German 1 Programme description

In this course, the student’s own language skills are emphasised, in particular oral production and interaction, language in context, and language learning strategies. In addition, the student should be able to facilitate the language learning of children and young people.

The German language teacher is a reflective language user and language disseminator. By analysing and assessing learning and communication strategies for his/her own language use and in a teacher perspective, the students shall reach a level where they can actively use German in both oral and written communication. The German teacher shall have an awareness of his/her own language abilities, and children and young people’s language learning, insight into the differences and similarities between German, Norwegian and other languages. The course provides knowledge of linguistic and cultural variation in the German speaking countries. Inspiring and encouraging pupils to take pleasure in being able to use a new language through experiences and exploration is another important aspect. Digital tools shall be included in the education in a critical and reflective manner, and shall be linked to teaching practice.

German 1 (30 ECTS credits) consists of two courses:

Course 1 German Language Structure and Acquisition (15 ECTS credits) and

Course 2 The Teaching of German as a Foreign Language in Norwegian Secondary Education (15 ECTS credits).

he increasing globalisation of the labour market makes international experience and knowledge of languages and cultures increasingly important. Internationalisation contributes to raising the quality of education and strengthens the academic community relating to the master’s programme, at the same time as it strengthens the students as global citizens.

The programme has a focus on multicultural and global problems. This approach contributes to an increased understanding and improves the students' ability to work in a professional capacity in a multicultural society. The students gain access to specialist terminology in English through the syllabus, which comprises both textbooks and international research literature.

The staff’s network, research collaboration and cooperation with colleagues in other countries contribute to internationalisation. The programme is represented in international networks.

OsloMet has exchange agreements with educational institutions in Europe and worldwide.

Courses adapted to incoming exchange students

The following courses have been adapted for incoming exchange students:

MAVIT4050 Theory of Science and Research Methods, 10 ECTS credits

MAVIT4060 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, 10 ECTS credits

MAPHN4100 National and Global Nutrition Challenges, 10 ECTS credits

MAPHN4200 Public Health Nutrition Policies and Interventions, 10 ECTS credits

MAMUS4100 Physical Therapy for Musculoskeletal Conditions – Part 1, 10 ECTS credits

MAFAR4100 Innovation within Healthcare, 10 ECTS credits

MAVIT4700 Food, Health and Sustainability, 10 ECTS credits

MAVIT4900 Quality of Life, 10 ECTS credits

MAVIT5100 Health Communication, 10 ECTS credits

MAVIT5700 Pain – Multidimensional Assessment and Health Professional Interventions, 10 ECTS credits

MAPSY4400 Mental Health of Migrants and Minorities, 10 ECTS credits

The courses listed above will be taught in English if international students have registered for them. Otherwise, courses will generally be taught in Norwegian.

Semesters adapted to outbound exchange students

Students who wish to take courses at an educational institution abroad as part of their master’s degree normally go on an exchange in the third semester. Students admitted to a specialisation that as a norm has a master’s thesis worth 50 ECTS credits can apply to instead write a master’s thesis worth 30 ECTS credits to realize this. The students are responsible for finding relevant courses at partner institutions and must apply to have them approved in advance. An international coordinator can provide guidance in relation to selecting a course.

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

Coursework requirements are all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for being permitted to take the examination. Coursework requirements can be individual or in groups. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description.

The primary purpose of coursework requirements is to promote students' progress and academic development and to encourage them to acquire new knowledge. The programme's main coursework requirements are in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and tests.

Compulsory attendance

Attendance is compulsory in areas where the student cannot acquire knowledge and skills simply by studying literature.

If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence stated in the course description or do not participate in a group presentation, the lecturer will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements. This can e.g. be written assignments or oral presentations, individually or in groups. If it is not possible to compensate for the absence, the student must take the course the next time it is taught. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student’s absence and which activities he/she has missed.

Written assignmentsSeveral courses have compulsory written assignments or reports as part of their coursework requirements. Written work that is not approved must be improved before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary examination/assessment.

The students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled examination. If an assignment is not approved the third time it is submitted, the student must re-take the course with the next class.

Different forms of assessment are used on the programme that are adapted to the learning outcomes of the various courses. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document the students’ level of competence in relation to the expected learning outcomes. In general, the following forms of assessment are used in the programme:

Supervised individual examination

Taken at the university’s examination premises over a set number of hours.

Home examination

Taken over a set period of time at the end of the course, normally with a set question/assignment text unless otherwise stated in the course description.

Project examination

Taken over the whole or large parts of the course, normally with a topic decided by the students themselves unless otherwise stated in the course description.

Oral examination

Can take place individually or in groups. It can either be an independent form of assessment or used to adjust the grade awarded for another examination.

Practical examination

The assessment of specific practical skills either at the university or in the field of practice.

Assessment of practical training

Supervised practical training, assessed in accordance with the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University Chapter 8.

