Course Syllabus

Playful Learning in Scandinavian Classrooms

Semester & Location:	Spring 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Child Development, Education/Educational Studies
Prerequisite(s):	None
Faculty Members:	Nanna Duchene (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)
Program Contact:	Department email address psy.cns@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Time: Tuesdays 8:30 - 11:25 Classroom: F24-306

Course Description

This course takes departure in Scandinavian pedagogy and teaching methods with specific emphasis on Playful learning.

In this course, we explore how the qualities of play can contribute to strengthening pedagogy and learning in preschools, schools, and higher education and ask: WHY is play a core resource for learning and HOW can educators promote play and playful learning? In class we will explore and discuss theoretical and empirical literature on play and learning, engaging in playful learning activities, develop innovative actions and designs which invites to creativity, participation, collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking and much more.

Central to this course are also questions such as: Are play the same in different cultural contexts? Are play available for all? Can playful approaches to learning contribute to inclusion?  Can playful approaches to learning in education be a potential catalyst for culture change? Will a more playful approach to learning lead to a new educational mindset, where the goal is not only to acquire factual knowledge and skills, but to educate children and students, who relate curiously, investigative, and even critically to the world?

Even though the emphasis is on Playful Learning we will also address general pedagogical questions to learning in Scandinavian classrooms such as: what is the role of the teacher? What is the view of the child or the students? How does learning looks like in the classrooms? What are the aims of education?

Through this course, students will learn to:

• Cooperate and draw from the perspectives of peers in group discussions and group work.
• Identify, discuss, and analyze theories and research on pedagogical and educational topics with an emphasize on Playful Learning.
• Develop Playful learning actions.
• Experience and reflect upon what Playful Learning feels like as an embodied practice to link these experiences to working with children, students or other learning environments.
• Create new understandings that will challenge former knowledge and experience
• Draw connections between practical experiences and future career plans and the academic topics presented in class.

Faculty

Nanna Duchene: Associate professor, Philosophy of Education. External lecturer  for several years at Aarhus University and Associated Professor at University Colleges  within disciplines: Philosophy of Education, General Education, Children with special needs and practicum guidance. Several years of experience as Editor of Journals on Education. With DIS since 2021. Teaches the subjects: 'Childhood Development and Education - general and practicum' and 'Playful Learning in Scandinavian Classrooms'. 

Field Studies

Field studies will include visits and topics of common interest for this class. The idea is to have a shared experience that will both examine the prior knowledge and bring in new experiences in the area of educating and working with children.

Guest Lecturers

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

See course schedule for details.

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 as an element of academic learning. 

Classes will be planned based on theory- and research articles you have read prior to the class, and we will work with the concepts from the literature in class, discuss it, and build further on this knowledge.

We will bring in different pedagogical and didactical tools, which we will reflect upon as a group, and you will be asked to relate the theories to practical examples and everyday life experiences. 

For more specific details see below 'Active participation and engagement'. 

Expectations of the Students

• 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 active and responsible towards your peers in group work
• Show engagement, participation, contribution and responsibility
• Be creative and open minded
• Be more independent than you might be used to, for instance finding information on assignments on own initiative
• Be reflective and bring your thoughts and ideas to class and discussions
• Complete readings prior to each class
• Upload assignments on Canvas. It is your own responsibility to check if submissions are correctly uploaded. If you experience issues with uploading assignments, you are expected to contact your instructor and make arrangements for how to hand in Assignments. Assignments that are not uploaded on time will be graded down.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated throughout the term using a variety of methods.  All students are expected to actively participate in class, which will form part of their grading.  Students will also be required to complete various individual or group assignments throughout the term.

Absence from class 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.  

Grading

Assignment	Percent
Attendance, Participation and Engagement in class and field studies - including B+L Blogposts (5 entries)	25%
Assignment A: Playful Landscapes	20%
Assignment B: Advocating for Playful Learning	20%
Assignment C: Planning Playful Learning Experiences for Peers	25%
Total	100 %

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

Regarding Active participation and engagement. In Scandinavia most teachers base their didactical decisions on the believe that when students experience an influence on the teaching, that is what (content) and how (methods) and with who they might be working together with (organization), it increases their engagement or motivation to participate, and they experience having a more active role. 

