Use of a video-based assessment to build authentic public health skills

Abstract

Abstract Background Public health education should have strong connections to applied public health practice. Health communication, including an ability to interpret and transmit knowledge, are core competencies for public health graduates. These skills have traditionally been assessed via standard oral presentations. A diversity of tasks can increase student engagement and motivation about assessments. The use of video-based assessments is a relatively new assessment format in post-graduate education. An authentic task was created where post-graduate public health students at Macquarie University, Australia collaborated in groups to create an advocacy campaign video as part of an assessment. These videos were shown at a short film event and students additionally reflected on their experience. Objective Can use of a student-produced health promotion video as a team-based assessment task lead to development of: competency in delivering public health communication; technical skills in videography; skills in team engagement and foster deep reflective thought? Results On average student grades were higher in the video task than other unit tasks, demonstrating students' competency in delivering public health messages. Unit reflections across three years revealed student benefits included: task enjoyment; feelings of achievement; opportunities to apply learning and new teamwork and videography skills. Unit evaluations found 96% of students reported an increased understanding of advocacy and health promotion and 87% reported the reflective task further consolidated learning. Unit convenor reflections include enhanced student engagement due to novelty, more scope for original presentation of work and similar convening efforts compared to traditional presentations. Conclusions This simple innovative video assessment is a practical and authentic way of teaching graduate public health students how to communicate public health messages and could be replicated in other courses. Key messages A student-produced video advocacy campaign assessment can offer student engagement and authentic learning in graduate public health education. Implementation of this convenient video-based assessment could be adapted in other courses in public health education.