Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of British Columbia offers a non-credit online course, Learn Mental Health Literacy, designed for teacher candidates and educators. This self-paced course consists of 7 modules, which can be completed in any order, and aims to enhance mental health literacy.

Course Description

The course is developed by education and mental health professionals and provides a foundation of mental health literacy, including effective strategies for use in educational settings and personal life. The course does not educate on diagnosing or treating mental illnesses but rather focuses on building mental health literacy.

Program Background

National surveys indicate that approximately 70% of Canadian teachers identify a need for more knowledge about mental health and mental illness. This course addresses the gap in comprehensive mental health literacy curriculum resources in most Canadian Faculties of Education.

Learning Objectives

The course aims to:

• Enhance mental health literacy of teacher candidates in Canadian Faculties of Education
• Provide classroom-congruent materials for addressing mental health literacy of students
• Identify strategies for obtaining and maintaining personal mental health

Course Format

The program is a self-paced, asynchronous online course offered on the Catalog Online platform. It consists of 7 modules:

• Module 1: Introduction & Background
• Module 2: Stigma & Mental Health
• Module 3: Human Brain Development
• Module 4: Understanding Mental Health, Mental Illness & Related Issues in Young People
• Module 5: What is Treatment?
• Module 6: Seeking Help & Providing Support
• Module 7: Caring for Students & Ourselves

Cost

Participation in the course is free, with an optional certificate of completion available for $75. Please note that all fees are non-refundable.

Verified Certificate

Participants may opt for a Verified Certificate of Completion for $75. The digital certificate is issued by the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education and partner institutions.

Time Commitment

The estimated time commitment for the course is approximately 8-10 hours, which can be completed at the participant's own pace.

Curriculum Resources

While Learn Mental Health Literacy does not provide a curriculum resource for classroom use, another MOOC, Teach Mental Health Literacy, offers a curriculum resource suitable for students aged 12 to 19.

Partnerships

The course is proudly offered in partnership by the University of British Columbia, St. Francis Xavier University, Western University, and MentalHealthLiteracy.org.