Bright Spots Mini-Lab

The Mini-Lab is a collaboration between the MCHB-funded Leadership Education and Training (LET) Program in MCH Nutrition and the Center.

Spring 2025

Using Digital Storytelling for Community Engagement and Health Promotion with Dr. Abby Lohr

Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 11 am CT | Free, virtual, & open to all!

In this Bright Spots Mini-Lab Session, co-sponsored by the UMN Prevention Research Center, Dr. Abby Lohr will guide participants through the method of digital storytelling, and its potential for public health and beyond. We’ll learn how this creative method has proved useful in Dr. Lohr’s community-based chronic disease research. We will also explore best practices surrounding ethical implementation, how to strengthen community partnership, and how to get the most out of this technique.

Participants will be able to:

Describe the theoretical foundations of digital storytelling as a health promotion intervention.
Apply insights from case examples to conceptualize how digital storytelling can be used as a health promotion intervention.
Discuss ethical considerations and participatory approaches when using digital storytelling with diverse populations.

-See previous storytelling Mini-Lab sessions here

Using Ripple Effect Mapping (REM) to Understand the Impacts of a Public Health Partnership with Dr. Rebecca Shlafer, Dr. Scott Chazdon, and Ingie Osman

Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 11 am CT | Free, virtual, & open to all!

In this Bright Spots Mini-Lab session, we will begin with speaker Dr. Scott Chazdon who will guide participants through the methodology and goals of Ripple Effect Mapping (REM) and how it can be used as an evaluation tool for community-engaged programs. To highlight the potential applications of REM in public health practice, Dr. Rebecca Shlafer and Ingie Osman will describe how this method informed their work with the Model Jail Practices Learning Community to support families impacted by incarceration.

Participants will be able to:

Describe the goals of Ripple Effect Mapping (REM)
Understand the process of REM as an evaluation tool
Weigh the benefits and limitations of REM as compared with other qualitative evaluation methods
Consider applications of REM for in public health and beyond

Past Fall 2025 Sessions:

Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Qualitative Research with Michael Beckstrand on Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 11:00am-1pm CT
Reviving the Creative Power of 18th Century Salons with Stuart Grande on Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 11:00am-1pm CT

Past Spring 2025 Sessions:

How to turn qualitative insights into compelling multimedia presentations–Quickly with Rich Thau on Thursday, January 30, 2025 from 11:30am-1pm CT
Tips (and Tools) for Geospatial Storytelling with Melinda Kernik on Thursday, March 20, 2025 from 11am-1pm CT
Shaping the Future of Public Health: Make Your Voice Heard with Abby Gold, Molly Immendorf, and Karen Ehrens on Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 11am-1pm CT

Past Fall 2024 Sessions:

Tips for Storytelling in Public Health (Part 1) with Dr. Richard Krueger on Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 11am-1pm CT
Tips for Storytelling in Public Health (Part 2) with Dr. Richard Krueger on Thursday, October 31, 2024 from 11am-1pm CT

About the Mini-Lab

The goal of the Mini-Lab is to support the growing interest in qualitative and mixed methods research among public health researchers and public health practitioners. We integrate the rich tradition of qualitative inquiry into current public health research so participants can gain a deeper understanding of the public health needs facing our communities, integrate the experiences and perspectives of key stakeholders and community members into research designs, and find solutions to public health problems that take into account the lived experiences of community members.

The Mini-Lab offers participants the space to build or augment the qualitative research skills they’ve learned in classrooms or while at work in their agencies. Together with trainers, MCH and nutrition students, faculty and other MCH and nutrition colleagues, participants gather regularly for training sessions labs that provide them with an opportunity to consult with experts on activities that strengthen their skills.

When students, agency staff and faculty utilize the same approach to research methods and the same software for data analysis and management—and when those data are shared—we can collectively work toward improving the health of our most vulnerable populations.

Why is Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Research Important?

The use of qualitative research is critical for public health professionals wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of individuals and communities through the systematic study and analysis of non-numeric data.

Focus groups, observations, case studies, one-on-one interviews, and other qualitative data collection methods can provide important insights into and answer questions about the way individuals and communities experience health and illness, and make sense of everyday life.

