Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms. The training is connected to the course Introduction to Teaching and Learning so these courses should be taken simultaneously.

The aim of the course is to give students an insight into main theories and research of learning and teaching (Icelandic and international). Main topics of the course are theories and research on learning and teaching, teachers' professionalism, teaching methods, and assessment.

The main field of work for graduates will be in upper secondary school, and this fact will determine the selection of learning tasks.

This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms.

The training is connected to the course Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools and these two courses should be taken simultaneously.

This course is about curriculum theory and educational policy with emphasis on the curriculum, student body and school development in Icelandic upper secondary schools.

Assignments are designed to enable students to work as professionals on the development of school practice, curricula, and policies.

This is an overview course that introduces major research methods in second language acquisition and teaching. Qualitative and quantitative research methods will be explored and their role in interpreting second language development. Student will examine real studies, develop a research plan, and conduct a pilot study. 

MA thesis in English Teaching.

The enchanted worlds that Scottish writer J. M. Barrie created for Peter Pan, “the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up,” have been variously transformed by the author and others – not least the Disney Company and translations into most of the world’s languages. In this course we will examine some of the changes that Barrie’s characters and places have undergone through the passage of time through the prism of basic ideas and terms from adaptation theory. This is an intensive 6-week course with continuous assessment.

This seminar provides a historical and cross-cultural overview on the main linguistic and cultural areas of the Americas.

Students will participate in short seminars and conferences about new development in the field. The seminars will be partly funded through Erasmus and by other means. The goal is to give students an opportunity to converse and collaborate with Icelandic and international researchers on current issues in Second Language Studies.

All MA students in English are required to complete this seminar where they discuss relevant approaches to theory and research, their own research projects, preparing to introduce their findings at conferences and whorkshops, in Iceland or abroad. Evaluation is by participation: 2 short assignments and a presentation of a paper related to the student's coursework or final essay.

This research project is linked to the course ENS506G From Gothic Beginnings to Twentieth Century Fantasy and Romance: The British Historical Novel 1764 to 1950.

The course introduces students to the development of the British historical novel up to the middle of the 20th century. Its origins will be traced back to what is seen as the first Gothic novel as well as examining in some detail Walter Scott’s Waverley, which generally is referred to as the first historical novel. The course then outlines the development of the historical novel up to the middle of the 20th century and students read selected texts from this time period. Within this framework, the course explores the way that history has been used by writers across a variety of genres, such as romance and adventure. The course will also include discussions of history in television and film where relevant, along with discussions of relevant theories by both historians and cultural theorists.

The research project involves writing a research paper of 6500-7500 words (75%) and a short essay of 1800-2500 words (25%) OR writing a longer research essay of 8000-10000 words (see below on course assessment). For the short essay, students choose from a list of essay topics given out to students in ENS506G (or come up with their own topic, see below). For the research paper, students choose a topic of their own (or with the teacher’s help); please note that the teacher needs to approve your topic of choice.

The teacher will meet with the students registered for this course on a regular basis to discuss the research paper. Dates to be confirmed.

What does it mean to say that a word or sentence has a meaning? How do we characterise that meaning and how can we study it? How can we encode meanings within a linguistic resource or annotate them in a corpus? These are some of the questions considered in this course, which is intended as a selective survey rather than a comprehensive overview and which draws on a range of research papers in theoretical, experimental and computational linguistics.

MA students are permitted to complete a total of 15 credits in supervised research projects. A project is selected in consultation with a teacher at the MA level, and that teacher must approve the sudent's research plans before he or she is permitted to register for a study of this kind. Research projects should either be an extension of a course or courses that students have already completed in the MA program or be within their special field of interest.

This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.

This course covers the nature of vocabulary acquisition: how vocabulary develops, is learned and taught. Various factors will be analyzed in detail, including, the role of pronunciation, word frequency, various learning strategies for vocabulary growth and considerable attention will be drawn to current research methodology in Vocabulary Acquisition. Students will review research as well as conduct a mini study.

Taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am (2. and 3. year students only)

This course is a review and examination of the developing field of ecocriticism in literary studies, and how ecocriticism itself as a way of examining environmental narration and imaginative literature is facing a crisis of its own.

We will look into the notion of “environment” and how literary texts portray and work with environments for narrative purposes.  We will consider environments in a  broadened sense, including not only  the purely physical, but also the digital environment and other non-physical environments such as  light, time, the human psyche and language itself.  How do writers navigate the relationship between narration and environment in its various manifestations.

