Specifically,
we wanted define answers for the following questions:
1. Does the type of degree-student taught affect a faculty-member’s present use or future
interest in using IT? (Table 2)
2.
Does the type of faculty teaching style affect a faculty-member’s present use or future
interest in using IT? (Table 3)
3.
Is there a significant relationship between the findings for Question 1 and Question 2?
(Table 4)
4.
What are the factors that affect faculty interest in using IT? (Table 5)
The results to our questions are as follows.
Appendix D
8
Table II: Current Use of IT-Assisted Modalities by
Type of Student Taught
IT-Assisted Method
Email
Internet as Source of Information
Computer Projected Applications
HPSH "Blackboard" Web Page
Internet as Method of Communication
Other Web Page
Self-Instruction Materials on CD or
Videotape
Teleconferencing
Videoconferencing
Teaching Totally On-Line
Professional
Degree Students
Doctoral &
Research
Fellows
Continuing
Education &
Off-Site
87%
61%
44%
35%
15%
13%
87%
62%
41%
33%
16%
15%
83%
60%
48%
33%
24%
14%
13%
9%
6%
4%
15%
10%
5%
3%
21%
10%
7%
2%
Almost 90% of the faculty respondents use email as part of their instruction; roughly 60% use
the Internet as a source of information, and over 40% use computer projected applications
(e.g. power point, excel). A full third of respondents use the HSPH course web page. Use of
these modalities did not vary significantly by type of students taught—professional, research,
or continuing education.
Faculty who teach continuing education and off site students indicated relatively greater use
(24%) of Self-Instruction Materials and the Internet as a Method of Communication. These
modalities are used by only 15% of faculty teaching professional or doctoral students.
Only two to six faculty, less than 10%, responding to the survey use teleconferencing,
videoconferencing, or on-line courses to teach students.
Appendix D
9
Table III: Use of IT-Modalities by
Teaching Style
Lecture
Interactive
90%
64%
41%
33%
88%
84%
45%
36%
16%
16%
12%
10%
5%
3%
16%
14%
11%
11%
5%
4%
IT-Assisted Method:
E-Mail
Internet as Source of Information
Computer Projected Applications
HPSH "Blackboard" Web Page
Self-Instruction Materials on CD or
Videotape
Internet as Method of Communication
Other Web Page
Teleconferencing
Videoconferencing
Teaching Totally On-Line
Use of IT- Assisted modalities were similar for both types of teaching styles (lecture and
interactive) except for the use of the Internet as a source of information which appears to be
more popular for interactive than lecture-style courses.
The rest of this page was intentionally left blank
Appendix D
10
Table IV: Percent of Faculty Who Demonstrate Interest in Expanding
Use of IT Methods, by Type of Student Taught
Type of Student Taught
Professional
MPH, MS
Doctoral
& Research
Fellows
Continuing Ed,
Non-HSPH & OffSite
7%
24%
52%
4%
22%
60%
0%
24%
62%
6%
30%
41%
4%
23%
46%
10%
26%
38%
13%
35%
35%
8%
29%
45%
21%
40%
38%
17%
54%
24%
7%
47%
35%
6%
39%
43%
19%
31%
22%
16%
30%
26%
21%
29%
24%
31%
24%
19%
24%
22%
30%
33%
14%
33%
37%
30%
20%
31%
28%
26%
40%
29%
26%
35%
24%
15%
28%
23%
2%
36%
19%
26%
48%
20%
19%
39%
20%
26%
48%
17%
29%
IT-Assisted Method
Computer Projected Applications
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
HPSH "Blackboard" Web Page
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
Internet as Source of Information
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
E-Mail
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
Internet as Source of Communication
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
Videoconferencing
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
Self-Instruction Materials on CD or
Videotape
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
Teleconferencing
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
Teaching Totally On-Line
No interest
Moderate Interest
High Interest
The highest interest of the faculty is in expanding use of computer-projected applications; use of
course web pages, and the Internet as a source of information.
Appendix D
11
Faculty interest drops off considerably with regard to expanding the use of IT Self-Instruction
materials, Videoconferencing, and Teaching Totally On Line.
Faculty teaching doctoral or continuing education students indicated more interest than did
faculty who teach professional students in the following areas: expanding the use of Computer
projected applications; using HSPH Blackboard; and using the Internet as a source of
information. In general, there was greater enthusiasm for expanding the use of IT-assisted
methods when teaching doctoral or continuing education courses than when teaching
professional students.
Faculty interest in expanding specific IT assisted methods was not greatly influenced by teaching
style (lecture vs. interactive) although faculty teaching interactive courses showed a strong
disinterest in teaching over the Internet. (63% had “no interest” in the Internet as a means of
communication compared to only 17% of the faculty having “no interest” that taught by lecture.)
The rest of this page was intentionally left blank.
Appendix D
12
Table V: Factors That Affect Faculty Interest in Using
IT-Methods, by Student Type
Presented in Order of Highest to Lowest Importance
Factor
Opportunity to Improve Quality of
Teaching
Not Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Availability of Equipment in Classroom
Not Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Availability of Technical Support Staff
Not Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Personal Desire to Work With New
Technologies
Not Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Formal Recognition for Teaching at HSPH
Not Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Opportunity to Expand Number of Students
Taught
Not Important
Somewhat Important
Very Important
Type of Student Taught
Professional
Continuing Ed,
MPH, MS
Doctoral &
NonResearch Fellows HSPH & Off-Site
4%
26%
69%
3%
26%
69%
2%
21%
76%
13%
20%
67%
11%
20%
67%
10%
19%
69%
4%
33%
61%
3%
33%
61%
5%
26%
67%
7%
56%
33%
7%
56%
33%
10%
52%
36%
30%
30%
39%
33%
30%
36%
26%
31%
43%
43%
35%
19%
41%
33%
23%
38%
40%
21%
The relative ranking of motivational priorities related to the faculty use of IT-assisted modalities
are the same regardless of type of student taught or teaching method used. Roughly 2/3 of
faculty ranked as “very important” the opportunity to “improve the quality of teaching,” the
“availability of technical support staff; ” and the ”availability of equipment in the classroom.”
Somewhat less important were the personal desire to work with new technologies and receiving
formal recognition for teaching. Only 30 – 40 % of faculty ranked these factors as “very
important”.
Appendix D
13
The opportunity to expand the number of students taught was not an important motivational
factor for most faculty; just over 40% ranked it “not important,” while only 20% ranked this
factor as “very important.”
Section III


How HSPH Faculty feel HSPH should increase participation in IT
Ancillary Concerns and Cautions
How HSPH Faculty feel HSPH should increase participation in IT
In our survey, we dedicated one section of our questionnaire to determine in what areas of
Information Technology Faculty-Members at HSPH feel the Harvard School of Public Health
should increase.
With respect to the development and integration of IT at HSPH, this question is especially
important because “faculty members committed to teaching should have the first and last say on
any issue regarding pedagogy.” 1 The literature reviewed on the implementation and success of
IT at universities indicates that, without faculty support, the results of IT- integration efforts
would be dismal. 1-2
The rest of this page was intentionally left blank
Appendix D
14
Table VI: How HSPH Faculty Believe HSPH Should Increase IT
(In Order of Priorities)
Continuing
Ed, NonProfessional Doctoral &
HSPH
MPH, MS
Research & Off - Site
Fellows
Students
Invest in IT Classroom Equipment
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Increase Technical Support Staff for
Classroom Help
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Increase Technical Staff for Development of
IT-Methods
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Increase Videoconferencing and Internet Tools
for Teaching Non-Resident, Off-Site HSPH
Students
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Increase Videoconferencing and Internet Tools
for Off-Site Non-HSPH Students
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Joint Ventures with Commercial Companies to
Package Online Courses
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Joint Ventures with Commercial Companies to
Package & Market Online Courses
Low Priority
Medium Priority
High Priority
Appendix D
7%
35%
54%
7%
36%
54%
7%
31%
60%
7%
39%
50%
11%
39%
46%
14%
33%
50%
17%
30%
44%
21%
30%
41%
21%
36%
38%
26%
35%
30%
25%
34%
31%
33%
31%
31%
39%
26%
22%
34%
28%
23%
40%
26%
24%
59%
26%
4%
61%
25%
5%
69%
19%
5%
63%
24%
4%
62%
25%
5%
69%
21%
5%
15
The highest priority, regardless of type of student taught or teaching style, is to improve the onsite classroom environment for IT-assisted learning. Roughly 90% of faculty surveyed
supported as either a high or medium priority increased investment in equipment and employing
support staff to assist faculty in the classroom. (Of interest, in a study conducted at UCLA, an
institute that actually mandated that all faculty employ IT methodology, the most common
problem and complaint cited by UCLA faculty in using the technology was “technical problems
due to inadequate technical support and computer skills.”) 2
Not far behind in priority was the need to increase technical staff to develop other IT-Teaching
Modalities.
