6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational Unit
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Chief examiner(s)
Coordinator(s)
Unit guides
Synopsis
Program evaluation is important for measuring the effect of public health programs and determining their influence on longer-term health outcomes. It also provides valuable evidence to improve the delivery, reach and impact of public health strategies.
This unit will enable students to design evaluations that are suitable for a range of public health and disease prevention programs. Students will conduct evaluation planning based on theoretical approaches and best-practice principles.
Levels of evaluation will be examined, as well as the range of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods suitable for the different contexts and stakeholders involved in public health practice. The unit will equip students with the skills to choose appropriate methods for data collection, as well as use suitable evaluation frameworks, tools and resources specific to public health and disease prevention programs.
There will be exploration and discussion of the evaluation challenges posed by the complexities of public health action and the contexts in which it is carried out.
Outcomes
- Explain how evaluation measures the effect of health promotion and public health programs, and identify the importance of evaluation in terms of influencing long-term health outcomes.
- Apply principles of evaluation planning of health programs and promotions, including theoretical approaches, to evaluation design and assess their suitability for different contexts
- Distinguish between the different levels of evaluation, and consider how they work together to provide a comprehensive assessment of a program.
- Examine the range of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate to evaluation designs, including the use of tools and resources specific to health promotion and public health programs.
- Critically analyse the key features of an evaluation plan designed for a health promotion or public health program and assess the extent it incorporates evaluation principles and design features.
- Apply an evaluation planning process and develop an evaluation plan tailored to a health promotion or public health program.
Assessment
- Online evaluation tools & resources activity (15%) (hurdle)
- Group presentation of evaluation plan & reflection report (presentation 40 minutes & 900 word report) (35%)
- Analysis report of a public health/ health promotion evaluation plan (3000 words) (50%) (hurdle)
Additional hurdle requirements:
Attendance at 80% of seminars
Workload requirements
Two and a half hour seminar, three and a half hours of directed online student learning activities, plus six hours of self-directed study per week.
See also Unit timetable information