Course Description:

This course experience will introduce the learner to concepts fundamental to Health Education and to a larger extent, health promotion. Contemporary health education philosophy, “Healthy People: The Health Objectives for the Nation”, The Certified Health Education Specialist Process, ethical issues in health, and current and future issues will be discussed.

• Danny Ballard, Professor of Health Education, Texas A&M University
• David Birch, Professor and Chair of Health Education, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
• J. Don Chaney, Senior Lecturer, Texas A&M University
• Mary Rose Colley, Professor of Health Education, Lock Haven University
• Steve Dorman, Professor of Health Education, Texas A&M University
• James M. Eddy, Professor of Health Education, Texas A&M University
• Eugene Fitzhugh, Assistant Professor, Center for Physical Activity and Aging, The University of Tennessee
• B. Lee Green, Associate Professor of Health Education, Director of the Center for the Study of Health Disparities, Texas A&M University
• Robert Gold, Dean, College of Health and Human Performance, University of Maryland
• Bonni Hodges, Associate Professor and Chair of Health Education, State University of New York, Cortland
• Mark Kittleson, Professor of Health Education, Southern Illinois University
• Michael A. Perko, Associate Professor and Chair of Health Science, University of Alabama
• Buzz Pruitt, Professor of Health Education, Texas A&M University
• James Robinson, Professor of Health Education, Texas A&M University
• Cynthia Symons, Professor of Health Education, Kent State University
• Donna Videto, Associate Professor of Health Education, State University of New York, Cortland
• G. Greg Wojtowicz, President, Exeter, Inc., Adjunct Professor of Health Education, The University of Alabama

1. Review historical, cultural, and sociological perspectives of health education;
2. Examine the philosophies and experiences of practicing health educators from a variety of backgrounds, and develop a personal philosophy of health education;
3. Explain the significance of the Certified Health Education Specialist credential by examination of the Role Delineation Project;
4. Examine the nature and scope of Health Education in various practice settings (schools, communities, and worksites);
5. Examine the history and premise of the Healthy People and Health Objectives for the Nation;
6. Discuss ethical guidelines for health education and health educators;
7. Explore various health education professional organizations;
8. Discuss current and emerging topics in health education.

For the Foundations course, the three evaluations listed below will be used to assign grades.

A. End-of-Module Discussion Questions - Students are required to submit their responses to the end-of-module discussion questions to their assigned course faculty member/mentor. Student responses to these questions will be worth 100 points.

B. Final Exam - The final exam will require students to synthesize information provided in the course to respond to a set of questions. Mastery of the course material will be the primary focus of the grading of the final exam. (200 points)

C. Course Project - The resource file for this course provides links to a number of health education professional associations. For the class project, please visit the websites for the following associations:

A = AAHE/AAHPERD
B = SOPHE
C = ASHA
F = AAHB

For each of these associations, provide a two-page description of the mission, purpose, goals, and member services each association provides for its members. 100 points.

D. Grading Distribution -

A = 368 - 400 points
B = 336 - 307 points
C = 304 - 335 points
F = Less than 304

Foundations of Health Education is divided into five modules. Each module provides course lectures, websites and related activities. Module discussion questions can be found at the end of each module and on the course outline page.

Upon completion of all segments of each module, students should prepare written responses to each of the end-of-module discussion questions and forward their responses to their assigned course faculty member/mentor. The course faculty member/mentor will review the students’ written work and provide comments.

Module I - History and Principles of Health Education

Segment A:	Foundations of Health Education (Perko)
Segment B:	A Brief History of Health (Perko)
Segment C:	History of Health and Health Education (Chaney)
Segment D:	Wellness 101: Connections to Health Education (Perko)

Module II - Philosophy of Health Education

Segment A:	Philosophy of Health and Health Education (Eddy)
Segment B:	Backgrounds and Philosophical Statements for the Health Educators listed below:
	David Birch J. Don Chaney Mary Rose Colley James M. Eddy Eugene C. Fitzhugh Robert Gold B. Lee Green Bonni Hodges Mark Kittleson Michael A. Perko Cynthia Symons Donna Videto G. Greg Wojtowicz James Robinson

Module III - Competency, Ethics, and Trends in Health Education

Segment A:	The Health Educator: Roles, Responsibilities, Certifications, and Advanced Study (Chaney)
Segment B:	Ethics and Health (Perko)
Segment C:	Ethical Issues in Health Education (Panel Discussion)
Segment D:	Future Trends in Health Education (Chaney)
Segment E:	Trends and Issues Facing Health Education (Panel Discussion)

Module IV - Healthy People: The Health Objectives for the Nation

Segment A:	History of Healthy People and the Health Objectives for the Nation (Gold)
Segment B:	Healthy People 2010: Reduce and Eliminate Health Disparities (Green)
Segment C:	A Practical Application of Healthy People 2010 (Fitzhugh)

Module V - Healthy People: Selected Topics in Health Education

Segment A:	Advocacy 101 (Chaney)
Segment B:	An Overview of Research in Health Education (Gold)
Segment C:	The U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee (Green)
Segment D:	Validating Health Literature (Chaney)
Segment E:	The Ins and Outs of Public Health Surveillance (Fitzhugh)
Segment F:	A Health Education Gray Area: Dietary Supplements (Perko)