EPN-V2

MAVIT4700 Food, Health and Sustainability Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Mat, helse og bærekraft
Weight
10.0 ECTS
Year of study
2024/2025
Course history
Curriculum
FALL 2024
Schedule
Programme description

  • Introduction

    Language of instruction: English (Norwegian if no English-speaking students have registered for the course)

    Food and health are central to the sustainability challenges the world faces. Food production contributes to global environmental and climate changes and to the uneven use of resources threatening food security and health in different countries. The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a joint action to eradicate poverty, fight inequality and stop climate change by 2030. Achieving the SDGs requires professionals who have knowledge of both the challenges and possible solutions locally and globally.

    In this course, students will gain insight into the SDGs, and the UN system as a leading actor in achieving the SDGs. Students will learn how different food systems and different forms of production affect the environment, food security and health. Students will further learn about how a human rights-based approach can be used to achieve the sustainability goals and how the rights to food and to health can be promoted as part of international human rights and which obligations states have.

  • Required preliminary courses

    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 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:

    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.

  • Learning outcomes

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

    Knowledge

    The student

    • can discuss the relevance of food and health in the Sustainable Development Goals
    • can analyze factors that can contribute to sustainable diets and assess sustainable diets against aspects related to nutrition and food security
    • can describe the international human rights system as part of the UN system, including the most important frameworks, with emphasis on rights to food, nutrition and health
    • can discuss facilitators and barriers related to initiatives for a sustainable diet

    Skills

    The student

    • can assess the methods used to analyse sustainability dimensions of diets and food production
    • can apply relevant frameworks to evaluate the achievement of the UN SDGs and assess the implementation of the human rights to adequate food and health

    General competence

    The student

    • can communicate why and how to use a human rights-based approach can be applied when working to achieve food and health-related sustainability goals

  • Teaching and learning methods

    All aids are permitted. However, sources must be stated in accordance with the applicable rules on source references.

  • Course requirements

    Grading scale, A-F.

    Grading will be according to the ECTS-grading scale, with A-E as pass grades and F as fail grade. Criteria for the different grades will be presented to the students at the beginning of the course.

  • Assessment

    Final assessment is graded and by one internal and one external examiners.

  • Permitted exam materials and equipment

    The language of all teaching and supervision is English, and the students should therefore have a working knowledge of both spoken and written English.

  • Grading scale

    Target group

    The course is designed to offer a study programme in English for students of Early Childhood and Primary School Teacher Education, but is also relevant for students of other professions, including museum education officers, hospital workers and social workers. The period of study is 3 months. The students may decide to prolong their length of the stay from three to four months after arrival. The language of all teaching and supervision is English, and the students should therefore have a working knowledge of both spoken and written English.

    Admission

    Applicants are admitted as international students at the Faculty of Education and International Studies. Students from other academic areas may also be accepted. Students must have completed at least one year of their undergraduate degree studies at their home institution in order to be accepted.

  • Examiners

    The course is organised as a full-time programme of study for one semester. The students are expected to work approximately 40 hours per week. The course has the following content:

    Theory

    · The differences between myths, fairy tales and legends

    · Structural theories, psychological theories, eclectic theories

    · Myths and religions

    · Psychology of importance and meaning in fairy-tales and traditional stories as cultural expressions

    · The student's own academic background, cultural identity and stories

    · Hero tales and contemporary mass media narratives

    Applications

    · Cultural exchanges

    · Excursions; museums, schools, kindergartens

    Stories as background for various artistic expressions

    · Puppet making and performing

    · Storytelling

    · Stop-motion animation

    · Dramatizing

    · Stories and music

    · Digital mediation of myths, fairy tales and legends

    Didactic perspective

    · The uses of fairy tales in education and therapy

    · Didactic reflections on the use of myths and fairy tales

    · Practical work with traditional narratives

    · Visits to schools and kindergartens

    · Literature studies/theory

    · Lectures and supervision

    · Excursions, workshops, seminars

    · Cultural exchanges/discussions

    · Individual and group papers/performances

  • Overlapping courses

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