Educational Insights
University of Curaçao
Teaching about Diversity, Cultural Competence, and Health Equity in Online Public Health Courses View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Anuli Njoku
The growing diversity in U.S. society encourages the need for culturally competent healthcare professionals to provide optimal services to a diverse population. This increasing diversity also brings greater awareness to health disparities among distinct subgroups of the U.S. population. Addressing health disparities in the USA will require a multidimensional approach from various sectors, including the field of education. Developing culturally relevant pedagogy and health disparities curricula can help cultivate conscious future health practitioners. Faculty development programs can be integral in equipping faculty to develop, teach, and assess curricula about health disparities. With a growth in online learning and in the number of adult learners within the health professions field, the increasing use of online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and the racial and ethnic health disparities illuminated during this pandemic, it is important to design online curricula to prepare college students to engage with diverse populations with varied healthcare needs. Therefore, such curricula should also educate on the principles of diversity, inclusion, multicultural competence in health, and health equity. The purpose of this study is to share perspectives and evidence-based strategies on how to teach and evaluate cultural competence and health disparities-related education in online undergraduate and graduate Public Health courses. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on the need to develop and deliver culturally relevant pedagogy in various academic disciplines and will be provided with strategies to develop such curricula.
Chronicles of Asylum Seeking Refugee Students and Families: Accessing Services and Support for Surviving and Thriving in a New Land View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Patricia Maruca, Yazmin Pineda Zapata
Large numbers of asylum-seeking refugee families have settled throughout the United States and in many other countries. Communities large and small have met their arrival with a range of emotions, a mix of supports, and with varying impact. This case study chronicles the journey of three families and their students from three regions of the world and explores their transition and resettlement in their new homeland. The researchers take an in-depth look at their journey and experiences. They discovered how these families accessed services and utilized supports in their respective communities, local school districts, and in the workplace. The information collected from this research may be of value to social service agencies, school districts, churches, and other organizations who may wish to adopt or expand the method of dissemination of information and broaden the scope of services and supports provided to refugee families in their respective communities.
