Children in a Multicultural Context Fall 2017 Copenhagen 3 Credits Core Class Study Tour: London, England Co-Requisite: Child Development and Diversity Practicum Major Disciplines: Human Development, Education, Child Development Faculty: Maja Sbahi Biehl (msb@dis.dk) and Amana Mbise (atm@dis.dk)  Program Director: Maja Sbahi Biehl, msb@dis.dk, Vestergade 10A 24 Program Assistant: Colleen Kolb, cko@dis.dk,  Vestergade 10A 24 Mondays 10:00-13:00 Room: (N7-C24)  Nørregade 7, Staircase C, Level 2, Classroom 4

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Description of Course:

Scandinavia is known to be one of the best places for raising children to be competent, independent, democratic, and social beings. In Denmark today, approximately 9% of the total Danish population is of another ethnic background than Danish with the highest representations from Turkey, former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Poland, Germany, Afghanistan, and Somalia^[1]. This in many ways mirrors global transformations and instigates the growing multiculturalism in Danish schools and childcare institutions.By implementing Nordic childhood as our entry point, this course examines the following questions: Are the long-standing childcare traditions in Denmark being challenged? How are Danish childcare institutions, schools and programs influenced by Danish integration policies? How is multicultural discourse examined in a Danish context? And how are children in Denmark influenced by these processes?Through this window, we will reflect on and investigate complex multicultural processes.  We will delve into the terms of multiculturalism, childhood, inclusive education, pedagogy and different learning paradigms and make an effort to enhance nuanced reflections from diverse interdisciplinary, theoretical and personal perspectives. 

 We will explore how the concepts of multiculturalism, intercultural pedagogy, multilingualism, diversity, dual socialization, social entrepreneurship, creativity and the good childhood in Danish childcare and educational settings influence each other.The course will incorporate both theory on culture and cross-cultural competence as well as writings, activities and public debates.  We will question and look upon our own reflection, ways of knowing, meanings, and discourses. Furthermore, we will stress the connection between the class and the practicum sites by asking students to take notes on issues, themes, questions, successes and challenges that emerge in the practicum site and reflect on what the field experience can add to theory. Students will acquire knowledge about intercultural learning, critical pedagogy, child development discourse and educational sociology.

 Learning Objectives:

• To visualize the dynamic processes in childhood discourse
• Describe different traditions in Danish childcare, policy and education with comparisons to traditions in the students’ home countries and visits in London
• Acquire knowledge on child rights in Denmark and the rights based approach to working with children
• Acquire experience working with children and reflect critically on observations in real-life situations in settings for children through practicum, study tour and field study visits, and course readings
• Gain knowledge about cross-cultural competence, multilingualism, multiculturalism, social inclusion, and child and youth development
• To question, reflect and critically analyze multicultural discourse in a Danish context
• To analyze different perspectives in the public debates, policy and your practicum experience, drawing on your theoretical inspirations and through qualitative methods
• To evaluate different perspectives, concepts, practices, and their consequences as well as contributions to the themes discussed and dealt with throughout the course; this kind of evaluation will enable students to take responsibility for their own learning and will motivate them to think at a higher level
• To develop reflective, critical and analytical skills in presentations and writing

 Awards:

Academic Excellence Award

Each semester we recognize one outstanding student from the Child Development and Diversity Program (Child Development in Scandinavia or Children in a Multicultural Context) with an Award of Academic Excellence. It is reserved for a student who has distinguished him- or herself through diligence, commitment, academic performance, and ideally a student who contributes to a good, collaborative learning environment in class.

 Class Representatives:

Each semester DIS looks for class representatives to become an official spokesperson for their class, addressing any concerns that may arise (in academic or related matters), suggesting improvements and coming up with new ideas. Class representatives are a great way for DIS faculty to ensure better and timelier feedback on their courses, assessments and teaching styles, and as such perform an invaluable role in connecting student needs with faculty instruction during term time. Class Representatives will be elected in class at the beginning of the semester.

 Course Components

 1. Required Texts: This course uses a compendium, as well as extra articles uploaded to Canvas.

 2. Approach to teaching:

This course applies experiential learning. There will be a combination of lectures, class activities, group work, debates, students’ presentations, exercises, fieldwork and cases. You will be expected to complete all reading assignments thoroughly and critically prior to coming to class so that you can contribute to class discussions and group activities. You should draw upon and apply your practicum experiences, interactions with children and observations from daily life in Denmark to the theory about multicultural pedagogy and education that you learn in class. You are expected to be able to work independently and to be active in group work.

 3. Field Studies:

Field studies serve to complement your course work by placing you in the professional field to extend and rethink what we read about, discuss in class, and encounter in practicum. Please be ready for each field study by completing all readings and preparing questions in advance.

