About this Research Topic
Outreach and service-learning to elementary and secondary schools and community organizations that serve under-represented groups (URG) and under-represented minority (URM) demographics has long been a focus of pre-clinical and clinical health professions education institutions to improve individual and health-related self-efficacy. When health pre-professional and professional students teach correct science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) principles to youth, they help to improve the health-related self-efficacy and cultural competency of individuals and the community. Service-learning is an extension of outreach efforts, defined broadly by different accreditation councils as educational experiences in which students purposefully prepare and provide service to the community, followed by a reflection on the experience. Together, outreach and service-learning are excellent opportunities for professional pathway students to inspire the next generation of elementary and secondary school children to develop evidence-based health-related self-efficacy, and an interest in STEMM careers.
This Research Topic will feature the work of individuals and institutions who have developed outreach/service-learning programs that 'move the needle' of improving public health awareness and outcomes and that have proven effective with their community engagement to improve any aspect of health-related self-efficacy. We encourage submissions that present programmatic descriptions and evaluations; report effective conceptual frameworks that inspire elementary and/or secondary students to improve in their health-related self-efficacy and/or interest in STEMM fields and careers; and report effective learning outcomes of the outreach/service-learning volunteers. Each submission should include a description of the theoretical and conceptual framework.
Improving health-self efficacy through the communication of correct scientific principles and modeling of near-peer behavior is a central tenet of community outreach and service learning. Evidence-based education of rising generations toward the goal of helping individuals and communities promote wellness and well-being as well as prevent disease is at the heart of public health efforts. Children are inspired to seek knowledge and develop health-related self-efficacy when they are taught in fun, engaging, and inclusive spaces. School teachers and outreach/service-learning volunteers from nearby community health professions education institutions work together at the front lines of public health efforts since they are the first to teach correct scientific principles and model healthy behavior. Therefore, this Research Topic welcomes submissions in any combination of the following: health promotion in settings such as schools, universities, workplaces, and communities; innovative teaching and learning in health education and promotion; health communication and risk communication for school-age children; health literacy with a focus on the health literacy environment; and new ways to evaluate health education and promotion programs.
This Research Topic will feature the work of individuals and institutions who have developed outreach/service-learning programs that 'move the needle' of improving public health awareness and outcomes and that have proven effective with their community engagement to improve any aspect of health-related self-efficacy. We encourage submissions that present programmatic descriptions and evaluations; report effective conceptual frameworks that inspire elementary and/or secondary students to improve in their health-related self-efficacy and/or interest in STEMM fields and careers; and report effective learning outcomes of the outreach/service-learning volunteers. Each submission should include a description of the theoretical and conceptual framework.
Improving health-self efficacy through the communication of correct scientific principles and modeling of near-peer behavior is a central tenet of community outreach and service learning. Evidence-based education of rising generations toward the goal of helping individuals and communities promote wellness and well-being as well as prevent disease is at the heart of public health efforts. Children are inspired to seek knowledge and develop health-related self-efficacy when they are taught in fun, engaging, and inclusive spaces. School teachers and outreach/service-learning volunteers from nearby community health professions education institutions work together at the front lines of public health efforts since they are the first to teach correct scientific principles and model healthy behavior. Therefore, this Research Topic welcomes submissions in any combination of the following: health promotion in settings such as schools, universities, workplaces, and communities; innovative teaching and learning in health education and promotion; health communication and risk communication for school-age children; health literacy with a focus on the health literacy environment; and new ways to evaluate health education and promotion programs.
Keywords: outreach, service-learning, university-community partnership, STEMM careers, health professions pathways
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
