Regional Studies (Nordic Countries and UK/Ireland) and Comparative Perspectives on Social Studies (1-7)

The course focuses on critical perspectives on social inequality, social interaction, family and gender equality, tolerance and cultural diversity in a comparative perspective, with an eye on the Nordic countries and UK/Ireland. Furthermore, the compulsory school's various social subjects for 1-7 in these regions are studied in a comparative perspective, with a focus on differences in curricula (læreplaner) and other management documents, subject content, textbooks and other learning resources, development lines and ongoing development work and social science didactic orientations and thinking. In the case of the Nordic countries, the rise of the Nordic states and cooperative perspectives on the political systems in recent times, and new economic development lines are also thematized. In the case of the UK/Ireland, socioeconomic inequality, ethnic diversity, as well as local democracy and governance are compared to Norwegian conditions.

KNOWLEDGE

The student has

• advanced knowledge of selected subjects in socio-demographic inequality, social interaction, family and gender equality, and cultural diversity in the Nordic countries and UK/Ireland
• in-depth knowledge of selected subjects in local democracy and administration in the UK/Ireland
• in-depth knowledge of regional comparison and theories of regional development and regional differences
• in-depth knowledge of the rise of the states in the Nordic countries and about Nordic cooperation in recent times
• advanced knowledge of political systems and political conditions in the two regions
• in-depth knowledge of some of the school subjects in the two regions that correspond to or are included in Norwegian social studies 1-7, and about development lines and ongoing development work in these

SKILLS

The student

• can compare social, economic, cultural and political conditions and development lines in regions
• can find, evaluate, select and adapt relevant subject sources for use in school
• can plan, conduct and evaluate comparative teaching on socio- demographic inequality - can perform comparative school subject analysis
• can plan and conduct initial training on family and social inequalities
• can analyze and relate critically to perceptions of justice and equality

GENERAL COMPETENCE

The student

• can plan excursions outside the school's immediate area
• can use insights from the master's subjects to contribute in development work with other professional teachers

Lectures, foreign field course/trip 5-10 days, seminar with student presentations, exercises/student assignments. Independent work and work in groups. There are organized 5-10 days field courses/trip in UK and/or Ireland, with program relevant to the subject content of the course. Mini-lectures and exercises are also conducted during the field course. The students are co-responsible for the planning of this field course. The field trip are financed by the students themselves. The field trip is not mandatory.