DiFulvio Attends Experiential Learning in Global Health Workshop

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Gloria DiFulvio, senior lecturer and the undergraduate program director for the Public Health Sciences major, attended a workshop, “Integrating Experiential Learning in Global Health and Public Health,” held in January in Costa Rica. The faculty development workshop, a collaboration of seven organizations, including the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), aimed to have its participants gain essential "how-to’s" of integrating experiential learning experiences into coursework and programs.

The workshop offered a broad set of topics including setting learning outcomes; ethical engagement for both participants and the communities in which they are working; assessment and evaluation of experiential engagement; issues of inclusion in advertising, accessibility, and engagement; competency-based education; and logistical, financial and safety considerations. It included site visits and modeled activities, case studies, best practices, curricular tools, peer sharing and active time to integrate their learning into their own programming.

“As we expand global health learning opportunities for our students, I am working to build these programs intentionally,” says DiFulvio. “As part of this workshop, we participated in field visits where we were able to learn firsthand about the complex political, social, and economic factors related to health and healthcare within rural Costa Rica. Connecting with colleagues from across the country provided me with innovative ideas to incorporate into our curriculum in Public Health Sciences. I am looking forward to working with colleagues to expand on our current work in this area.”

DiFulvio’s participation was paid, in part, through the dean’s professional development fund.