FLKM4310 Konflikter rundt rettferdighet og likhet i internasjonal utvikling, utdanning og bærekraft Emneplan

The course covers two main topics:

• Education and development, culture and gender
• School and education, aid and research

No prerequisite knowledge required.

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

Knowledge

The student

• has acquired in-depth knowledge of and insight into the field of education and development in the South
• has an overview of recent research-based knowledge of education discourse and the production of knowledge from both a North and a South perspective
• has broad knowledge of international perspectives and discussions concerning comparative and international education

Skills

The student

• is capable of explaining the role of education in societies in the South characterised by socio-economic, cultural, epistemological and ethnic diversity
• is capable of comparing and critically assessing theories and methods used to study education, culture and sustainable development
• is capable of analysing recent research on connections between education, gender, globalisation, culture and the production of knowledge in the Global South

General competence

The student

• has extensive knowledge of how to assess how recent research on education and development is relevant to work on the education sector in the Global South
• is capable of explaining and problematising relevant theory in the research field
• is capable of using and disseminating new knowledge and academic issues relating to education in the context of the South

Education and development, culture and gender

The focus in this topic is development and education in the South. It covers important issues such as different types of education paradigms (Western versus indigenous education discourse), the relationship between tradition and modernity in the education system, development of national curricula, the relationship between education and sustainable development, gender, globalisation and education. A prominent concept is cultural understanding and the relationship between culture, development and education. The topics covered include ideology, ethnicity, gender and quality in school, and cultural differences between the school and home.

School and education, aid and research

The first part of this topic focuses on issues relating to international education as they are experienced and understood at an implementation level - locally, nationally and regionally, at school and in the local community, and on changes in the role of teacher and education.

The second part of this topic deals with aid and research. Important lending and donor institutions (e.g. the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund) are studied in a critical light, and the findings of relevant research projects are discussed. The relationship between research and aid will be problematised.

If possible, students- own professional experience will also be discussed in this context.

Fiction from the South will help to elucidate the relationship between national culture and identity in a post-colonial context.

The work and teaching methods used in the course are characterised by lectures and dialogue and discussions, to which the students bring their own different practical experience and academic backgrounds. See the programme description for further details.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• The student must give a presentation lasting 15-30 minutes (individually or as part of a group) of an article, chapter in a book etc. to fellow students during the course.
• 80 % attendance requirement

The purpose of the oral presentation is to encourage students to engage in more oral activity and improve their oral presentation skills, and to present the academic content to fellow students and the lecturer(s) in an organised and effective manner. The oral presentation is intended to help the students to acquire the skills specified in the learning outcomes for the course.

The course is assessed on the basis of an individual written home exam over five days, with a scope of 3,500 words +/- 10%, followed by an oral exam lasting approx. 30 minutes. The oral exam is based on the written paper and the syllabus for course 3a. One grade is awarded for the home exam and the oral exam. The grade is set after the oral exam. 

Resit/rescheduled exams

Resit/rescheduled exams are organised in the same way as ordinary exams.

Right of appeal

If a student appeals the grade, both parts of the exam must be re-assessed together. A new oral exam will be held.

Examination support material is permitted for the home exam.

Letter grades ranging from A to F are used, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade, and F being a fail grade.

The exam will be assessed by one internal and one external examiner.