*AH-125
The Science of Learning Behavior and Health: Implications for Early-Childhood Policy
(Formerly titled The Science of Learning, Behavior, and Health: Implications for Social Policy)
Jack P. Shonkoff
This course will conduct a critical examination of the relation between the science of early-childhood development and the formulation of social policies focused on young children and their families. Drawing on research from the biological, behavioral, and social sciences, students will learn about how interactions between early life experiences and genetics shape brain architecture and influence the maturation of biological systems that affect learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health well into the adult years. This knowledge base will be used as a vehicle for greater understanding of how adversity related to poverty, maltreatment, and discrimination “gets under the skin” and leads to disparities in both health and educational outcomes. The course will then focus on how a greater understanding of the causal mechanisms that explain disparities in educational achievement, economic productivity, and physical and mental well-being can be used to inform more effective policies for young children. The course is designed for both master's and doctoral students from across the University, as well as a limited number of undergraduates, who are interested in issues related to the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of science-based policies related to the education and health of young children. Students will be expected to actively participate in class and on-line discussions. Permission of the instructor is required. The class will meet at HGSE through March 11 and at HSPH for the remainder of the semester.
This course is also offered by the Harvard School of Public Health as SHH-299.
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(Some resources on the course Web site may require a Harvard PIN number)