{"id":16412,"date":"2020-09-18T17:24:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T16:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ounews.co\/?p=16412"},"modified":"2020-09-18T17:24:00","modified_gmt":"2020-09-18T16:24:00","slug":"attention-to-mental-health-is-thrust-of-ous-latest-online-short-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/around-ou\/university-news\/attention-to-mental-health-is-thrust-of-ous-latest-online-short-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Attention to mental health is thrust of OU\u2019s latest online short course"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The latest in a suite of short online courses to help get learning and teaching online has been launched by The Open University (OU) on its FutureLearn platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum<\/a> <\/em><\/strong>follows hot on the heels of two earlier short accredited courses \u2013 called microcredentials \u2013 by the OU which respond and support the hasty pivot to go online taken by individual educators, trainers and learning institutions around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designed by Open University global experts, and endorsed by The Mental Health Foundation, the course will equip learners with skills in designing teaching, learning and assessment activities to meet the needs of learners experiencing issues such as low self-esteem, stress, anxiety, social anxiety and feelings of not belonging.<\/em>

Course participants will learn how to raise awareness of mental health issues through the curriculum and how to cover sensitive topics in teaching activities \u2013 helping young people develop resilience in the modern world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skills they can learn from the course include designing online learning that supports learner wellbeing, building learner communities and supporting positive relationships as well as selecting educational technologies that support mental health and identifying barriers to mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudent stress and anxiety has soured\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This Post Graduate course has a broad scope to address some of the mental health issues that have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic, including those connected with the move in some sectors to online teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Leigh-Anne Perryman, academic lead on microcredentials at the OU, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEmbedding Mental Health in the Curriculum is needed more now than ever. Student stress and anxiety has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic and educators have been struggling with new teaching methods when required to move from face-to-face to online delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis has left little time to focus on how students\u2019 mental health is affected by the curriculum. Our course looks at how educators in all sectors can make sure that their teaching and assessment activities support, rather than undermine learners\u2019 wellbeing and how supportive learner communities can be developed, both offline and online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kate Lister, content lead for the microcredential and the OU\u2019s Learning & Teaching Development Manager (Accessibility), said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCreating wellbeing strategies from the outset, and proactively embedding wellbeing in teaching and learning, is essential for student success. Research shows that barriers to mental wellbeing exist in many different aspects of learning, and that even small things can have a critical impact on student mental wellbeing and study success. However, if learning is designed with wellbeing in mind, it can be a positive and transformative experience for students\u2019 mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Courses can be done in tandem or individually<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 15-credit course covers both face-to-face and online teaching and will be of benefit to those already in careers in schools (particularly secondary education), <\/em>universities, colleges or adult learning or those looking to begin a career in these settings, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n