PENG9530 Advanced Topics in Building Services Engineering Emneplan

The course offers in-depth study of solutions within the fields of building services engineering and integrated energy design of buildings, focusing on solutions that improve the sustainability and climate-adaptiveness of the built environment

The course will be offered once a year, provided 3 or more students sign up for the course. If less than 3 students sign up for a course, the course will be cancelled for that year.

On completion of the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The candidate

• is in the forefront of qualitative classroom research
• has in-depth knowledge of observation and interview as central research methods
• can evaluate the expediency and application of different methods and processes in classroom research (different traditions in observational methodology, interview methodology, observation design, interview design and approaches to analysing data)
• has in-depth knowledge about ethical challenges concerning classroom research
• has in-depth knowledge of validity, reliability and generalizability in qualitative classroom research
• can assess the appropriateness and application of various observation and interview methods in qualitative classroom research
• can contribute to the development of different approaches to analysing observation and interview data in the filed of classroom research
• can contribute to the development of new knowledge, new theories, methods, interpretations and forms of documentation in the field of classroom research

Skills

The candidate:

• can professionally carry out classroom observation and interviews
• can design and carry out research and academic development related to classroom observation and interviews
• can develop, create and implement different observation and interview designs at a high international level in the context of classroom research
• can challenge established knowledge and practice within classroom research

General competence

The candidate:

• can identify and establish constructive connections between theories, research methods, empirical data, analysis and findings
• can identify relevant ethical issues regarding the use of classroom observation and interviews
• can present their research with high academic integrity
• can participate in discussions around methodological benefits and challenges related to the use of observation and interviews in qualitative classroom research

Students who complete the course are expected to have the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

On successful completion of the course, the student:

• has a good understanding of the latest developments in the field.
• has a deep understanding of the fundamental scientific theories, standards and methods that are applied in the field.
• can evaluate the appropriateness and application of various scientific methods and approaches to research and development in the field.
• can contribute to the development of new knowledge, theories, methods, standards, interpretations and documentation in the field.

Skills:

On successful completion of the course, the student can:

• deal with complex technical questions and challenge established knowledge and practices within the field.
• formulate questions, and plan and carry out research development work at an international level in the field.

General competence:

On successful completion of the course, the student can:

• manage complex interdisciplinary tasks and projects
• pursue their research ethically and with professional integrity.
• participate in debates in international fora.
• communicate research and development though recognised national and international channels

Where appropriate, individual students will be introduced to specific parts of the course by attendance at selected lectures in master courses in the autumn:

• Seminars/lectures where students present specific parts of the subject matter.
• In addition, appropriate exercises (calculation or written) will be given, connected to the student's PhD project subject area

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

• All planned seminars must be completed.
• The given exercises must be passed

Individual oral examination.

The exam cannot be appealed.

Closed book examination. No handwritten notes are permitted. A basic electronic calculator may be used.

Pass or fail.

Approved by the Doctoral Committee 28.03.2019. Minor changes approved 27.04.2020.

This PhD-course is open for candidates at the PhD Programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education, PhD candidates from other relevant programmes, and academic employees.

Language: English (or Norwegian, dependent on the language of participants and course holders).

The classroom is the most important arena for research on learning and teaching. This includes the implementation of curricula, the teacher-student relationships, the students’ different learning conditions, the use of different teaching methods, classroom and group organization, students with special needs, teacher collaboration and more.

The course will focus on central research methods used in classroom research: Observation, including video observation, various forms of interviews, re-use of data and analysis of data. The main aim is to introduce the participants to observation and interview as research methods in the context of classroom research, to provide an insight into research designs and analytical approaches, and to build participants` capacity to create and implement adequate research designs on their own.

The course is organized by the research group "Classroom research" (Klasseromsforskning) at the Faculty of Education and International Studies, Department of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education.