Community needs and strengths assessments as an active learning project

Area of Science:

• Public Health Education
• Community Health Assessment
• Undergraduate Pedagogy

Background:

• Community needs and strengths assessments are vital tools for health educators.
• These assessments aid in program planning, public relations, problem diagnosis, and evaluation.
• Active learning projects align with effective undergraduate education principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate needs and strengths assessment research into an undergraduate Community Health course.
• To provide students with hands-on experience in community health assessment processes.
• To foster the development of key skills required for conducting community assessments.

Main Methods:

• The Community Needs and Strengths Assessment Project (CNSAP) was implemented as an active learning component.
• Students engaged in a process mirroring that used by health educators.
• The project emphasized four core skills: data source identification, primary data collection, data analysis, and concise information abstraction.

Main Results:

• Students successfully completed a community needs and strengths assessment process.
• The project facilitated the identification of gaps between current and required programs.
• Students learned to prioritize community assets and resources based on identified needs.

Conclusions:

• Integrating community assessment projects enhances undergraduate public health education.
• Students gained practical skills applicable to real-world community health challenges.
• The CNSAP demonstrated the value of active learning and community involvement in health education.