Utrecht University launches online course on child development
Enrol now!
On 3 July 2017, Utrecht University will launch a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): 'Understanding Child Development - from Synapse to Society'. The course aims to point out the importance of an interdisciplinary approach as a necessary means to learn about child development on many different levels. You can find the MOOC on Coursera.
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Jorg Huijding, associate professor Clinical Child and Family Studies hosts the MOOC. Huijding and various Utrecht-based researchers, such as evolutionist Frans de Waal, offer participants insights about the many aspects of child development. With this MOOC you will learn to think more holistically about this subject. And it offers you new and surprising angles to approach developmental issues.
Is this a course for you?
This course is open to everyone interested in child development. Everyone with an internet connection and academic thinking skills can join.
Interested in participating?
The MOOC 'Understanding Child Development – from Synapse to Society' will start on 3 July 2017. You can register online via Coursera.
Enrolment is free – participants only pay a fee if they want to obtain a certificate at the end of the course.
Course design
The MOOC 'Understanding child development – from Synapse to Society' takes six weeks to complete, and requires 4 hours of study per week. Every weekly program consists of two six minute web-lectures, interviews, quizzes and reading material.
Week 1 Introduction: explanation of the developmental systems approach to understand child development, and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Week 2 Brain and motor development
Week 3 Cognitive development
Week 4 Speech and language development
Week 5 Social/emotional development
Week 6 Wrap up: integration of all the previously presented and explained material
Find out more about the MOOC
Want to learn more about the making of this MOOC, and how it was designed? Jorg Huijding told us all about how this course was developed within Utrecht University's strategic theme Dynamics of Youth.
Dynamics of Youth
This MOOC has been developed within Dynamics of Youth, one of Utrecht University's four strategic themes. Dynamics of Youth connects excellent child and youth research from all seven faculties, and looks for the answer to a crucial question for future generations: how can we help our children with their development into well-balanced individuals who can successfully hold their own in a rapidly changing environment?