Online Discussion Posts

Through the course, you will be asked to provide five thoughtful responses to prompting questions or another student’s post.  Each will contribute 1/5 of the 15% of the course grade for Online Discussion.  Posts will be marked as either pass or fail by the TA.

When preparing posts, consider drawing on concepts from readings or in-class discussion, applying concepts to real world situations, finding an example in the real world, or asking critical questions about the course materials or their social implications.

Please note that posts which essentially duplicate insights from another student's post will receive a zero. This activity is meant to encourage online interaction.

All posts need to be submitted by noon on Sunday of the week in which it was assigned in seminar.

Prompting questions are as follows (a post can address any or all of the pieces in each prompt, or address something else all together if you believe it is rich in insight, reflection, or application value):

• Week 2:  Submit an Online Discussion Post. Tell us about one key element from the Elephant and Rider metaphor that you believe should be central to K2A activities.  Describe a place in your own life where you can see the Elephant/Rider playing out (i.e. work, school, family, media).  What critical questions do you think might be valuable to be asking of the Elephant and Rider metaphor in a Public Health context?(Pass/fail: 1/5 of your 15% Online Discussion Grade)  Marked by TA.

• Week 7: Submit an Online Discussion Post:  Tell us about the Kickoff activity you selected for your K2A case in Assignments 1-3. Why did you select this over other options? What progress toward implementing the Theory of Change will this kickoff activity achieve, and why? How could you institutionalize any momentum generated by this kickoff activity? (Pass/fail: 1/5 of 15% Online Discussion Grade).  Marked by TA.
• Week 8: Submit an Online Discussion Post: How much relevance do you believe that the moral taste buds have for public health messaging? Are there risks that public health relies too heavily on the care/harm taste bud?  Should other taste buds be elevated in public health programming and messaging? Why? (Pass/Fail. 1/5 of 15% Online Discussion Grade). Marked by TA.
• Week 9: Submit an Online Discussion post. What element(s) of Ganz et al.s’ Public Narrative do you think are most useful for public health campaigns that you care about? Why? Or, how might you use Public Narrative to shape communications about a public health issue that you care about? (Pass/Fail. 1/5 of 15% Online Discussion Grade). Marked by TA.
• Week 11: Submit an Online Discussion Post. What elements of Sachs’ Basic Training do you believe could have value to Public health campaigns? How do you see the distinction between the Hero and Mentor playing out in public health messaging?  Would Sachs’ Basic Training affirm that approach to the Hero, or encourage refinement?  Why?  Can you think of an example in public health communication where it clearly conveyed public health as the mentor, rather than the hero? (Pass/Fail. 1/5 of 15% for Online Discussion. TA to Mark).