With a basis in social theories and educational research this course is concerned with global challenges facing the current educational system and consequential developments of the Norwegian/Nordic educational institutions.

Through topics such as the history of education, education and inequality, education and globalisation, the politics of inclusion, and challenges tied to digitalization, the course deals with the possibilities and limitations offered to people and societies at local, national and global levels by educational institutions. The tension between international economic and political trends on the one hand and culturally and historical distinct approaches to national educational policies on the other will be scrutinized.

Students will learn to identify the objects and functions of educational institutions and educational policies and to develop a critical understanding of what characterizes democratic, diverse and inclusive education.

On completion of this course the students should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student..

• can explain the main traits of how the Norwegian educational system grew forth
• can discuss the function of educational institutions in a modern knowledge and network society locally, nationally and globally
• can discuss challenges for education in a complex, diverse society
• can keep up to date on social educational research

Skills

The student ..

• can explain and use relevant educational and social perspectives
• can find, assess and refer to relevant information and use this when working on a problem for a paper

General competence

The student ..

• can plan and conduct an independent written work
• can give scholarly feedback to others' written work

Organised teaching consists of lectures, seminars and written assignments with feedback from course instructor and fellow students.

It is compulsory to hand in assignments during the semester.

The examination form is an essay of approximately 3000 words.

A-F

5 ECTS credits reduction when combined with SOS108

15 ECTS credits reducthin when combined with PED200 

The reading list will be available 01.06. for the autumn semester and 01.12. for the spring semester.

The course will be evaluated in accordance with the Faculty of Psychology,s routines for participatory evaluation and the University of Bergen's Quality Assurance System.

Faculty of Psychology,

Information Centre: studierettleiar.psyfa@uib.no

Tlf: (+47) 55 58 27 10