Examination arrangement

Course content

The course focuses on critical perspectives on social inequality, social interaction, family and gender equality, tolerance and cultural diversity in a comparative perspective, with an eye on the Nordic countries and UK/Ireland. Furthermore, the compulsory school's various social subjects for 1-7 in these regions are studied in a comparative perspective, with a focus on differences in curricula (læreplaner) and other management documents, subject content, textbooks and other learning resources, development lines and ongoing development work and social science didactic orientations and thinking. In the case of the Nordic countries, the rise of the Nordic states and cooperative perspectives on the political systems in recent times, and new economic development lines are also thematized. In the case of the UK/Ireland, socioeconomic inequality, ethnic diversity, as well as local democracy and governance are compared to Norwegian conditions.

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE

The student has

• advanced knowledge of selected subjects in socio-demographic inequality, social interaction, family and gender equality, and cultural diversity in the Nordic countries and UK/Ireland
• in-depth knowledge of selected subjects in local democracy and administration in the UK/Ireland
• in-depth knowledge of regional comparison and theories of regional development and regional differences
• in-depth knowledge of the rise of the states in the Nordic countries and about Nordic cooperation in recent times
• advanced knowledge of political systems and political conditions in the two regions
• in-depth knowledge of some of the school subjects in the two regions that correspond to or are included in Norwegian social studies 1-7, and about development lines and ongoing development work in these

SKILLS

The student

• can compare social, economic, cultural and political conditions and development lines in regions
• can find, evaluate, select and adapt relevant subject sources for use in school
• can plan, conduct and evaluate comparative teaching on socio- demographic inequality - can perform comparative school subject analysis
• can plan and conduct initial training on family and social inequalities
• can analyze and relate critically to perceptions of justice and equality

GENERAL COMPETENCE

The student

• can plan excursions outside the school's immediate area
• can use insights from the master's subjects to contribute in development work with other professional teachers

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, foreign field course/trip 5-10 days, seminar with student presentations, exercises/student assignments. Independent work and work in groups. There are organized 5-10 days field courses/trip in UK and/or Ireland, with program relevant to the subject content of the course. Mini-lectures and exercises are also conducted during the field course. The students are co-responsible for the planning of this field course. The field trip are financed by the students themselves. The field trip is not mandatory.

Compulsory assignments

• Compulsory assignments according to course description

Further on evaluation

Mandatory work assignments:

• Participation in an introduction session
• One individual seminar presentation
• Participation in foreign field course or approved compensatory work
• Short presentation in connection with one of the program points in the field course or responsibility for organizing /appointing for a program point on the field course. The work requirement is met individually. Students who do not participate in the fields course are assigned relevant compensatory work assignment
• Individual field course report according to guidelines announced at semester start. Students who do not participate in field courses receive a compensatory assignment related to the field content of the field course
• Reading- and practice log prepared in group according to specifications announced at semester start.

Assessment: Oral examination approx. 30 minutes, where parts of the examination can be based on parts of the reading and exercise log the students is responsible for. The exam is graded with the letter A-F

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Passed Social Studies 2 (30 credits) or equivalent.

Required previous knowledge

The student must have passed Social Studies 1 and completed Social Studies 2 in order to start courses in cycle 2. Passing is understood to mean that the student has completed and passed the examination in the course. Completed is understood as all compulsory work requirements in the course are approved, in other words that the student is ready for the exam.

Course materials

Final reading will be out on Blackboard before the start of the semester.