We are likely to read fiction that allows us to explore the nature of storytelling in the midst of environmental crisis.  These works may include Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees; Edward Abbey’s The Monkey Wrench Gang; James Bradley’s Clade; as well as Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice; Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk; Memory of Water by Emmi Igtaranta; Oil on Water by Helon Habila; and Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad.  We may also read essays in the anthology Solastalgia, edited by Paul Bogard; a collection of short creative works by thirty four writers on our emotions in the face of disappearing worlds.

We may also read some theory and philosophy now being written on the subject as applied to literature; books such as The Crisis of Narration by Byung-Chul Han; Facing Gaia by Bruno Latour; as well as tracts on the environmental crises such as The Darkness Manifesto by Johan Eklöf and A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in The Fate of Civilization by John Perlin, as well as essays by theorists Donna Haraway and Hito Steyerl. 

The final reading list will be posted later.

What does Sunset Boulevard, double entendres, self-censorship, the Coen Brothers, and #metoo have in common? They all reveal that Hollywood is not quite the fantasy it poses to be.

A very real place and industry within Los Angeles, California, Hollywood has led in film production since the beginning of narrative film, yet its magic is created within the bland and sometimes devastating concrete lots, sound stages and offices of producers and agents.

This course aims to explore the reality of Hollywood and how it has functioned over time, to examine and critique its presentation and reputation through film and media. The course includes critical viewings of films that are based on both the myth and reality of Hollywood as well as critical readings on historical context, news/gossip, and the history of American narrative film.

Only 35 seats are available for ENS352M. Once the course is filled please contact Nikkita (nhp1@hi.is) to be added onto a waiting list in case a spot opens up.

You are the perfect candidate if you have a burning desire to write fiction or poetry, and enjoy reading good books.

Aims include:

1. To sharpen awareness and improve skills through exercises in writing, and especially through revision

2. To provide practical criticism of work-in-progress in a workshop setting, along with advice about revisions and improvisation.

In addition to invoking the muse, students will learn practical writing skills such as organization, structure, characterization and dialogue. The course will also involve the examination of the work of key novel and short story writers, and poets. Throughout the course, students will develop their own work as well as improving their critical skills. Students will complete a short story or a small collection of poems by the end of the course.

Attendance requirement is 100% - you must attend one 1-hour presentation and one 2-hour workshop session per week. Not suitable for distance students.

Students who fulfil the prerequisites will be signed up. Sign up is on first come first served bases and there are 6 seats reserved for MA students and 6 seats reserved for BA students. Any unfilled seats for the course on August 30th will be offered to students on the waiting list. 

This course concerns the diverse connections between culture and language, as seen from the perspective of cultural history, social sciences and linguistics. Ancient and modern world languages will be introduced and their origins, influence and effects investigated. Written and spoken language will be discussed: what sorts of things are written, why and how? Rules and alternate perspectives on the nature of langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

MA thesis in English Teaching.

A favourite author of and inspiration to Jane Austen and keeper of the robes to Queen Charlotte, Frances Burney (1752-1840) was an eighteenth-century English novelist and playwright who is also known as Fanny Burney. Burney lived in France during the Napoleonic Wars and her French husband Alexander D’Arblay had supported the French Revolution, a political theme covered in her novel The Wanderer. Her novel Camilla (1796), sold as a subscription, earned her an incredibly large sum that enabled her to buy a house for her family. Throughout her life, Burney kept journals that serve as a record of her time in the eighteenth-century court, eighteenth-century artistic and intellectual high society, and of her time in France. Burney’s work engages with issues of class, inheritance, charity, and political struggles in France and Britain. We will read Burney’s novels and extracts from her letters and diaries. This course will cover the social, political, economic, and protofeminist commentary in Burney’s work, her narrative style, details of her life, and her influence on other novelists, such as Austen.

This seminar provides a historical and cross-cultural overview on main trends in literature and film in different parts of the Americas.

Long before contemporary analyses of human-induced environmental degradation, Indigenous and feminist authors wrote stories that resisted hierarchies of the human over other lifeworlds. This course will use the themes, "feminism" and "environment" to study the works of women writers such as Leslie Marmon Silko, bell hooks, Willa Cather, Maria Lugones and Muriel Rukeyser whose writings deepen and problematize both terms. 

Together we will ask, how have colonial histories impacted which authors are seen as "environmental" or "feminist"?  How does environmental protection materialize in the works of these authors? Further, what does environmental literature mean and how could debates in feminist theory help us answer such questions?

This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

Course requirement:
Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

MA students are permitted to complete a total of 15 credits in supervised research projects. A project is selected in consultation with a teacher at the MA level, and that teacher must approve the sudent's research plans before he or she is permitted to register for a study of this kind. Research projects should either be an extension of a course or courses that students have already completed in the MA program or be within their special field of interest.

