Course Description

Introduction

Human beings are designed for movement. Small children develop quickly and we stimulate them to exploit their potential. They first learn to crawl diagonally, then they learn to stand, and it’s not long before they take their first hesitant steps. Crawling, hopping, jumping and running are basic human skills that are important to a child’s overall development. We encourage children to develop their movement skills, and we think it is a fine thing when children are active and strongly coordinated. Then the child starts school and is systematically taught to sit still. Children with a great need of movement, or who greatly enjoy movement, are tamed and learn discipline. Some children do not learn this discipline and become a ‘problem’ in the discipline-oriented school; others learn it all too quickly and become physically inactive; others manage to combine the joy of participating in movement activities, while managing to adhere to periods of inactivity. Once a child has learnt to sit still, it is not unusual to regard them as being listless. Why are young people so inactive we may ask? We have taught them to be this way. We have not listened to the child and what he/she is ready for, or to what opportunities for movement development young people really want.

Of course, reality is more nuanced than the above description, but the paradoxes inherent in such a description are nevertheless of great relevance. Physical Education as a school subject is part of a larger educational context, both in and outside of the school, and may contribute greatly to stimulating the overall development of each individual. Those of us who work within the subject field can contribute to recognising movement as a personal form of expression, playing, expressing oneself in movement and the joy of mastering challenges in free play and teamwork.

Physical Education Didactics at Telemark University College aims to relate to practice as far as possible. The practice aspect is also related to theoretical perspectives, discussion and reflection, but it is the field of practice that determines the focus of the study. If, in addition, we adopt the belief that learning is active then the students in the Physical Education Didactics course will learn to be good teachers in Physical Education through active participation in relation to practice.

Assessment Methods

A final individual grade will be awarded, where the continual assessment counts for 40% and the final examination, 60%. The 6-hour final examination will be given a lettered grade.
Continuous assessment is made on the basis of the submitted subject articles, each of which will receive a graded mark.
The subject seminar, reflection notes, and the subject didactics training assignments will be assessed as pass/fail.
All the course assignments must receive passing marks before students will be allowed to sit the final examination.
A single grade is entered on the diploma, graded from A to F, where A represents the highest grade, and E the lowest passing grade. Each part of the assessment must receive a passing grade in order for the candidate to receive a final passing grade for the course.
Please refer to Telemark University College’s examination regulations for further information.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean