BLH3330 Fairytales and creativity - Nordic Childhoods Course description

Fairytales and Creativity is one of the courses under Nordic Childhoods. It focuses on Nordic culture where nature plays an important role in society, aesthetics and in work with children. Joint events with the other Nordic Childhoods courses are integrated, as overnight trips and outdoor excursions. We also visit schools, kindergartens and other institutions. We focus on play, learning by doing, experience and workshops.

In the Fairytales and Creativity course we ask: Why do stories appeal to modern man? In what way can stories contribute to increasing knowledge about today's cultural expressions, and about ourselves? How can we use stories in contexts relevant to different pedagogical approaches? The objective of the course is to introduce students to the storytelling tradition of Western culture and the main theories of myths and basic mythology. Important elements in the course are: the difference between myths, fairytales and legends; structural theories, psychological theories, eclectic theories; myths and religion.

The following coursework is compulsory and must be approved before the student can sit the exam:

• 8 compulsory exercises (2-4 hours per exercise)
• 1 laboratory exercise with Lab report (2 -5 pages)

After completion of the course, the student have the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

· has developed knowledge of myths, fairytales and legends

· has achieved an understanding of the content of the narratives, both the structure and motives and

the psychological ramifications

· has acquired insight into the role of oral society for the emergence of fairy tales

Skills

The student is able to

· understand how narrative patterns can be used in aesthetic productions

· work creatively with music, art, drama etc.

· create different story based performances

General competence

The student

· has developed an awareness of cultural heritage

· is able to write an individual paper on a chosen topic within the main subject of the course

· is able to use myths, fairy tales and legends in a didactic context

· can reflect on and produce authentic texts and media products aimed at authentic target groups

· can reflect on and contribute to entrepreneurship related to the course contents

A handheld calculator that cannot be used for wireless communication or to perform symbolic calculations. If the calculator's internal memory can store data, the memory must be deleted before the exam. Random checks may be carried out.

•Literature studies/theory

•Lectures and supervision

•Excursions

•Workshops

•Seminars/discussions

•Cultural exchanges and real life encounters

•Reflective journal

•Individual and group papers/performances

Four of the following individual coursework requirements must be approved. The purpose of these coursework requirements is to gain experience of storytelling, to practise creating enthusiasm for theory, to gain international experience beyond the ordinary lectures and workshops, to acquire practical skills in connection with a vocation, and to get first-hand experiences of the local context of the course.

1 Favourite story presentation (2-5 minutes)

2 Theory presentation (5-10 minutes)

3 Participation in International Week (week 43) 3-4 days of lectures and workshops

4 Practical work in connection with arts and craft classes (5 days of  workshops)

5 Participation in excursions (stipulated appr. 10 days, only 1 day's absence is acceptable)

Four of the following  group coursework requirements must be approved. The purpose of these work requirements is to gain access to experiences from peers, to learn profession specific work methods, to reflect on the relationship between theory and practice, and to assess the course activities  while reflecting on the relevance of the course activities.

1 Production of a drama (5 days of  workshop)

2 Production of radio theatre (5 days of  workshop)

3 Production of stop-motion animation (5 days of workshop)

4 Blog production (a diary that will require at least five minutes from every student every week)

5 Practical work in connection with International Week (2-6 hours of preparation)

Students who know about absence must notify the teacher. In special cases compensatory assignments can be used.

The final assessment is based on two exams. The completion of the two exams will result in one final overall grade. The final grade for the course will be calculated as the sum of the grades for the first and second part worth 60% and 40% respectively.

Part 1

The first part consists of an individual paper on a chosen topic (4000-4500 words. If the student makes a practical product, the written part only needs to be 2000 words). The individual paper should

•have an individually chosen topic and be related to the student's own experiences

•be an in-depth study of the individually chosen topic

•focus on the central parts of the course and make meaningful use of at least 3 texts from the syllabus.

The paper can

•be a purely theoretical study/analysis

•include practical studies

•test out educational ideas linked to the subject

•be a performance etc., including theoretical reflections on the choices made

•focus on the central parts of the course and make meaningful use of at least 3 texts from the syllabus.

The topic must be approved by the course leader(s).

Part 2

The second part consists of an individual product addressing an authentic target group. The student also writes a meta-text 1000-1500 words).

The product should

• have an individually chosen topic/purpose
• represent a deeper understanding of the individually chosen topic/purpose
• address an authentic target group
• be accompanied by a meta-text that argues for the choices made in the product. The text should focus on the central parts of the course and make meaningful use of at least 3 texts from the syllabus.

The topic must be approved by the course leader(s).

If a student fails the exam or is absent at the time of the exam for a valid reason, the student is entitled to resit the exam the following semester. The resit will be organised in the same manner as the ordinary exam. Students who fail the exam may submit an improved paper for the resit exam.

The regulations on resit and rescheduled exams are available in the Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet. Students must register for a resit or rescheduled exam.

Passed laboratory course in KJPE1300 General Chemistry.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge The student:

• is capable of defining and carrying out calculations of energy, work and heat
• is capable of explaining and carrying out calculations of enthalpy (H), entropy (S), and Gibbs free energy (G), for different processes
• is capable of deriving and carrying out calculations of the connection between equilibrium constants, temperature and thermodynamic values
• is capable of explaining and calculating phase equilibria/ phase diagrams
• is capable of defining and carrying out calculations of colligative properties
• is capable of deriving connections between electrochemistry and thermodynamic values
• is capable of deciding a reaction order and performing kinetic calculations
• has basic knowledge of energy and energy transfer in different systems, knowledge of colligative properties and phase equilibria
• has basic knowledge of radioactivity
• has basic knowledge of transition metal and coordination compounds

Skills The student:

• can collaborate in groups both with practical and written work
• have insight into the proper handling of chemicals on the basis of safety data sheets and from laboratory experience

General competence

The student:

• can perform thermodynamic measurements for different processes and phase transitions
• can derive some equations in thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium and phase equilibrium, electrochemistry and reaction kinetics
• can plot and outline phase diagrams
• can use Nernst equation and emf measurements in calculations
• can solve simple rate laws as differential equations and use the expressions further in calculations

The teaching is organised as lectures, exercises and demonstration of laboratory equipment

Individual written exam, 3 hours.

The exam result can be appealed.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, oral examination may be used instead of written. If oral exams are used for resit and rescheduled exams, the exam result cannot be appealed.