We may divide the class into smaller groups, each visiting different sites located in the greater Copenhagen area. Specific field study details are yet to be determined.

4. Core Course Week/Short Tour.

When:  September 11th-13th

• September 11^th-13^th: Western Denmark
• September 14th-15th: Copenhagen

Purpose:  To gain broader knowledge about childcare and education through visits to different institutions in Western Denmark.

Orientation: There will be a short study tour orientation in class and you will each be given a booklet of the visits on the day of the tour. 

5. Long Study Tour:

When:  October 8th -October 13th (Sunday – Friday):  London, England

Purpose: To gain cross-cultural perspectives on childcare and education through visits to institutions in London.

Orientation: You will have a long tour orientation during class and receive a booklet about the visits on the day of the tour. 

6. Expectations of the students:

Students are expected to have completed the readings prior to each class and be prepared to contribute to the class with questions derived from the readings, and reflections from your practicum sites. You are also expected to participate in online forum discussion on Canvas. A core element of this class is to link student’s practicum observations and experiences to prior knowledge and class readings and discussions.

It is also expected that students:

• Are active participants in class discussions
• Study the readings for each class and prepare questions for discussions
• Collaborate in groups during class time for knowledge exchange
• Bring your practicum logbook journal to class and write in it frequently
• Discuss readings and prepare presentations with an assigned study group outside of class
• Relate the course to personal experiences in practicum
• Develop and exercise critical thinking throughout the course
• Be independent, manage own time and execute self-directed learning.
• Take an active part in creating a sincere, interesting, and safe classroom environment where different perspectives are presented and discussed
• Assist in creating a class culture and community of learners

Be prepared to discuss your reflections in class and complete assigned readings that will be assigned in each class or communicated to you via Canvas.

Instructor Information:

Instructors:

Maja Sbahi Biehl

Email: msb@dis.dk

Cand.comm. in Communication and Educational Studies from Roskilde University (2004). Specialized in Intercultural Communication and pedagogy. BA in Speech and Communication from San Francisco State University. International Student Advisor at Roskilde University, Communication Department (2001-2002). Interpreter and pedagogical supervisor for Turkish youth in Farum municipality (1999-2000). Substitute teacher at Bybækschool (prep class for minority students) and playschool teacher at International Bernadotte school (1998-2000). Experience working with children in daycare center- Sofiegårdens vuggestue (1998) and for an ethnic youth project for Copenhagen municipality (1999-2000). Experience as a volunteer for the Danish Red Cross Asylum center - Culture House and aided in the upstart of a Mother and Child group “Mamatu” (2002). Volunteer work with Danish-Turkish parent association and inner city schools (2008). With DIS since 2005.

Consultation: Office Hours by appointment

 Amana Talala Mbise

Email: atm@dis.dk 

PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research interests are in child rights and rights based approaches to working with children. Amana also holds a Masters in Social Welfare specializing in Community Health and Urban Development (CHUD) from the same university. Amana’s experience spans over eight years working in the civil society sector and academia. From 2006-2010, Amana was instrumental in supporting social service system strengthening initiatives in Tanzania. In these initiatives, Amana was a key member in curriculum development and training para professional community child workers in Tanzania and southern Africa. Amana was also instrumental in designing, launching and coordinating the Child Protection System Strengthening Project in Tanzania in partnership with the Institute of Social Work, UNICEF and the Ministry for Regional Administration and Local Government.  This innovative model allows state and non-state actors to holistically prevent, and respond to, cases of violence against children in their communities. Since 2012 Amana served as program evaluation specialist with the Midwest AIDs Training and Education Center (MATEC), University of Illinois at Chicago, helping to evaluate clinician training programs under the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Amana’s passion is in teaching and research.  

Consultation: by appointment

  

DIS Contact: Program Director: Maja Sbahi Biehl Email: msb@dis.dk Program Assistant: Colleen Kolb Email: cko@dis.dk  Phone: +45 3376 5799

 Assignments and Evaluation 

Assignment	Due Date	Percentage of grade
Participation and weekly eye and ear: Reflection papers in class, partaking in discussions on Canvas and in-class, presentations, peer reviews and being an active student overall. Students will also be expected to participate in the weekly eyes and ears. In this students are expected to keep an eye and ear on the current issues happening in Denmark and abroad that are relevant to children and multiculturalism.	Ongoing	20%
Childhood Theory Assignment	September 18	15%
Child’s Rights Assignment	October 23rd	15%
Qualitative Interview Paper	November 27th	25%
Poster Presentations	December 6th	25%
Total		100%

