Promoting the Health of Today

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Promoting the Health of Todays Freshmen Through
Learning Communities

• Alberta McCaleb, DSN, RN
• Professor and Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs
  and Partnerships
• University of Alabama School of Nursing - UAB

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Presentation Objectives

• Describe the history of implementation of
  learning communities at the University of Alabama
  at Birmingham campus.
• Discuss the campus criteria for inclusion of
  content as a framework for learning community
  development.
• Describe the format used to build a
  self-assessment freshman seminar related to
  health.

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Presentation Objectives

• Describe content related to the freshman seminar
  entitled Body and Brain Power Keeping Yourself
  Healthy.
• Discuss integration of content within the
  learning community courses.
• Describe outcomes of the implementation process.
• Identify lessons learned and modifications to be
  made.

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UABs Journey

• Work of the accreditation review team for the
  SACS visit (Southern Association of Colleges and
  Schools)
• Work of the Quality Enhancement Plan Committee
  (QEP)
• Appointment of Director of Core Curriculum
  Enhancement Dr. Marilyn Kurata
• Request for proposals for Freshman Learning
  Communities (FLCs) approved by the Undergraduate
  Academic Programs Council

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UABs Journey

• First Freshman Learning Communities (FLCs)
  implemented in Fall, 2006
• Capacity for 200 of the 1410 freshman admitted to
  participate
• Self-selection of schedule during the Summer,
  2006 orientation sessions

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General FLC Rules

• Community consist of an anchor course 3 credit
  hours, English Composition 101, and 1-2 selected
  math/science courses.
• Approximately 30 of the course content is
  related to QEP targeted competencies
• ? Writing
• ? Quantitative Literacy
• ? Ethics and Civic Responsibility

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Body and Brain Power Keeping Yourself Healthy

• 70 of content in the FLC seminar focuses on a
  theme of the community.
• Theme concepts Health, Self-care,
  self-assessment (getting to know your own health
  issues) and genetics/family health issues
• Health framework focuses on content such as
  physical, psychosocial, developmental, and
  spiritual processes

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Brain and Body PowerContent Specific

• Orientation Intro to Health
• Self-assessment survey Personal Health
• Tour Introduction to Fitness UAB Recreation
  Center Staff
• Library Assignment Health-related concepts such
  as self-help, stress response, learning styles,
  Maslows Hierarchy of Need, Family health,
  self-concept, etc.

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Brain and Body PowerContent Specific

• Myers-Briggs Inventory Assessment
• Maslows Hierarchy of Need Motivation
• Managing Stress
• The Bodys Response to Stress

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Brain and Body PowerContent Specific

• Keeping Yourself Safe at College
• Avoiding Self-Abusive Behavior
• Cardiovascular Health Indicators
• Nutritional Health Self-assessment

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Brain and Body PowerContent Specific

• Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Glucose
  Assessment
• The Epidemic of Obesity
• Health Consequences of Obesity
• Womens Health Issues

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Brain and Body PowerContent Specific

• Mens Health Issues
• Health Lifestyles
• Diabetes Could it be me?
• Birmingham Health Images
• Family Health Assessment Genogram

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Integration of Content Between Courses EH 101

• Library assignment
• Autobiographical Essay
• Analyzing Images Essay

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Integration of Content Between Courses PY 101

• Psychosocial content
• Motivation Maslows Hierarchy of Need Theory
• Learning Styles and Personality

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Measuring Outcomes

• Course Level Student Performance
• ?Exams X 2.40
• ?Out of Class Activities..20
• ?Class Participation..20
• ?Final Project.20
• 80 of the participants passed with a C or
  better 1 W 20 D/F

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Measuring Outcomes

• Course Evaluation - SON
• Teaching Effectiveness Data Not Available
• Weekly speaker evaluation summary
• -Relevant content (84 - 94)
• -Effective Teaching Methods (90 94)
• -Knowledgeable, organized (63-88)
• -Recommend speaker (63-100)

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Measuring Outcomes

• University Level
• ?Item per item evaluation with focus groups at
  the University Level
• ?Most item ratings clustered around somewhat
  likert scale
• ?Highest rating Library, getting to know other
  students, ability to meet new people, role of
  advisor, exercise impact, establishing personal
  goals, work together, retention, college
  recommendations

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Lessons Learned

• Specific, concrete communication
• Class attendance policy
• Stagger some subject areas across weeks, not
  class periods
• Improve miscommunication about course
• Change Name
• Improve FLC team involvement

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Contact Information

• Dr. Alberta McCaleb
• Professor and Associate Dean,
• Clinical Affairs and Partnerships
• University of Alabama School of Nursing
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• 1530 3rd Avenue South NB 104C
• Birmingham, Alabama 35294
• Telephone [phone]
• Email mccaleba_at_uab.edu