Special Needs Early Childhood Education Programme description

Work and teaching methods that promote the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills will be emphasised throughout the programme. Lectures, seminars, study groups, written assignments, observational practice, simulation and skills training and clinical training make up the work and teaching methods used in the programme. Some areas will not be covered by lectures or scheduled teaching activities, and students are expected to acquire this knowledge through self-study.

Study groups

In the theoretical part of the programme, the students will be split into group of up to seven students. The groups are assigned a lecturer as a supervisor. One lecturer can supervise several study groups. Working with issues and tasks in cooperation with other students is intended to support the learning of subject matter and provide training in cooperation and interaction skills, which are necessary in the professional practice. Group supervision also aims to show the connection between the organisation of the programme and their future professional practice, and is intended to facilitate the planning and evaluation of the individual and the study group's learning process. Getting the study groups to work effectively is both a learning tool and a learning goal.

Lectures

Lectures are mainly used to introduce new material and to provide an overview. Highlighting main elements, shedding light on connections and pointing out relevant issues within a topic will form the basis for the student's own learning.

Seminars

The purpose of seminars is to process subject matter and facilitate discussion between students and teaching staff. Oral dissemination is emphasised. The students shall be given the opportunity to practise their academic formulation and presentation skills. They are encouraged to express their own opinions and reflect on their own actions and attitudes.

Written assignments and the bachelor's thesis

Through written assignments and the bachelor's thesis, students will formulate research questions for assignments and work on them over time, either individually or in cooperation with other students. They will learn theory and develop skills in using and referencing sources, analysis, discussion and written and oral communication. The primary purpose of this is to develop their ability to reflect critically and search for relevant research sources, and their ability to work in an evidence-based manner.

Clinical training, observational practice and skills training are other important work and teaching methods. See the more detailed descriptions below.

Differentiation is made between clinical training, observational practice and skills training.

Clinical training

Clinical training is supervised and carried out in the ambulance service in interaction with patients and next of kin.

Clinical training makes up 45 credits and takes place in the fourth, fifth and sixth semesters of the programme. The clinical training is organised in periods of 12 weeks, (PARAPRA1), 6 weeks (PARAPRA2AB) and 9 weeks (PARAPRA2AB), respectively.

The clinical courses are intended to give the student competence in integrating theoretical and research-based knowledge with clinical knowledge. In practical situations, the student also gains knowledge of patients' and next of kin's user knowledge. The field of practice is an important qualification arena for developing action competence. Students will continuously alternate between theoretical in-depth studies, simulation and skills training at the university and clinical training in the field of practice in order to develop paramedic action competence and response skills.

Clinical training is supervised. The university's contact lecturer, practical training supervisor and student supervisor at the practical training institution collaborate on facilitating learning situations in clinical training. In addition to individual supervision, students may also be supervised in groups.

The student, in consultation with the contact lecturer at the university, the practical training supervisor or student supervisor at the practical training institution, shall define his/her own learning objectives and prepare weekly plans for each practical training course. The objectives must be in line with the learning outcomes for the programme and the learning situations at the relevant practical training institution. The students will be given a practical training document before they start the supervised clinical training. This document contains an overview of all the relevant procedures/learning situations the students are expected to get through by the end of the three practical training courses. The document also contains a midway and final assessment, and it will function as a cooperation document between the student, clinical supervisor and the university. The student updates the practical training document on a continuous basis to document the procedures/learning situations he/she has done/experienced, which documents the learning outcomes and conscious choices of learning situations.

It is the students' responsibility to actively seek supervision and be prepared for all meetings with supervisors and assessment interviews. The student must at all times comply with the rules of the institution where the practical training takes place.

Attendance at clinical training totals an average of 30 hours a week. Shifts are to be planned for these periods. Depending on the practical training institution, the student will work day, evening, night and weekend shifts during a practical training period, and he/she should, as a rule, follow the practical training supervisor's shift arrangements if relevant.

Since the students may experience traumatic and demanding situations during their practical training, procedures for debriefing personnel in the ambulance service (emotional first aid and peer support - EFOK) have been established to provide support. It is also the students' responsibility to contact the supervisor, contact lecturer or programme coordinator if they experience situations that they need help to process. The student may also be referred to university's health service. The students shall sign a consent form at the start of the programme confirming that they have been informed of the above.

Observational practice

The student must have completed up to 14 days of observational practice by the end of the programme. Observational practice is not supervised, but the student must describe and reflect on his/her experiences in a log.

