Using innovative curriculum design and pedagogy to create reflective and adaptive health promotion practitioners within the context of a master of public health degree

Abstract

To meet the complex challenges of health promotion at the local, regional, and global level, we offer an example of the development of a bespoke postgraduate health promotion suite of courses (educational units offered over 13 consecutive weeks in partial fulfilment of Master of Public Health Program) at a large Australian University. Meeting the needs of a diverse student cohort together with the complexities of modern-day health promotion that include planetary health presented a unique opportunity to develop innovative curriculum design and pedagogical practices that support students to develop a range of skills to meet current challenges. We explain the history, the competencies, and the frameworks that shape the curriculum and the pedagogies we developed to support students to integrate theory into practice. Our nested approach to course design across the health promotion stream offers students an in-depth application of the health promotion cycle while drawing on evidenced-informed effective pedagogy and assessment practices that include student-centred and constructivist approaches, authentic assessment, reflexive practice, and blended learning, to enhance student engagement. Our approach is underpinned by ethical, culturally competent health promotion practice as we endeavour to nurture and instil these qualities in our health promotion graduates.