PHD907 Kindergarten as an arena for cultural formation

Contents and structure

The aim is to introduce PhD students (and post docs) to study design of "educational institutions as arenas for cultural formation" through readings, multimodal resources, discussions and analytical exercises in order to reinforce their capacity to design their own research projects.  

The course explores the use of a socio epistemological design for studies where educational institutions such as kindergarten and teacher education are arenas for cultural formation. Conditions for cultural formation; how people do, experience, behave, present, feel and think and how time, place, situation, artefacts as well as and relations are dynamic mechanisms are considered important in this design.  Furthermore, the course examines how the curriculum of kindergarten and the curriculum of teacher education shape conditions for human experience, identity and meaning-making, all varieties of avenues to understand how people are shaped and shape themselves. Conditions for cultural formation in educational practices are considered global as well as local, habituated and situated. The attendees will have the opportunity to work on their projects during the course. The course will to a certain extend adapt to students projects.

The course begins with an introduction to two significant research projects within the socio-epistemological research framework; 1.The project Barnehagen som danningsarena ["Kindergarten as an arena for cultural formation"] and 2. The project of Barnehagens matematikk ["The mathematics of Kindergarten"]. These introductions provide examples of designs created to build new knowledge and understandings about the relations between curriculum policy for "barnehagen" and teachers and children's activity, their meaning making and learning. By reading these research resources, the students will analyse some principles of studies following a socio-epistemological research design. The students will furthermore explore and elicit new problems and formulate their curiosity and how their own project ideas relate to principles of socio-epistemological research design. By presenting their own ideas and project sketches, the students will have to utilise knowledge and develop skills to design, explain and scrutinize their design. 

The course provides literature, multimodal material, discussions and support for developing a research design following socio-epistemological perspectives. The course also addresses the designing of research based on socio-epistemologically anchored principles. Students bring their sketches of a research design and receive feedback on drafts. Discussions will be raised about possibilities and limitations related to the student's own designs. (Lectures draw on international research as well as literature and material developed by the milieu of the research Group "Kindergarten as an arena for cultural formation" and the milieu of "Barnehagens mathematics" and researchers attached to the KINDKNOW Centre (Kindergarten Knowledge Centre for Systemic Research on Diversity and Sustainable Futures).

 

 Day 1 - October 15, 2018  

1230-1430 Introduction 

Introduction of participants and course leaders, eventually guest lecturer

Introduction with examples of socio-epistemological  designs

1500-1600 Introduction and discussion

Introduction continue about socio epistemological design. What are the principle ideas to take into consideration when building designs within the frame of socio- epistemological perspective? What are the critics, problems and questions to be raised? 

1645 - 1800 Student presentations

Prepared response and discussion

Students have already shared a sketch/draft of their research design (2 pages at least one week beforehand).

Page 1: Formulate questions and/or comments relevant for discussions about your research design. Refer to selected texts from the course literature. (Eg. How does the literature argue for the design of the study? What is the relation between politics, ideas and research design in my study? What kind of reasons and aims do I have for my research and how is my aims connected to the status of knowledge?)

Page 2: Sketch/draw - make a visualisation of the project design

1900 Dinner/social activity

Optional - at students¿ own expense

 Day 2 - October 16, 2018  

0900-1000 Student presentations

Prepared response and discussion

Continual

1015-1145 Student presentations  Prepared response and discussion

Continual

1145-1230 Lunch

 

1230-1400

Time can be expanded until 1600

Discussion, evaluation and

agreement of expectations for day 3 and 4

Analysis and discussions about how such relations concerns research designs and the effects and outcomes that might be expected. Paring participants for cooperation about tasks to be presented day 3 and 4.

Day 3 -   October 31, 2018 

1200/1230-1430

Student presentation 

1500-1730/1800

Student presentation

1900 Dinner/social activity

Optional at students¿ own expense

Day 4 November 1, 2019

0900-1000 Student presentations

1015-1115/30 Student presentations

1130-1230 Lunch

1230-1400 Discussion and evaluation

Summing up how research designs are epistemological anchored and how epistemology creates expectations to research designs.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student has

• Knowledge of a socio-epistemological framework of studies of kindergarten and teacher education
• Up-to-date knowledge about the student's specific topic within this framework

Skills

The student is able to

• Formulate problems and curiosity concerning kindergarten or teacher education and transform ideas into building designs within the frame of socio epistemological perspective
• Formulate self-reflexivity related to new knowledge aims and what kind of impact the student's own project will have on kindergarten or kindergarten teacher education
• Analyze relations between local and global issues from literature and media resources and formulate how such relations concern research designs

General competence

The student

• Has critical, ethical and reflective understanding of how research designs are epistemological anchored and how epistemology creates expectations to research designs

Entry requirements

Methodological knowledge at least at masters level.

English reading and writing.

Teaching methods

The study methods include working seminars on developing research designs, reading and analyzing literature and multimodal material. Short introductions are given in the course and through media resources.

Compulsory learning activities

Students' preparations and participation is central. Students drafts/sketches/formulated text are shared beforehand (2 pages), in between day 2 and day 3 students work (online) in pairs with course literature and drafts of papers.

Assessment

Paper, 7-10 pages (Times New Roman 12 and 1.5 space).

Submission deadline will be announced at the start of the course and on the digital assessment system.

Grade Pass/Fail.

A certificate of 5 ECT will be given to attendees who participate and pass the course, including presentation, taking part in discussions and taking responsibility for providing feedback in working seminars.

Examination support material

None

More about examination support material