The faculty ranked considerably lower as a priority increasing Video and Internet tools for offsite learning, although for those teaching lecture-style, the priority was higher.
Across all groups, faculty showed very little interest in entering into any kind of joint venture
with commercial companies to produce materials or whole courses using IT-assisted methods.
Roughly 2/3 of faculty indicated that this should be a low priority at HSPH.
Ancillary Concerns and Cautions:
Over the past ten years there has been a flurry of activity around developing new kinds of
Information Technology not only for the purpose of enhancing the quality of teaching, but also to
penetrate the Education Online Course market. Although this action toward development and
implementation has been greeted with optimism and support, not everyone believes that
Information Technology, specifically online instruction, will be the pedagogical panacea that
many IT- advocates claim it will be.
Positioned at the frontline of online opposition, historian David F. Nobel stands tall. In his fourpart series, “Digital Diploma Mills,” Nobel passionately trumpets concern over what he calls,
“The commercialization of higher education... That is, the recognition of intellectual activity
into intellectual capital…forming courses into courseware that [turns] the activity of instruction
itself into commercially viable proprietary products that can be owned and bought and sold in
the market.” 2
Appendix D
16
In addition to his belief that the era of Information Technology will transform education into
industry, Nobel also cites these other concerns:
(1) Academic deprofessionalization: Nobel’s concern is that “once the faculty converts its
courses into courseware, their services are no longer required.” In essence, if faculty were
to acquiesce to the transformation of classroom education into an Information
Technology market, the need and value of teachers would become obsolete.
(2) The conflict of interest between business and scholarship: This concern embraces two
parts. The first is a concern that the implementation of IT may sacrifice pedagogy for
technology. The second concern is that the development and implementation of IT
creates a significant and potentially hostile division between faculty and students with
university administrators and their IT-business associates. In a 1999 article written by
Andrew Feenberg of San Diego State University entitled “Distance Learning: Promise or
Threat?” 1 Feenberg writes
It is not faculty who are in the forefront of the movement to network education. Instead
politicians, university administrations, computer, and telecommunications companies
have decided that there is money in it.
To exemplify the detrimental effects of this conflict, Nobel cites an experience of UCLA,
an institution that tried to enact an “Information Enticement Initiative” that mandated
web sites for all 3800 arts and sciences courses in 1998. Nobel explains,
Several dozen faculty actively resisted the Initiative and the way it had been unilaterally
inspired and implemented…and at the end of the academic year, only 30% of the faculty
had put any of their course material on line 2
(We note that only one third of our surveyed faculty use our course web page software –
although the implementation environment was neither mandatory nor unilateral).
(3) Course Ownership: The issue of course ownership is a presently volatile and sensitive.
Although “there may be legitimate circumstances under which the quality of academic
work and the shared maintenance of creative vitality is best assured when the University
has some share in copyright…the highest quality of online materials is usually assured
when faculty members are in control of the material.” 1-2 At the present, there is no clear
protocol for online course ownership. There is, however, clear indication that many
faculty are not going to be willing to surrender their rights to ownership. At UCLA, for
example, instructors made it clear that they would refuse to assign any of their rights to
their course materials. 2 The stage is set. The outcome on course ownership, however, is
yet to be determined.
(4) Cost: the need for small class size in order to achieve high-quality online teaching
implies high cost-- perhaps an even higher cost than the cost for traditional instruction. 1-2
Appendix D
17
Nobel passionately argues this point in several of his articles where he states that
increases in cost incurred by IT will be translated into increased tuition for students—an
unfair consequence considering the present climate of student and faculty resistance to IT.
