About this course: How do children overcome hazardous experiences to succeed in life? What can be done to protect young people at risk from trauma, war, disasters, and other adversities? Learn about the importance of fostering resilience in children at risk. During this course, participants will: learn how trauma can affect children and the systems they depend on, gain insight into core concepts, research methods and lessons learned in last 50 years of resilience research, learn how research is being applied in the real world through interventions that promote resilience, and engage in discussions with others who are working with children at risk around the world Participants are welcome to take the MOOC at no cost or to register for a Course Certificate ($49). Those who register and earn a Course Certificate from Coursera also are eligible to sign up for continuing education clock hours through the University of Minnesota. Participants can earn 10 clock hours of continuing education credit (added cost $99) from the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. Go here http://z.umn.edu/1a5q to register for continuing education clock hours for completing this course.
Created by: University of Minnesota
Taught by: Ann S. Masten, Ph.D., LP, Regents Professor, Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development
Institute of Child Development
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Week 1: Origins and Landmark Studies in the Science of Resilience in Children
The first module of this course provides an introduction to the course and to the science of resilience. Video lectures discuss the meaning of resilience and the origins of resilience science. Participants will begin to think about case examples of resilience from their own experience and plan for a resilience interview. In the forum discussions, participants will introduce themselves, discuss the meaning of resilience and its importance in their work. Participants also will nominate favorite films and books about true stories of resilience:
6 videos, 7 readings
- Video: 1.1 Introduction to the Course
- Video: 1.2 Origins and 4 Waves of Resilience Science
- Video: 1.3 Defining Resilience
- Video: 1.4 Early Landmark Studies of Resilience
- Video: 1.5 Resilience in Books and Films
- Reading: Required reading
- Video: Optional video: Resilience in the face of adversity by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
- Reading: Optional video on Dr. Maddaus
- Reading: Additional Videos (optional)
- Reading: Optional reading
- Reading: Active Learning Assignment 1: Interview on Resilience
- Reading: Week 1 Discussion
- Reading: Coming next week
Graded: Self-Report for Completing Active Learning Assignment 1
Graded: Week 1 Quiz
WEEK 2
Week 2: Methods and Models of Research on Resilience (including case studies)
This module highlights the models and methods used in resilience science, including person-focused methods and variable-focused methods. The case study of Dr. Maddaus continues and the case of resilience in early childhood is presented.
9 videos, 5 readings
- Video: 2.1 Overview
- Video: 2.2 Person-focused methods: Single Case Studies (including the case of Sara)
- Video: 2.3 Person-focused models and methods: Group Comparisons
- Video: 2.4 Variable-focused methods: Risk gradients
- Video: 2.5 Variable-focused methods: Promotive factors
- Video: 2.6 Variable-focused methods: Moderator models and protective factors
- Video: 2.7 Combined methods
- Video: 2.8 Pathway models
- Video: 2.9 Intervention models
- Reading: 2.10 Intervention Examples
- Reading: Active Learning Assignment 2: Case Study of Dr. Michael Maddaus
- Reading: Week 2 Discussion
- Reading: Reminder
- Reading: Coming next week
Graded: Case study of Mike Maddaus: Self-report for Completing Active Learning Assignment 2
Graded: Week 2 Quiz
WEEK 3
Week 3: Effects on Children of Natural and Technological Disasters
This module focuses on what has been learned from research on children who experience disasters, including the effects on children and patterns of recovery. Participants will watch a video interview with an expert on children in disaster and additional videos on damage and recovery following the F5 Joplin tornado. Participants will also complete a survey on disaster experiences.
6 videos, 6 readings
- Video: 3.1 Overview
- Video: 3.2 Effects
- Video: 3.3 Resilience and recovery
- Video: 3.4 Intervention
- Video: 3.5 Preparing for Disaster
- Reading: Required reading
- Reading: Infographics
- Reading: Active Learning Assignment 3: Disaster
- Video: Interview with Joy Osofsky on Children in Disaster
- Reading: Week 3 Discussion
- Reading: Reminder
- Reading: Coming next week
Graded: Disaster: Self-report for Completing Active Learning Assignment 3
Graded: Week 3 Quiz
WEEK 4
Week 4: Resilience in Children Exposed to War and Political Violence
This module highlights what has been learned about the effects of war, terror, and political violence on children and youth. What are the effects of these violent experiences on young people? What has been learned about resilience? We will examine the provocative literature on youth who voluntarily get involved in political conflicts or war. The concluding lecture considers new approaches to peace-building and what might be done to promote peace through interventions with children.
