One Health: Life Interconnected from edX

Are you interested in understanding how global climate change will alter human society, animal health, and the environment? Are you curious about how these three things are interconnected?

This course focuses on what is happening right now in the Arctic, where climate change is accelerating twice as fast as the rest of the world. Understanding how Arctic ecosystems are adapting and collapsing can give us insight into future changes across the globe. While this course is focused on the Arctic, the principles and concepts in this course can be applied anywhere in the world.

Finding deep solutions to new challenges caused by climate change can’t be accomplished using only traditional fields of science, such as medicine or biology.

Addressing these issues effectively requires a novel approach, one that integrates knowledge across disciplines and cultures and recognizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. This concept, always central to the Indigenous worldview, has recently been recognized in Western science as One Health.

One Health was originally developed as a means of understanding how zoonotic diseases, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, arise.

Between 65% and 70% of emerging diseases in humans are of zoonotic origin. The way we impact our environment and how this influences human-animal interactions play a significant role in how these diseases develop and spread.
Health is more than the absence of disease and can be defined as a state of well-being for individuals and their communities. Under this definition, well-being encompasses physical, mental, behavioral, cultural, and spiritual health.
Applying this holistic approach to the One Health paradigm allows us to bring in expertise across natural and social sciences and connect Western science with traditional Indigenous ways of knowing.
Such a broad and deep integration of knowledge and experience provides opportunities for understanding large issues like food safety, security, and sovereignty at their roots, and for engaging stakeholders to build effective solutions.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Students who complete this course will:
Have a solid understanding of the one health concept
Be able to identify how one health can provide a lens through which to view a variety of challenging situations in human, animal, and environmental health
Explain how the one health approach can lead to sustainable solutions to critical issues facing communities in the circumpolar north and beyond
Students will also:

Explain the one health paradigm with a focus on the circumpolar north and global applications
Describe the ten thousand-year history of one health
Explore interrelationships between human, animal, and environmental health
Provide examples of challenges best addressed through the one health paradigm
Describe how traditional ways of knowing and western science can be used together to understand and manage one health issues

Students who complete this course will:
Have a solid understanding of the one health concept
Be able to identify how one health can provide a lens through which to view a variety of challenging situations in human, animal, and environmental health
Explain how the one health approach can lead to sustainable solutions to critical issues facing communities in the circumpolar north and beyond
Students will also:
Explain the one health paradigm with a focus on the circumpolar north and global applications
Describe the ten thousand-year history of one health
Explore interrelationships between human, animal, and environmental health
Provide examples of challenges best addressed through the one health paradigm
Describe how traditional ways of knowing and western science can be used together to understand and manage one health issues

Syllabus

Week 2: Human Health and Animal Health

Animal Health Introduction

Why Animal Health Matters

Week 1: One Health Overview

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops knowledge of One Health and how it can solve challenges for communities around the world

Engages with the ten thousand-year history of One Health

Expands knowledge of the interdependence of health among humans, animals, and the environment

Explores ways that Western science and Traditional Indigenous knowledge can come together to solve real-world problems

Includes examples of issues that are best addressed through the One Health concept

Taught by multiple instructors whose expertise encompasses multiple disciplines

Reviews summary

One health: a holistic global perspective

According to learners, this course provides a solid understanding of the One Health concept, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Many find the inclusion of Indigenous worldviews and the specific focus on the Arctic particularly unique and enriching. While praised as an excellent introduction to complex global challenges like climate change and zoonotic diseases, some indicate it offers a high-level overview and could benefit from more in-depth coverage or updated resources. Overall, it's a thought-provoking and foundational course for holistic planetary well-being.

Addresses highly relevant global issues like climate change.

"Absolutely fascinating! The course does an excellent job of explaining the interconnectedness of all life."

"Engaging and thought-provoking. I learned a lot about the interdependencies."

"It truly reinforces how interconnected everything is, especially in light of current global challenges."

Incorporates crucial Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.

"The Indigenous worldview module was a standout – very unique and enriching."

"The discussions on Indigenous knowledge were particularly valuable, offering a perspective often missing in Western scientific discourse."

"I appreciated the strong integration of traditional ways of knowing into the One Health framework."

Provides a solid introduction to the One Health concept.

"This course provided a truly eye-opening perspective on global health challenges. The integration of human, animal, and environmental health..."

"A good introductory course to One Health. It covers a lot of ground, from climate change to zoonotic diseases."

"The One Health concept is clearly explained, and the course makes a strong case for its importance."

Some materials could benefit from contemporary updates.

"Some older links could use updating, but overall, a solid experience."

"I did feel some parts could have used more up-to-date case studies to reflect current global challenges more directly."

"My only minor critique is that some of the readings felt a bit dated, but the core concepts remain highly relevant."

Offers broad coverage, but some desire more depth.

"The content felt a bit high-level at times, making me want to dive deeper into specific areas..."

"I found this course somewhat basic. For someone with a science background, it felt like a lot of general knowledge..."

"While the breadth is good, I was hoping for more depth in certain areas like policy implications or specific disease prevention strategies."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in One Health: Life Interconnected with these activities:

Discuss environmental health

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Refresh foundational understanding of Environmental Health concepts and vocabulary. This will lay a solid base for the concepts that will be covered in the class.

Browse courses on Environmental Health

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Identify key concepts in Environmental Health
Research different aspects of Environmental Health
Summarize your findings

Research Arctic ecosystems

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Conduct your own research on Arctic ecosystems to gain a deeper understanding of their unique characteristics and challenges.

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Identify reputable resources on Arctic ecosystems.
Read and synthesize information from various sources.
Create a presentation or report to summarize your findings.

Practice Understanding the One Health Concept

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Completing these drills may help to solidify the complexity and history of the One Health Concept.

Browse courses on One Health

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Read through and complete the practice drills for the One Health Concept
Review the One Health Concepts Resources
Complete the practice drills on the history of the One Health Concept

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Career center

Learners who complete One Health: Life Interconnected will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

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One Health

Life Interconnected

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Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

One health: a holistic global perspective

Activities

Career center

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