2
In the end, Nobel states,
The infrastructional expense for online courses exceeds the overhead for correspondence
courses by an order of magnitude—a technological tapeworm that lives in the guts of
higher education…and it is the faculty and students who will ultimately suffer from [this]
effect of the Digital Diploma Mill.
Section IV
In this report, the current capacity and application of IT has been discussed, as well as the
application of that discussion to the investigation of further developing IT at the Harvard School
of Public Health. Several ancillary cautions and concerns regarding IT were also reviewed.
Summary of Key Points Regarding IT and HSPH:
1. In general, the HSPH faculty is interested in increasing IT-Method learning.
2. The greatest motivational priority for increasing use of IT-Methods is to increase the quality
of teaching in the classroom.
3. Across all types of students taught and across the type of teaching method employed, faculty
demonstrate interest in increasing (a) the use of the internet as a source of information and
(b) the use of the HSPH “Blackboard” and Web Page. Email is already in wide use.
4. Across all groups there was considerably less interest was demonstrated in expanding the use
CDs and videoconferencing for teaching purposes
5. The area of IT-expansion that received the least amount of interest was teaching totally on
line. Of note, however, faculty who teach continuing education students demonstrated the
greatest amount of interest in developing this area.
Appendix D
18
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The top priority of HSPH should be to do the following:


Equip classrooms with the appropriate Information Technology
Provide technical support in the classroom
Of note, this recommendation is consistent with the conclusion reached from the 1999 Harvard University
Working Group Discussion, a group of faculty and administrators across the University who were brought
together to discuss opportunities in enhancing teaching programs, reaching new markets, and technology
platforms and infrastructure. The conclusion reached by this group was that the promotion of faculty
growth and education, and leveraging infrastructure and expertise were, overall, top priorities . 3
2. Developing the capacity for videoconferencing that is specifically targeted for use by off-site
HSPH students is of interest, although of lower priority.
3. The school should proceed with extreme caution with respect to engaging in joint ventures
with commercial companies. If such ventures seem desirable for other reasons, the faculty
will need to discuss the issues and feel comfortable with the professional and commercial
implications before they will be willing to support and participate in this type of activity.
REFERENCES
1. University of Illinois Faculty Seminar, Teaching at an Internet Distance: the Pedagogy
of Online Teaching and Learning. The Report of a 1998-1999 University of Illinois
Faculty Seminar, University of Illinois, 1999 pp 1-52.
2. Nobel, David F, Digital Diploma Mills, Part I-IV. 1997-1999 pp 1-42.
3. Drazen, Hess, & Rogers, Opportunities for Harvard in Distance Learning: Provost
Report on Distance Education at Harvard. Draft, March 1999, pp 1-11.
i
Appendix D
19
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Appendix E:
An Example of an International Center
8/15/00
(1) Collaboration between Harvard University and Muhimbili University, Tanzania: Below is
a brief write-up on the collaboration between Harvard University and Muhimbili University College
of Health Sciences in Dar es Salaam. Our efforts have focused on addressing maternal and child
health problems in Tanzania from 3 angles: training, services and advocacy, and research.
Training: Through a training grant that we have from the Fogarty International Center at the
National Institutes of Health (Max Essex, PI), a number of Tanzanians have been to Boston for
degree (Master's and doctoral) and non-degree training programs related to HIV infection. We were
recently funded for a second Fogarty grant to provide training in the broader area of maternal and
child health (Wafaie Fawzi, PI). In the latter grant, we will focus on the following 4 disciplines: (a)
nutrition and its role in perinatal outcomes (fetal losses, low birthweight, prematurity), maternal
mortality and morbidity including pre-eclampsia; gestational diabetes, and infections during the
perinatal period and beyond. (b) infectious disease, including diarrhea, ARI, malaria in childhood
and pregnancy outcomes; HIV; TB; vaccines; (c) behavioral sciences including psychosocial
stressors, breast feeding, sexual practices, alcohol, smoking, and drug abuse, and (d) child
development including motor and cognitive development. Trainees are mentored by faculty from
Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Institute for International Development, Harvard Medical
School, and Children's Hospital.
