European Project Semester Programme description

The PhD Programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) is a researcher education programme that focuses on disciplines such as childhood and adolescence, culture, early childhood education and schools, and teacher education and professional qualifications in a national and international perspective. The goal is to improve the teacher education programmes’ action competence and research-based knowledge base. The programme forms the basis for constructive and critical research assessments of education and education policy in fields of relevance to teacher education. In the programme, this takes place through analyses of childhood and adolescence, teaching, knowledge development and learning in various communicative, cultural and institutional contexts. The programme contributes to research that considers education, childhood and adolescence, and development from a more comprehensive perspective, from early childhood to higher education, in formal and informal learning arenas, both nationally and internationally.

Educational sciences of relevance to teacher education are characterised by single-discipline and multidisciplinary approaches and a diversity of theories and methods. It is a rapidly growing field that have led to academic differentiation and specialisation, as well as collaboration across disciplinary boundaries and scientific fields.

The programme facilitates research efforts in specific fields where the university has a special social remit and has developed special expertise. This applies in particular to the university’s remit to offer research-based early childhood, primary and lower secondary and vocational teacher education in a multicultural city context. The programme is also relevant to research relating to various vocational teacher education programmes aimed at upper secondary education and to research with a more general connection to the field of teacher education. The programme is based on, among other things, the requirement for more research-based teaching in higher education and the need to increase the level of insight into the preconditions for and effects of changes in the education system.

The PhD programme is somewhat different from similar educational science programmes in that it prioritises research whose relevance to teacher education in the field in question can be documented. The programme also offers a comprehensive compulsory course in theories of knowledge in teacher education research. The programme’s particular focus on teaching, learning and societal contexts for the various education pathways means that it is also clearly practice and profession-oriented.

Studiet skal gi innsikt og erfaring i hvordan digitale verktøy og teknologi kan anvendes i fag- og yrkesopplæringen for å realisere målet om likeverdig opplæring for alle elever. Den raske teknologiske utviklingen i samfunnet medfører endringer i arbeidslivet, som bør gjenspeiles i skole og yrkesfaglig opplæring. Ny teknologi fordrer endrede pedagogiske og didaktiske rammer, og påvirker undervisning og læringsprosesser. Elevaktive undervisnings- og læringsformer er sentralt i den nye læreplanen Kunnskapsløftet 2020 (LK20). Digital teknologi er et sentralt verktøy for nye tilnærminger, og lærere skal bruke digitale verktøy, læremidler og ressurser i arbeidet med å videreutvikle og forbedre elevenes læring. Lærere ved de ulike yrkesfaglige utdanningsprogram møter en variert elevgruppe med behov for tilrettelegginger både innenfor det ordinære tilbudet og som del av den spesialpedagogiske tilretteleggingen. God digital kompetanse hos elever på utdanningsprogrammene kan styrke andre grunnleggende ferdigheter og øke måloppnåelse i fag, som ledd i frafallsforebyggende arbeid og øke sannsynligheten for læreplass.

Økende digital praksis i opplæringen forutsetter digitale ferdigheter hos den enkelte lærer, og i skolen som organisasjon. Læreres digitale kompetanse og evne til digitalt læringsdesign kan gjøre yrkesfagene mer praktiske og stimulere elevenes engasjement og utforskertrang, slik det kommer frem i LK20. God pedagogisk bruk av digitale verktøy og teknologi krever profesjonsfaglig digital kompetanse hos både lærere og elever. Lærere som lykkes med sin pedagogiske IKT-bruk kjennetegnes ved at de har en høy digital kompetanse, har gode klasseledelsesevner, de mestrer digital underveisvurdering og evner å tilpasse undervisningen til et stadig mer digitalisert samfunn og skole.

Studentenes digitale praksis og utprøving av digital teknologi med elever på egen eller annen egnet arbeidsplass, står sentralt i hele studiet. Det er stor variasjon i yrkesfagene og det vil være nødvendig å tilpasse de digitale virkemidlene til fagenes egenart.

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

Knowledge

The candidate

• is familiar with the global phonetic system and intonation of French, the language’s grammatical structure and insight into cultural conventions on the use of French
• has knowledge of daily life, traditions, customs, values and cultural expressions in French speaking countries and is able to compare with Norway
• has knowledge of language learning theories and children and young people’s language acquisition in a multicultural perspective
• has knowledge of language didactics adapted to the pupil group
• has knowledge of the curriculum, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the European Language Portfolio ages 6–12 and 13–18 and the European Language Portfolio for language teacher students
• is familiar with research and development work that is relevant to the subject of Foreign Languages for years 5-10

Skills

The candidate

• is capable of communicating with good pronunciation and intonation, and of freely using key-structures of French in oral and written communication
• is capable of understanding long oral and written authentic texts in different genres and media
• is capable of planning, carrying out and assessing French language tuition adapted to different pupil groups
• is capable of assessing the use of authentic texts and other learning resources in teaching
• is capable of facilitating different work methods that promote exploration, curiosity and creativity in French language learning and in an interdisciplinary perspective
• is capable of using midway and final assessments to guide pupils in their French language skills development
• is capable of carrying out teaching that promotes the pupils’ digital competence

General competence

The candidate

• is capable of reflecting on his/her own teaching practice and interaction with others in professional practice
• is capable of facilitating varied and adapted educational activities that motivate the pupils for further language learning and creating good conditions for in-depth learning
• is capable of integrating the basic skills in the subject

After completing the Bachelor’s Programme in Physiotherapy, the candidate should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate has

• knowledge of different perspectives on the body, movement, functioning, health and illness and is able to reflect on these perspectives’ role in the professional practise of physiotherapists
• broad knowledge of human movement development and what promotes development and learning across the lifespan
• broad knowledge of the structures and functions of the body and normal functioning, and knowledge of the causes, mechanisms and development of disease, as well as structural and functional changes to organs, tissues and cells in connection with disease
• insight into how people’s health and functioning are affected by the interaction between individual, social, environmental and cultural factors across the lifespan
• broad knowledge of the theoretical and empirical basis for assessing and implementing measures at the individual, group and society level
• knowledge of the physiotherapy field’s history and development and the profession’s social mission, as well as applicable legislation and policy guidelines for the health service and the professional practice of physiotherapists

Skills

The candidate can

• map and assess the individual’s functioning, pain condition and other health challenges, identify health resources and impeding factors, and identify symptoms of potentially serious underlying pathology
• plan, implement and evaluate health-promoting, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative and habilitative measures in cooperation with users at the individual, group and/or system level
• reflect critically on the knowledge basis of their own practice and acquire necessary knowledge
• critically evaluate and integrate information from different sources, and make clinical decisions based on evidence-based assessments and priorities
• obtain information about public health and prevalence of illness in the population, as well as map environmental factors that are important to people’s health and quality of life from the perspective of the individual and public health
• apply educational competence when providing guidance to patients and next of kin, as well as other service providers undergoing learning, coping or change processes
• document and communicate the results of assessments and measures in the form of patient records

General competence

The candidate can

• apply communication, relational and cultural competence and show respect, care and empathy in their dealings with patients/users and next of kin, and facilitate user participation at the individual and service level
• work independently, participate in interprofessional cooperation and manage collaborations to create holistic and comprehensive measures and services
• identify, reflect on and handle ethical issues in their practice, work in a professionally sound manner, assess the risk of undesirable incidents and is familiar with methods for following up such incidents in a systematic manner
• contribute to service innovation, continuous quality improvement and the development and application of user-oriented technology at the individual and service level
• plan, carry out and document professional development projects
• disseminate subject matter in writing, orally and in digital formats, in a style appropriate to academia and popular science

The programme consists of a training component and a research component. The training component has a scope of 30 ECTS credits, and the research component is worth 150 ECTS credits. Through the training component, the students acquire theoretical and empirical insight into and methodological expertise in studies of general educational science issues of relevance to teacher education. Through the research component, the students develop their ability to identify needs for new educational science research of relevance to the knowledge base and action competence in teacher educations, as well as the ability to problematise and disseminate such knowledge.

The programme emphasises combining academic depth and breadth. In the training component, the students are expected to achieve academic breadth through the common compulsory course (10 ECTS credits) Theories of Knowledge in Teacher Education Research, as well as elective courses in philosophy of science, methodology and ethics (minimum 10 ECTS credits) and elective specialisation courses (10 ECTS credits).