At the same time, it also means that the teacher expects and encourage the students to be actively co-determining in their own learning process, that they participate in class discussions, that they provide input in the form of questions to the teacher and peers, that they seek to have an impact on teaching methods, teaching content and overall  curriculum design, and last but not least: that they support everybody's feeling of belonging to a community in the classroom. Please note that since this course has its center around Scandinavian pedagogy. Active participation and engagement as described above counts more than usual.

Readings *Note this will be changed asap

• Agergaard, Karsten (2015). Chapter 3 Content. In Brodersen, P. (ed.) Effective teaching - didactic close-ups from the classroom. (p.68-95). Hans Reitzel.pdf 
• Beames, Simon, Peter Higgins and Robbie Nicol (2012). Introduction and overview. In Learning outside the classroom. Theory and guidelines for practice. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. New York: Routledge
• Biesta, G. (2009). Good education in an age of measurement: on the need to reconnect with the question of purpose in education. Educ Asse Eval Acc 21, 33–46
• Brodersen, P. (2015). Chapter 1. Teaching. In Brodersen, P. (ed.) Effective teaching - didactic close-ups from the classroom. (p.19-48). Hans Reitzel.pdf 
• Fibæk Laursen, Per (2021). The authentic teacher. You’re welcome. An introduction to the Danish Folkeskole. UP Nr.2. 2021 
• Haugaard Jensen, Pernille et al (2022) MICRO RESEARCHER IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Novo Nordisk Fonden.
• Hedegaard-Sørensen, Lotte and Sine Penthin Grumløse (2021): …But it is a completely different school - The status of inclusion in the Danish Folkeskole in a learning-focused school policy (p.74-82). You’re welcome. An introduction to the Danish Folkeskole. UP Nr.2.
• Horst & Gitz-Johansen (2010). Education of ethnic minority children in Denmark: Monocultural hegemony and counter positions, Intercultural Education, 137-151
• Højholt, Charlotte (2018): Children’s perspectives and learning communities (p.93-111)In Hedegaard (Ed.): Children, Childhood, and Everyday Life: Children’s Perspectives, 2nd Edition pdf  
• Illeris, Knud (2021). Learning and teacher roles. In You’re welcome. An introduction to the Danish Folkeskole. UP Nr.2.
• Jensen, B.B. & Schnack, K. (1994). Action Competence as an Educational Challenge. In K. Schnack (red.), Action and action competence as key concepts in critical pedagogy. Royal Danish School of Education.
• Kirkeby, Mette: The behavior regulating room: Control, delegation and code
• Laursen, Martin Holmgaard (2021): Wolfgang Klafki's Key Problems - a didactical point of departure. In: You’re welcome. An introduction to the Danish Folkeskole. UP Nr.2.
• Lindhardt, E. (2018). Democracy and the democratic formation of the school. In Bogisch and Kornholt (eds.), KLM across sociological, historical and philosophical perspectives.
• Ministry of children and education: Primary and lower secondary education, and upper secondary education
• Ministry of children and education (2013): The Aims of the Folkeskole
• Nordic Info (2021): Podcast: Migrant Children in the Nordics: A Conversation on Schooling 
• Oettingen, A. von (2021): Terrible Play. In Terrible Pedagogy. Reitzels forlag, Copenhagen 
• Poulsen, Christina Holm (2021). Chapter 6. Children's perspectives – why and how? In School difficulties and inclusion opportunities - from a child's perspective.
• Schulz, Wolfram et.al. (2016). Becoming Citizens in a Changing World. The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016 International Report.
• The Danish Family Planning Association:  Sex ed.
• The Lego Foundation: Learning through play: what the science says
• UN: Conventions on Children’s Rights 
• Westbury, Ian (2010): Chapter 1. Teaching as a reflective practice: What Might Didaktik Teach Curriculum? In: I. Westbury, S. Hopmann & K. Riquarts (Red.) Teaching as a Reflective Practice : The German Didaktik Tradition (p. 13-39). Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum
• Wiborg, Susanne. 2004. Education and social integration a comparative study of the comprehensive school system in Scandinavia. In London Review of Education, Vol. 2, No. 2.pdf 
• Winther-Jensen, T. (2005). Dannelse and the view of human being. In: Signe Holm-Larsen, Susanne Wiborg og Thyge Winther- Jensen (red.), Teaching and learning: general didactics and school in society (s. 98-109). KBH.: Kroghs Forlag.
• Ågerstrøm, J. (2015) A model of Participation in School life. In Hellesdatter Jacobsen, G. Rights of children in the Nordic welfare states conceptual and empirical enquiries.

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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