Teacher Training: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum
Develop your skills in embedding student mental health and wellbeing in teaching, learning, assessment and peer support activities
Duration
10 weeksWeekly study
10 hours
Teacher Training: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum
Develop skills in embedding mental health and wellbeing in teaching and learning
Growing numbers of students at schools, colleges and universities are experiencing mental health issues. The act of learning can be extremely positive for student mental wellbeing. However, in other cases it can exacerbate or cause mental health difficulties. Educators can do more to embed mental wellbeing in their teaching in order to prevent or mitigate mental health issues. Calls to action on student mental health have been made globally, yet there is little guidance in this area. This course will equip you to increase learners’ mental wellbeing through inclusive teaching strategies.
What topics will you cover?
- What we mean by mental health and wellbeing, and how to talk about this.
- How learning and student mental health/wellbeing are related.
- Barriers to student mental wellbeing in different learning contexts.
- How to design teaching activities that support student mental health and wellbeing.
- Technology-enhanced learning and student mental health and wellbeing.
- Designing assessment activities that support student mental health and wellbeing.
- Barriers to embedding mental health in the curriculum.
- Mental health and learning in diverse global contexts, and international students’ experiences.
- Institution-wide approaches to embedding mental health and wellbeing in the curriculum.
- How to evaluate teaching, learning and assessment activities, and curriculum content, in terms of their potential impact on student mental health and wellbeing.
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the different ways in which mental health is defined and discussed and of the relationship between mental health and learning in diverse global contexts.
- Design teaching, learning and assessment activities that promote mental wellbeing and are conducive to positive mental health
- Identify some of the barriers to embedding mental health into the curriculum and the ways in which they might be managed.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the potential impact of educational technologies on student mental health, and how those technologies can be used to enhance student wellbeing.
- Evaluate existing curriculum content and identify potential impacts, positive and negative, on student mental health.
Who is the course for?
The course is intended for teachers, trainers, learning designers, educational technologists, heads of department and institution leaders in a variety of settings, including schools, colleges, universities, workplace learning settings and other learning environments. It has a global focus and is relevant for learners from countries around the world.
What software or tools do you need?
No specific software or tools are required.
Who will you learn with?
Dr Leigh-Anne Perryman leads The Open University's Masters in Online Teaching programme. Her research explores the relationship between equity, social justice, online teaching and open pedagogies.
Kate Lister is a lecturer in education at the Open University and is an expert associate at Advance HE. Her research focuses on disability, accessibility and mental wellbeing in learning.
Dr Simon Ball (he/him) is an Open University tutor and consultant researcher, specialising in inclusive online learning, educational technologies & accessibility, following a PhD in ecology.
Dr Tim Coughlan is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Technology at The Open University, researching the design and evaluation of technologies for inclusion, participation and accessibility in learning.
Senior Lecturer in Psychology at The Open University. My research spans several psychological domains, including: mental health & wellbeing, eHealth, neurotoxicology and applied cognitive psychology.
Who developed the course?
The Open University
As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
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Join the conversation on social media
You can use the hashtag #FLembeddingmentalhealth to talk about this course on social media.