The PIH Travel Programs website provides a central repository of knowledge, which serves as a one-stop portal for all course related information: academic, financial, and logistic. Prospective participants can now use the website to make informed decisions about which courses to apply to based both on their regional interests as well as professional skills. Additionally students can get quick and convenient tips from previous students, review anticipated expenses, and find clearly articulated information regarding expectations of the course.
Teaching Challenge:
The Winter Session Travel Programs, sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Department of Population and International Health (PIH), provide a unique opportunity for students to enhance their Harvard experience by applying their academic knowledge in a professional environment. Until this PITF project, there was no central location where students could access information on expected costs, logistical preparations, or academic expectations for the courses. Much of the knowledge about these programs was dependent on student word-of-mouth from year to year, which led to several significant misunderstandings that, at times, overshadowed the learning experience. Due to these confusions, many students were dissuaded from applying to or participating in the travel courses.