Evaluation of Student Learning Outcomes of Field-Based Learning in Global Migrant Health

Grant program: Teaching and Learning Development Grant (TLDG)

Grant recipient: Shira Goldenberg, Faculty of Health Sciences

Project team: Rehana Bacchus, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stefanie Machado, research assistant, Teresita Rocha-Jimenez, UC San Diego, and Dr. Argentina Servin, UCSD Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health

Timeframe: May 2018 to December 2020

Funding: $6000

Courses addressed:

• HSCI 891 – Experiential Learning in Global Migrant Health
• HSCI 488-3 – Directed Studies
• MED 296 – Independent Study (UCSD)

Final report: View Shira Goldenberg's final report (PDF)

Description: The goal of this project is to support an evaluation of an experiential learning course focused on global migrant health at the Mexico-U.S. border, which was offered for the first time in Spring 2018 as a new collaboration between the SFU Faculty of Health Sciences (SFU) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). This course has been has been developed to address the priority for experiential and high quality, ethical and socially responsible international learning experiences identified by the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS). We will evaluate the impact of the experiential (applied & field-based) nature of this course on student learning outcomes. The inquiry will take place following the launch of this course in May 2018 with evaluative activities and dissemination of results planned during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Questions addressed:

• What were the perceived benefits or drawbacks of the experiential and applied format of this course in terms of student learning? For example, were the field visits, community perspectives, and other hands-on approaches prioritized within this style of teaching and learning unique from non-experiential approaches to learning?
• Which aspects of the experiential nature of this course should be adapted in the future?
• How can learnings from this course inform future experiential health learning initiatives within FHS and the university at large?

Knowledge sharing: Findings will be disseminated through meetings and dialogue with faculty and academic program leadership at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), as well as with partners at the University of California, San Diego. Results will also be shared in the broader community (e.g., social media, conference presentations). Findings will be shared as part of broader discussions within the FHS regarding the regularization and formalization of experiential learning opportunities within graduate and undergraduate curriculum, and will be presented to partners and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

Keywords: Experiential learning; global health education; immigrant health; migrant health; field-based learning; interdisciplinary; reflexivity