EPN-V2

BLH3270 Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods
Study programme
Bachelor Programme in Early Childhood Education and Care - Web- and Campus-based
Bachelor Programme in Early Childhood Education and Care
Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods
Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods
Weight
20.0 ECTS
Year of study
2020/2021
Course history

Introduction

The Nordic countries have a long tradition for outdoor education. The academic course in Childhood in a Nordic Perspective, have focus on play - movement, and experimental work related to a variety of environments in educational context. The course will treat the topics both theoretically and practically.Central in the course is self-experiences from acting, moving and living in nature. Field trips and hiking tours are embedded.

The course content is based on the two disciplines Natural science and Physical education. With kindergartens and schools as the target area, the course seeks to give insight in and competency in out-door education, play and movement and how to organize didactic courses and activities for children. Furthermore, the students will have to compare the achieved knowledge to the pedagogical traditions in own country.

Joint events with the other Nordic Childhoods courses are integrated, as overnight trips and outdoor excursions. The courses focus on play, learning by doing, experience and workshops and also visit schools, kindergartens and other institutions.

Recommended preliminary courses

A candidate who has completed his or her qualification should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

  • has advanced knowledge of the Nordic welfare model and similarities and differences between the Nordic welfare states
  • has advanced knowledge of how social policy in the Nordic countries is interlinked with labour market policy and labour market performance and regulation
  • has advanced knowledge of key concepts in the theory and comparative analysis of social welfare policies
  • has advanced knowledge of explanatory models, such as the logic of industrialism, institutional and state-centered approaches, and power resource theory and how they apply to the Nordic welfare states in particular
  • has advanced knowledge of normative perspectives on social welfare policy
  • has advanced knowledge of concepts that are relevant for assessing the outcomes of social welfare policies
  • has advanced knowledge of the challenges to mature welfare states and the Nordic welfare states from long-term megatrends, shocks and crisis.

Skills

The candidate

  • can apply relevant analytic concepts, normative perspectives and explanatory theories in the analysis of social policies
  • is able to critically assess the notion of a distinctive Nordic welfare state model
  • is able to critically assess claims about the economic and social outcomes of social policies
  • can engage in academic debates on the sensitivity of mature welfare states and the Nordic welfare states to the external shocks and structural changes they face.

General competence

The candidate

  • can critically evaluate the use of concepts and theories in academic, as well as political debates, about social policies in general, and about the Nordic welfare model in particular
  • can critically evaluate the normative foundations of Nordic welfare policies

Learning outcomes

Ingen forkunnskapskrav

Content

Students must submit a coursework requirement of 10 pages (+/-10%), Calibri 12 pt., paragraph 1.5, responding to one of a set of topics suggested by the course lecturer. The topics of the work requirement will reflect main areas of the course curriculum and lectures. The coursework requirement should be written in groups of 3-4 students. Students who are unable to participate in a group can alternatively be allowed to submit an individual paper of about five pages.

Students whose papers are not approved after the first submission will be given the chance to resubmit once. Students whose papers are not approved after two submissions will disqualify from sitting the final examination.

Teaching and learning methods

Etter fullført emne har studenten følgende læringsutbytte definert som kunnskap, ferdigheter og generell kompetanse:

Kunnskap

Studenten

  • har kunnskap om samfunnsfag som skolefag og nyere samfunnsfagdidaktikk
  • kjenner til undervisningspraksis i samfunnsfag i grunnskolen
  • har kjennskap til sentrale kilder i faget og til kritisk vurdering av disse
  • har kunnskap om internasjonal politikk og internasjonale konflikt- og samarbeidslinjer
  • har innsikt i FN-systemet og arbeid med menneskerettighetsspørsmål nasjonalt og internasjonalt
  • har innsikt i historiske, politiske, geografiske og/eller kulturelle forhold i en gitt region

Ferdigheter

Studenten

  • kan anvende faglige og fagdidaktiske kunnskaper og ferdigheter i geografi, historie og samfunnskunnskap i henhold til gjeldende læreplan og kritisk vurdere egen undervisning
  • kan planlegge, lede og vurdere elevers læringsarbeid og gi læringsrettede tilbakemeldinger
  • kan bruke samfunnsfaglige kilder og materiale i arbeidet med utvikling av elevenes grunnleggende ferdigheter
  • kan arbeide med samfunnsverdier og holdninger i grunnskolens samfunnsfag
  • kan kritisk vurdere lærebøker og andre læremidler til bruk i opplæringen
  • kan legge til rette for opplæring om samfunnsforhold i et flerkulturelt perspektiv med vekt på menneskerettigheter og demokratiske prinsipper

Generell kompetanse

Studenten

  • kan tilrettelegge for samarbeid og konfliktløsning i arbeid med elevene
  • kan reflektere kritisk over samfunnsfaglige spørsmål og stimulere til kritisk tenkning
  • kan forstå aktuelle samfunnsforhold i et historisk perspektiv
  • kan reflektere over egen praksis og oppdatere seg faglig
  • kan kommunisere og samarbeide med barn og foresatte med ulik sosial og kulturell bakgrunn
  • har innsikt i barns og ungdoms forståelse av faget

Course requirements

The following coursework requirements must be met before the examination may be sat:

  • Carry out a one-day hike or overnight stay in the forest and an oral presentation of experiences from the hike.
  • Group work (4- 6 people): A written paper based on a subjects treated in the course in agreement with teacher. (1500- 1900 words)
  • Make a poster in groups (four to six participants) within a selected topic in agreement with teacher. The poster is then to be presented at a presentation day with the class. Each group have to give a presentation of the poster to the class (approximately 10 minutes).

Coursework requirements shall be met within fixed deadlines. Coursework requirements are evaluated Passed/Not Passed.

Coursework requirements shall be met within fixed deadlines. Valid absence documented by such as a medical certificate is not an excuse from not meeting the coursework requirements. Students who, due to illness or other valid and documented reasons, do not meet the coursework requirements within the fixed deadlines, may be given a postponed deadline. A new deadline for meeting the coursework requirements is in each case agreed upon with the relevant teacher.

Coursework requirements are evaluated Passed/Not Passed. Students who meet the coursework requirements within the fixed deadline, but are evaluated as Not Passed, shall be given the possibility to meet the coursework requirements one more time. A new deadline for meeting the coursework requirements is in each case agreed upon with the relevant teacher.

Assessment

  • Deltakelse på studietur. Studenter som ikke har anledning til å delta på studietur skal i stedet for deltakelse skrive en oppgave knyttet til det faglige innholdet i studieturen. Krav til og kriterier for godkjenning av denne oppgaven avtales med faglærer. Oppgaven skal være på 2000-3000 ord og forutsetter omlag fire dagsverks arbeid mens studieturen pågår.
  • Muntlig presentasjon. Hvordan kan aktuelle nyheter brukes i klasserommet?

Permitted exam materials and equipment

Eksamen i emne 2 består av en skriftlig komponent og en muntlig komponent. Begge komponenter må være gjennomført for at vurdering skal kunne foretas.

  • Den skriftlige komponenten: Den skriftlige komponenten er et skriftlig gruppearbeid på 6000-8000 ord knyttet til studietur. Nærmere beskrivelse av gruppens arbeidsoppgaver og gruppearbeidets innhold vil framkomme i undervisningsplanen. Studenter som ikke kan delta på studieturen får en tilpasset oppgave.
  • Den muntlige komponenten: Den muntlige komponenten er en individuell muntlig eksamen knyttet til de skriftlige oppgavene. Eksamen avholdes etter innlevering av de skriftlige gruppeoppgavene.

Nærmere kriterier for presentasjon og vurdering av skriftlig oppgave og vurderingskriterier for muntlig eksamen blir utformet i samarbeid med studentene. Frister for publisering, tilbakemeldinger, innlevering og presentasjon framgår av semesterplanen som studentene får ved studiestart.

Av praktiske hensyn vil gruppearbeidet kunne gjennomføres som et individuelt arbeid ved ny/utsatt eksamen.

Grading scale

This course introduces students to the Nordic welfare model and the most important concepts, theories, and debates within the field of comparative social welfare with a particular focus on the notion of a Nordic welfare model.

The course will be centered around the following issues: The Nordic model’s basic features, such as welfare rights, industrial relations and labour market regulations, and its basis, such as solidarity, democracy, equality, trust, and high levels of labour force participation. How can we conceptualize and measure variation in welfare states, and what (if any) are the common distinctive features of the Nordic welfare states? How do the Nordic welfare states perform in comparison with other advanced welfare states with respect to economic and social outcomes? How and why have the Nordic welfare states evolved historically? In what sense and to what extent is the experiences of Nordic welfare states relevant for policy debates and developments outside of the Nordic realm?

Examiners

None.

Admission requirements

The course is based on lectures, assigned literature, and group assignments (midterm papers). Students are expected to read the course literature and to actively participate in the lectures.