EPN-V2

PHUV9480 Contemporary Research in Nordic Early Childhood Education and Care Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Nyere barnehageforskning i et nordisk perspektiv
Study programme
PhD Programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education
Weight
5.0 ECTS
Year of study
2024/2025
Curriculum
SPRING 2025
Schedule
Programme description
Course history

Introduction

This course will describe historical, political and pedagogical ideas in the Nordic welfare model for kindergarten and explore their ramifications within the broader international debates of early childhood education and care (ECEC). The course will provide a theoretical overview and analytical competence and contribute to academic concentration and depth through its focus on research methodology. In this way, the course will strengthen the candidate’s knowledge base for working on his or her thesis and provide sufficient breadth for future research in ECEC.

Teaching language: English (Norwegian, depending on the language of the participants).

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student will have acquired the following learning outcomes, defined as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

  • is in the forefront of knowledge about the body of Norwegian and Nordic ECEC research
  • has methodological insights into research in early childhood education and can evaluate how different epistemological and methodological positions influence that research
  • has state-of the art knowledge of tendencies and critical topics in Nordic and international research in the field

Skills

The student

  • can identify problems and challenges in the field and formulate research questions
  • can analyse different empirical and theoretical approaches to research in ECEC and the relations between them
  • can provide academic texts and presentations demonstrating epistemological and methodological insights

General competence

The student

  • can document the ability to identify new research areas in early childhood education
  • can position his or her project within the field of ECEC research

Content

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

Teaching and learning methods

The working methods include lectures, discussions, practical workshops and student presentations. Candidates are expected to participate actively in all teaching activities, including presenting their projects. The course will mainly be taught digitally, except for one in-person meeting that will be arranged at OsloMet.

Throughout the course, PhD candidates will work on co-creating a map of historical and geographical ECEC discourses found in the Nordic ECEC literature and policy documents.

Course requirements

Students must participate in a three-hour peer session in which they present and discuss their individual maps in order to co-create a map of the research.

Assessment

The examination consists of an oral conference presentation (panel contribution, round table contribution, poster or single paper presentation), including a hand-out and a discussion. Duration of the presentation: 15 minutes. The hand-out must be no more than two A4 pages, not counting references. Duration of the discussion: 20 minutes. In sum, the presentation, hand-out and discussion must be based on relevant research literature and relate to the candidate’s PhD work.

New and postponed examination

In case of a failed exam/valid absence, the candidate may have a new exam under the same conditions when a new/postponed exam is arranged.

Permitted exam materials and equipment

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for referencing sources are followed.

Grading scale

The grades are pass or fail.

Examiners

Two internal examiners will assess the exams.

Admission requirements

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.