In addition to training Tanzanian fellows, the collaboration continues to be an excellent training
ground for several Harvard students and post-doctoral fellows who are based in Boston or in Dar es
Salaam.
Advocacy and service: As part of our research programs, we provide clinical services to all
patients enrolled. In collaboration with our Tanzanian colleagues, we also plan to undertake a series
of workshops in Dar es Salaam to disseminate results from our research and discuss the policy
implications of these findings. The first workshop was held in the period May 30-June 1, 2000. The
workshop was attended by more than 100 senior members of academia and senior policy makers
from the Ministry of Health and district medical officers from Dar es Salaam and 4 other districts in
Tanzania. The workshop was focused on perinatal health including the role of anti-retrovirals,
micronutrients, and breastfeeding among HIV-infected women and their children. Several Harvard
faculty participated in the workshop.
We are about to start a new program entitled "Training and Study of Effectiveness of Services for
Prevention of Vertical Transmission of HIV-1 in Tanzania". This program aims to develop a
curriculum and manual for training HIV counselors in antenatal care settings, and to test these
training materials through the implementation of an HIV counseling and testing program in Dar es
Salaam. In addition, we propose to evaluate key implementation issues involved in such a targeted
intervention by administering a treatment intervention which includes nevirapine, multivitamins and
a breastfeeding counseling/health education component. After this project is completed, the training
curriculum and manual developed will be useful to government and non-government programs in
reducing vertical transmission, a set of trainers in “vertical transmission prevention” counseling will
be valuable resources to such future programs, and the experience of having implemented a smallscale supplementation and follow-up program at the district level will inform policy-makers for
future national programs or larger initiatives. This program is funded by the World AIDS
Foundation.
Appendix E
1
8/15/00
Research: There has been longstanding collaboration between Harvard University and Muhimbili
Medical Center in Dar-es-Salaam for the past 20 years. The two institutions have collaborated on a
number of research projects. Over the last 8 years, we have initiated several large epidemiologic
studies focusing on nutrition, perinatal health, and infectious diseases. To address basic and
epidemiologic aspects of various public health problems, our research team is multi-disciplinary
both at Harvard and at Muhimbili. Harvard colleagues are based at the School of Public Health in
the Departments of Nutrition, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Immunology and Infectious Diseases,
Population and International Health; at the Medical School and affiliated hospitals in Infectious
Diseases; Social Medicine, Immunology, Virology, Histopathology, Clinical Chemistry, and Child
Development. We have also recently started a collaborative effort with the Nutrition and
Immunology group at Tufts University. Our collaborators in Tanzania are based at Muhimbili
University College of Health Sciences in the Departments of Community Health, Paediatrics and
Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Microbiology and Immunology Internal
Medicine, Histopathology and Morbid Anatomy, and at the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center.
Most of our research projects are NIH funded, but several were funded by foundations including the
Thrasher Research Fund, Rockefeller Foundation, the International Development Research Center,
and the World AIDS Foundation.
Potential role for IT: IT could be instrumental in strengthening the collaboration that we have with
Tanzanian institutions leading to a stronger capacity of these institutions to independently address
the national public health agenda.
Our research program would benefit from improved means communication between Dar es Salaam
and Boston. For example, we have weekly telephone conference calls and several daily email
contacts between the two sites to discuss progress on all aspects of the research activities. Having
video communication would improve the means of communication on all aspects.
Improved links between the 2 sites are also likely to be beneficial for training-related activities,
including linking our faculty, postdoctoal fellows, and students who are in the field with Boston.
Regular virtual seminars could be held between the 2 sites. These could include making the regular
seminars that are held in Boston available to an audience in Dar es Salaam. Noting the time
difference of 7 hours, a lunch time seminar in Boston would be held at 7 pm Dar time, which is
possible. Alternatively, special seminars to be held at more convenient times (say 9 am Boston time)
could be arranged. The special seminars could be on monthly-basis to start with, and possibly
switched to become weekly with time. The seminars would be led by speakers from Tanzania and
Boston. Topics would center around issues that are relevant to Tanzania, for example policy and
management issues related to vertical transmission of HIV or the latest findings on the role of
micronutrients in maternal and child health. The audience in all cases would include policy makers
at the Ministry of Health and members of academia.
Degree and non-degree programs could be part of the DL activities. If the idea of partial DL-degree
programs were to be implemented (as Marcello Pagano envisioned during the meetings), the class
could work on their own throughout the week, and then meet with the instructor on Saturdays from
the Center at Muhimbili.
Appendix E
2
8/15/00
In discussion with the leadership at Muhimbili, they would like to see the institution contributing to
enhanced communication in the health sector. This would include providing current information to
health personnel country-wide by establishing a national electronic network linking the Ministry of
Health, the main national hospitals, and universities in Tanzania. That effort could be aided by
strengthening the IT infrastructure at Muhimbili and other institutions and putting in place qualified
technical staff to maintain such a system. HSPH could support the effort scientifically by
contributing the latest findings on issues pertaining to public health including basic sciences, policy
and management, and epidemiology in several areas including nutrition, infectious diseases, and
maternal and child health.
In summary, we have a long standing collaboration with Muhimbili University College in Dar es
Salaam in the areas of research, training, as well as services. Our collaboration has the seed to
develop into a regional center of excellence in public health. IT would certainly improve that
potential.
(2) IT infrastructure at Muhimbili and the College's goals
I had discussions with several people in assessing the IT infrastructure in Tanzania including
Professor Jacob Mtabaji, Principal of Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS),
Professor Andrew Swai, Director of Postgraduate Studies and Research at MUCHS, Dr. Gernard
Msamanga, Senior Lecturer of Community Health, and Dr. Sylvia Kaaya, Senior Lecturer of
Psychiatry. All that is described below is based on a write-up that they gave to me.
The University of Dar es Salaam Five-Year Rolling Strategic Plan attaches great importance to the
use of Information Technology (IT) in the way the University delivers its mission. The challenge
the University faces now is to apply IT in order to revolutionize teaching, research, consultancy,
library services, administration and management. To this end the University established a
university-wide network inter-linking all academic buildings, the central administration building,
the library and the computing centre by a high capacity fibre optic cable. Already the University has
a Financial Information System (FIS in position, an Academic Register Information System (ARIS)
and a Library Information System (LIBIS) in their final stages of implementation. However the two
campuses still lag behind, although they are currently connected to main campus by a 2 mbps
wireless link.
External Internet connection: As stated earlier MUCHS is connected to the main campus via a
wireless link. Although this mode provides a fast transmission it requires a line of site and therefore
has a number of limitations including the distance from one point to another. Initially MUCHS had
a direct link with the main campus because it has a line of site. To accommodate other interests,
however, with time transmission has been rerouted through other institutions initially in Sinza, then
Mikocheni and currently in town making the service unreliable because of unanticipated
interruptions on route. There is therefore need to strengthen the connection between MUCHS and
University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) to be able to support the expanded service at the College. A
satellite dish might provide an enhanced connection to UDSM as well as an alternative/backup
service through another provider.
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Local Area Network: MUCHS has a local area electronic network connecting all main buildings by
coaxial cables. Two buildings (Mwaisella Block and the Central Pathology) are connected by
wireless links to a central building (the Multipurpose Laboratory) which is in turn connected by a
wireless link to the UDSM network. External access is through the UDSM link, which is connected
by a satellite dish to a service provider in the USA backbone. The internal wiring is by UTP cables.
Computing Services: Two central servers (one using Windows NT and the other using UNIX)
provide the Email/Internet Service link for the College from the College Computing Centre. The
Computing Centre has a cafe with 15 computers (funded through Sida/SAREC) serving
postgraduate students and the bulk of members of academic staff. Currently only Deans and
Directors and 7 Heads of Departments are directly linked to the computing centre on College funds.
The library has another local area network with 15 computers, funded through Sida/SAREC,
serving Undergraduate students and students in the Institute of Allied Health Sciences. The College
is very far from realizing the target of one computer for every 10 students.
Dial up connection: The central server is connected to a pool of modems. Each modem is connected
to a direct telephone line.
One of Muhimbili's objectives is to apply IT in the delivery of the mission of the College in order to
revolutionize teaching, research, consultancy, library services, administration and management in
the College including:
•
Strengthen the link between the Main Campus and the College
•
Strengthen the network infrastructure linking all academic buildings in the College.
•
Provide computing facilities to all Heads of departments and other members of academic
staff.
•
Provide computing facilities to students aiming at attaining the one computer for every ten
student target to enable the College to produce computer literate graduates.
Another problem in health care delivery in Tanzania is the relatively poor dissemination and
utilization of research results. MUCHS has decided to address that problem by repackaging the
findings from all the research at the College, although in a summary form, and distribute these to
research users in the form of a biannual College Research Bulletin. MUCHS hopes to extend this
endeavor to cover the whole of Tanzania. For the same reason, the National Institute for Medical
Research (NIMR) has embarked on a Bulletin for the dissemination of research results. The two
journals have to address the problems of producing the required paper copies and distributing the
publications to all the districts and regions of Tanzania.
The last issue related to communication is the need for information, including health statistics, from
the districts to the MOH and feedback from MOH to the districts. Disease outbreaks and their
progression, for example, need to be communicated to the MOH promptly. Monthly health statistics
Appendix E
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are essential for health planning. MOH has instituted a country wide Health Information System
(MTUHA) through which standard information is collected by each district, analyzed at the district
for their immediate use and transmitted on a diskette to MOH for compilation of national statistics.
Implementation of this system is nearly complete. In this project, each region has been supplied
with a computer and personnel are trained in the use of the system. Data/information transfer would
have been much quicker, easier and cheaper if a nation wide electronic network had been
established.
The problem of communication is also apparent at the MOH headquarters. Nearly each of the units
there has one or more computers but there is no network to connect them for easy sharing of
information or computer resources including printers and faxes. Internal communication within the
Ministry and outside is done by means of phone and messages on paper that are relatively
expensive, time consuming and cumbersome, compared to electronic messaging.
MOH acknowledges the huge problem of communication and this has featured in the current Health
Sector Reforms. The goals of this project with the MOH is to improve the health status of people in
Tanzania. The purpose is to enhance communication in the health sector and provide current
information to health personnel country wide. Objectives of the project are:
•
To enhance communication between the major health units in the country.
•
To establish a national electronic network linking the MOH, the main national hospitals,
universities in Tanzania offering health related courses and research institutions.
•
To enable medical personnel in Tanzania access medical information from MOH, MUCHS,
NIMR and the WWW.
•
To enhance data transfer in the MTUHA program.
•
To enable MUCHS and other health related institutions to provide continuing education to
health graduates working in Tanzania.
•
To enable MUCHS, NIMR and other health research institutions disseminate research
findings to research users in the country.
•
To enable MUCHS and other consultant hospitals to counteract with colleagues in and
outside Tanzania through Telemedicine.
Major project activities include:
•
Equip the MUCHS Computing Centre to act as the hub for the national electronic network
and as a training centre for MUCHS students and staff.
•
Equip and modernize the MUCHS Library to act as a national health information centre.
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•
Connect all the main health units including district hospitals, regional hospitals, health
research institutions and the major departments in the MOH to the MUCHS electronic
network
•
Train staff in the various health units in the use of computers for email and internet services
•
Equip the main departments in MUCHS for the preparation of continuing education
material.
•
Furnish and equip the MUCHS Institute of Continuing Education for the coordination of the
continuing education activities at MUCHS
•
Strengthen the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies and Research for the repackaging of
research findings for research users
•
Train staff in MUCHS in the preparation of HTML material for continuing education
•
Provide for initial subscriptions to selected electronic publications
•
Establish telemedicine facilities at MUCHS and some of the other consultant hospitals.
Other points:
- I spoke with Dr. Michael Reich about whether he know if the World Bank million dollar nodes
included one in Tanzania. He suggested that I enquire about this from Ms D. Beattie
(msbeattie@worldbank.org). I emailed her but have not heard from her.
- I learnt Ms. Julia Royal at the National Library of Medicine (NLM) that the library is providing 2
computers and internet connection to stations of the National Institute for Medical research in
Tanzania. They are considering linking up the Ministry of Health and another medical school
(Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center) to the web through an internet provider that has satellite
links to a site in South
Appendix E
6