The Effectiveness of Experiential Learning in Health Promotion: Three Case Studies Looking at Innovative Initiatives in India

Degree Name

MA in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management

First Advisor

Ryland White

Abstract

This Capstone paper is written from the perspective of a professional in both the training and public health fields. The relationship between these two disciplines provides an opportunity for health promotion to be done in a sustainable way. Using informational interviews and additional professional resources, this Capstone looks at the question, “How can experiential learning enhance the field of health promotion?”. Initially the history of education and health promotion methodologies in India are examined, which establishes a foundation for the focus of this Capstone. With a trainer’s lens, three initiatives are then looked at as a way to gain a broader perspective into the efforts that the Government of India and Indian NGOs are making in the fields of experiential learning and health promotion. The first initiative, the Red Ribbon Express, was one of the largest multi-sectoral social awareness campaigns in the world that was mobilized on a train, and focused on HIV/AIDS awareness. The second is a dual partnership between comic books written by juvenile offenders and talking pen technology, a digital pen that voices the word it touches upon in the comic. The final initiative is an arts integrated learning curriculum, which is in progress of being implemented across all 29 states in India. With this Capstone being written for trainers and health educators, it looks at how these initiatives can enhance future training designs and health promotion programs.

It was found that a multi-sectoral approach works best to promote public health, with experiential learning based models at the forefront. With India passing the Right to Education Act, it has also generated awareness into promoting a healthy well-being for each person. To continue their successful efforts into promoting healthy behaviors, it is highly recommended by both the author and other researchers that India create a central training body and framework for health promotion efforts, which would be similar to other Central Health Education Bureaus in South Asia. This would allow for important insights to be looked at, which would create possible solutions for various health issues in India.

Disciplines

Art Education | Art Therapy | Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Methods | International Public Health | Public Health Education and Promotion

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