Simulation and skills training

Simulation and skills training makes up a total of 15 credits, divided between all the theoretical courses except PARA1500 and PARA3900.

Skills are personal knowledge that the individual student develops through trial and own experience. This means that the students practise and reflect on skills that are important in paramedic practice. Skills training and student exercises can be carried out in the university's simulation centre/skills training facilities and in cooperating health trusts in the specialist health service.

At the start of the programme, the students must sign a document stating that they will comply with the guidelines for working in the simulation and skills centre (SF). This means, among other things, that students must be given a demonstration of all equipment before they use it.

Certificate of competence for driving emergency vehicles

Students must pass both a theoretical and a practical test in driving emergency vehicles in order to complete the programme. The students receive theoretical and practical training in groups as a separate course with a duration of approximately three weeks during the second and third years of the programme. All students must have taken the theoretical and practical tests before completing the course PARAPRA2AB in the sixth semester.

The tests are organised and assessed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. OsloMet covers expenses related to theoretical and practical examination up to three (3) times. Attempts beyond this must be paid for by the student himself. In order for the student to receive a diploma from OsloMet, the theoretical and practical test must be passed no later than one year after the student has had his third and last attempt covered by OsloMet.

Please note that students must meet the requirements stipulated in Section 6 of the emergency vehicle regulations before the start of training. Among other things, this means that the student must a) document that he/she meets the medical requirements for a category 3 driver's licence, b) have reached 20 years of age, and c) have held a class B driver's licence continuously for the past two years.

For more information about the training requirements and the practical and theoretical tests in emergency vehicle driving, reference is made to the regulations relating to training, testing and competence in driving emergency vehicles (the emergency vehicle regulations - in Norwegian only): https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2009-06-12-637

OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University has established cooperation with universities and university colleges in and outside Europe, and is a member of different academic networks. Students can apply to take parts of the programme abroad, preferably at institutions that OsloMet cooperates with. Stays abroad are normally for three to six months.

The programme uses guest lecturers from foreign cooperating institutions and the programme's own lecturers gain knowledge and experience through exchanges with the same institutions.

The whole or parts of the fourth semester are particularly suitable for exchanges. It is also possible to apply for an international exchange in PARA3900 to write the bachelor's thesis under supervision at an institution abroad.

The primary language of instruction is Norwegian, but teaching in English is offered if English-speaking students have been accepted to the course PARA2200. Exam questions in English are prepared as necessary. Required coursework and exam papers can be written in one of the Scandinavian languages or in English.

Reference is made to the criteria that apply to student exchanges and the information about stays abroad.

The student will encounter different forms of assessment during the programme. The forms of assessment shall ensure a continuous process towards a twofold objective: promote learning and document the student's competence as sufficient action competence and readiness to act as a paramedic. By giving the student qualified and frequent feedback, both in relation to processes and products, the information about the competence achieved can motivate the students for further efforts and identify any need to adjust learning methods.

Formative assessment (midway assessment) is carried out in the study groups, the simulation and skills centre, seminars and during clinical training.

The summative assessments (product assessment) that take place at the end of each course, are based on the learning outcomes for the course, and on whether the student has achieved the planned learning outcome.

In theoretical courses, the grades pass/fail or letter grades from A to F are used, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam. The grades pass/fail are used for the assessment of clinical training.

The assessments are carried out in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet, and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

The required coursework in the courses must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more detailed provisions.

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description. In special cases, resit and rescheduled exams in courses with group exams may be held as individual exams.

For courses where a percentage of the exam papers are randomly selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students. In such cases, one external and one internal examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the rest of the papers together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

The grade given for a written exam can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and Section 7-3 (2) of the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment during clinical training

During clinical training, assessment is linked to different learning activities, the expectation clarification discussion and midway and final assessments. During the period of practical training, the student shall prepare personal objectives based on the purpose of and the assessment basis for the period. The learning objectives are discussed with the practical training supervisor and the university's contact lecturer.

Students prepare for assessment by reviewing documents that document learning activities and outcomes (for example logs, personal objectives, feedback from fellow students and supervisors etc.) and by considering how this realises the points in the practical training document.

Students are entitled to regular supervision and feedback during their studies, so that they are always aware of how they are doing in relation to the learning outcomes defined for the course.

