A827: Early Childhood Development in Global Contexts

Global estimates suggest that 250 million children under the age of five are at risk of failing to meet their developmental potential. Amidst the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, these numbers are likely to be even higher. Nevertheless, culturally sensitive interventions to promote early childhood development (ECD) are not widely integrated or prioritized in health and education platforms. This interdisciplinary course introduces students to core concepts in ECD, cross-cultural theory, contexts of risk and protection, and early intervention and policy. Course meetings will combine lectures, interviews with global experts, and small-group discussion to equip students with the knowledge and skills to appropriately design, plan, evaluate, and appraise sensitive and specific ECD programming in a post-COVID world. In particular, the course will introduce students to foundational topics in education and public health – including theories of change, implementation research methods, and the ethics of intervention and cross-cultural work – while supporting the application of these topics to real-world interventions for young children.