CE course over the Internet/via email

[Laura Larsson]

Friends:

Judging by the feedback I've been getting, the idea of a continuing
education class offered via email or the Web is high on several of you
minds. 

I'd like some feedback on specific topics for a CE class. What would you
like if several of us were to get together virtually and plan a modest
effort - say 2 to 4 hours of CE as a test to see if we could do it? It
would be interesting to draw on the expertise of the great teachers among
us to come up with several email-based courses which we could offer via
email or via the Web. 

Having said that, I have been thinking of a CE course for public health
nutritionists for well over 6 months and have the format for 8 CE credits
mapped out with objectives and am now writing the modules. I should be
finished writing the first draft of an all-in-one, rather lengthy session,
for an in-class effort and then if I can pry some time away from other
things this next few months, I will commence to write the modules.

The basic plan is this: I've assumed that it would be useful to take some
simple WIC (or other nutrition) data, enter it into Excel, pretty it up a
little, massage the data a little bit (rates, percentages, min/max,
median, ...), turn the table into one or more graphs, pretty them up, and,
using OLE, turn the table/graph into a slide in a PowerPoint presentation
(or any kind of presentation), or into a Word/WP report/brochure/
newsletter.  OLE enable you to create static or linked (updatable) objects
within a report. This sounds pretty simple, but it's a hell of a job to
create a learning experience which will be delivered over email, as I'm
discovering.

I have hesitated to say anything for fear that you might think me, a non
nutritionist, presumptious for even thinking about this. But I think I do
have a good idea. My goal is to make it easier for people to use common
computer programs to manage information. I'm especially targeting this
effort to local health department people who might be having to do
assessments, but the idea is generic enough that if you were writing a
report and needed to add a table or chart, you'd have the recipe for doing
it handy.

But... is anybody interested in taking this class if offered over email?
the Web? a combination of email/Web?
 
If not this topic, what? Who would be willing to work with me? I make an
enthusiastic supporter. 

And... How do we get this effort or any distance learning effort 
accredited?

Boy, you should see what I have planned for in-class sessions at the
Washington State Joint Health Conference training sessions: 3/4 hour
training sessions from 8:30am to 8:15pm for 2 days then only 5 hours worth
on the third and last day. Some sessions will be repeated. I also won't be
doing all the training.

Regards,

Laura
larsson at u.washington.edu
listowner: PHNUTR-L at u.washington.edu
WebSpinner: Public Health Nutritionists Home Page: 
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~phnutr/nutrhome.html