Semestre
NECEC2100 Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care, Theory and Practice
Generell informasjon
Emneinnhold
Brief introduction to the programme
The programme is a comparative, theoretical and practical approach to early childhood education and care in Norway. The programme provides experiences, insight and knowledge about everyday life in Norwegian early childhood education and care institutions. Simultaneously the students will be introduced to the Nordic view on play and learning, the close relationship to nature, as well as children’s rights to participation.
The basic values of the programme
The programme is based on an understanding of children that emphasizes children’s participation and children’s competences, a societal view that emphasizes responsibility for the environment and sustainable development, and a view on culture that embraces both cultural heritage and cultural criticism. The programme gives the students an insight into children’s culture and the formative influences that are part of the processes in a child’s development. The Norwegian society may still be categorised as quite homogeneous. However, increasing numbers of multi-cultural groups of children lead to more emphasis on inter-cultural work. Core values in this work are respect, creativity, dialogue and wondering.
Other values fundamental for this course are gender equality and equality between all people in a social and ethnic diversity. Accompanying this are moral values which constitute the foundation for a modern democracy, and are in accordance with the United Nations (UN) Human Rights. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) forms the ethical foundation by emphasizing the child’s rights to a life that allows a physical, spiritual, moral and social development. In addition it is also a foundation for developing an understanding of the values inherent in religious cultural traditions.
The course contains the following subjects (The numbers show the approximate workload)
Nature and Outdoor Activities (2)
Art/Drama/Music (3)
Norwegian (4,5)
Education/Pedagogics (5,5)
Norwegian Culture and Society (3,5)
Religion, Philosophies of Life and Ethics (1,5)
Total ECTS credits 20
The student will get one grade at the end of the course, and not individual grades for each subject.
Forventet læringsutbytte
Main Learning Outcome
Learning outcome after completing this course, the student
- Has knowledge about ECEC settings in Norway and central documents governing these
- Has sound knowledge of children’s rights and knows what signifies an inclusive and learning environment in ECEC settings.
- Is able to use her professional skills in play and learning activities
- Is showing interest for communicating with children in basic Norwegian
At the end of the course the student has developed knowledge, skills and competence within the following areas:
The theoretical part
The student:
- Has gained a deeper understanding of society, children and childhood.
- Has got an understanding of Norwegian childhoods and child cultures and can compare this with experiences from own country.
- Has an insight in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
- Has an understanding on the condition under which children grow up in Norway both regarding legal framework, attitude to children and childhood and an outdoor way of life.
- Is familiar with local cultural activities for children, and how everyday life for children is organised.
- Has reached comparative and historical perspectives on growing up.
The practical training
The student:
- Has shown interest, ability and competence in interacting and communicating with children, their parents and the staff.
- Has developed knowledge of views on children and pedagogical practise in another culture, and is able to reflect on and compare this in relation to their own culture’s pedagogical practise.
- Has gained an insight into the relevance and the conditions for play and interaction.
- Has gained an insight into the view on the relationship between play and learning.
- Has knowledge about how children use the indoor and outdoor space in their free play.
- Has shown interest and ability to use these spaces in his/her pedagogical planning.
- Has understood the significance of nature and outdoor space on play and learning in Norway.
- Has shown ability to plan, carry out and evaluate a project about his/her own country in the ECEC setting.
- Has shown ability to lead small groups of children in various activities in the ECEC setting.
- Has shown ability to see links between theory and practise in Norwegian ECEC settings.
- Has shown independence and own initiative in the daily work in the ECEC setting.
Arbeids- og læringsaktiviteter
Organisation, Teaching and Working methods
Theory and practical training
The programme is part of a professional education where theory and practice form two equal sources of knowledge which are inter-related. The programme is a platform for a reflexive meeting between theoretical subject knowledge, practical skills and professionalism, and the three areas of competence should be seen as a holistic unit. Therefore, parts of the programme will be practical training in an ECEC setting.
Mentored practical training
During the course the students will gain experience with planning, carrying out and evaluating pedagogical work in the ECEC institution, and gain experience with the preschool teacher profession. Tutoring of the practical training is a joint responsibility for all teachers during the course. The students will have 35 days practice experiences throughout the programme of 13 weeks. The practice tutor at the college has the coordinating responsibility for the students during their practical training, and the practice mentor in the ECEC setting is responsible for the practical training in the ECEC setting.
