HETEK4000 Interactions in Health and Technology Course description

International and national health and welfare schemes emphasize technology as an area of priority, often related to future demographic challenges with an increasing number of older people and new user groups. New technology is constantly employed in the health sector. The term technology is broad and can include everything from machines, automation and artificial intelligence to digital platforms for user / patient communication and smart home technology. The rapid technological development in the health sector requires better and new types of interactions between different actors in order to promote better and more efficient health services.

The course introduces key concepts related to technological development, system design and service innovation. Key public and private actors in the development can be the university and university college sector, the specialist health service, the municipal health service, business and industry and user and interest organisations. Students will explore how new technology can contribute to sustainable solutions in health and care services and in research and development work, but should also be able to reflect on ethical challenges that arise when new technology is employed. In the field of health and technology, there are interaction opportunities for various forms of co-creation between the actors based on user needs, and how various specialised disciplines can contribute to improve health and well-being for end-users through service design and innovation. Interdisciplinary collaboration competence in the development and implementation of new technology in the health and social services is emphasised.

The student must have been admitted to the Master's Programme in Health and Technology. 

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student 

• can explain key concepts related to technological development, system design and service innovation
• can describe suitable professional tools for identifying users' needs and assessing functional level
• can explain the importance of and describe procedures for user-oriented design thinking
• can describe important factors that promote or hinder the implementation of technology and successful collaboration in practice
• can, using future scenarios, discuss the assumed development of one’s own professional area
• is familiar with technological solutions used in health-promotion and re/habilitation work

Skills 

The student 

• can consider some established and new relevant methods in research and creative development work in health and technology  
• can discuss health and technology as Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
• can convey independent work using the subject areas' forms of expression 
• can identify relevant legislation and standards

General competence  

The student 

• can reflect on and integrate own professional background, identity and competence in an interdisciplinary context
• can reflect on and identify opportunities for innovation processes within their own subject area and propose new solutions, working methods, service or product-based innovation projects using user orientation, system design and critical thinking
• can reflect on ethical issues related to health and technology
• has a conscious relationship to explore and adapt their own practice to new technologies
• can use a suitable conceptual framework that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and contribute to interdisciplinary teamwork

The work and teaching methods will be case-focused and include group work with practical exercises and thematic lectures with contributions from practitioners from the primary and specialist health services, business and other interest organisations.

As far as possible, cases are sought that reflect how interdisciplinary collaboration will take place in working life. The case studies will have different user needs as a starting point. Such an orientation to systems, services and processes provides an approach to the many interaction zones between health and technology. 

The students will work in interdisciplinary groups of 3-5 students. After an initial theoretical introduction and user orientation, the students prepare proposals for a case with an overall common problem at the intersection of health and technology. Depending on the case, the group is sought to be connected to external stakeholders with whom they can have a dialogue during the course. The case studies will alternate between a review of theory and practical group work.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam: 

1. An individual multiple-choice test on understanding of theoretical concepts    
2. Oral presentation in groups of 3-5 students, up to 30 minutes. The group will present its own health and technology project, and the form of presentation will be chosen depending on the project, given criteria based on the project's form. Issues along the way must be described. The presentation must be conducted in English or Norwegian.    

Project examination in groups of 3-5 students, in the form of a written assignment submitted by the same group as under coursework requirement 2. The assignment is prepared during the course period, with a scope of up to 5000 words. The assignment must be written in either Norwegian (Scandinavian) or English.   

Resit examination: If the written assignment is assessed as Failed, the group has the opportunity to submit a reworked version once.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Pass/fail

All examinations are assessed by an internal and an external examiner. 

None.