HEDIR, for Health Educators

HEDIR Tech Week

The HEDIR Technology week is being held this week.  It’s intent is to provide an overview on some timely technologies but also how they can be used effectively within health education (and any other related profession as well).

Monday will include Drs. Don and Beth Chaney from the University of Florida.  The profession is indeed fortunate to have these two young individuals leading the way.  As I indicated in my AAHE Scholar talk last year in Tampa (April 1, 2009) if we rely on my generation to lead us into the technology world we’ll be waiting a long time.  The generation under 40 is the group that will transform our profession into one that uses technology in an effective manner.

Beth and Don will be talking about the use of podcasting and RSS.  Having some experience at podcasting, it is not that difficult.   I now require my graduate students to create a 5-7 minute podcast on some issue associated with evaluation.  The recording capabilities that we have on computers nowadays are better than what professional studios had just a few years ago.  What is also important is having RSS set up so that people know when such podcasts are now available.

To listen ‘live’ for Don and Beth’s presentation (in other words to register), click here.  After February 22 click here to view the archived presentation.

On Tuesday, Joan Cowdery will be discussing the most interesting scenario that has come to us.  Joan will be talking about Second Life, a virtual world, in which people can create an avatar and move around in a virtual world.  It has incredible potential for health education and other related professions.  Joan will walk us through.  Again, to register and view it ‘live’, click here.  To view the archived, click here.

On Wednesday, Dr. Jody Early, a professor in public health at Walden University, will discuss the impact and professional application of social networks (i.e., Facebook).  Jody is this year’s HEDIR Technology Award Recipient and has been heavily involved in technology issues for years.  To register and view it live, click here.  To view the archive click here.

On Thursday, Michaela Conley will discuss blogging and its impact on the health education/health promotion world.  Michaela is the brains behind HPCareer.net and also the person who is hosting the various webinars that the HEDIR runs.  Blogging has become critically more important over the years and Michaela will be providing us the basics of this process and ways that it can enhance our professional lives.  You can register to view Michaela’s talk here, or you can view it in its archived matter by clicking here.

On Friday, I’ll be hosting the webinar on the use of Twitter.  Probably the fastest growing and most noted technology over the past 18 months, Twitter has so much potential.   It’ll include the basics as well as discussion on ways that we can use Twitter to enhance both our professional lives and also how it can be used to enhance health education initiatives.  Click here to register or here to view the archives.

All of these webinars are free.  All begin at Noon CST and will last 30 minutes.  For those interested, CHES hours will be available.  More details on what it will take to complete these hours can be found by clicking here. Finally, running concurrently with the Webinars will be a discussion on Tweetchat.  Go to http://tweetchat.com/room/hedirtech and you can observe.  If you have a Twitter account you can log in and contribute to the discussion.

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