Sample module-themed coursework with Sesame Street examples

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  Depression and Anxiety

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will explore many aspects of depression and anxiety and how individuals with these disorders are affected by them throughout their development. Students will use topical readings and videos from Sesame Street and other media sources to learn about risk and protective factors, symptoms, and treatment of depression and anxiety. Students will also explore the impacts of parental depression and anxiety in addition to children's understanding and experience with these disorders. Students will participate in activities and discussions that broaden their understanding of how these disorders can impact children and adolescents and analyze these disorders' effects on their social and cognitive development.

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  Health

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will investigate the topic of health among children and adolescents, providing an overview of lifestyle factors that impact one’s health, including socioeconomic status, familial involvement, and health programming led by institutions such as public schools. Students will use topical readings and video clips from Sesame Street and other media sources to analyze numerous aspects of young people’s health and methods of health education.

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  Bullying and Victimization

  Jill M. Swirsky Ph.D.

  In this module, students will discuss concepts related to bullying and victimization. Using clips from Sesame Street, students will consider what it means to be a bully, victim, and bystander, as well as how teachers, parents, and educators can intervene. Additionally, this module will help students think critically about some of the potential impacts of bullying and victimization on development across the lifespan.

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  Peer Relationships & Friendship

  Jill M. Swirsky Ph.D.

  In this module, students will discuss some of the important factors surrounding peer relationships and friendships. What does it mean to be a friend? How can we teach children to resolve conflict in friendships? How can peer pressure influence behavior? Using clips from Sesame Street and other children’s media, students will consider these, and related, questions about the power of peers.

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  Homelessness

  Emily F. Coyle Ph.D.

  In this module, students will learn about the impact of homelessness and housing insecurity on child development. This topic is large, and instructors may consider focusing the scope on a particular arena of child development (e.g., academic vs. psychosocial outcomes). Students will learn about which children are at risk for experiencing homelessness and why, as well as the effect of experiencing homelessness on particular aspects of child development. Students will consider the value of including examples of those experiencing homelessness in child-directed media, such as Sesame Street.

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  Gender Development

  Emily F. Coyle Ph.D. and Erica Weisgram Ph.D.

  In this module, students will learn about the development of gender role and identity, and gender stereotyping in child development. Materials include an emphasis on major theories of gender development as well as contemporary research in gender diversity including transgender child development. Students will learn how Sesame Street addresses issues around gender stereotyping and gender diversity.

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  Body Image

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will explore the concept of body image and the attitudes of today’s children, adolescents, and young adults towards their bodies. Through topical readings and video clips from Sesame Street and other media sources, students will examine external factors influencing the development of body image, such as societal expectations and social media, as well as the consequences to mental and physical health that result from maintaining a poor perception of one’s body. Students will investigate how positive body image may be cultivated among children and young people, and the techniques necessary to do so effectively.

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  Divorce

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will provide an overview of parental divorce, as well as its impact on children and the family structure. Students will use topical readings and Sesame Street video clips to learn about the impact of divorce on children (e.g. academic, emotional, social), as well as factors that influence postdivorce outcomes (e.g., race/ethnicity, parenting styles, changes in family structure, availability of noncustodial parent).

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  Identity

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will explore the various ways in which people form and perceive their identity. Students will use topical readings and Sesame Street video clips to learn how identity is formed, what identities are most recognized in oneself, and how other people can influence change in identities (parents, friends, culture). Students will participate in activities about their own identities as well as develop activities for others.

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  Bullying and Victimization

  Jill M. Swirsky Ph.D.

  In this module, students will discuss concepts related to bullying and victimization. Using clips from Sesame Street, students will consider what it means to be a bully, victim, and bystander, as well as how teachers, parents, and educators can intervene. Additionally, this module will help students think critically about some of the potential impacts of bullying and victimization on development across the lifespan.

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  Peer Relationships & Friendship

  Jill M. Swirsky Ph.D.

  In this module, students will discuss some of the important factors surrounding peer relationships and friendships. What does it mean to be a friend? How can we teach children to resolve conflict in friendships? How can peer pressure influence behavior? Using clips from Sesame Street and other children’s media, students will consider these, and related, questions about the power of peers.

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  History of Sesame Street

  Erica Weisgram Ph.D.

