Child Development in Scandinavia A

Semester & Location:	Spring 2019 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Core Course Study Tours:	Helsinki, Finland
Corequisite Course:	Child Development in Scandinavia Practicum
Major Disciplines:	Child Development, Education/Educational Studies, Human Development
Faculty Members:	Jennifer Duncan-Bendix - jdu@dis.dk
Program Director:	Neringa Vendelbo - nb@dis.dk
Program Assistant:	Shannon Schooley - sks@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Mondays 10.05 - 13.00, Nørregade 7 - C24

Description of Course

This course focuses on the central aspects of childhood development in Scandinavia. It addresses the contemporary issues facing professionals working with children, as well as how services for children in Scandinavian countries differ from approaches in the rest of the world. Class discussions are addressed through the lenses of public policy, current research, and practitioner perspectives.

Burning issues such as the pros and cons of free play, attachment to primary but also secondary caregivers, school readiness versus social pedagogy and gender stereotypes in childhood will serve as the foundation for class discussions, practicum, and field studies. These approaches will also be integrated by using a long study tour to Finland as a case study, within the global context of child development.

Overall, this course will focus specifically on the theories and practices related to early childhood education and care (ECEC) - for children ages 0-6.  A foundation for the course is exploring the theories for each topic presented, and then applying them to professional practice when working with children in a variety of capacities.  As such, a co-requisite for this course is the course “Child Development in Scandinavia Practicum”, where students will complete 45-55 hours at a Danish nursery or preschool.  The experiences and observations from practicum will be integrated into discussions in order to highlight the connections between theory and practice. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course students in this class will...

• Identify, discuss, and analyze theories covered in class
• Cooperate and draw from the perspectives of peers in group discussions and group work
• Apply core concepts from class to practice
• Analyze practicum experiences, field studies and study tours, and draw connections between these and the academic topics presented in class
• Experience and reflect upon what it means to embody teaching and learning, and link these experiences to working with children
• Discuss and challenge views on childhood, care taking and education from multiple perspectives.

Faculty

Jennifer Duncan-Bendix

MA. Dagtilbuds- og Indskolings Didaktik – Early Childhood Education and Curriculum Studies (Aarhus University, 2014). BA (Early Childhood Development and Education, University of Connecticut, 2006). External Lecturer, Aarhus University (Fall 2016). Assistant Program Director, Child Development and Diversity (2014 – Present).  DIS Program Coordinator (2011-2014). Pædagog in International and Danish communities in Copenhagen (2008-2010). DIS CDD Program Assistant (2007-2008). With DIS since 2007.

 

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. Class representatives will meet with the course faculty 2-3 times during the semester and will also be responsible for helping the class do midterm evaluations.

Guest Lecturers

At certain points in the course, guest lecturers may be invited to provide their experience and expertise on select topics being covered in class.

Approach to Teaching

The class will be seen as a community of learners, who have the opportunity to share interests and learn from one another. The academic content and the socialization among students and teacher are integrally connected, and we use discussions of group dynamics in the class as an element of academic learning. 

A class will be planned based on theory and research articles students have read prior to the class. Different pedagogical and didactical tools will be used, which the group will reflect upon, and students will be asked to bring back ideas, thoughts and reflections from practicum, field studies and everyday life and link these experiences with theory and research discussed in class. Teaching strategies can include peer led discussions, group work, cooperative exercises etc.

Expectations of the Students

You are expected to:

• Consider everyone as valued and equal members of the class community, who treat each other with respect, acknowledgement, politeness, openness and care – an environment that is believed to promote learning
• Be creative and open minded
• Reflect and think independently, bring in ideas and thoughts during each class through discussions, individual- and group work
• Show engagement, participation, contribution and responsibility.
• Demonstrate academic rigor, active listening and punctuality
• Draw upon interactions and observations from daily life in Denmark and practicum to the theory, research, and practice
• Use Assignment Guidelines and Syllabus independently and be able to find relevant information on own initiative
• Work independently and be active in group work
• Complete readings prior to each class
  

Study Tours

Core Course week and study tours are an integral part of the core course and the aim is to build the bridge between theory from classes to practice in the field. You will travel with your classmates and DIS faculty/staff on two study tours; a short study tour in Denmark during Core Course Week and a long study tour to Finland.

While on a program study tour, DIS will provide accommodation, transportation to and from destinations, approx. 2 meals per day and entrances, guides, and visits relevant to your area of study or the destination. You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure.

Travel Policies

You are required to travel with your group to the destination. If you have to deviate from the group travel plans, you need approval from the program director and the study tours office.   

Core Course Week & Short Tour: February 4-8

• Purpose: Gain a more in-depth understanding of childhood, care and education outside of Copenhagen. The visits will be integrated into the academic content of the course.   
• Orientation: Activities and visits will be presented the week before departure along with your responsibilities and itinerary for the week.

