Examination arrangement

Course content

Central theme the third academic year: The school as an organization, professional learning community, and research and development in schools.

Through collaboration with the practice group, teaching practice supervisor and lecturer from NTNU, either in Norway or abroad, the students will focus on how teachers use research- and experience-based knowledge in their own teaching. In addition, the student should focus on cooperation with parents, educational and psychological counselling service (PPT), and other collaborators.

Learning outcome

Knowledge The student

• has knowledge of methods related to research and development used at the practice school.
• has knowledge of quality development in own subjects of study and can relate this knowledge to research and development work.
• has knowledge of how to facilitate inclusive and healthy learning environments to promote good academic and social learning processes.
• has knowledge of professional digital competence.
• has basic knowledge of the school as an organization and its mandate, core values, and place in society.
• has basic knowledge of how teachers cooperate with various collaborators.

Skills The student

• can plan, lead, and assess teaching, both alone and in cooperation with others.
• can use research-based knowledge for development in the practice school.
• can evaluate and discuss how bullying and harassment can be handled and propose measures that promote a healthy learning environment.
• can evaluate and use relevant teaching materials, digital tools, and resources in teaching which is based on the current curriculum.
• can help pupils reflect over their own learning and development through learning-centered feedback.
• can discuss teaching and learning based on professional ethical perspectives.

General competence The student

• can contribute to pedagogical innovation.
• can, grounded in research-based knowledge and professional ethics, evaluate own and others’ teaching practices.
• can reflect upon own teacher identity within the professional learning community.
• can reflect upon issues relate to research and development work in light of relevant research.

Learning methods and activities

Teaching practice is an arena of study, testing, and learning. The course content and work related to research and development work requires that students have adequate time to use teaching practice as their arena of study, where they are challenged through observation, discussion, and reflection.

In their third year, the students should progressively gain more independent experience with teacher’s work. Through observation, own teaching, mentoring, and reflection, the students will become familiar with pupils’ learning and development in grades 3-4, as well as develop their teacher role within a learning community. The students’ teaching tasks include planning, teaching, and supplementary work within their subject of study, as well as participation in other subjects and activities within the full range of subjects.

Writing is an important tool for the students’ learning and communication processes during their practical training. The use of a variety of written documents must be used in the context of pre- and post-guidance sessions.

Working methods and learning activities:

The student should:

• reflect upon and question the schools’ and own activity.
• discuss the relevance of own research and development based upon theory and experience in the school system.
• plan, conduct, and assess varied teaching for pupils in grades 3-4 based on plans for the week/semester/school year.
• participate in team meetings, and if possible meet with parents and other external partners.
• reflect upon how lesson planning documents are a useful tool for planning and assessing teaching.
• write individual reflection logs daily and consider these on the basis of theory and current curricula.

Fall and spring:

25 days teaching practice in grades 3-4, nationally or internatonally.

Further on evaluation

All teaching practice is obligatory.

Only illness or preapproved leave of absence constitutes valid absence.

Teaching practice should be guided and continuously assessed. Local adaptions might be made for students on international practice.

Teaching practice supervisor and university supervisor recommend the assessment of the teaching practice to pass/fail.

Students cannot appeal the assessment of teaching practice. However, students can appeal based on formal errors during the assessment process.

Students have a right to redo teaching practice once if the practice period has been assessed as fail. See NTNU’s study regulations § 5-10.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Passed the second-year teaching practice module in Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education for Years 1-7