Quantitative analysis skills are necessary for current and future public health professionals, but they often want deeper insights into actions, ideas and behaviors that could improve health and bolster effective health promotion. The qualitative research methods lab (affectionately called the “mini-lab”) was born out of our desire to be responsive to the needs of public health practitioners and graduate students.

Mini-Lab History

2023-2024

In 2023-2024 we hosted four Learning Lab workshops: Template Analysis as a Method for Rapid Qualitative Inquiry in Public Health Research with Patrick Brady and Dr. Grace Ryan, Introduction to Online Focus Groups with Dr. Richard Krueger, Template Analysis as a Method for Rapid Qualitative Inquiry in Public Health Research (Part 2) with Patrick Brady and Dr. Grace Ryan, and Introductory NVivo Workshop with Michael Beckstrand.

2022-2023

In 2022-2023 we hosted four Learning Lab workshops: Positive Deviance with Dr. Alex Foster, Introduction to Coding Techniques with Dr. Johnny Saldaña, Parenting Practices and Childhood Obesity: A Positive Deviance Approach with Dr. Junia de Brito, and The Power of First Person Storytelling in Public Health with Allison Myers.

2021-2022

In 2021-2022 we hosted four Learning Lab workshops: Introduction to Citizen Research with Dr. Stuart Grande, Introduction to NVivo with Junia N. de Brito, Rapid Qualitative Data Analysis in Public Health Practice with Prof. Johnny Saldaña, and Introduction to Ripple Effects Mapping with Dr. Scott Chazdon.

2020-2021

In 2020-2021 we launched introductory sessions through Mini-Lab “Learning Labs” which included: Introduction to Facilitation Skills with Dr. Richard Krueger and Dr. Mary Anne Casey, Introduction to Online Focus Groups with Dr. J. Michael Wilkerson, Advocacy through Storytelling with Carol Dreibelbis, Introduction to NVivo with Junia N de Brito, Introduction to Photovoice with Dr. Fernando Ona and Introduction to Walk-Along with Dr. Carolyn Porta.

2019-2020

In 2019 and early 2020, MCH and MCH Nutrition Trainees continued working on a positive deviance research project. Throughout this experience, trainees conducted qualitative research interviews with caretakers and received transcription training once the interviews concluded. During the summer, MCH and MCH Nutrition Trainees received introductory lessons and training sessions on Mendeley and NVivo.

2018-2019

In 2018, Drs. Jamie Stang and Zobeida Bonilla devoted part of their efforts developing agency-University partnerships and building the mini-lab’s infrastructure.

In 2019, the cohort met with a particular focus on reducing the prevalence of child obesity among vulnerable, diverse populations in Minnesota through the use of a “positive deviance” approach to child obesity prevention, and to share successful strategies with other states and communities.

Trainings included:

NVivo and atlas.ti training, mixed methods research design (Michael Besckstrand)
Case studies, participant observations, interviews, qualitative data analysis techniques (Peter Demerath)
Conducting focus group interviews (Richard Krueger)

Mini-Lab Funding

The Mini-Lab is sponsored by the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health and the Leadership Education and Training (LET) Program in MCH Nutrition, allowing participants to enjoy the Mini-Lab for free.

The Mini-Lab has two NVivo licenses that can be accessed remotely by UMN MCH and Nutrition students and their community partners.

Are you a UMN MCH or Nutrition student? Email minilab@umn.edu with the subject “NVivo Usage” and we will get back to you with a link that you can use to check out an NVivo license in two hour increments.

Emails are answered between 8 am-4:30 pm CT, M-F. Please plan accordingly.

Note:

–NVivo use is on a first come, first served basis

–Reservation increments are two hours long

–Users are limited to a certain number of hours per week

–Please be mindful of other people’s need to utilize NVivo by sticking to your time limit

Are you a UMN EpiCH or other student? Email epihelp@umn.edu to request access to the Division of EpiCH’s two NVivo licenses.

Calendar

You can access Mini-Lab training dates, times and other details by visiting our Mini-Lab calendar.