The assessment of examinations and practical training is 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 forms of assessment and criteria are described in each course description. All examinations taken and the title of the master’s thesis will be stated on the diploma.

Examinations

All courses conclude with an examination. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and the degree to which the student has achieved the stipulated learning outcomes is assessed. In theoretical courses, the grades used are pass/fail or letter grades from A to F, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the examination. The grades pass/fail are used for the assessment of practical training.

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

For examinations where a percentage of the examination papers are selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner's assessment should benefit all the students.

The grade awarded for a written examination can be appealed, cf. Section 11-10 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical examinations. In connection with group examinations, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidate(s) who submitted the appeal. The other students will keep their original grade.

External programme supervisor

An external programme supervisor scheme is in place for the programme as required by the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet. The external supervisor will write an annual report on their work that will be included in the faculty’s area of the university’s quality assurance system.

Suitability assessment

The suitability assessment is a continuous overall assessment that takes place throughout the study programme. A student must be suitable for professional practice in order to receive diploma/certificate for the study programme.

If it appears that a student may pose a potential danger to the lives, physical and mental health, rights or safety of patients, clients and users during practical training or in future professional practice, it should be asked whether the student is suitable for the profession. University staff, personnel in practical training establishment, as well as students can submit a notification of doubt. The students concerned should be informed as soon as possible if such a notification of doubt has been sent. They should receive guidance and advice on how they can improve or be advised to withdraw from the programme.

https://student.oslomet.no/en/suitability-assessment

Suitability assessment is used in specialisation in Public Health Nursing, specialisation in Cancer Nursing and in Interdisciplinary Specialisation in Mental Health and Addiction.

German 1 is a blended learning course with digital learning combined with three periods of campus training at OsloMet and two at Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg, Germany. Each of the two semesters is structured in an initial face-to-face session in Oslo, later followed by a week of training in Germany. In the spring semester there is in addition a final session in Oslo. Between the face-to-face sessions, there will be online training, with self-paced modules accompanied by regular virtual meetings with teachers and other group members.

There will be tandems in language learning but also in teacher training. Language learning will be accompanied by tandem partners either in Norway or in Germany with a minimum of 1 hour of tandem meetings weekly, through Skype or in person. We will work from a communicative approach giving priority to the acquisition of skills which also can be applied in the own teaching of German as a second/third language. We will employ a mixed methodology (classroom and online) through the creation of a virtual space in a networked platform.

The preparation of microteachings, short teaching sequences of a chosen topic, will be discussed and evaluated by peers, coaches and the learners – this will take place online. There will be the possibility to prepare and practice in Skype sessions with other participants of the program as well as a self-observation of recorded teachings or microteachings from the practical training in Freiburg.

Tasks and assessments will be carried out from different methodological approaches that students can subsequently apply in their daily teaching.

The use of digital and interactive resources will be provided by Dhoch3, an online platform designed for German Teacher Training at universities worldwide, sponsored by the Auswärtiges Amt (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the DAAD. The access to the learning resources will be given and guaranteed by OsloMet and Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg.

The main lecturers of the course are from the Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg.

German 1 contains two periods at the Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg in Germany.

For both courses in German 1 students will be asked to carry out different tasks (both face-to-face and online), that must be approved prior to the final exams that will take place in Norway at the end of each course. There is an 80 % attendance requirement for each course in both face-to-face weeks and virtual sessions. Attendance is compulsory because of the work methods involving dialogue and discussions. The programme emphasizes student participation, cooperative learning and dialogue.

The coursework requirements are described in the individual course descriptions. All absence, irrespective of reason, is included when compulsory attendance is approved. In special cases where this requirement is unreasonable in relation to the student, documented sickness absence, for example, can be assessed and compensatory measures can be agreed, if applicable.

The required coursework must be submitted/completed by the stipulated deadlines. Absence for a valid reason documented by e.g. a medical certificate does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who fail to submit/meet the coursework requirements by the deadline due to illness or for other documented valid reasons can be given an extended deadline.

A new deadline for submitting/completing required coursework must be agreed with the lecturer in question in each individual case. Absence in excess of the limit may be made up for by a written assignment by agreement with the person responsible for the course.

The required coursework is assessed as accepted/not accepted. Students who submit required coursework/meet the coursework requirements by the deadline, but whose work is assessed as not accepted, will be given two opportunities to resubmit/redo the work. In such cases, the students themselves must agree with the lecturer on a re-assessment of the coursework in question.

Information about assessment is provided in the individual course descriptions.

Rights and obligations in connection with exams

The students’ rights and obligations are set out in the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. The regulations describe, among other things, the conditions for resit/rescheduled exams, the right to appeal and what is considered cheating in an exam. It is the students’/candidate’s responsibility to register for any resit/rescheduled exams.

Approved by the authority of the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee on 19 December 2019Established by the Dean 6 January 2020

Editorial amendments made on 8 January 2020Valid from autumn semester 2020

Faculty of Education and International Studies

Department of Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education