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Understanding child development: from synapse to society
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 28 hours
  • Course by Utrecht University
  • Offered by

About

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!

Modules

Introduction to the MOOC

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • General introduction
  • Short survey

The developmental systems approach

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • What do you know already?
  • Test your knowledge on the developmental systems approach

1 Peer Review

  • Test your understanding of the developmental systems approach

1 Videos

  • The developmental systems approach

3 Readings

  • Introduction
  • Applying the developmental systems approach to well-being
  • Optional readings on the developmental systems approach

From theory to practice

    • 2 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • How can you make it happen?
  • What do you think of Dynamics of Youth and the cohort studies?

2 Videos

  • What it takes to study development from a developmental systems approach
  • Introduction to Dynamics of Youth and the cohort studies

2 Readings

  • Introduction
  • The YOUth cohort studies

The control center

    • 2 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge on brain development

2 Videos

  • The early developing brain
  • Growing synapses - Interview with a brain researcher

4 Readings

  • Introduction
  • Brain plasticity and behaviour
  • Optional reading on the developing brain
  • Optional reading on brain plasticity

On the move

    • 2 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge on motor development

2 Videos

  • Developing motor skills
  • Interview with a human movement scientist

2 Readings

  • Introduction
  • The development of motor behavior

Tying it together

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • What did you learn about brain and motor development?

1 Videos

  • WEIRD science

I thinking I understand

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge on cognitive development

1 Peer Review

  • What do you think of animal research?

5 Videos

  • The emergence of thinking and understanding
  • Playing (with) rats - Interview with a neurobiologist
  • Rats and synapses - Interview about interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Experimenting teenagers - Interview with a psychologist
  • Applied geography - Interview with a social geographer

2 Readings

  • Introduction
  • More on cognitive development

Tying it together

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • What did you learn about cognitive development?

1 Videos

  • Embodied cognition, culture and geography

Talk the talk

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • What do you know already about language development?
  • Test your knowledge on speech and language development

4 Videos

  • Speech and language development
  • 'Talking' Zebrafinches - Interview with a biologist
  • Talking to babies - Interview with a linguist
  • Language and machine learning - Interview with a brain imaging expert

3 Readings

  • Introduction
  • Cracking the code of language
  • Media literacy

Tying it together

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • What did you learn about speech and language development?

1 Videos

  • Language, (embodied) cognition and culture

The emerging social animal

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge on social-emotional development

4 Videos

  • Developing emotions and sociability
  • Language and behavior problems - Interview with a linguist
  • Social-emotional problems - Interview with a developmental psychologist
  • Ethnic and socio-economical influences - Interview with an interdisciplinary social scientist

3 Readings

  • Introduction
  • Culture and the development of emotions
  • More on social-emotional development

Tying it together

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • What did you learn about social-emotional development?

1 Videos

  • Integration

Fitting it all together

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
Show info about module content

1 Peer Review

  • Do you understand development from synapse to society?

2 Videos

  • The case of prematurely born children - Interview with a clinical child and family researcher
  • Zooming out - Interview with a biologist

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Wrapping it up!

    • 2 Readings
Show info about module content

2 Readings

  • Final survey
  • Acknowledgements

Want to learn more?

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • There's more where that came from!

Auto Summary

Discover the complexities of child development in this interdisciplinary course, "Understanding Child Development: From Synapse to Society." Dive into the influences shaping development across various domains, guided by esteemed researchers from Utrecht University. Covering brain, motor, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development, this foundational course spans 1680 minutes and is available through Coursera with Starter and Professional subscription options. Ideal for those keen on personal development and understanding the multifaceted nature of child growth.

dr. Jorg Huijding
Instructor

dr. Jorg Huijding