Teaching and Learning within the Swedish School System, 7.5 Credits

Contents

The course discusses the formation and organization of the Swedish school system. Syllabuses and teaching resources are discussed, from the student´s gained experience as teacher students. Finally the course deals with social and cultural factors which impact Swedish schools. The course includes four weeks of school based practice.

Expected learning outcomes

After the course the students should have acquired competence to:

Knowledge and understanding

• describe the main characteristics of the Swedish school system, it´s organization, culture and development

Skills and ability

• plan, practice and evaluate teaching
• compare and discuss teaching and learning in an international context
• discuss the main content in Swedish policy documents in relation to the teacher student´s subject and age level´s (future professional field).

Values and attitudes

• analyse and critically discuss the Swedish school system in relation to the education system in the student´s home country

Required Knowledge

Teacher students who have at least two years of teacher training. General qualifications for university studies. No demands for knowledge in Swedish as the course is given in English, but sufficient knowledge in English to be able to instruct

Form of instruction

The course is given in English through lectures and seminars. A compulsory part of the course is four weeks of school practice (VFU).

Examination modes

The Learning outcomes are examined by examining seminars, by observations in connection to the student´s school practice and by a written report. During the course the student must keep a log of their reflections which for foreign students is the ground for a written report. If special reasons exist, the examiner has the right to decide on another form of examination.

To get a pass, all examining tasks must be approved. To get a Pass with distinction the written report must in addition be graded as VG (pass with distinction), and special focus is placed on the student´s ability to problematize and analyze the content of the course. The final grade is the examiners balanced assessment of the student´s results. The final grades are U (Fail), G (Pass) and VG (Pass with distinction).

The responsible examiner has the right, after counseling  the tutor in charge, to fail the student at any time of the school practice, if the student demonstrates such lacks concerning knowledge, abilities or attitudes, that these lacks, separately or combined, lead to the risk that the student might cause physical or psychological damage to others . In such a case the student shall abort the school practice prematurely and will be failed.

In connection with such a decision the examiner shall set up an individual plan for development in cooperation with the student. That plan shall specify what knowledge, abilities and attitudes that the student must acquire to resume the school practice, together with a specified point of time for when that can be controlled. The student has the right to two such points for control every year. The total points for control shall however not be more than four, unless good reasons arises.  If the student at such a point for control demonstrates that he/she has acquires the knowledge, abilities and attitudes that the plan for development describes, the student has the right to carry out a new school practice, on condition that the student has not used his/her three periods for school practice.

A student who has not been approved at an ordinary examination shall be offered a scheduled re-sit examination in close connection to the course (within two months). A third examination opportunity is offered within a year from the ordinary examination.

If examinations or compulsory learning sessions cannot be repeated in accordance with current rules for re-examination, they may be replaced by other forms of assignments. The extent and content of such an assignment shall be in proportion to the missing compulsory sessions. A student who has failed two different assignments in a course or a part of a course is entitled to get a new examiner, if not exceptional reasons oppose this (HF 6 chap 11b §). In any such case the student must get in contact with the Director of Studies at the department.

A student has the right to change examiner for a course based on a written request to the head of department after two failures in the same course or part of a course.

Students who receive the grade “Fail” at the third examination are requested to assign to the examinations the next time the course is given. Reexaminations based on the same curriculum are guaranteed within two years after the first course registration.

ACADEMIC CREDIT TRANSFER
Earlier studies that correspond to the course contents may require credit transfer. The review is individual. For more information, contact the Study Counselor.
 

Other regulations

A certificate from the authorities in the student´s home country showing that the student has not been charged for any crimes towards individuals, must be presented to the principal in charge for the school where the student is doing his/her school practice.