Course content

The course is the first meeting with the professional education courses in the 5-year-integrated master study programmes for teacher education and is the first of three courses in Educational Theory.

The course is based on real-life situations from the classroom, with a primary focus on secondary school students. The teacher students will develop an understanding of practical and theoretical perspectives on knowledge, teaching and bildung. Important topics throughout the course are teaching, building relationships within a school context, classroom management, and learning environment, as well as initial insight into young students’ rights and the public school’s mandate within the Norwegian society.

Throughout the course, the teacher students will build a foundation for further development of their individual teacher identity by using theoretical language when talking, reading, and writing about the teacher profession. Furthermore, the teacher students will practice critical reflection over their role as a teacher, especially in connection to their teaching practice.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The candidate must have knowledge about:

• Students’ rights and the school’s mandate in a Norwegian context
• The teacher’s responsibility towards the students/pupils
• Learning, motivation, and teaching
• Different strategies for classroom- and learning management
• Bildung in a secondary school perspective

Skills

The candidate must be able to:

• Critically reflect on their role as a teacher
• Use subject specific language related to knowledge, learning and bildung
• Reflect, discuss, and decide on real-life issues related to classroom situations
• Use observation as a method for professional development

General competence

The candidate must have:

• A basis for further development of a professional identity and critical reflection on professional ethical issues

Learning methods and activities

The subject is taught in the autumn semester for students of Geography, Physical Education/Sports, English, French, Spanish and German, and in the spring semester for students of Sciences, History, Social Studies, and Nordic Languages.

The learning activities will vary between teachings in full classes or in seminar groups. To develop the teacher students’ pedagogical knowledge, skills, and general competences, the teachings will especially focus on varied types of activities linked to the teacher students’ practice.A certification responsibility has been ascribed to NTNU, to ensure that students master key competences for their future profession as teachers for grades 8-13. It is essential that students develop into independent and responsible teachers who are able to cooperate with peer students and future colleagues. Personal effort is important not only for own learning, but also for peers' and colleagues' professional development. A minimum of 75 % attendance is hence required to be allowed to sit the exam in the course. All obligatory activities must be approved before students can sit the exams.

Compulsory assignments

• 75% Compulsory participation
• Compulsory papers and activities

Specific conditions

Credit reductions