Understanding child development: from synapse to society

About this course: In this course, we dive into the topic of child development. You will learn that child development is complex and is influenced by a surprisingly rich number of factors at many different levels of organization. You will see that development can be studied in various domains and at various levels of understanding, from different angles and disciplines. Importantly, you will come to understand that processes within and between the various domains and levels of organization continuously interact to shape development. This implies that understanding development requires taking an interdisciplinary approach. In order to help you organize your thinking about this complexity you will learn more about the developmental systems approach and theories related to that. We will look, amongst other things, at the brain and motor development, cognitive, language and social-emotional development and all the factors that have an influence on development. To illustrate how an interdisciplinary approach helps to understand child development you will see how researchers from various disciplines and backgrounds study child development at Utrecht University. These scientists will give a look in their field of knowledge and their collaboration with colleagues, to illustrate how the theory you will learn translates to practice. In sum, we invite you to follow us on a journey to understand child development from synapse to society!

Created by:  Utrecht University

• Taught by:  dr. Jorg Huijding, Associate Professor Clinical Child and Family Studies

  Education and Pedagogy

Commitment 6 weeks of study, 4-5 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.9 stars Average User Rating 4.9See what learners said Задания курса

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Utrecht University Utrecht University is a research university comprising seven faculties which collectively span the entire academic spectrum in teaching and research. Founded in 1636, the University is now a modern, leading institute enjoying a growing international reputation. In the Shanghai Ranking, Utrecht University ranks 1st in the Netherlands, 17th in Europe and 56th worldwide. The research focuses on four main strategic themes: Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability. Our motto is: Bright minds, better future.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Introduction to Dynamics of Youth



After a general introduction to this MOOC, this week focuses on the developmental systems approach to understand development. We will illustrate how such an approach can be facilitated by introducing you to Dynamics of Youth, a strategic research theme of Utrecht University set up to foster interdisciplinary research on child and adolescent development.


3 videos, 6 readings, 4 practice quizzes expand

1. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: General introduction
2. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
3. Тренировочный тест: What do you know already?
4. Video: The developmental systems approach
5. Тренировочный тест: Test your knowledge on the developmental systems approach
6. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Applying the developmental systems approach to well-being
7. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Optional readings on the developmental systems approach
8. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
9. Video: What it takes to study development from a developmental systems approach
10. Тренировочный тест: How can you make it happen?
11. Video: Introduction to Dynamics of Youth and the cohort studies
12. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: The YOUth cohort studies
13. Тренировочный тест: What do you think of Dynamics of Youth and the cohort studies?

Graded: Test your understanding of the developmental systems approach

WEEK 2


Brain and motor development



In the first week of this course, we explained the developmental systems approach and introduced you to Dynamics of Youth as an example of how this approach can be adopted in practice. Now it is time to dive into child development itself. This week, we will be focusing on two domains of development: the brain and motor control.


5 videos, 6 readings, 3 practice quizzes expand

1. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
2. Video: The early developing brain
3. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Brain plasticity and behaviour
4. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Optional reading on the developing brain
5. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Optional reading on brain plasticity
6. Тренировочный тест: Test your knowledge on brain development
7. Video: Growing synapses - Interview with a brain researcher
8. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
9. Video: Developing motor skills
10. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: The development of motor behavior
11. Тренировочный тест: Test your knowledge on motor development
12. Video: Interview with a human movement scientist
13. Video: WEIRD science
14. Тренировочный тест: What did you learn about brain and motor development?

WEEK 3


Cognitive development



This week we will focus on cognitive development and how this affects how children think and act. You will see that information from the previous week, in which we discussed the development of the brain and motor skills, can be used to understand cognitive development.


6 videos, 2 readings, 2 practice quizzes expand

1. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
2. Video: The emergence of thinking and understanding
3. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: on cognitive development
4. Тренировочный тест: Test your knowledge on cognitive development
5. Video: Playing (with) rats - Interview with a neurobiologist
6. Video: Rats and synapses - Interview about interdisciplinary collaboration
7. Video: Experimenting teenagers - Interview with a psychologist
8. Video: Applied geography - Interview with a social geographer
9. Video: Embodied cognition, culture and geography
10. Тренировочный тест: What did you learn about cognitive development?

Graded: What do you think of animal research?

WEEK 4


Communication
This week’s focus is on communication. As you will see, language development is tightly interwoven with cognitive development and as such is also closely related to brain and motor development.


5 videos, 3 readings, 3 practice quizzes expand

1. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
2. Тренировочный тест: What do you know already about language development?
3. Video: Speech and language development
4. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Cracking the code of language
5. Video: 'Talking' Zebrafinches - Interview with a biologist
6. Тренировочный тест: Test your knowledge on speech and language development
7. Video: Talking to babies - Interview with a linguist
8. Video: Language and machine learning - Interview with a brain imaging expert
9. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Media literacy
10. Video: Language, (embodied) cognition and culture
11. Тренировочный тест: What did you learn about speech and language development?

WEEK 5


Social-emotional development
In this fifth week of the course, we will pay attention to social-emotional development.


5 videos, 3 readings, 2 practice quizzes expand

1. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
2. Video: Developing emotions and sociability
3. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Culture and the development of emotions
4. Тренировочный тест: Test your knowledge on social-emotional development
5. Video: Language and behavior problems - Interview with a linguist
6. Video: Social-emotional problems - Interview with a developmental psychologist
7. Video: Ethnic and socio-economical influences - Interview with an interdisciplinary social scientist
8. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: on social-emotional development
9. Video: Integration
10. Тренировочный тест: What did you learn about social-emotional development?

WEEK 6


The big picture
In this final week of this course, you will be challenged to fit it all together and see the big picture.


2 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Introduction
2. Video: The case of prematurely born children - Interview with a clinical child and family researcher
3. Video: Zooming out - Interview with a biologist
4. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Final survey
5. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: Acknowledgements
6. Материал для самостоятельного изучения: There's more where that came from!

Graded: Do you understand development from synapse to society?