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Communications I (POMP* 6530)

Winter 2014

Master of Public Health, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph

Instructor Melissa MacKay, MPH (melissam@uoguelph.ca)

Telephone 519-841-6808

Office Hours By appointment, after class- please email Melissa to book

Course Time Mondays, 11:30AM to 2:20PM

Place LLC 1713 (January 20th 1642, January 27th 1642, March 17th 1812

Pathobiology)

Graduate Teaching Assistant Kate Bishop-Williams (kbishop@uoguelph.ca)

Course Description and Delivery

The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of public health communications,

and provide practical related skills. The focus of the Communications I course is communicating to the

public, and an introduction to communicating within an organization and interpersonal

communications. Topics will include an introduction to public health communications, personality types

and their application to communications, e-communications, one-on-one interviews, plain language

writing, and conveying a message through various channels.

This course will consist of one-170 minute (2 hours, 50 minutes) classroom session per week. In-class

time will be devoted to didactic lectures, participatory dialogue, peer review, small group work and

presentations. Material will be presented through a combination of the regular course instructor and

guest lecturers. Readings and any additional background material will be announced in advance.

Students should come to class prepared to discuss any of the reading materials, as well as having

completed any work assigned to prepare for the class. Group discussion and peer review will be

emphasized.

Objectives

At the end of this course, graduate students will be able to:

1. Describe the major elements of public health communications

2. Appreciate their personality type and those of others, and understand how this applies to

effective communications

3. Describe the major elements of facilitation, and be able to effectively facilitate a variety of

communication vehicles including focus groups and webinars

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4. Describe the major elements of conflict management, and apply the skills to a variety of

communication vehicles

5. Effectively convey a public health message through:

a. Press release

b. Fact sheet

c. Pictorial illustration

d. Public presentation appropriate for varied audiences and utilizing a variety of

presentation aids

e. A townhall meeting

f. Briefing note

6. Effectively convey a public health message via e-communications:

a. Social media

b. New media

c. Websites

d. Webinars

e. Blogs

Recommended Textbook

Luchuk, Deborah. Successful Business Communication: Bridging the Gap. Oxford Publishing, 2013.

Assignments

Assignment Description Percentage of Total Grade

Due Date

Plain Language Assignment

Information about this assignment will be given out in class

15% Monday, January 27th

Webinar Participation- Understanding Dementia

Click here for more information and to register for this webinar

5% Thursday, January 23rd 12-1:30pm

Writing for the Web Information about this assignment will be given out in class

5% Monday, February 3rd

Reflective Report Assignment

Information about this assignment will be given out in class

10% Monday, March 10th

Press Release Information about this assignment will be given out in class

10% Monday, March 24th

Town hall Meeting Information about this assignment will be given out in class

10% Monday, March 24th – in class

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Briefing Note

Information about this assignment will be given out in class

10% Friday, March 31st

Final Assignment- oral Information about this assignment will be given out in class

15% Monday, March 31st

Final Assignment- written Information about this assignment will be given out in class

20% Friday, April 4th

Course Structure

Date Session Topic(s) Instructor Course Preparation Required

Monday, January 6th LLC 1713

Introduction and Course Overview Introduction to Public Health Communications Personality Types and Introversion/ Extraversion Introduction to the 30 Second Pitch

MM Health Literacy Health Communication Examples Literature Review to Examine the Effectiveness of Interventions that Use Theories and Models of Behaviour Change 30 Second Elevator Speech Crafting an Elevator Pitch

Monday, January 13th LLC 1713

Plain Language Workshop MM and KBW

Reference Material: Easy Does It! Plain Language Manual How to Write Easy-to-Read Health Materials Principles of Plain Language Pocket Book Research Summaries- maximizing the benefits of research

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Monday, January 20th Room 1642

Writing for Your Audience Creating Your Message Communication Channels Writing for the Web Starting Your Wordpress Website

MM CDC: Audience (please read and explore links from this page) THUC Message Review Tool Formulating your Message Getting Started with WordPress.com Making Your Site Private Add Instructor to be a Viewer of your Site

Monday, January 27th 101

Fundamental PH Communication Skills

Michael Meehan

* Lecture Notes will be posted on CourseLink after this class

Monday, February 3rd LLC 1713

Voice Lab

Peter Physick-Sheard

Every participant should come prepared to lie on the floor (!), That is, don’t dress in your finery, and they should each bring with them a piece to read out aloud. This should be something meaningful to them (preferably not anything dry like a regulation, but it could be a newspaper article), AND it should be in their own native language.

Monday, February 10th

LLC 1713 Assertion Skills and Preparation for Experiential Communication Skills Training

Michael Meehan

* Lecture Notes will be posted on CourseLink after this class

Monday, February 24th LLC 1713

Class will be split into two: Experiential Communication Skills Training with Actors Facilitation and Conflict Resolution

Michael Meehan SH

Facilitator Toolkit Facilitation Techniques

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Conflict Resolution Kit Conflict Resolution

Monday, March 3rd LLC 1713

Class will be split into two: Experiential Communication Skills Training with Actors Facilitation and Conflict Resolution

Michael Meehan SH

Facilitator Toolkit Facilitation Techniques Conflict Resolution Kit Conflict Resolution

Monday, March 10th LLC 1713

Essential Design Elements Fact Sheets Press Release Pictorial Illustrations Policy Briefs

Amber Paxton MM

PHAC Fact Sheet Examples Nine Components of a Press Release Sample CDC Press Release WDGPH Media Releases Resident’s Bill of Rights I Want to Talk About Writing a Health Policy Brief

Monday, March 17th Pathobiology 1812

e-Communications

MM WDGPH Literature Review on Social Media Use in PH

Monday, March 24th LLC 1713

Focus Groups Introduce the Focus Group Participatory Methods Toolbox Town hall Meeting

KBW Training Manual- must read pages 65-74 (Ranking), 78-82 (Piling), 83-88 (Mapping) and 144-147 (Timelines) Using Focus Groups Focus Group Quick Guide Focus Groups in Health Services Town Hall Meeting Starter Kit

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CDC- How to Plan a Town Hall Meeting on a Health Issue

Monday, March 31st LLC 1713

Final Assignment- Oral Presentations

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*MM- Melissa MacKay

*KBW- Kate Bishop-Williams

*SH- Sheri Harper

Rules and Regulations

All policies of the University of Guelph, the Ontario Veterinary College and the Department of Population Medicine apply. It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with these policies.