Long Study Tour: March 24-29

• Purpose: Explore the programs designed for children in Finland to investigate what the contributing factors are for one of the highest evaluated education systems in the world.
• Orientation: Activities and visits will be presented the week before departure along with your responsibilities and itinerary for the week.

Practicum

Students in this course are required to take the Child Development in Scandinavia Practicum class as a co-requisite. Students will be placed in a Danish institution or school for 45-55 hours during the semester, where they will work directly with children. 

Please see the Practicum syllabus for more details.

Evaluation

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class, you must complete all of the assigned work. If nothing else is mentioned, an assignment is due before midnight on the mentioned date.

Methods of Evaluation	Due	Percent
Attendance	Ongoing	10%
Participation and Engagement	Ongoing	15%
Academic Worksheet A + B	A:  Friday, March 1 before midnight B:  Friday, April 26 before midnight	30%
Academic Presentations (long tour)	In class, March 18	20%
Final Presentation Proposal	Friday April 12 before midnight	5%
Final Presentations	Sign up for either: Wednesday May 1:  10.00-13.00, OR Monday May 6: 10.00-13.00	20%
Total		100%

Assignment Submission

Assignments are submitted via Canvas unless otherwise noted. It is your own responsibility to check if assignments are correctly uploaded. If you have any Internet - or computer trouble you are expected to contact the instructor and make arrangements for handing in the submission. 

Attendance (10%)

Attendance is mandatory for all scheduled classes and field studies. This grade includes presence in class, being on time, and handing in papers on time. The final attendance grade will build on the system presented below:

Behavior	Points deducted out of 100
Excused late class	2 points
Unexcused late	5 points
Excused absence	10 points
Unexcused absence	15 points
Late assignments	5 points for each late day (submission will receive an F if it is more than 1 week late)

These point deductions are applied to classes, but ALSO study tours, study tour visits, and field studies.

Absence will only be excused in serious situations, but informing your faculty regarding your attendance is always necessary. Unexcused absences include travelling or an absence that has not been discussed with the faculty.  Regardless of whether lateness is excused or unexcused, it is still disruptive to the class and you miss out on relevant information. Please note that missing one class is equavalent of missing two classes in other courses, since this course only meets once a week.

Participation (15%)

You are expected to complete the required readings prior to each class, and to engage in class and group discussions. Active participation also includes showing interest and a well-prepared attitude towards the subject and a respectful attitude towards the class environment, peers and faculty. To achieve a high participation grade (and to accommodate both introvert and extrovert students) you will have to contribute to class discussions often, both in class and through Canvas.

In class contributions:

• Active and verbal participation in class discussions, group work and field studies.
• Engagement during study tours + field studies; asking good questions and paying attention (also when it becomes hard, everyone is tired and things feel slow).
• Being attentive towards supporting the flow of the class
• Sharing connections and ideas during group work (in an individual dialogue/smaller setting)
• Active support and facilitation of other students’ contributions (listening skills, open-minded, and supportive)
• “Teach me something in 5 minutes” – every student in the class will get the opportunity to present a related topic, article, or interest to their peers.  Students will sign up for ONE 5-minute time slot spread out throughout the semester.  This is a chance to highlight your own backgrounds and interests, but also to expand the discussions and connections we make in class.

Canvas discussions:

• Uploading reflections or comments on Canvas – including related articles or materials you find elsewhere
• Actively commenting on peer uploads or other contributions

A note about participation on the Long Study Tour:

Prior to the study tour to Helsinki, you are required to research one cultural topic (in a group), and present it to your faculty and peers while on tour.

• Groups of 2-3 prepare the topic, but each student must be ready to do it individually or in pairs. The topic is unrelated to the academic program.
• Length: Approximately 5 minutes
• Be ready to do the presentation under any conditions, e.g. outdoors during rain, on the bus, etc.

More information will be given in class.

Academic Worksheets A + B (15% each)

Objectives:

• Develop a solid foundation of the main course concepts
• Select relevant material from readings and course materials

Twice during the semester, you will hand in a worksheet where you answer questions or tasks related to readings and class content.  The questions are targeted to help you outline your understanding of readings and core concepts. Download and open the specific table for each worksheet. Fill in the work sheet and upload it on Canvas in the designated folder. It is highly recommended that you fill in the worksheets while you do the readings.

These submissions are meant to be short and precise. You will often be encouraged to reply in bullet points. Consider the following writing strategy:

1. Brainstorm, take notes, use doodles, drawings.
2. Read through with fresh eyes. Edit. Check spellings etc.
3. Cut down and work with specific phrasing. Is this understandable to the reader?
4. Double check that you are within the word limit (word count does not include the questions/tasks presented).
5. If quoting: remember a page reference

Academic Presentations (Long Tour) (20%)

Prior to the study tour to Helsinki you will investigate one or two academic topic related to childhood, education and care in Finland. You will present this topic along with your group in class the week before departure.  

The investigated topics (one topic per group)

1. The school system (NOT ECEC) + PISA, Achievement
2. Teacher Education
3. Welfare State (parental leave arrangements, services, advice centers etc.)
4. Finnish approaches to the Special Needs area
5. ECEC Curriculum – children 0-5
6. ECEC Curriculum – children 5-6

The expectations and group sign-ups will happen during a workshop before the first travel break, in order to review assignment requirements and allow enough preparation time.  See course calendar for more information.

Final Presentation Proposal (5%)

As a proposal for your Final Presentation, you will hand in a written document that outlines the overall ideas, theory and message you are planning for the presentation. The proposal will be submitted in the form of a worksheet (found in Canvas), where you will outline the agenda for the presentation and your main points, the sources you will use (and how they are relevant), as well as highlighting some of the supporting details (questions, format, etc.).  Read the Final Presentation description and rubric to get an overall understanding of the two assignments.

Final Presentation (20%)

At the end of the semester, you will give a presentation to your faculty as well as a group of peers. This presentation will take the format of an imaginary future work situation where you will use your knowledge from your study abroad experience in Denmark. The presentation will sum up your biggest take away points from the course and give a suggestion on how and why this should be applied to practice. You can do the presentation as a group or in pairs. Approach your faculty about specific requirements if you want to work as a group.

Dream Job Implementation

You are standing 5-10 years from now in your dream job. Your boss has asked you to choose and implement one idea based on your time in Copenhagen (particularly your CDS and practicum course) at your workplace. This idea must be focused on one or more of the topics discussed throughout the semester, e.g. play, attachment, role of professionals, nature, etc.

Your task is now to present your implementation to your colleagues or other cooperation partners (imagine that those are your class mates).

Use of Laptops or Phones in Class

Computers are allowed in class for note-taking purposes or other use that supports the class or personal learning. Using laptops for private means, such as social media, emails or internet surfing, will have a negative impact on your participation grade. Phones are expected to be turned off and kept away during classes. You are also expected to keep phones away during your practicum visits and on study tours during visits and meals. Make sure you have other ways to take notes.

 

Readings

There is one textbook for this course:

Ringsmose, C., & Kragh-Müller, G. (Eds.) (2017). Nordic social pedagogical approach to early years. Cham: Springer. International perspectives on early childhood education and development, Vol.. 15 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42557-3

The remaining texts for this course can be found online through Canvas. Texts listed under the ‘Course Schedule’ are expected to be read prior to the specific class. 

• Änggård, Eva (2010).  Making use of “nature” in an outdoor preschool:  Classroom, home and fairyland.  Children, Youth and Environments, 20 (1), 4 – 25.
• Andersen, F. Ø. (2010). Danish and Finnish PISA results in a comparative, qualitative perspective: How can the stable and distinct differences between the Danish and Finnish PISA results be explained? Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 22(2), 159-175. doi: 10.1007/s11092-010-9095-x
• Bowlby, J. (2005). A secure base : clinical applications of attachment theory (New ed. ed.). London: Routledge.
• Broström, S. (2017). A dynamic learning concept in early years' education: a possible way to prevent schoolification. International Journal of Early Years Education, 25(1), 3-15. 
• Dahlberg, G. & Moss, P. (2005) Chapter 8: In search of Utopia, in Ethics and politics in early childhood education (London, Routledge Falmer).
• Dahlberg, G., Moss, P., & Pence, A. (2007). Beyond quality in early childhood education and care: Languages of evaluation.
• Gordon, G. (2014). Well played. The origins and future of playfulness. American Journal of Play, (6) 2, The Strong.
• Heckman, J. J. (2006). Skill Formation and the Economics of Investing in Disadvantaged Children. Science, 312(5782), 1900-1902. 
• Hedegaard, M. (2009). Children’s development from a cultural–historical approach:  Children’s activity in everyday local settings as foundation for their development. Mind, Culture and Activity, 16(1), 64–81.
• Jensen A.S. (2018) Educare: Practitioners’ Views on Care, Upbringing and Teaching. In: Johansson E., Emilson A., Puroila AM. (eds) Values Education in Early Childhood Settings. International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, vol 23. Springer, Cham
• Tomasello, M., Carpenter, M., Call, J., Behne, T., & Moll, H. (2005). Understanding and sharing intentions: the origins of cultural cognition. The Behavioral and brain sciences, 28 5, 675-91; discussion 691-735
• Wilson, R. (2012). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (second edition).  New York, NY:  Read Chapter 1, pages 6 – 17 and Chapter 5, 55-70
• Wyver, S., Tranter, P., Naughton, G., Little, H., Sandseter, E. B. H., & Bundy, A. (2010). Ten Ways to Restrict Children's Freedom to Play: The Problem of Surplus Safety. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 11(3), 263-277.

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Attendance
• Coursework, Exams, and Final Grade Reports

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISaborad.org