Introduction

The General Teacher Education – Years 5-10 study programme is aimed at students wishing to teach pupils in the lower secondary school. It is suitable for those who enjoy working with young people and who want to specialise in key school subjects.

A professional education is characterised by the fact that in addition to theoretical knowledge, practical skills are also required. The theory, practical training and subject didactics in each course focus on the challenges that characterise teaching Years 5-10 in the lower secondary school. During their four years of study, students will experience a total of 100 days of practical training with supervision.

The online study programme may be taken either full-time over four years or part-time over five years.

The study programme includes regular teaching days each week. The teaching takes place via videoconferences in real time and alternates between lectures, seminars and tutorials. The study programme includes compulsory workshops at the college.

The content and structure of the study programme are specified in the Curriculum Regulations for General Teacher Education for Years 1-7 and Years 5-10, and in the National Guidelines for General Teacher Education for Years 5 - 10. The study programme consists of compulsory and elective courses.

A police certificate of good conduct must be presented at the beginning of the study programme. A confidentiality statement form and declaration form for tuberculosis must also be submitted at the college information desk as soon as possible after the beginning of the first semester.

Target Group and Admission Requirements

General admission requirements/prior experiential learning, minimum 35 school points and a minimum grade 3 in mathematics and Norwegian.

Aim of the Programme

After completing the study programme, the student will have gained the necessary teaching qualification to work in lower secondary school Years 5-10.

This teaching qualification will also qualify candidates to seek positions in information services and training activities. After the 3rd year of study, students may apply for admission to various Master’s degree study programmes, depending on their choice of subject.

Learning outcome

Candidates who have completed the General Teacher Education – Years 5-10 study programme will have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence.

Learning outcomes for candidates in Years 5-10:

The candidate:

- Has solid academic and didactic knowledge of the study programme subjects, and knowledge of them as school subjects

- Has knowledge of working with developing pupils’ basic skills in oral expression, reading, written expression, arithmetic and technology-based tools in and across disciplines

- Can facilitate progress in the basic skills adapted to Years 5-10

- Has knowledge of the overall educational process, with emphasis on the transition from primary level to lower and upper secondary level

Common learning outcomes for candidates in both General Teacher Education study programmes:

Knowledge

The candidate has knowledge of:

- The school and the teaching profession’s unique character, history, development, and place in society

- The legal system, including the school’s purpose, values, curricula and the various rights of pupils

- Curriculum work and the school as an organisation

- Children’s education, development and education in different social, multicultural and multilingual contexts

- Classroom management and environment and the development of good relations with and between pupils

- The importance of and necessary conditions for good communication and cooperation between school and home

- A wide repertoire of teaching and learning methods, learning resources and learning contexts and knowledge of the relationship between objectives, content, teaching and learning methods, assessment and individual pupils’ abilities

- Children’s and adolescent’s developmental environments, equality and the importance of identity

- Children in difficult situations and children’s rights in national and international perspectives

- National and international research and development relevant to the teaching profession

Skills

The candidate can:

- Independently and in collaboration with others plan, implement and reflect on teaching in and across disciplines, based on research and experience-based knowledge

- Facilitate and lead good and creative learning environments

- Facilitate pupils’ aesthetic expression, experience and knowledge

- Adapt instruction to pupils of different abilities and aptitudes, interests and socio-cultural backgrounds; motivate pupils to learn through clarifying learning goals and using diverse teaching and learning methods so that pupils can achieve objectives

- Assess and document pupils’ learning and development in relation to objectives; provide feedback that promotes learning and help pupils to assess their own learning

- Understand the societal perspectives related to technology and media development (safe use, privacy, freedom of expression) and help children and adolescents to develop a reflective approach to digital media and tools

- Critically reflect on his/her own and the school’s practice in the further development of the teacher’s role and professional ethics

- Master oral Norwegian, and written forms, both Bokmål and Nynorsk, and can use language in a skilled manner in a professional context

- Evaluate and use relevant research results and independently conduct systematic development work

- Cooperate with parents and professional agencies to identify pupils’ needs and take appropriate action

- Facilitate the development of skills in entrepreneurship and include the local community in educational activities through outreach to work places and through general cultural involvement in the community

- Demonstrate a good understanding of global issues and sustainable development

General competence

The candidate can:

- Contribute to the professional learning community with a view to further development of good practices and professional ethics

- Stimulate understanding of democracy, democratic participation and critical reflection adapted to the various year levels

- Help to strengthen the international and multicultural dimensions of working in schools and contribute to an understanding of the status of the Sami as an indigenous people

- Identify his/her own learning and skills’ needs in relation to the teaching profession

- Demonstrate change and development expertise as the basis for meeting the school of the future

Curriculum and structure

The General Teacher Education - Years 5-10 study programme comprises 240 ECTS. The programme normally comprises three teaching subjects, each constituting 60 ECTS. Pedagogy in Teacher Education (60 ECTS) is a compulsory subject.

The table below shows the structure of the study programme for the current academic year.

The following subjects are compulsory 1st and 2nd year of study: Norwegian or Mathematics 60 ECTS and Pedagogy in Teacher Education (PEL). Students attending the full-time study programme will select one elective course in both 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, so that they have two teaching subjects constituting 60 ECTS each. Students following the part-time study programme will select one elective course the 3rd year, and continue this the 4th. In 4th year the students may also select one teaching subject comprising 60 ECTS or one teaching subject comprising 30 ECTS and one course that is relevant to teaching in schools comprising 30 ECTS.

Internationalization

Students may apply to enrol on student exchange programmes in the 6^th semester.

The Faculty of Art, Norwegian Folk Culture & Teacher Education has agreements with institutions in Scandinavia, the US and Europe under the auspices of the exchange programs Socrates/Erasmus and Nordplus, which cover all disciplines; please refer to the college website www.hit.no for further information. Students can apply for scholarships to support study abroad from 1 month to 1 year. In order to be accepted on an exchange program, students must have completed at least one year of studies at college level.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Through the study programme, students will acquire the knowledge, skills and general competencies required to enable them to facilitate and guide pupils’ learning. Teachers’ knowledge is complex and includes professional, pedagogical and subject didactics-related knowledge.

Independent study plays a large role in this programme, and online communication is important for teacher-to-student and student-to-student contact. The study programme requires that students have appropriate technical equipment and access to the Internet. The students must ensure that they meet the requirements of this aspect of the study programme. The study programme also requires compulsory attendance of workshops at the college campus. This will be specified in the study programme and course descriptions, and in the semester plans for the individual courses.

To ensure that students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure good professional development, both theoretical and practical training are an integral part of teaching and learning methods in the study programme. All instruction will provide students with academic and didactic skills. The teaching and learning methods alternate between lectures, seminars, group and individual supervision on campus and in the online teaching platform Fronter, as well as work in the teaching practice schools.

Study programme requirements

The study programme includes a requirement for compulsory participation in various types of teaching, mentoring, interdisciplinary projects, training and teaching practice. This is described in the individual course descriptions and/or semester plans.

The course descriptions for the individual courses provide information regarding the various forms of examination and assessment.

The Guidelines for Obligatory Attendance in studies at the Faculty of Art, Folk Culture and Teacher Education will be valid for parts of the study programme. The student is responsible for documenting attendance in the obligatory parts of the study programme, and for keeping himself/herself informed with regard to whether he/she is in danger of falling below the minimum attendance requirement. Failure to meet the attendance requirement may result in the student not being allowed to sit the examination. This will be considered in connection with a student’s rights and responsibilities as described in Telemark University College’s examination regulations and the Norwegian Universities Act § 40 and § 46.3.

Supervision

Students will receive supervision from the tutor who will meet the student group regularly during the first years of study. In addition, students are entitled to supervision in relation to their teaching practice, individual courses, the Bachelor’s thesis and the study programme as a whole.

Student participation

Students will through class meetings, student councils and student bodies be able to contribute to renewing, changing and improving the study programme and their own learning environment. Each student is responsible for ensuring that the learning environment is a positive and informative one through active participation in teaching and learning situations.

Theory and Practical Training

The theme of the practical training corresponds to the main theme for each year of Pedagogy in Teacher Education (PEL).

All primary and lower secondary school teachers must complete at least 100 days of supervised teaching practice: A minimum of 60 days within the first two years of study and a minimum of 40 days during the last two years of study. Students must have successfully completed their teaching practice in order to have their teacher education qualification approved.

The teaching practice should progressively provide students with an introduction to various aspects of the teaching profession and provide a basis for reflection on the relationship between theory and practice.

The practical training takes place under the supervision of the mentors at the teaching practice schools.

Assessment Methods

During the course of the study programme, the student will be assessed with various types of continuous and final assessments in the form of mandatory coursework and exams. The number and type of coursework requirements and exams will vary and are described in the individual course descriptions.

Assessment is carried out in both the teaching practice schools and through theoretical and practical professional work. The academic work has varied forms of documentation, such as digital work portfolios, individual or group work, oral presentations, dramatisations, demonstrations, exhibitions and practical training assessment. The various forms of feedback will provide training in justifying, communicating and demonstrating knowledge.

The teaching and assessment methods in the study programme will help the student use the teaching practice in schools to acquire knowledge and try out theories, learn to work independently and in groups, and experience academic progress.

The teaching practice will be assessed on a pass/fail basis for each of the four years of study. The current Teaching Practice Handbook for General Teacher Education (GLU) specifies the content and implementation of the teaching practice. The following grade scale is used in the final assessment:

Suitability

The Ministry of Education has pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and Colleges (1^st April 2005 no. 15) § 4-10, sixth paragraph issued regulations concerning suitability assessment in higher education.

Suitability assessment is part of an overall assessment of the candidate’s professional, educational and personal qualifications to work as a teacher. Continuous assessment of suitability takes place throughout the study programme (cf. Regulations for Suitability, July 2006). In cases where there are grounds for doubt as to whether a student is fit, a special suitability assessment will be carried out, cf. Suitability Regulations for Higher Education.

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