The Lab

The Mini-Lab is located in the West Bank Office Building (Rooms 328A|328B). Participants can access the lab during office hours (8-4:30 pm, M-F, excluding University holidays). Computer stations are available to reserve at this link. Please email minilab @ umn.edu if you have questions about accessing the lab.

Parking

Please park in the surface lot of the West Bank Office Building. We may be able to provide you with 4-hour parking vouchers that will allow you to get out of the lot without charge. If you need a voucher, please contact minilab@umn.edu at least one week in advance so that we can arrange to get the appropriate number of parking vouchers to you.

Storing your data

Data cannot be permanently stored on lab computers, nor should storage devices should be left in the min-lab. Files should be kept on external hard drives, flash drives, etc. You are welcome to bring your own, or you can let us know and we will arrange to have some on hand for you.

Mini-Lab Survey

We are wanting to monitor and improve the resources at the Mini-Lab. We ask participants and users of the Mini-Lab to complete this short survey.

The Mini-Lab is on the 3rd floor of the West Bank Office Building (WBOB Rm 328A|328B), located on the West Bank of the UMN campus. This quiet, sunlit space provides several comfortable places to gather for discussions. It can also be easily transformed for in-person trainings by skilled instructors, or be configured to build skills-based software tutorials.

Mini-Lab participants have access to the following:

Computers and equipment for data entry and analysis (first come, first served)
Four desktop computers (two Macs, two PCs)
Two laptops
Digital recorders
A color printer
Foot pedals (for easier transcription)
A variety of books

Software for data organization and analysis

A reference library (a selection is listed below)

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (Creswell, John W.)
The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers Third Edition (Saldana, Johnny M.)
The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (Denzin, Norman K.)
Complete Library List

Additional information

Demos

Atlas.ti and NVivo offer limited demos that can be accessed on personal computers.

Subscriptions

The UMN offers NVivo subscription options to students, faculty, and staff. Please contact UMN IT for further information.

Tutorial Videos

Atlas.ti

Using Atlas.ti on Windows

NVivo

Discover NVivo 12 Plus Webinar

Billy Wong NVivo Tutorials

The Learning Lab Series began in Fall 2020. This series is dedicated to introducing MCH and PHN students and practitioners to the principles of qualitative data collection techniques.

Spring 2024

Template Analysis as a Method for Rapid Qualitative Inquiry in Public Health Research (Part 2)

Introductory NVivo Workshop

Fall 2023

Template Analysis as a Method for Rapid Qualitative Inquiry in Public Health Research

Introduction to Online Focus Groups

Spring 2023

Parenting Practices and Childhood Obesity: A Positive Deviance Approach

The Power of First Person Storytelling in Public Health

Fall 2022

Introduction to Coding Techniques

Positive Deviance

Spring 2022

Introduction to NVivo

NVivo Software

Rapid Qualitative Data Analysis in Public Health Practice

Qualitative Research: Analyzing Life

Introduction to Ripple Effects Mapping

Fall 2021

Introduction to Citizen Research

Spring 2021

Advocacy through Storytelling

Facilitation Skills

Online Focus Groups

Recommendations for online focus groups

Fall 2020

Introduction to NVivo

Introduction to Photovoice

Introduction to Walk-Along resources

If you’re interested in learning more about or participating in the Mini-Lab, please contact:

Dr. Zobeida Bonilla, Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health
1300 S. 2nd St., WBOB 328A|328B
Minneapolis, MN 55455
zbonilla @ umn.edu | 612-626-1733

Charlotte Stow
Research Assistant for the Bright Spots Mini-Lab
minilab @ umn.edu

A full list of Learning Lab training videos can be found on our YouTube Channel!

Reviving the Lost Approach of 18th Century Salons with Stuart Grande:

Positive Deviance with Dr. Alex Foster:

Moderating a Focus Group Series:

Coming soon …

Mini-Lab activities help build the qualitative and mixed methods skills of students and public health practitioners.

Mini-Lab activities foster research and evaluation collaborations to find solutions to MCH public health needs by identifying and employing responsive, asset-based strategies rooted in the perspectives and experiences of individuals, families and communities.

Center for Leadership Education in
Maternal & Child Public Health

School of Public Health