Midway assessment

The purpose of the midway assessment is to give students feedback on how they are doing in the clinical training. The student should be an active participant in the discussion about what he/she wants and needs in order to achieve the learning outcomes by the end of the practical training course. The practical training document for the course in question forms the basis for this discussion.

If doubt arises as to whether a student will be able to achieve the learning outcomes and pass the practical training course, the student must receive a written midway assessment. The student is then invited to a meeting with the supervisor and the university contact lecturer. Such meetings must be held no later than three weeks before the end of the course, and always at such a time that the student has an opportunity to demonstrate satisfactory progress during the remainder of the course to pass.

During the meeting, the student must be given written notice that there is doubt about whether he/she will be able to achieve the learning outcomes required to pass the practical training course. The meeting also forms the basis for a learning objectives contract for the remaining part of the course. The contract should describe the obligations that the student, the supervisor and the contact lecturer have agreed on. The supervisor will send copies of the documents from the meeting to the Section for Academic Affairs.

Final assessment

At the end of each clinical training course, a final assessment is made in relation to the learning outcomes for the course in question. The assessment should be based on assessments made throughout the course. The assessment result and description of what has been assessed must be signed by the student, the supervisor and the contact lecturer. Students shall receive a copy of their written assessment. The practical training document serves as a tool and documentation in connection with the assessment.

In order to pass the courses of clinical training, the student must attend at least 90% of the planned activities. Absence of between 10 and 20% can be made up for by agreement with the practical training supervisor. If absence exceeds 20%, the student must retake the course in its entirety. This leads to delayed progress and must be seen in conjunction with the student's individual education plan. The preparatory meeting for practical training is regarded part of the practical training and is therefore compulsory.

If a student is awarded a 'Fail' for a practical training course, the whole course or parts of it must be retaken. Students who fail the same practical training course twice will normally have to leave the programme.

If, after the notification deadline, (cf. the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet Section 8-2, third paragraph) conditions of such a nature arise that they would undoubtedly have resulted in the practical training course being failed had they arisen earlier, the grade 'Fail' may still be awarded. If a student fails a period of practical training, a copy of the assessment form must be sent to the Section for Academic Affairs. If special reasons exist, the student can apply to the faculty's Practical Training Committee for a third and final practical training attempt. The Section for Academic Affairs can provide further information about this.

Transfer discussion

The practical training document from the previous practical training course must be shown to the supervisors (contact lecturer and practical training supervisor) during the next practical training course. The student must bring the practical training document. If necessary, the student can be called in for a discussion with the previous and new supervisor prior to the next practical training course. In some cases, the programme coordinator and a representative of the Section for Academic Affairs may also participate in the discussion.

External programme supervisor scheme

An external programme supervisor scheme exists for the programme as required by the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

Over a three-year period, the external programme supervisor will carry out the following supervision of the programme:

• Supervise the assessments given and assessment processes for selected courses in the bachelor's programme
• Evaluate exam assignments and assessment criteria for grading in each selected course
• Assess the connections between the programme description's learning outcome descriptions, teaching arrangements and types of assessment
• Give the academic environment feedback and advice that can be used in the ongoing work on programme quality.

The external programme supervisor shall prepare an annual supervisory report. The report forms part of the basis for the programme's evaluation of the quality of education.

Suitability assessment

Diplomas for the completed programme will only be awarded to graduates who are suited to practise the profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the life, physical or mental health, rights and security of his/her patients, clients and users is not suited for the profession.

Suitability assessments are made on a continuous basis throughout the study programme, and will be included in the overall assessment of the students' professional and personal suitability for work as health personnel. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the paramedic profession must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice on how to improve, or be advised to leave the programme. Special suitability assessments are used in special cases, cf. the Regulations concerning Suitability Assessment in Higher Education: https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2006-06-30-859

Programme description:

Approved by: The Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences 19 September 2012 Valid from: Autumn 2014

Last amendments approved by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences 11 February 2019

The programme description applies to the academic year 2019-20.

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Spesialpedagogikk i barnehagen

Special Needs Early Childhood Education

Videreutdanning for barnehagelærere

30 studiepoeng

Godkjent av utdanningsutvalget 17.12.2019.

Gjeldende fra høstsemesteret 2021.

Revisjon godkjent av utdanningsutvalget 12.12.2022, gjeldende fra høstsemesteret 2023.

Fakultet for lærerutdanning og internasjonale studier

Institutt for barnehagelærerutdanning

Emnekode: BSPE6000