Students who have completed parts of the training component at OsloMet up to twelve (12) months before their admission can be exempted from the regulation that at least 20 credits must be taken after admission. Students may still be required to complete additional courses if it´s academically justified hence the learning outcomes for the Ph.D. and the project's theme and/or method. An evaluation of the training component is done in connection with the students' admission to the programme.

In the research component, the students are expected to achieve academic depth through work on a scientific thesis with a view to acquiring researcher qualifications in educational sciences for teacher education characterized by an ability to identify, design, conduct and disseminate relevant research.

Multicultural and international perspective

Multicultural and international perspectives are discussed in all specialisation courses included in the programme.

Gender perspective

Gender and equality perspectives are discussed in all specialisation courses included in the programme.

Ethics

Ethical issues are a particular focus in the philosophy of science, research methodology and ethics courses.

Practical training is the parts of the programme that take place in real-life working situations. The practical training is compulsory, and must have a scope of at least 30 weeks (45 credits). The practical training is organised in such a way that the students will encounter users from all age groups and have the opportunity to take part in interprofessional cooperation. Through the practical training, students are assigned tasks that provide the opportunity to discover and explore physiotherapy issues, and which require them to work in an evidence-based and patient/person-centred manner. The practical training is an important arena for developing new knowledge, skills and competence.

Practical training will be organised in an interprofessional context within primary – and specialist health services, and other arenas where physiotherapists work. For some of the practical training periods the students are expected to find suitable placements themselves, according to specified guidelines. This will make it possible to fulfil a placement period near the student's hometown

In the third year of study the student will complete one long period of practical training in the primary health service and one in the specialist health service. Since the university has agreements with several institutions in the health and care sector, the organisation of the students’ practical training will vary. Most of the institutions that make up the practical training arenas for this programme are located in Oslo and Eastern Norway. The student must expect to commute to and from the practical training establishment or to move to the practical training establishment for a period of time.

A 90 % attendance requirement applies to the practical training. Students who exceed the maximum permitted absence will fail the practical training period and are deemed to have used one of their attempts. For more information about practical training, see the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

Students must comply with the clothing regulations in force at the practical training establishment. Special requirements for tests or vaccination may apply at individual practical training establishments.

A distinction is made between three types of practical training: experience-based practical training, supervised practical training and and project based practical training:

Experience-based practical training

Experienced-based practical training normally takes place over a short period of time. . The purpose of experience-based practical training is to give the students insight into physiotherapy practice and experience of specific physiotherapy tasks. Clinical testing and group instruction in exercises for patients may also be included. In experienced-based practical training, the student’s performance is not subject to professional assessment, but the student can be supervised.

Supervised practical training

In supervised practical training, the student’s performance is subject to professional assessment, and the student is entitled to supervision and feedback. The assessment is based on the student’s achievement of the learning outcomes for the practical training period and suitability assessments on a continuous basis in line with the university’s assessment system. This means that a supervisor from the field of practice, referred to as a practical training supervisor, will follow up the student in cooperation with a contact lecturer from the university. The midway and final assessments are made by the practical training supervisor in cooperation with the contact lecturer.

The practical training supervisor will supervise the student during the supervised practical training at the university’s outpatient clinic in the second year of the programme. If the student is at risk of not passing the practical training, the midway and final assessments will take place in consultation with another university staff member.

Project based practical training

In the project based practical training the student will, based on experiences from a physiotherapy relevant context, explore a professional issue, in relation to literature. The practice will be linked to an arena where a physiotherapist will be able to contribute with important input and expertise.

The practical training periods will become longer as the programme progresses and are organised with a view to ensuring progress in relation to the learning outcomes and gradually increasing independence.

The compulsory and elective courses comprise required coursework. The required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The required coursework must be submitted/completed by the stipulated deadline(s). Absence for valid reasons documented by e.g. a medical certificate does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who fail to submit required coursework by the deadline due to illness or for other documented valid reasons can be given an extended deadline. A new deadline for meeting the coursework requirements must be agreed with the lecturer in question in each individual case.

Students who submit the required coursework by the deadline, but whose work is assessed as ‘not approved’, will be given one opportunity to resubmit the work. In such cases, the student must agree with the lecturer on resubmission of the coursework in question. Students who do not submit required coursework by the deadline without a documented valid reason will not be granted another attempt.

The coursework requirements are described in more detail in the individual course descriptions.