Following up on The British Historical Novel 1764-1950, this course (though also independent of the previous course) traces the development of the British historical novel from the second half of the 20th century to the present day. It explores the way that history has been used by writers of the period across a variety of genres. Historical theory by historians and cultural theorists is also looked at in some detail, where relevant.

NB. The course is linked to the undergraduate course ENS607G The British Historical Novel since 1950; students in ENS225F attend classes in ENS607G. Also, the teacher will meet with the students registered for this course two or three times during the term (online if necessary) to discuss the research paper and students’ progress. 

The European intellectual tradition is characterized by the strong links between academia and society. Many of the most important European thinkers of the 19th and 20th Centuries worked outside of the universities – and many of those who did pursue an ordinary academic career also were public commentators frequently intervening in political discussion of the day and in some cases gaining considerable influence. In this course we present a selection of European thinkers who have been important both as scholars and as public intellectuals. We read and discuss samples of their work and look at critical discussion of their ideas. We also reflect on the time and place of the "European" – to what extent their work is quinessentially Eurocentric and to what extent awareness of cultural contingency emerges.

In this course, different types and genres of literary texts will be read and analysed, as a practical base for creative writing of various kinds - with the needs of the school teacher of literature and writing in mind.

-

The aim is to enable the student to gain a general understanding of the latest knowledge, theories, ideologies, concepts and methods in the field of language and instruction in grammar, giving a special attention to the situation in Iceland.

Terms like language policy, language planning, standard language and language usage are addressed, and conventional ideas about right and wrong language use are put into question. In addition, different positions towards gender neutral language will be discussed as well as opposing views about official naming policies. Current teaching material will be examined considering such ideas.

The main emphasis will be put on how to get young people to reflect on their responsibility in maintaining the language, while urging them to be tolerant towards other people’s language use. Students also get training in leading discussions on controversial language matters.

An important discussion will take place about the language policy in Iceland pertaining to neologism as a reaction to foreign language influence. Students will be prepared to use neologism as part of their teaching.

This course  draws on seminal and current research about effective teaching and learning of English as a foreign language.  Students will come to understand important theories that underpin EFL learning and second language acquisition, especially as it concerns teaching the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). This is accomplished by considering relevant concepts related to language acquisition, learner autonomy, and language assessment in a self- reflective and analytical way. Essentially, this course examines the why behind language teaching through student‐led and teacher-supported seminars. It culminates in a research project considering how to practically apply this knowledge to EFL teaching in a way that benefits both teachers and learners.

Course work demands active participation and consists of reading, lectures, face-to-face and online discussions, student-driven presentations and a research project.

Principles of language teaching – particularly in combination with a holisitic, communicative approach to language learning – align well with common goals of classroom management. Classroom management is a comprehensive term referring to a wide range of actions teachers take to organize students, materials, space, and time to achieve their learning goals. Relationship building, communication, engagement strategies, and structuring an effective learning environment are all features of effective classroom management (Stanzione & Mackenzie, p. 4-5) and effective language teaching. Incorporating drama techniques to achieve intertwined goals of effective language teaching and effective classroom management offers the possibility of developing practical skills and knowledge of mutual benefit to both teachers and students.  A rationale for applying drama methods to enhance language learning and classroom management include:

• It is an ideal way to encourage learners to communicate for real-life purposes.
• It makes language learning an active motivating experience.
• It helps learners gain the confidence and self-esteem needed to use the language spontaneously and collaboratively
• It makes language learning memo­rable through direct experience.
• It stimulates learners’ intellect, imagination, and creativity.
• It develops students’ ability to empathize with others and become better communicators. (Alvarado,2017).

The course introduces what is gender studies and how key concepts – such as equality, gender, gender roles, gender identity, intersectionality, queer studies, stereotypes, gender based violence, sex education, femininity, and masculinity – are useful to understand and organize schools. The course also focuses on the legislation about gender equality and gender equality education. The connections between gender equality and other types of equality are also dealt with, in accordance with the national curriculum for pre-, compulsory, and upper secondary schools.  Emphasis is placed on that the students in the course can analyze learning environments, methods, and materials from a gender perspective. Also that they can analyze the choice of play in preschools as well as in breaks and school sport.

The fundamental perspective of the national curriculum that gender equality education should involve critical examination of hegemonic ideas in society and its institutions, in order to teach children and youth to analyze the circumstances that lead to discrimination of some and privileges for others, is a base for the course.

Required attendance to introduce own final assignment in the course.

