PHD912 Ecocriticism and didactic practices

Contents and structure

The course forms part of the PhD programme in Bildung and Pedagogical Practices. The course is founded on ecocritical thinking and aims to provide insight into and new knowledge about ecocriticism in a formation perspective. The aim of the course is to strengthen the student's ability to understand how ecocritical issues are portrayed in cultural expressions aimed at children and adolescents, and how such issues may be developed in didactic practices. The course seeks to encourage critical and independent perspectives on ecocritical thinking and on how such thinking may find expression in and through didactic practices. This is to be accomplished by developing the student's skill in reading and interpreting both classical and more recent texts that have shaped and are shaping the field of ecocriticism.

The course presents and discusses the field of ecocriticism, drawing on both older and newer texts to discuss the history and development of the field. Emphasis is placed on ecocritical theory and on how such theory describes what constitutes ecocritical reflection and practice as well as how it can contribute to ecocritical formation, or Bildung.

Learning Outcome

After completing the course, the student will have the following total learning outcome:

Knowledge

The student has

• an independent understanding of various ecocritical theories and related didactical practices within their own field
• an in-depth knowledge of ecocritical core topics and an understanding of the analytical practices and the research literature related to the subject of ecocritical formation
• good insight into factors influencing and shaping ecocritical thinking and didactic practices that further sustainable development as well as into factors that can help shape ecocitizens

Skills

The student

• may undertake appropriate assessments of research literature related to the subject of ecocriticism and didactic practices
• can develop new interpretations, research questions and theory concerning ecocritical perspectives
• can develop adequate research designs to conduct research on ecocriticism and didactic practices
• can take a position on and challenge established issues, understandings and analyses in the subject

General competence

The student can

• assess the implications of (and for) ecocritical theory within his or her own field
• discuss the base questions of the course and of the practice field and identify and conduct research in line with the rules and ethics of the field
• communicate ecocritical insights to appropriate audiences (professionals, students, general audiences)
• use theory and analytical models developed in the ecocritical research field

Entry requirements

None

Teaching methods

The subject spans a semester. Organized teaching is provided in the form of 6 modules with asynchronous video lectures, including questions for reflection and the possibility for student led online discussion. Each module includes a student assignment. There are three synchronous online meetings during the semester.

The course emphasizes the understanding and discussion of key areas in ecocritical thinking. The video lectures in the six modules are organized around the following topics: Ecocritical figures of thought and formation, the NatCul Matrix, the posthuman, animal and plant studies, ecocritical dialogues and ecojustice (the reading list is also organized around these topics).

The course involves individual writing assignments in the form of five blog posts, each of around 500 words and one group assignment in the form of a recorded conversation related to the module on ecocritical dialogues. The blog posts are tied to each of the other modules. The student is asked to reflect on current discussions within the research field of ecocriticism, in relation to their own project and field of study.

The student is expected to read up on the course literature to support their discussion in the blog posts and is required to comment on the blog posts of at least two other students in each course module. Students are encouraged to participate actively in group activities on the interactive online forums to maximize their own learning and to contribute to the learning of others.

Compulsory learning activities

Mandatory requirements: 3 answer components of the student's choice (blog posts/recorded group discussion).

The mandatory requirements must be submitted within a specified date and approved in order to progress to the assessment of the scientific article.

Assessment

Assignment in the form of a short scientific article that addresses the relationship between ecocritical thinking and their own field of study. The text should be based on the work with the mandatory requirements, and should contain 4000 words, reference list included (+/- 10%).

The text must meet the formal requirements for scientific publishing, that is: include a specified problem statement, set out theory and method, include analysis and discussion, and conform to a scientific citation practice.

Language: English, or one of the Scandinavian languages. Formal requirements are further specified at the start of the semester.

Grading scale: Pass/Fail.

The scientific text will be assessed by internal and external examiners based on the learning outcome descriptions which apply to the subject.

Examination support material

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