This week also features 4 special topics on resilience in young people who experienced the trauma of war and conflict. Choose one or more of the special topics and watch these moving stories of survival. Post your thoughts in the special topics discussion forums on each of these options. If you have time, watch them all. These accounts of resilience are very compelling.
8 videos, 5 readings
- Video: 4.1 War, Terror, and Political Conflict: Overview
- Video: 4.2 Threats to Child Development
- Video: 4.3 Telling the Story
- Video: 4.4 War and Resilience
- Video: 4.5 Terror and Resilience
- Video: 4.6 Intervention Studies
- Video: 4.7 Youth in Political Conflicts
- Video: 4.8 Pathways to Peace
- Reading: Video Activity: Choose One
- Reading: Resources on peace education mentioned in the video lectures - for your interest, not required
- Reading: Week 4 Discussion
- Reading: Reminder
- Reading: Coming next week
Graded: Week 4 Quiz
WEEK 5
Week 5: Roles of Families, Schools, Culture, and Community in Promoting Resilience of Children
This module summarizes the findings on protective factors for resilience in children. Professor Masten presents her ideas about the adaptive systems that account for most of the capacity for resilience in children, what she has called “ordinary magic.” The roles of families, schools, and culture in resilience are discussed.
11 videos, 5 readings
- Video: 5.1 Overview
- Video: 5.2 The Short List
- Video: 5.3 Adaptive Systems in the Child
- Video: 5.4 Adaptive Systems in Relationships
- Video: 5.5 Family and Family Resilience
- Video: 5.6 Adaptive Systems in Culture and Community
- Video: 5.7 The Roles of School in Child Resilience
- Reading: Required reading
- Reading: Optional reading
- Video: Optional video: Mini-Interview with Froma Walsh
- Video: Optional video: Interview with Frosso Motti-Stefanidi
- Video: Optional video: Solomon Muche's story
- Video: Interview with Michael Ungar (part of Active Learning Project 4)
- Reading: Active Learning Assignment 4: Protective Factors Around the World
- Reading: Week 5 Discussion
- Reading: Coming next week
Graded: Protective factors around the world: Self-report for Completing Active Learning Assignment 4
Graded: Week 5 Quiz
WEEK 6
Week 6: A Resilience Framework for Action, Enduring Controversies, and New Horizons in the Study of Resilience
In video lectures this final week of the course, Professor Masten presents a general resilience framework for designing interventions and programs to promote resilience. She also discusses enduring controversies in the study of resilience and new frontiers, including the neurobiology of resilience and growing research on the role of culture in resilience. The course concludes with highlights about growing global work on resilience and final “take home” messages from the course.
11 videos, 3 readings
- Video: 6.1 Resilience in Action: Overview
- Video: 6.2 A Framework for Action
- Video: 6.3 Strategies and Strategic Action
- Video: 6.4 Enduring Controversies
- Video: 6.5 Cautionary Notes
- Video: 6.6 New Horizons in Neurobiology
- Video: 6.7 New Horizons in Culture and Society
- Video: 6.8 Think Globally
- Video: 6.9 Course Wrapup and Acknowledgments
- Reading: Required readings
- Reading: Optional reading
- Video: Optional video: Interview with Dante Cicchetti
- Video: Optional video: Interview with Michael Rutter
- Reading: Week 6 Discussion and Reflections on the Course as a Whole
Graded: Week 6 Quiz
Graded: Final
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Ratings and Reviews
Great course but little chance to practice.
new and important knowledge. I love the course
very very very useful course content for the better understanding of resilience and how to promote it in an austere environment.
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Diverse and insightful content, compelling readings, and valuable tools and frameworks - thoroughly absorbing and worthwhile.