MBA502 Kindergarten pedagogy, cultural formation and didactics

Contents and structure

In the course, the mission of the kindergarten teacher is analysed in different texts, political policy documents and in curricula and framework plans. The student will use both classical and more recent pedagogic texts that address the particular challenges kindergarten teachers face in our society.
The key concepts for work relating to kindergarten pedagogy, such as child development, play, learning and cultural formation, will be critically examined with respect to how the concepts take shape in practice and in different curriculum texts. The students are taught in national and international policy documents, for example, curricula/framework plans for the kindergarten and there is work on analysing and contextualising these.

Learning Outcome

Upon completing the course the student shall have the following overall learning outcomes:

The student

• have in-depth knowledge of the professional mission of kindergarten teachers
• have advanced knowledge of curriculum theory
• have in-depth knowledge about requirements for child development.

The student

• can analyse academic texts and political policy documents
• can work systematically, analytically and critically with the core concepts of child development, play, learning and cultural formation,
• can professionally and personally justify pedagogic and didactic choices and practices

The student

• can work analytically
• can articulate the professional mission

Teaching methods

In addition to lectures, seminars will be a dominant work form at which the students will present and discuss analyses of different texts.

Compulsory learning activities

• The student shall give an oral presentation of an analysis of a policy document or a pedagogic text.
• The student shall have two supervisory sessions for the analysis - one prior to the oral presentation and one following this.

Guidelines for the coursework requirement are provided at the start of the semester. Approved coursework requirements are valid for 2 years following approval.

Assessment

Semester assignment.

This assignment is a continuation of the coursework requirement and shall be a written analysis of a policy document or a pedagogic text. The semester assignment is written in a template with specific parts that must be included. The scope is 2,800 words + 10%. The guidelines for the text will be specified at the start of the course.

The submission deadline will be provided in Studentweb and in the digital exam system.

Grade scale of A-F, where F is equivalent to a fail grade.

In the event of a new/re-scheduled exam, the same assignment can be submitted once in revised form within 1 year.