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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

R. Erin Sale, BS, School of Public Health, North Carolina Institute for Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #8165, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8165, 919-966-0341, rsale@email.unc.edu and Lisa Macon Harrison, BSPH, MPH(c), North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 8165, 400 Roberson, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.

The majority of the leadership development programs offered to the public health workforce depend on distance learning activities to facilitate leadership development beyond on-site meetings. Since many leadership development program participants are mid- to high- level professionals, participation levels in the computer discussion forums (CDFs) often vary. Barriers to participation can include lack of interest, lack of time, and differing comfort levels with computer use for educational purposes.

Maximizing curricula-based leadership development through the use of CDFs depends on innovative techniques to enhance interest and participation. Our successful techniques have helped programs implement creative and productive computer discussion forums and include: 1) facilitator accommodation of the participants' participation styles, 2) proactive CDF approach to engaging scholars in discussion, 3) including participation of “virtual experts” on the CDF topic, 4) dividing the cohort into smaller groups with a facilitator for each forum, 5) relating the CDF to participants' true professional interest, and 6) enhance the CDF via incentives, reminders, and creative prompting techniques.

Implementing these techniques can enhance the quality and quantity of responses in the computer discussion forum thus maximizing the benefits of the translation of team learning. The objectives of this presentation are to 1) explain various techniques in distance learning success, 2) provide effectiveness tools for online computer discussion forum success, and 3) offer ideas for a productive learning experience for program participants.

Learning Objectives: The objectives of this presentation are to

• Explain various techniques in distance learning success
• Provide effectiveness tools for online computer discussion forum success
• Offer ideas for a productive learning experience for program participants.

Keywords: Distance Education Development,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered