Overview

The aim of this project is to create three case studies tailored to the topic of implementation science. The goal is to demonstrate current examples of health interventions that highlight the use of equity, diversity, inclusion, and/or decolonization (EDI-D) efforts, which led to their successful implementation and sustainability. Throughout each case, the Global Health & Innovation Lab wants students to consider what gaps exist when implementing health interventions into real-life practice and how to address them. These include:  Case Study 1 – Implementation Science: What Do We Know?, Case Study 2:  Making the Case for Equity and Case Study 3: Let’s Get Systematic. Each case study will be compiled into an interactive digital module combining text, visuals, and interactive questions. We plan to use a combination of PressBooks and H5P to create the case studies. Each case study will include the following components: (1) A description of a particular health issue, what intervention was implemented as a solution, and how that intervention exemplified EDI-D efforts to succeed. (2) A scenario that students must solve (such as imagining they were the lead researcher on a similar health challenge). To solve these challenges, students must reflect on the first section of the case and answer questions.  (3) A teaching guide for instructors on how to present the case study, classroom management (timed breakdown to spend for each section of the case study), and any additional related assignments that can be provided to students.

Research Goal

The goal of this project is to provide the rudimentary knowledge base for implementation science with real-life scenarios. The completed resources will also be made available through the Health Education Media Library, a repository of Open Education Resources housed in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Importance

Health equity is a newly emerging facet being considered an essential element within implementation science. Compared to older resources in this field which may lack an explicit equity focus, the Global Health & Innovation Lab aims to interweave newly developed frameworks that have been released in recent years, such as ETR’s health equity framework, for students to consider within the case studies. Throughout the cases, students have the opportunity to be active players in addressing these health challenges, while gaining further insight into the importance of the SDGs and how implementation science efforts aim to address, measure, and achieve specific goal targets.

Implications

Provision of these interactive and engaging cases can enable critical analysis and reflection and can also improve student experience with (their academic) in-class learning, leading to long-term knowledge retention and application, as well as a solid appreciation for the new field of implementation science. Additional benefits include the cost savings of not needing to purchase textbooks to view cases. This project provides a streamlined service where students can acquire a solid foundational knowledge base on implementation science and have access to real-life scenarios and thought-provoking questions.

Team

Funder: Western Library

Partners: Dani Dilkes, Mona Jarrah,  African Centre for Innovation & Leadership Development