Course Description

The teacher and the pupils

• Documentation of teaching practice experiences
• The school’s role as part of children and young people’s cultural and developmental environment

The teachers and the school as an organisation

• The Norwegian inclusive state school system ( enhetsskolen)
• Leadership and organisational development
• Evaluation
• Home-school cooperation and locally-adapted teaching

The teacher and society

Cultural diversity and ethnicity

The school as part of the local, national and global culture

Central aspects of school history

Ethical reflection

The study of theories and concepts with reference to the syllabus literature

• School, society and culture (2 ECTS)

Basic pedagogical problems, practical and aesthetic educational aspects and school history

• The school as an organisation (2 ECTS)

The Norwegian school system, school in the local community, other cultural institutions, organisational theory, and the school in an international perspective

• Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, self-study, study groups and written documentation

Preparation of learning material related to the teaching practice

• School, society and culture (2 ECTS)

Practice assignments, discussion assignments, and seminar presentations

• The school as an organisation (2 ECTS)

Practice assignments, discussion assignments, and seminar presentations

• Interdisciplinary project work (7 ECTS)
• Teaching and learning methods

Group work, written and oral documentation, fieldwork and observation, and interdisciplinary project work

Students will be required to participate in the study groups and to submit a report. During the course of the second year, students will carry out an interdisciplinary project. This course in pedagogy will contribute to forming a basis for this work.

The work on the project, which comprises 25 pages, is calculated to take up two weeks. The work should be carried out in groups, chosen by the students themselves. The problem approach for the project must be approved by the subject teacher before work commences on the project. Through their work on the project, students will show that they are capable of gaining an overview of recent knowledge within the field on which they have focused. This will involve active use of ICT and academic journals.

Assessment Methods

Assessment of the first year of study

During the first year of study, students will be assessed 4 times on the basis of 3 obligatory assignments and an individual written examination.

Autumn semester:

Students must submit an obligatory assignment which will be assessed pass/fail, and a written assignment which counts for 25% of the course, Pedagogy (7.5 ECTS).

One of the assignments will primarily be related to the teaching practice.

Spring semester:

One of the assignments will be related to the joint-subject theoretical topic for the aesthetic dimension. The assignment may be concluded with a practical oral examination in groups related to didactics and practice.. The assignment will be assessed as pass/fail.

There is also an individual written examination (6 hours), which counts for 30% of the total grade for pedagogy (7.5 ECTS). The written examination may be taken online via the Internet.

The total grade for pedagogy is awarded at the end of the second year of study, and the grade for each year of study counts for 50% of the total grade for the course.

Please refer to Telemark University College’s examination regulations for further information.

Assessment of the second year of study

During the second of study, students will be assessed 3 times on the basis of obligatory work, an interdisciplinary project and a final examination.

Autumn semester:

The student is required to present an obligatory assignment in the form of a written, oral or visual presentation. A final comment on the work will be given. This assignment is assessed as pass/fail.

Autumn and spring semesters:

Students will carry out a interdisciplinary project in groups related to the teaching practice. Groups will write reports of up to 10 pages which will be assessed as pass/fail. In connection with the interdisciplinary project an individual reflective comment will be written based on the theme chosen and which will be assessed by a graded mark which counts for 25% of the total grade for the subject. The course, Pedagogy, concludes with an individual written examination (6 hours), which is assessed with a graded mark which counts for 25% of the total grade. The final examination on Pedagogy may be taken online, via the Internet.

Final assessment

The final assessment includes all the obligatory assignments and examinations in the first and second years of study. The marks for all of the examinations that have been assessed for Pedagogy will be included on the diploma.

The total grade for the course is awarded at the end of the second year of study, and the grade for each year of study counts for 50% of the total grade for the course.

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