The course has two aims. The first aim that students should develop their ability to analyze educational problems with a focus on the questions’ philosophical grounds. The second aim is that the students get prepared methodically for their upcoming masters’ theses.

The first part of the course focuses on different theoretical and methodological ways to address pedagogical problems, where students try out different methods and analytical strategies. The second part of the course focuses on students’ choices of methods in relation their upcoming masters’ theses. Theoretical, methodological, and ethical questions are discussed at seminars and workshops. One workshop in academic writing is organized.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to

1. Analyze political intentions and methodological ways to address pedagogical problems;

2. Identify and formulate a pedagogical problem, and reason around the differences between various methodological and theoretical approaches for the study of pedagogical problem

The course is built on lectures, seminaries, and hands-on workshops. There will be opportunities for feedback between the students throughout the course.

All learning outcomes are examined though a written examination and an oral presentation.

The grading criteria are distributed at the beginning of the course by the course coordinator.

It must be possible to distinguish between individual performances for all assessments.

Smeyers, Paul, Bridges, David, Burbules, Nicholas C. & Griffiths, Morwenna (eds.) (2015). International Handbook of Interpretation in Educational Research. Dordrecht Springer (p. 1-16; 79-86; 281-284; 497-504; 677-683; 865-871; 1029-1035; 1211-1218; 1409-1414) (75 s) (Available as EBook)

Literature chosen by the students will be added (approx. 500 pages)

Students who participate in or complete a course must be given the opportunity to share their experiences and provide feedback on the course via a course evaluation issued by the University. The University will compile the course evaluations and provide information regarding the results and any measures taken as a result of the course evaluation. Results will be made available to the students. (Higher Education Ordinance 1:14).

All teaching is in English.