Outline

Overview

Comprehensive evaluation of public health and disease prevention programs is critical to developing an evidence base for public health practice as well as for accountability to stakeholders. Evaluations demonstrate the efficacy, effectiveness and/or efficiency of the program and provide models of good practice. This course builds skills in planning, conducting and using formative, process, impact and outcome evaluations of public health programs, with an emphasis on those which address public health approaches to chronic disease prevention. Using three highly interactive workshops (Workshops 1 and 2 on a consecutive Friday and Saturday) supplemented by online resources and four weeks of online discussions, students will participate in readings, group work, lectures and discussions, to develop skills in defining the purpose of an evaluation, defining the evaluation questions, selecting evaluation designs and measures for evaluation (and understand the process of measurement development). A specific focus will be on skills to critically appraise evaluations and to use results in practice. Workshop 3 will be devoted to methods for scaling up interventions to the population level, and to the design and evaluation of multi-faceted complex public health programs, including presentations by currently practicing public program managers.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Public Health
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	PUBH5033
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Ben Smith, ben.smith@sydney.edu.au
Guest lecturer(s)	Andrew Milat, andrew.milat@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Yvonne Laird, yvonne.laird@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Ben Smith, ben.smith@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	Mandatory attendance and participation in in-class discussions and tasks Mandatory attendance, and participation in in-class discussions and tasks	15%	Multiple weeks	18 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Online discussion participation requires face-to-face and online students contribute to online tasks and discussions during the week of each online topic Online discussion participation	20%	Multiple weeks	4 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Recorded oral presentation (no slides) assessment task requires students to give a 2 minute presentation on an assigned abstract and answer pre-specified questions about aspects and components of the study Recorded oral presentation (no slides)	15%	Week 06 Due date: 06 Sep 2024 at 23:59	2 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Written assignment 1 requires students generate a logic model (group work) and describe a brief, prioritised evaluation plan for one process component and one outcome component (individual work) Generate a logic model & evaluation plan for a public health intervention	20%	Week 10 Due date: 09 Oct 2024 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Written assignment 2 builds on the recorded oral presentation and requires students to compare and contrast the evaluation of two public health programs. Comparative analysis of public health program evaluation	30%	Week 13 Due date: 01 Nov 2024 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Workshop attendance is mandatory and participation assessment requires students contribute to in-class exercises and discussions during the workshops.

Recorded oral presentation (no slides) assessment task requires students to give a 2 minute presentation on an assigned abstract and answer pre-specified questions about aspects and components of the study.

Written assignment 1 requires students generate a logic model (group work) and describe a brief, prioritised evaluation plan for one process component and one outcome component (individual work).

Written assignment 2 builds on the recorded oral presentation and requires students to compare and contrast two public health programs.

Online discussion participation requires students contribute to online tasks and discussions during the week of each online topic.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas under ‘Assessments’.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Students at this level demonstrate an advanced understanding and application of all the key concepts addressed in this unit. They also demonstrate an exceptional ability to synthesise relevant evidence, critically appraise this evidence, and apply their findings to a given context. Students show initiative and creativity in their work.
Distinction	75 - 84	Students at this level demonstrate a very good understanding and application of all or most of the key concepts addressed in this unit. They also demonstrate an ability to synthesise relevant evidence, critically appraise this evidence, and apply their findings to a given context.
Credit	65 - 74	Students at this level demonstrate a good understanding and application of all or most of the key concepts addressed in this unit. They demonstrate an ability to synthesise relevant evidence and their work exhibits some characteristics of critical appraisal.
Pass	50 - 64	Students at this level demonstrate an acceptable understanding and application of all or most of the key concepts addressed in this unit. They demonstrate an ability to identify and describe relevant evidence.
Fail	0 - 49	Students at this level have not met the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Recorded presentation assessment is replacing in-class presentation and therefore we cannot accept late submissions. For written Assignments 1 and 2, late penalties will be applied of 5% of the available marks for each calendar day the work is submitted after the due date, and a mark of zero will be applied to work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Multiple weeks	Pre-recorded videos before workshops and mini-lectures for online discussions	Independent study (8 hr)
Week 01	Program Evaluation Principles	Workshop (4 hr)
Week 01	Program Evaluation Methods	Workshop (4 hr)
Week 03	Online asynchronous tutorial on levels of evaluation	Online class (2 hr)
Week 04	Online asynchronous tutorial on evaluation design	Online class (2 hr)
Week 05	Online asynchronous tutorial on measurement in evaluation	Online class (2 hr)
Week 06	Online asynchronous tutorial on natural experiments in evaluation and complex program evaluation	Online class (2 hr)
Week 06	The value and limits of natural experiments for evaluation; evaluating complex programs; purpose and process of scaling up programs to population level; real world evaluations of scaled up programs from health promotion practitioners	Workshop (4 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Block mode students are required to attend the 3 scheduled block teaching days, and to participate in 4 online tutorial discussions.

Off-campus students are required to view the online recordings for block days 1 and 2, complete an online quiz and attend the scheduled Q&A session for this content. They are required to attend block day 3 as live online (or in-person) participants, and to participate in 4 online tutorial discussions.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed on the Readings link available on Canvas.

Core textbook: Bauman, A. and Nutbeam, D., 2014 (2nd Edition). Evaluation in a nutshell: a practical guide to the evaluation of health promotion programs. McGraw-Hill.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. analyse and correctly apply levels of evaluation to public health programs
LO2. generate logic models in order to understand how they can inform evaluations of public health programs
LO3. evaluate the appropriateness of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods study design in program evaluation
LO4. create and evaluate different types of quantitative measures in order to use them appropriately in program evaluation
LO5. demonstrate an understanding of the purpose and limitations of natural experiments for evaluation
LO6. apply concepts of program complexity and the purpose and process of scaling up.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Feedback indicates that students find this unit to be challenging but rewarding, with students particularly valuing the interactive tasks, real-world examples, and the opportunity to apply learnings in assessment tasks. Students commented positively on the supportiveness of the learning community in this unit and valued the opportunity to form connections with other students. Students said they would value further clarity on the unit assessments. Therefore, we will dedicate additional time to discussing assessments in the workshops and improve the clarity of assessment guidelines on Canvas.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PUBH5227: Public Health Program Evaluation

Semester 2, 2024 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect