Learning outcome

After successfully completing the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The candidate:

• Has a thorough grasp of the characteristic historical features of their subject, and be able to discuss and analyse specific areas
• Can explore the history of their subject in a Nordic and European perspective
• Is familiar with the research methods used to investigate historical changes within a scholarly field
• Use their knowledge of the history of their subject, as well as subject-related didactics theory and their experience, to build their own subject-related-didactics platform
• Can explain and discuss scholarly theory and methods within the context of didactics and subject-related didactics.
• Can use their knowledge of didactics and subject-related didactics in new areas within subject-related didactics
• Can formulate subject-related problems taking the particular didactic nature of their subject as their starting point

Skills

The candidate can:

• Identify, analyse and evaluate relevant sources in the history of their subject and subject-related didactics
• Analyse and apply theories and methods within the history of their subject and subject-related didactics in such a way as to gain the ability to work independently with practical and theoretical problems
• Use relevant methods within the course as a basis for independent R&D work and complete an independent and delimited research project under the guidance of, and in accordance with, norms for ethical research

General competence

The candidate can:

• Analyse subject-related, research-related and professional ethics issues relating to the topic
• Use their knowledge of the topic in other projects and assignments
• Be able to disseminate their knowledge of the topic to colleagues and to the general public
• Contribute to innovative thinking concerning this discipline

Course Description

The joint course of subject-related didactics considers the theory and practice of subject-related didactics in the context of different disciplinary traditions. One objective of the course is for students to gain a thorough knowledge of the traditions and historical perspectives that contribute to creating a subject, such that the candidates themselves as teachers are able to position themselves independently in relation to the history of their subjects and changes in, and their experiences of, subject-related didactics. Another objective is for students to appreciate the connection between general didactic theory and subject-specific didactic theory. A further important goal is to define, theorize about and debate subject-related didactics such that students can analyse the connections between theoretical thinking and practical teaching activities. The course subject didactics consists of two parts, one general didactic part and one subject-specific didactic part. In the general didactics part, the various didactic perspectives will be discussed, among other things, based on the trends in Anglo-American and German didactics. The subject-specific didactics will be discussed in relation to the general didactics, and in relation to abstract elements, such as education.

The material in subject didactics focuses on three thematic areas: pedagogical texts / educational resources / curricula; history – awareness, education, texts; and the multicultural society. These themes will be examined through contributions from the disciplines of Norwegian, social studies and English.

Subject Didactics concerns how the discipline has evolved as a school subject and and an academic subject, and how the relationship has been, and currently is, between these two areas. Key elements are an analysis of the history of ideas and political processes that create subject-historical changes, an analysis of the actual changes and the subject didactics’ consequences of these changes.

An important perspective is the subject-historical knowledge in a subject didactics debate and context. Included in this debate are the Nordic and European perspectives.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course includes lectures, seminars and guidance, either individually or in groups. The course requires a high degree of active participation by the students. The student will receive tasks involving initiating seminar discussions and being an opponent in discussions. The student will also complete a specialization assignment with a self-selected topic, and will select a specialization assignment from one of the three thematic parts.

Assessment Methods

Two course requirements will be specified in the semester plan, which will be assessed as pass / fail; passing marks are a prerequisite for final assessment.

The final assessment consists of a specialization assignment that will be graded (40% of the final grade), and an oral exam that will also be graded (60% of the final grade).

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