Faculty Update: Dr. Andrew Harver

Dr. Andrew Harver collaborated with fellow BSPH program faculty members including, Ms. Davis, Dr. Piper, Dr. Platonova, Dr. Portwood, and Dr. Zuber, to conduct research entitled, “The BSPH capstone e-Portfolio: Documenting effective communication and critical thinking skills.” The poster presentation revolved around the recent mandates by UNC General Administration that all UNC graduates demonstrate not only effective communication but also critical thinking skills. The department is one of five units to assess student’s communication and critical thinking skills through the e-Portfolio pilot initiative. The BSPH capstone e-Portfolio is structured to demonstrate individual accomplishments that meet the expectations for public health educators outlined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. The BSPH capstone e-Portfolio is largely organized around the ten Essential Public Health Services and the program’s unique cross-cutting competencies (Frameworks of Public Health Practice, Communication in Public Health, Diversity and Culture, and Professionalism). In the poster, BSPH faculty outlined expectations for student writing and critical thinking in the major, progress in implementing e-Portfolios using the Mahara platform, and a preliminary assessment of student learning outcomes.