Course Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Spring 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Child Development, Education/Educational Studies, Sociology
Prerequisite:	None
Faculty Members:	Jennifer Duncan-Bendix (current students please contact via the Canvas Inbox)
Program Contact:	Department email address psy.cns@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Time: Thursdays 13.15-16.10 Classroom: N7-C23

Description of Course

This course considers children with special needs from a critical disability studies perspective. We examine the topics of inclusion, disability, and quality of life within the Danish social welfare system through the lens of Nordic pedagogy. The voices of disabled persons and families are included in class to help understand how their lives are affected by public and educational policies.

This course expands the traditional construction of ‘special needs’ beyond the lens of diagnosis and disability, to incorporate a Danish approach to “children in vulnerable positions”. From this standpoint, the course will explore how various neurobiological, sociocultural, and psychological factors contribute to exclusion, and we will discuss what families, schools, and communities can do to promote inclusion. We will also consider ethical and pragmatic considerations for the ways practitioners can work to incorporate children’s perspectives into their professional strategies. 

As part of the course, we will participate in field studies outside of the classroom to learn about children with special needs in a Danish context. Our study is situated within the framework of Nordic pedagogy, where we will define the terms "special needs" and "disability" and consider issues of inclusion and quality of life within the Danish social welfare system.

 

Learning Objectives

Students will be introduced to and gain insight into:

• Dialectical interactions between theory and practice
• Social pedagogy and special educational needs within education system
  
• Professional work and methods within the special needs area- Danish/Nordic tradition
• Selected theoretical models of disability
• Issues and dilemmas of diagnosis, systematized pedagogy, and interventions in relation to children with special needs
• Danish and Nordic pedagogical perspectives and practices

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

• Employ methods to reflect on children's abilities and disabilities, especially from the perspective of the child.
• Reflect on classes, field studies, and your experiences and observations.
• Collaborate and draw on the perspectives of others through group discussions and group work
• Apply core concepts from class to everyday situations.
• Be responsible for their own learning - just as in any other Danish classroom.
• Explore disability from a variety of perspectives, including professionals, parents and families, and especially persons with disabilities themselves.
• Create new understandings that can challenge former knowledge and experience.

 

Faculty

Jennifer Duncan-Bendix

MA. Educational Psychology (Aarhus University, 2023). 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 – 2021).  DIS Program Coordinator (2011-2014). Pedagogue in International and Danish communities in Copenhagen (2008-2010). DIS CDD Program Assistant (2007-2008). With DIS since 2007.

Readings

Exact class readings and preparation will be posted in the Course Overview, which is found through Canvas in calendar.

Please note that there is no textbook for this course and readings are found exclusively through Canvas. Preparation can include readings as well as videos, webpages or others.

• Asta Cekaite & Disa Bergnehr (2018) Affectionate touch and care: embodied intimacy, compassion and control in early childhood education, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 26:6, 940-955
• Buchholtz, N., Stuart, A. et Frønes, T.S. (2020). "Equity, Equality and Diversity  -Putting Educational Justice in the Nordic Model to a Test". In: Equity, Equality and Diversity in the Nordic Model of Education. Springer.
• Bøjgaard, S. (2017). On normality and diversity. In: C. Quvang (Red.), Special Education (s. 23–37 af 62). Hans Reitzel.
• Chaplain, R. (2018). Managing Classroom Behavior. In: Cremin, T. et Burnett, C. Learning to teach in the Primary School. Routledge.
• Lang, W.P., Little, M. et Cronen, V. (1990). The Systemic Professional Domains of Action and the Question of Neutrality. In: Human Systems: The Journal of Systemic Consultation & Management Vol 1.
• Lave, J. et Wenger, E. (1991). Legitimate peripheral Participation. In: Situated learning - Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge University Press.
• MacDermott, R. P. (1993). The acquisition of a child by a learning disability. In S. Chaiklin & J. Lave (Eds.), Understanding practice: Perspectives on Activity and Context, (269-305). Cambridge University Press.
• Peacock, A. (2018). "Building inclusive communities of engaged learners". In: Cremin, T. et Burnett, C. Learning to teach in the Primary School. Routledge.
• Skovlund, H. (2014) Inclusive and exclusive aspects of diagnosed children's self-concepts in special needs institutions. International Journal of Inclusive Education.
• Strong, T. Sutherland, O., Couture, S., Godard, G. et Hope, T. (2008). Karl Tomm’s Collaborative Approaches to Counselling. In: Canadian Journal of Counselling / Revue canadienne de counseling / 2008, Vol. 42:3.
• Wenger, I., Schulze, C., Lundström. U. et Prellwitz, M. (2021) Children’s perceptions of playing on inclusive playgrounds: A qualitative study, Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 28:2, 136-146.
• Wood, D., Bruner, J.S. et Ross, G (2006). The Role of Tutoring in Problem Solving. In: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · December 2006.

 

Field Studies

Field Studies are hands-on academic visits to different sites in and around Copenhagen. These serve to complement your course work by giving you hands-on insights into different contexts related to children with special needs, in order to extend and rethink what we read about and discuss in class. Please be ready for each field study by completing all readings and preparing questions in advance.

 

Field Study #1: Snoezelhuset. A sensory center for children with special needs.

Field Study #2: TBD.

 

Guest Lecturers

• Check the course calendar for guest lecture information.

 

Approach to Teaching

Welcome to this seminar-style course, where we will examine children with special needs from various theoretical and empirical perspectives through dialogue, debate, and critical thinking. The course is designed to be interactive, and your active participation is essential to its success. I encourage you to contribute meaningful questions and insights during each class meeting and to complete the assigned readings beforehand in order to fully prepare for our discussions and activities.

The course is based on exploring issues and ideas together as a supportive learning community. You are responsible for your own learning and for contributing to the learning of your classmates. I expect you to be responsible and engaged in the classroom, to have completed the required readings, and to contribute thoughtfully and creatively to a safe and collaborative learning space. Through this class, I hope to promote inclusive learning by reflecting on practice. The focus of the pedagogy is on the dynamic interplay between practice and theory. Each class will include reflections on field studies, readings, personal experiences, group work, or everyday cultural encounters.

 

Expectations of the Students

This course relies on discussion and active participation from students. To fully engage with the course materials and assignments, it is important to attend all classes, field studies, and related activities, be punctual and stay for the entire experience, and actively contribute to shared learning by asking relevant questions, offering critical reflections, and responding respectfully to others' comments. 

To be successful in this course, you should be curious, hard-working, and respectful of all, and be able to apply course readings and discussions to field studies and cultural experiences. You should also be creative, open-minded, and able to develop and exercise analytical thinking. In addition, you should be prepared for each class by completing independent readings and being able to contribute to class discussions with your own questions and reflections based on the readings and other class materials, field study visits, and experiences. Finally, you should complete assignments on their due dates and have completed the required readings before class.

 

Evaluation

1. 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 class	5 points
Excused absence	10 points
Unexcused absence	15 points
Late assignments	5 points for each late day (submission will receive an F if more than one week late)

These point deductions are applied to classes, but ALSO field studies or other course-related activities.

Absence will only be excused in serious situations, but informing your faculty regarding your attendance is always necessary. Unexcused absences include traveling or an absence that has not been discussed with the faculty in advance.  Regardless of whether lateness is excused or unexcused, it is still disruptive to the class and you miss out on relevant information.

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

 

2. 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 field studies and site visits; 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)

Canvas discussions:

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

 

3. Reading Mastery - Canvas Quizzes  (25%)

In order to ensure that all students attend class with the same base-level of knowledge for each topic, the course will be structured via a series of reading quizzes on Canvas drawn from the assigned readings for that topic.

The quizzes are targeted to help you outline your understanding of readings and core concepts, and you have the ability to re-take the quiz as many times as necessary to reach a total of approximately 80% correct.  Once you reach 80%, the quiz for the next class will be 'unlocked'.  Your score from each quiz is totaled into the final grade for this assignment as a whole. 

4. Diagnosis Poster (20%)

In preparation for the Poster Workshop, you will be assigned a specific diagnosis to profile.  You will investigate the diagnosis and consider the relevant causes, challenges (academic, physical, social), as well as existing supports and/or treatment. You will consolidate the relevant information into a visual poster, supported by a minimum of three academic sources. Your poster will be presented in class to your peers as part of a kickstart workshop for both the topic of inclusion, but also to provide materials for other activities in class throughout the semester. More information will be given in class.

5. Final Assignment:  Community of Learning (30%)

Your final assignment will center on a topic or area in which you are specifically interested.  With a small group of peers from the class, you will research and visit a specific organization or professional that works with a targeted demographic of children or young adults with special needs.  You will contact the place and arrange for a visit yourselves.  During the visit, you will document your observations and reflections regarding how this organization works with their target population. You will then relate these reflections to materials from the class, and present your experiences as part of a presentation to give back to our community of learning from the semester.

 

Grading

The grading breakdown is as follows: 

Assignment	Percent
Attendance	10%
Participation	15%
Reading Mastery / Quizzes	25%
Diagnosis Poster Presentation	20%
Final Assignment	30%

Additional Policies

Students with Disabilities

I value your access and participation in this course. If you have been approved for accommodations, please reach out to me at least two weeks before the scheduled assessment date to confirm arrangements. If you encounter any access barriers in this course, such as with printed materials, graphics, online resources, or communication, please let me know immediately. If you need immediate accommodation, don't hesitate to contact me after class or send me an email via Canvas Inbox. Alternatively you can contact the Care Team.

 

Use of laptops or phones in class

We will use computer and phones in class. There for bring both devices to activities in class as well as on fieldtrips. Unrelated use of electronic devices will affect the participation grade.

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

 

Academic Regulations  

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

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

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