Course content

The course focuses on the new school leadership role. It provides knowledge about new forms of educational governance, with special emphasis on curriculum plans, governing by objectives and evaluation systems at national and local level. The relationship between national and municipal governance and local freedom is discussed, how teachers’ “free space of action” is developed, what constitutes school culture, and how “the school as a learning organisation” makes a frame for teaching, for the teacher role and for school development. Questions about educational quality are discussed from different points of view, and what conditions "bildung" as an educational aim has in today’s society. Evaluation systems, for instance national tests, are discussed, both as a part of school development and as a tool for control and quality improvement.

The students get insight into how research on school development, school evaluation and school leadership can be conducted, and there are research projects available that the students can join for their master thesis. The course is organised as lectures and seminars, and visits to selected development oriented schools.

Learning outcome

The aims of the course are that the students acquire knowledge and understanding of the interaction between society’s expectations to the school, how schools are managed, how curriculum plans and evaluation systems work in practice, and how schools change over time. By the end of the course, the students should have insight into
- what characterises good leadership in schools, and how the new school leadership role can be worked out,
- what governance strategies that are at work in the field of education, especially at primary and secondary level,
- the functions of curriculum plans at different levels, and how educational ideologies are created and processed
- different understandings of educational quality and “dannelse”
- what affects development and change in schools
- characteristics of the new teacher role, and
- basic principles for evaluation of educational quality and how different quality systems work in practice.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures 4 hours/week and seminar 2 hours/week. The written assignment (5-7 pages, Times New Roman 12 pct, space 1,5) counts 50% of the final grade. Guidelines for the assignment are available. Theme for the written assignment must be approved by the lecturer in advanced and no later then 15. October. The assignment must be submitted before the individual, written exam.

Deadline 20. November.

Form of assessment: written assignment, counting 50%, and a written exam (6 hours), counting 50 %.

If less than 10 students sign up for the course it may be cancelled.

Required previous knowledge

The same admission requirements as for the master program in education and upbringing. The course can also be taken at the bachelor level if you have passed the exam in PED 1003.

Course materials

Course material: The reading list for the course counts around 1000 pages. The e-learning system It’s learning is used actively.

Credit reductions