Participation (20%):

Active participation in class will include writing academic and personal reflections in logbooks, doing oral presentations in class, and conducting the workshop. Additionally, students are expected to participate in weekly discussion forums on Canvas and weekly 'eyes and ears' (more instructions will be given in class)

Criteria for Course Participation:

Domain	Criterion	Percentage Point
Regular, on-time attendance	-Sign-in sheet	5
Active and critical in-class participation	-Demonstrates an understanding of the course readings -Brings clarity and depth of thought to course readings, field practicum -Is actively engaged in in-class collaborations and problem-solving with peers	10
Weekly contribution on discussion forum and weekly eyes and ear sessions	-Reflects on readings of the week and responds to peer questions on Canvas -Participates in weekly eyes and ears sessions	5
Total		20

 If a student misses class without either prior notification or a written statement from a doctor, the student must hold a meeting with the instructor and risks being marked down one grade in participation.

Childhood Theory Assignment (15%) 

(4-6 pages):The childhood assignment will introduce you to theoretical perspectives in childhood and/or youth discourse. You will choose a theoretical and pedagogical perspective. You will investigate and research the chosen perspective and write a cohesive paper on the topic. The paper must relate to different themes relevant to childhood and/or education. The knowledge gained from this assignment will serve as a theoretical backbone and lens for your practicum, short study tour and core course week experiences as well as your project.  Specific guidelines will be given in class.

Child Right’s Assignment (15%)

(4-6 pages): This is an analytic and critical reflective paper on child rights. You will pick any theme or themes that are relevant to children’s rights (e.g. education, health, play, participation, survival, etc.) and critically reflect on these drawing upon literature and your experiences from site visits in Denmark and England. A critical take in this paper means going beyond the description of how these rights are met- or not-, in the two countries, to situating them in an analytical framework. This paper must include a bibliography of references used. More explanations will be given in class.

 Qualitative Interview Paper (25%)

(4-6 pages): This paper will introduce you to qualitative methods of research within childhood and youth studies by conducting an interview*. It is important that you start by choosing a topic of interest and the research question that you wish to address. You must include interview questions and answers as an appendix to your paper. You should integrate critical reflections resulting from working with the readings, class lectures/discussions, and preparation and completion of an interview. This assignment is not only about describing your interview but also much more about a synthesis of the theoretical perspectives and practical experiences through academic research and discussion. More information will be provided in class.

* Please discuss with the instructors if you decide to use other methods

Poster Presentations (25%)

As part of the last assignment for this class, you will be required to prepare a poster presentation of your topic to your peers and class instructors. The poster presentations should be equal to the quality you will expect in a conference. The presentations will follow an open gallery format. For your presentations and posters, feel free to utilize other visual aids and creative products to enhance your presentation. We encourage you to prepare your posters in accordance with the APA guidelines for poster presentations (See general APA convention here https://www.apa.org/convention/poster-instructions.pdf ). The presentation should include academic insights, grounding in theoretical or analytical framework and critical personal reflections. The presentation should draw upon and integrate readings, class lectures/discussion, practicum and study tour experience, and additional research. Preparation for this project will run throughout the semester. 

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work.

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Sean Green (sgr@dis.dk) to coordinate this. 

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Policies

Attendance

You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled.  If you miss a class for any reason please contact the faculty no later than the day of the missed class. If you miss multiple classes the Director of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is well.  Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS.  Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a note from a doctor.

Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others.  Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.

Policy on late papers: Late papers will be accepted, but your grade for the paper will be reduced by half a point for each day that it is late.

Use of laptops or phones in class: 

Computers are allowed in class PURELY for note taking purposes. In case of other uses such as Facebook, emails or Internet surfing, it will have a negative impact on your participation grade. Cell phones are to be shut off during class and texting/SMS'ing etc. during class will have a negative impact on your participation grade. It is important that we create a collaborative and engaging class culture.

Reading List:

Badran, M. (2009). Islamic Feminism: Whats in a Name? In Feminism in Islam: Secular and Religious Convergences

Bame Nsamenang, A. “Cultures in Early Childhood Care and Education.” Childhood Studies and the Impact of Globalization: Policies and Practices at Global and Local Levels. New York: Routledge, 2009. 23-45. Print.

Bitsch Olsen, Poul, et al. (2008) Problem-Oriented Project Work. Roskilde University Press

Brostrøm, Stig. (2006) Children’s Perspectives on their Childhood Experiences. In: Nordic Childhood and Early Education.  Age Publishing, pp. 223-255. ISBN: 1593113501. (310p.)

Children's Places of Belonging in Immigrant Families of Caribbean Background. In Children's Places: Cross Cultural Perspectives, Karen Fog Olwig and Eva Gulløv, eds. London: Routledge, forthcoming.

Cohen, Louis, et al. (1994) Chapter 5- Being a Careful Observer. In: Research Methods in Education. Routledge, pp. 94-111. ISBN: 0-415-10235-9. (416p.)

Education of ethnic minority children in Denmark: monocultural hegemony and counter positions, by Christian Horst & Thomas Gitz-Johansen, Intercultural Education, (2010), 21: 2, p. 137-151. (URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14675981003696271)

Gauri, V., Gloppen, S. (2012). Human Rights-Based Approaches to Development: Concepts, Evidence, and Policy. Polity, 44(4), 485-503

Gilroy, Paul (1997) Diaspora and the Detours of Identity in: Woodward, Kathryn (ed.) Identity and Difference. London: Sage Publications

Goncu, A., Ozer, S. & Ahioglu, N. (2009) Childhood in Turkey: social class and gender differences in schooling, labor and play. In M. Fleer, M. Hedegaard and TJ, Tudge (Eds.) Childhood studies and the impact of globalization: policies and practices at global and local levels (pp. 67-85) New York: Routledge.

Gready, P. & Ensor, J. (2005) Introduction. In Gready, P. & Ensor, J. (eds.) Reinventing Development? Translating rights-based approaches from theory into practice. Zed Book: London.

Gulløv, E. and Bundgaard, H.: “Children of Different Categories”. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 32:1, 2006. Pp. 145-155.

Gulløv, Eva. (2004). Creating a Natural Place for Children. In: Children’s Places: Cross-cultural Perspectives. Routledge, pp. 23-38.  ISBN: 978-0-415-29641-0. (264p.)

Haider, H. (2015). Radicalisation of diaspora communities (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1187). Birmingham, UK: GSDRC, University of Birmingham. http://www.gsdrc.org/docs/open/hdq1187.pdf

Hall, Stuart (1996). What is this ‘black’ in black popular culture? In avid Morley & Kuan-Hsing Chen (eds=. Stuar Hall: Critical dialogues in cultural studies. New York and London: Routledge.

Hofstede, Geert. (2005). Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for Survival. In: Culture and Organizations. The Successful Strategist Series. 49-79. ISBN: 0-0714-39595 (429).

Jensen, G. J., Torsleve, M. K., Vitus, K., Weibel, K., Integration, Difference and (anti) discrimination in Danish Primary and Lower Education. The Danish National Centre for Social Research, 2012.

Jaffe-Walter, Reva (2013): Who would they talk about if we weren’t here? Muslim Youth, Liberal Schooling and the Politics of Concern, Harvard Educational Review 83 (4), pgs. 613-635.

Kvale, S. (2002) InterViews.  Sage Publications.  Pp. 1-13, 88, 94-98, 124-135.  ISBN: 978-0803958203 (344p.)

Le Roux, Johann (2001): Social Dynamics of the Multicultural Classroom, in Intercultural Communication: A Reader, Wadsworth, UK.

MacNaughton, Glenda (2005): Doing Foucault in Early Childhood Studies: Applying post structuralist ideas, Routledge, Oxon. 

Modood & Ahmad (2007). British Muslim Perspectives on Multiculturalism. Theory Culture Society 2007 24: 187

Nasar Meer and Tariq Modood (2009). The Multicultural State We’re In: Muslims, ‘Multiculture’ and the ‘Civic Re-balancing’ of British Multiculturalism. POLITICAL STUDIES: 2009 VOL 57, 473–497

Olwig, KF 2011, 'Children's Sociality: The Civilizing Project in the Danish Kindergarten', Social Analysis, vol. 55, nr. 2, s. 121-141. Olwig and Karsten Paerregaard, Cambridge Scholars, UK (Introduction, chapter 7 and epilogue by Jenkins).

Parekh, B. (2000) Rethinking Multiculturalism. Cultural Diversity and Political Theory. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, chapter 5, pp.142-178.  ISBN: 0-333-60882-8 (379p.)

Shonkoff, Jack P. (Editor) 2000; Phillips, Deborah A. (Editor); Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press, chapter 3.

The Question of Integration: Immigration, Exclusion and the Danish Welfare State (2011), Eds. Karen Fog

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/crc.pdf

Wagner, J. T. (2006): “Fishing Naked – Nordic Early Childhood Philosophy and Practice” in Nordic Childhoods and Early Education.  Information Age Publishing.  ISBN: 978-1593113506 (324p.)

 

Course Schedule, in terms of subjects and readings, may be subject to change to benefit student learning and in keeping up to date with current research.

[1] www.statistikbanken.dk