Critical Cultural Awareness in Migration societies [ECEC study program] (CCA100)


Course description for study year 2023-2024

Facts

Course code

CCA100

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

6

Semester tution start

Spring

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Spring

Language of instruction

English

Content

Globalization has the last decades turned national and local communities into migrant societies. ECEC is an institution in which children, guardians, parents, and staff from various backgrounds and with multiple belongings meet. This gives ECEC a key role in creating inclusion and belonging in dynamic communities influenced by local and global concerns.

The course will enrich students’ knowledge and skills for leading and guiding processes of creating belonging in children’s groups, cooperating with a diverse group of parents/guardians, finding practical, enjoyable, and efficient ways of working as professional staff requires high level of intercultural competence.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The student has advanced knowledge of:

  • the concepts of diversity, inclusion and belonging and early childhood education practices associated with them.
  • The complexity of migrant societies with multifaceted identities and belongings.
  • How ECEC practices and material equipment such as books, toys and art can promote inclusion and counteract hegemony.
  • How to analyze children cultures and develop sociological theory of interethnic play.
  • The role of kindergarten as a meeting place for children, guardians, parents, and staff, and how to create belonging for all involved.

Skills

The student can:

  • give an account of, analyze, and translate theory of belonging into practice.
  • Develop theory and reflect on power and privileges.
  • Create communities in a diverse ECEC that enables equity, solidarity, and freedom.
  • Discern power structures within languages and between language users.
  • Develop the ECEC as an arena in which belonging to the local community is created for the whole family.

General competence

The student can:

  • apply their research-based knowledge regarding culture, play and belonging to relevant practical situations.
  • Develop and scientifically evaluate inclusive practices in encounters with children, parents and colleagues.
  • detect, analyze, and counteract discriminatory practices.
  • Create brave and safe spaces to enable authentic dialogues.
  • Have a resource-oriented approach towards diversity.

Required prerequisite knowledge

Bachelor in Early Childhood studies

Other relevant education at Bachelor level

English skills required for course participation

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Assignment 1/1 5 Weeks Letter grades

The assignment is an essay-based exam, which can be written individually (2500 - 3000 words) or in pairs (4000-4500 words). The essay is written according to guidelines provided during the course. The content is a discussion of critical cultural awareness for school/kindergarten in migration societies.The assignment is assessed on a scale from A-F, where A-E denotes pass (A is the highest achievement) and F denotes fail.The exam is stipulated to 20 working days. The topic is developed during the five course days. The exam starts on Monday the week after the course and is due 20 working days later.

Coursework requirements

Participation, Individual presentation

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Gunnar Magnus Eidsvåg

Method of work

The course will be an intensive one-week course (5 days) with on-line learning before and after the course days. The students will be engaged in lectures by international expert-teachers, seminars, on-line seminars and work groups, worlds café, and student presentations. Furthermore, the course will connect theory and practical knowledge through a collaboration seminar in Jåttå University kindergarten.

Open for

Early Childhood Education Science - MA programme

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital subject evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto