The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4002.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - Board 4

Abstract #40927

Preferred modes of course delivery to the workforce by a school of public health

J. Jackson Barnette, PhD, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, 2811 Steindler Building, Iowa City, IA 52242, 319 335 8905, jack-barnette@uiowa.edu

A survey was developed and administered by a relatively new college of public health to samples of public health workforce located in local health departments, state department of public health, and hospitals in a Midwestern state. Of the 396 surveys returned, 294 or 74% of the respondents indicated it was likely that they would take courses or degrees. The three highest preferred modes of delivery, and the mean ratings on a five-point scale where 1 was low and 5 was high, were: asynchronous, web-based (3.96), correspondence course (3.74), and interactive video courses offered in after 5 PM hours (3.72). There were no differences among groups on these variables. The next four most preferred were: synchronous, web-based courses in non 8-5 hours (3.25), interactive video on Friday nights/weekends (3.09), interactive video courses during working hours (2.86), and synchronous, web-based courses during 8-5 hours (2.70). Respondents from the state health department had significantly higher preferences on the first, third, and fourth of these and those holding a bachelors degree had higher preferences on the third and fourth of these. When funding was not an issue for supporting taking courses, there was higher preference for synchronous, web-based courses taken during 8-5 hours. Modes receiving lowest preferences were: two-week on-campus summer institute (2.28), on-campus courses taken on Friday nights/weekends (1.97), four-week on-campus summer institute (1.75), and on-campus traditional courses (1.36).

Learning Objectives: Participants will

Keywords: Distance Learning, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA