Structure
The course is set up to teach public health subject matter experts the principles of competency-based education, with specific examples from the domain of vaccine preventable diseases. It was developed by ECDC to support Member States in efforts to train public health professionals in vaccine preventable diseases.
The course materials contain two different types of training materials:
1) Agogical principles, hints and aids to organize actual courses, evaluation forms, etc. This is meant as a resource for public health experts that want to strengthen teaching skills, though it does not specifically address vaccine-preventable diseases.
2) VDP-specific materials (reference lectures and case studies).These are meant as examples of subject matter content, that will be transformed during the workshop, into training materials that apply the agogical principles as taught in this course.
The course is set up as a complete Face to Face, classroom directed training course, with geographical dependence.
Structure and features
The programme has been developed in a sessional system. There are fourteen (14) sessions which form a complete programme over 3 days of face to face delivery. The programme will be delivered by classroom teaching, with 21 direct contact teaching hours (ie: three-day residential training course).
The programme uses interactive lectures, group seminar discussions and scenario-based learning sessions. These methods are participatory and appropriate for professionals who bring a wealth of experience to the programme. The participatory approach enables individuals to draw on their own experience and learn in an active way. It also enables a more equal relationship between participants and facilitators.
The current set of materials lack detailed facilitator notes to the entire course. This presents a challenge for those who want to use this material, unless trainers have both a high-level competence in adult learning, as well as VPD.
Session structure
Course activities are fully classroom based, and distributed over 3 days, in a mix of lectures / presentations and group exercises. There are no learning blends available with online learning.
Day 1: SURVEILLANCE OF VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES
- Welcome and overview of the workshop, introductions
- Pedagogical principles Introduction with brainstorm by group (lecture)
- Main learning points in lecture ”Surveillance of VPDs” (lecture)
- Adaptation of lecture ”Surveillance of VPDs” with own examples (Working Groups)
- Case study: surveillance Group discussion
Day 2: OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION OF VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES
- Presentation Surveillance of VPDs by one group
- Main learning points in lecture ”Outbreak Investigation of VPDs” (lecture)
- Adaptation of lecture ”Outbreaks Investigation of VPDs” with own examples (working groups)
- Case study: Outbreaks Group discussion
Day 3: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH OF VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES
- Main learning points in lecture ”Epidemiological studies of VPDs” (lecture)
- Adaptation of lecture ”Epidemiological studies of VPDs” with own examples (Working groups)
- Presentations
- one lecture on outbreak investigation
- one lecture on epidemiological studies
- Planning a training course: steps, resources and logistics (lecture)
- Evaluation of workshop Group discussion