D3.04 - Roundtable: Engaging Public Health Students Through F.U.N. Activities

Brief Abstract Summary: Young adults and first-generation students face numerous challenges in higher education. Active learning exercises provide these students with an opportunity to apply content outside of didactic lectures. We present a model for active learning exercises to be inFormal, Universal, and Necessary; F.U.N.! Through this model, informal exercises in the classroom promote student engagement without solely relying on didactic content. The activities need to be 1) inFormal, not reliant on didactic lectures but on active learning exercises, 2) universal: applicable to any public health course, and 3) necessary: to capture required public health course content. Each activity following this model needs to be mapped to learning and course objectives. Activities following this model have been applied at two universities, one public and one private. We are in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of F.U.N. tools in the classroom at a private university.

Detailed abstract description: Undergraduate students face numerous challenges, which have been exacerbated since the COVID-19 pandemic. Young adults entering post-secondary education after COVID-19 may have experienced learning loss in their education, an increased workload as they transitioned out of the pandemic, and higher rates of anxiety. On top of these challenges, first-generation students experience added stress, anxiety, stigma, as well as difficulties adjusting culturally and socially to a college environment. At some small private universities, the undergraduate student population can be majority first-generation students. As a result of these compounding challenges, we sought methods to actively engage undergraduate students to learn complex public health concepts and terminology. We have created a model for activities in the classroom which allows students to regularly apply content in ways that are inFormal, Universal, and Necessary; F.U.N.! After material has been introduced through didactic lectures, active learning in the classroom, which should involve students, supports the application, understanding, and retention of topics covered in the didactic portion of the class. The activity needs to be universal, applicable to any public health course. The foundation of the activity should be able to be applied to a basic public health class and an environmental health class. Lastly, the activity needs to be necessary for their education. Learning objectives and course objectives need to be mapped to the activity. While we want the students to have fun, the activity does need to help students meet their course objectives and subsequently, develop their public health skills and knowledge. An example of a F.U.N. activity that has been used at a small private university and at a large public university is Bingo. Chemical, Biologic, Radiologic, and Nuclear (CBRN) Bingo has been used at a large public university to help students practice applying the material. At a small private university, Bingo has been created for biological foundations of public health, environmental health hazards, and foundations of public health. In each of these instances, Bingo is informal, the instructor is walking around the classroom calling out definitions or fill-in-the blank sentences which the students need to match to a square on their Bingo card. Bingo is universal as it has been applied to a variety of public health content and students of all years. This activity helps students meet learning and course objectives for their class as it is mapped to a specific module within the course. Fall 2025 is the first semester this learning tool has been applied at a small private university. The Department of Public Health at this small private university is in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of F.U.N. tools, like Bingo, in the classroom.