Practical Training
Duration
Early Childhood Education and Care Setting 0-5 years, 34 days
Primary School 6-8 years, 1 day
Responsibility for own learning
Students are expected to take joint responsibility and to have a joint influence during the programme. They are required to work independently and actively to be well prepared for co-operation with children, colleagues, parents and the community, both during the study and in a lifelong learning process. In addition to lecturers and other teacher initiated activities, the students have to take responsibility to acquire knowledge of the contents of the course through self-study, groups, as well as individual work.
Student participation
All teaching and practical training throughout the programme is compulsory. In order to have the various parts of the course approved and to take the final exam the students have to fulfill all compulsory assignments. The requirement of mandatory attendance included.
Obligatoriske arbeidskrav
| Kode, navn og ev. beskrivelse av arbeidskrav | Arbeidskravets form (hva vurderes) | Gruppering |
|---|---|---|
| NEC-AK1 Oral presentation | Framføring/presentasjon | Gruppe |
| NEC-AK2 Mentoring Session 1 | Skriftlig oppgave | Individuell |
| NEC-AK3 Mentoring Session 2 | Skriftlig oppgave | Individuell |
| NEC-AK4 Mentoring Session 3 | Skriftlig oppgave | Individuell |
| OBLTS Mandatory attendance | Oppfylt krav om tilstedeværelse i undervisning | Individuell |
Eksamen
| Vurderingsform | Kode | Gruppering | Tid/omfang | Enhet | Vekting | Sensorordning | Hjelpemidler | Merknader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mappeeksamen | MAP1 | Individuell | mappebidrag | 40% | Intern | |||
| Helhetlig vurdering av praksis | PRAKSIS | Individuell | semester | 60% | Faglærer (intern) og praksislærer (ekstern) |
Øvrig informasjon
Target group
The programme is designed for visiting students in Norway on 13 weeks of exchange.
It is free for students from institutions with an exchange agreement with Queen Maud University College (QMUC).
Admission
Students have to be enrolled in early childhood education and care (ECEC) studies at their home institution. The home institution nominates students for the exchange programme. Students send in their application with copies of reports of marks from all finalised subjects at their home institution and letter of motivation. A registration form is filled in by the students after admission is granted.
Students nominated from partner institutions are given priority if there are more applicants than places.
Free movers must document at least 60 ECTS credits of studies in preferably the field of Early Childhood Education, alternatively in Education. Students with background in ECE will be given priority.
Applicants must also provide documentation of English proficiency.
For more information about admission requirements, see: https://dmmh.no/en/studies/admission
Further information
When practical training is part of their studies, students are required to submit police clearance certificate. The police certificate cannot be older than three months by the start of the practical training period in Norway.
All students outside the EU/EEU are required to send a copy of a recent tuberculin test (not older than 3 months). The tuberculin test result must be negative for the student to be admitted to QMUC.
For additional information, see: www.dmmh.no/en
Pensum
Bibliography will be published June 1st 2018
Ministry of Education and Research (2017) : Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens. https://www.udir.no/globalassets/filer/barnehage/rammeplan/framework-plan-for-kindergartens2-2017.pdf
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (1989).
Ped
Boyden, J. (1997). Childhood and the Policy Makers: A Comparative Perspective on the Globalization of Childhood. In: James, A. & Prout, A. eds. Constructing and Reconstructing Childhood. Contemporary Issues in the Sociological Study of Childhood, pp190-215. London: Falmer Press. 26 pages.
Gunnestad, A. (2006). Resilience in a Cross-Cultural Perspective: How resilience is generated in different cultures. Journal of Intercultural Communication, April 2006. 29 pages.
Gunnestad, A. (2003). Resilience – a new Approach to Children at Risk in the Southern African Situation. In: Children’s Rights in Early Childhood Education in Africa and Norway. Queen Maud’s College, Trondheim. 15 pages.