  In this module, students will learn the history of Sesame Street in order to provide important context for other modules. Students will learn about the goals of the program as it was developed and some of the key players that conceptualized Sesame Street and brought it to production. Students will also begin to investigate the role of developmental psychology and research in the development of the program.

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  Research Methods

  Erica Weisgram Ph.D.

  This module will explore the role of psychological research in the development of Sesame Street. Specifically, this module will look at the history of research in the development of the series, the process that is used in the development of the season, the formative research that is conducted, and the summative research that is conducted. Case studies of research conducted on the impact of Sesame Street on children’s development.

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  Fine and gross motor (physical domain)

  Kathy R. Doody Ph.D.

  This module will provide an overview of the physical domain in early childhood, specifically, fine motor(small muscles such as those found in the hands and fingers) and gross motor (large muscles such as those found in arms, legs,and core) and its development. The module will also provide insight into how Sesame Street has stressed the importance of physical activity to young children, as well as how they have provided age appropriate activities,songs, and video segments to teach fine and gross motor skill development.

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  School Readiness (behavior)

  Kathy R. Doody Ph.D.

  This module will provide an overview of the social-emotional and adaptive skills required for kindergarten success. The module will also provide insight into how Sesame Street has prepared children for their first days of preschool or kindergarten and all that entails: following the rules, playing with others, taking turns, etc.

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  Sesame Street Seminar – Academic Readiness

  Kathy R. Doody Ph.D

  This module will provide an overview of the social-emotional and adaptive skills required for kindergarten success. The module will also provide insight into how Sesame Street has prepared children for their first days of preschool or kindergarten and all that entails: following the rules, playing with others, taking turns, etc.

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  Sesame Street Seminar – Autism Spectrum Disorders

  Kathy R. Doody Ph.D

  This module will provide an overview of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The module will also provide insight into how Sesame Street has raised awareness and acceptance of ASD through a Muppet named Julia who is on the spectrum.

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  Cognition

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will explore various aspects of cognition, including such processes as memory, learning, attention, perception and problem-solving. Students will use topical readings and Sesame Street video clips to learn about the processes by which children acquire, integrate, and understand information about the world around them.

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  Executive Function

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will explore the various aspects of executive function (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory). Students will use topical readings and Sesame Street video clips to explore how executive function develops throughout childhood and adolescence, common methods for studying executive function (e.g., Stroop task, marshmallow task), and techniques that parents and teachers can use to help children develop executive function skills.

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  Language Development

  Susan Geffen Ph.D.

  This module will explore the various aspects of language development (phonetics, syntax,semantics and pragmatics). Using topical readings and clips from Sesame Street, students will consider the steps involved in learning language (e.g., learning word-object pairings), cues available in daily language, and techniques that parents and teachers can use to help children acquire language.

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  Incarceration

  Pamela Schuetze Ph.D.

  In this module, students will consider how having an incarcerated parent impacts children. Using clips from Sesame Street, students will consider how children cope with and understand having an incarcerated parent. Students will also how having an incarcerated parenting impacts socioemotional development.

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  International Conflict

  Pamela Schuetze Ph.D.

  In this module, students will consider how international conflict and associated traumas impact children.Using clips from versions of Sesame Street that air in countries experiencing violence and other children’s media, students will consider the impact of violence/trauma on neurological, cognitive and socioemotional functioning.

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  Parenting

  Pamela Schuetze Ph.D.

  In this module, students will consider various aspects of parenting impact children. Using clips from Sesame Street, students will consider how parenting decisions and communication may impact child development. Students will also explore parenting resources developed by Sesame Worksheet to support and educate the parents of young children.

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  Death & Dying

  Jill M. Swirsky Ph.D

  In this module, students will consider how to discuss the difficult topic of death and dying with children. Using clips from Sesame Street and other children’s media, students will consider children’s cognitive capacity related to their ability to understand the concept of death. They will also learn about the role of parents in using children’s media as a teaching tool.

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  Social-Emotional development

  Lisa Timmons Ph.D.

  In this module, students will consider the importance of fostering social and emotional skills (e.g., emotion regulation, how to positively initiate and maintain interactions with others) in early childhood and beyond. Students will discuss strategies used to teach social and emotional skills which can be used by parents, teachers, or other child development professionals. Students will specifically reflect on the potential value and impact of focusing on social and emotional skills in child-targeted media, such as Sesame Street.