Graduate Calendar

The Graduate Academic Calendar is the source of information about the University of Guelph’s

procedures, policies and regulations which apply to graduate programs

http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/graduate/current/

Academic Misconduct The Academic Misconduct Policy is detailed in the Graduate Calendar https://www.uoguelph.ca/graduatestudies/gchandbook/academicmisconduct The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and it is the responsibility of all members of the University community – faculty, staff, and students – to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible to prevent academic offences from occurring. University of Guelph students have the responsibility of abiding by the University's policy on academic misconduct regardless of their location of study; faculty, staff and students have the responsibility of supporting an environment that discourages misconduct. Students need to remain aware that instructors have access to and the right to use electronic and other means of detection. Please note: Whether or not a student intended to commit academic misconduct is not relevant for a finding of guilt. Hurried or careless submission of assignments does not excuse students from responsibility for verifying the academic integrity of their work before submitting it. Students who are in any doubt as to whether an action on their part could be construed as an academic offence should consult with a faculty member or faculty advisor. The investigation of cases of academic misconduct cases and the cases that are heard at the

Admissions and Progress Committee indicate that many graduate students, especially those new to

Canada, are not aware of University regulations reflected in the attached statements. In particular,

issues related to academic consideration, dropping courses, and lack of awareness of behaviour that

constitutes academic misconduct may all lead to disruption or delay of a student's academic studies

and require considerable time and effort from faculty and administrative staff to resolve resulting

problems.

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In the case of the graduate academic misconduct policy, the Graduate Calendar states:

"It should not be possible for a student to claim that he/she was not warned about the University's

academic misconduct regulations, what constitutes academic misconduct and the potential

consequences of transgressing."

Referencing Policy

Written work that is not properly referenced will be considered to be below the standard expected

in this course and will be returned to the student with no mark. The student will be expected to re-

submit the paper during the next class, fully and properly referenced in order to have the paper

accepted for grading. Failure to re-submit the paper will result in a grade of zero (0) on the

assignment. Among other things, proper referencing involves the consistent use of a single

referencing style.

Copies of out-of-class assignments Keep paper and/or other reliable back-up copies of all out-of-class assignments: you may be asked to resubmit work at any time. Accessibility The University of Guelph is committed to creating a barrier-free environment. Providing services for students is a shared responsibility among students, faculty and administrators. This relationship is based on respect of individual rights, the dignity of the individual and the University community's shared commitment to an open and supportive learning environment. Students requiring service or accommodation, whether due to an identified, ongoing disability or a short-term disability should contact the Centre for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible. For more information, contact CSD at 519-824-4120 ext. 56208 or email csd@uoguelph.ca or see the website: https://www.uoguelph.ca/csd/

When You Cannot Meet a Course Requirement Late assignments will be penalized at 5% of the value of the assignment each day late, weekends included. When you find yourself unable to meet an in-course requirement because of illness or compassionate reasons, please advise the course instructor (or designated person, such as a teaching assistant) in writing, with your name, id#, and e-mail contact. See the undergraduate calendar for information on regulations and procedures for Academic Consideration: http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/graduate/current/genreg/sec_d0e1405.shtml Counselling Services http://www.counselling.uoguelph.ca/counselling/ Counselling Services offer individual counselling sessions to help support students as they work through the personal challenges that impair their ability to succeed at school and in other areas of their lives. Student Health Services http://www.studenthealth.uoguelph.ca/index2.shtml

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Student Health Services offers a variety of health care services, including primary health care, a walk-in clinic and on-site laboratory testing. The Learning Commons http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/ The Learning Commons brings together services that support students in their learning, writing, research, numeracy and the use of technology. In addition, they provide expertise and resources for faculty, staff and teaching assistants to support and enhance learning in their courses and across the curricula. Health and Performance Centre http://www.uoguelph.ca/hpc/ Health and Performance Centre specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of acute and chronic orthopedic, musculoskeletal, sport and activity related injuries. The Centre also provides a variety of health promotion services including fitness and nutrition expertise and professional bicycle fitting.

In-Class Behaviour

Students are expected to come to lectures prepared for the class. Questions are encouraged at any

time during lecture provided that they do not interfere with the other students’ ability to take in the

material presented. Students are expected to treat each other with the utmost respect; disruptions

to the class will not be permitted.

Email Communication As per university regulations, all students are required to check their <uoguelph.ca> e-mail account regularly: e-mail is the official route of communication between the University and its students. Recording of Materials Presentations which are made in relation to course work—including lectures—cannot be recorded or copied without the permission of the presenter, whether the instructor, a classmate or guest lecturer. Material recorded with permission is restricted to use for that course unless further permission is granted.

Environmental Policy

We would like to minimize the use of paper in this course and therefore, encourage you to hand in

assignments electronically.

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University of Guelph Maps Map of Campus http://www.uoguelph.ca/campus/map/ Parking Map http://www.parking.uoguelph.ca/images/Parking_Map_2008-09.pdf