Hall, H. (1997). Contributions of the Arts to Children’s Lives. In: Jalongo, M. R. & Stamp, L. N.: The Arts in Children’s Lives. Aesthetic Education in Early Childhood (pp. 29-53). Boston, Singapore, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore: Allyn and Bacon. 25 pages
Hughes, F.P.(2003). Spontanous Play in the 21st Century. In: Saracho & Spodek. Contemporary Perspectives on Play in Early Childhood Education. A volume in – contemporary perspectives in early childhood education. Greenwich, Connecticut: Information Age Publishing.15 pages.
Lillemyr, Søbstad, Marder and Flowerday (2011). A Multicultural Perspective on Play and Learning in Primary School. In Springer Science+Buisness Media B.V.2011. Published online 29.january 2011. 20 pages.
Ødegaard, E.E. (2006). What’s worth talking about? Meaning-making in toddler-initiated co-narratives in preschool. In: Early Years, Vol. 26, No. March 2006, pp.79-92. UK: Routledge. 12 pages
Arts and crafts, music, drama
Buaas, Ellen Holst (2004): From Nature to Culture: a joint Zambian-Norwegian project on Culture an Nature. Article handout
Larsen, A.M. (2004): Kwesuka sukela – once upon a time. How to use play drama and theatre in storytelling. In: The Role of Culture in Early childhood Education. Trondheim: Queen Maud’s College.10 pages
Sundin, B. (1986). The Importance of Music and Aesthetical Activities for the General Development of the Child. In: Ruud, E.E, Music and Health (pp. 161-176). Norsk Musikforlag A/S. 15 pages.
Sæther, M. (2008). Music and Basic Learning in a Stimulating Environment in Kindergarten. Translation of chapter in: Kibsgaard, S.(ed), Grunnleggende Læring I et Stimulerende Miljø I barnehagen. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. 11 pages.
Natural science and outdoor life
Gelter, H. (2000). Friluftsliv: The Scandinavian Philosophy of Outdoor Life. Canadian J. of Environmental Education, 5, pp.77-92.
Hansen, A. (2008). Education in Norway – Equality, Nature and Knowledge. In: Maagerø, E. and Simonsen, B (eds). Norway: society and culture (pp. 125-136). Kristiansand: Portal Forlag.
Nilsen, R. D. (2008). Children in nature: Cultural ideas and social practices in Norway. In: A. James, & A. James (eds.), European Childhoods. Cultures, Politics and Childhoods in Europe (pp. 38-60). London: Palgrave.
Sandseter, Ellen Beate. (2009). Risky Play and Risky Management in Norwegian Preschools – a qualitative observational study. In: Safety Science, 2009, Issue 1, Article 2. 10 pages.
Strahler, A. N. & Strahler, A. H. (1984). Elements of Physical Geography (3rd Edition; 23 pages). USA: John Wiley & Sons.
Social science
Aase, A. (2008): In search of Norwegian Values. In: Maagerø, E. and Simonsen, B (eds). Norway: society and culture (pp 13-27). Kristiansand: Portal Forlag
Aase, S.L. and Aase, L. (2008). The history of Norway: A Long-Term Perspective. In: Maagerø, E. and Simonsen, B (eds). Norway: society and culture, pp 30-55. Kristiansand: Portal Forlag
Angell, O.H. (2008): The Norwegian welfare state. In: Maagerø, E. and Simonsen, B (eds). Norway: society and culture (pp 102-124). Kristiansand: Portal Forlag
Maagerø, E. and Simonsen, B. (2008). Minorities in Norway – Past and Present. In: Eva Maagerø and Birte Simonsen (eds). Norway: society and culture (pp 180-194). Kristiansand: Portal Forlag.
Nielsen, A.C.E. (2008). Trends in the Development of Norwegian Childhood. In: Maagerø, E. and Simonsen, B (eds). Norway: society and culture (pp. 195-206) Kristiansand: Portal Forlag.
Report on "Children's rights in Early Childhood Education in Africa and Norway" 2003. 138 pages.
Maths
Bishop, A. J. (1988). Mathematics education in its cultural context. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 19 (2), 179–191.
Fosse, T. (2016). What characterises mathematical conversations in a Norwegian kindergarten? Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education, 21 (4), 101-119.