The course aims to prepare participants to draw on their resources in their work with diverse groups of students. In the course, we draw on inclusive education theories and research, emphasizing a holistic and creative approach to preparation and teaching at the forefront. Furthermore, a focus is put on teaching strategies and educative assessment that works for diverse groups of students, and adapting teaching and learning to students with special needs.

Content
The focus of the course is on inclusive practices. How to create a learning environment that cares for all students learning is introduced. The focus is also on collaboration with parents, colleagues, professionals, and paraprofessionals. 

Work process
The course is a blended course online and on campus. It is divided into four main themes. All the themes connect to teaching in inclusive educational settings. The focus on each theme is three or four weeks.

The teaching is through lectures, projects, collaboration, discussions in class, on canvas, and in formal assignments. The course is grounded in students' independence, responsibility, and participation.

The content of the course will be centred around contemporary themes in the sociology and philosophy of education. We will discuss the sociological or philosophical aspects of current issues in society such as equality, multiculturalism, social class, pedagogy, democracy and inclusive education. 

During the first half of the semester theoretical approaches are presented and discussed.

During the second half students work in groups on self-chosen topics and are guided through developing a research plan or development projects using the theories presented before mid-semester.

This course is a general introduction to Adult and Continuing education. Through the course participants will familiarize themselves with research on the charcteristics of adult learners, theories on adult learning, the societal place of adult education, participation in adult learning activities and the effects of adult development on their learning endevours.

The course aims are that participants acquaint themselves with research and theories of adult learning with the aim of informing practice and to rationalize choices and actions when organizing learning events and working with adults.

Coursework: Blended learning with face to face sessions and online collaborations: Discussions, lectures, individual assignments and group projects.

Missing

The course traces how social studies have shaped the societies they belong to. We explore how they influenced nationalist, imperialist and colonialist ideologies in the 19th century. We go on to view how they construct our contemporary societies from critical, feminist, queer and decolonial standpoints. The course provides students with various examples of teaching methods and projects intended to have social impact. Students also receive training in reflecting on how their teaching has a hand in shaping norms and ideologies. Also, if and how they can influence the construction process. 

Content: The course focuses on the theory and practice of those elements of life skills education that have to do with the self and personal skills. The course is in accordance with the Icelandic national curriculum, working towards mental health, healthy self-image and strong moral character in students. Topics include character education, experiments in living and mindfulness.

Methods: Most weeks there will be lectures and discussions. Lectures will usually be recorded before sessions and uploaded to the course website on Canvas. Students should view them before taking part in sessions. Discussions will not be recorded, but students who are not able to attend can participate by posting a blog on the course website. Students submit four assignments.

The course focuses on:

• the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on education and schools
• ICT-related policy, curriculum and school practice
• Concepts, theories and research related to the use of ICT in schools
• technology integration in schools
• teaching methods, professional development of teachers, software and digital learning materials
• students' and teachers' digital competence, ICT skills, and media literacy
• ICT as part of everyday life

Approach:
Reading and discussion about curriculum, policy, theory, research and practice. Students work alone or in smaller groups on literature research and introduce various topics of their choice. They share their ideas and experiences of ICT uses in learning and teaching and contribute to the construction of a learning and professional community in the area of ICT in education.

The purpose of this course is to assist students in understanding some major concepts, theories, and models of  development in educational settings with a focus on the enhancment of cultural conditions in order to encourage improvement. Students are expected to become competent in organising, planning and leading institutional development projects. The course is based on theories about schools and other related institutions as learning communities.

Ways of working
The course is structured in eight parts in distance learning. Two days are on campus during the term. Beside that students read and discuss online. They are also invited to participate in workshops on campus. Assignments are practical and linked with daily work. Student collaboration and discussions is emphases.

Aim: The goal of the course is to provide students with a good understanding of diversity in society and school, and get a better understanding of individuals and groups that are marginalised in society. Students will also learn about various forms, origins, and consequences of exclusion and stigmatization.

Students will also be able to use ethical concepts in their fieldwork, and be able to relate concepts of professionalism and professions to ethical and historical contexts. Special emphasis is on the ability of students to reflect on their own attitudes and work in light of ethical concepts such as autonomy, respect, dignity, trust and care, social justice and social discrimination, social capital, and empowerment.

Subject matter: The main subject of the course is social diversity and the status of marginalised individuals and groups. The course is divided into three parts where the first two parts are based on theoretical discussion of history and ethics, while in the third part students are expected to use those theoretical foundations from the previous parts to reflect on the field and their own attitudes.

In this module different approaches to the question of how critical theories can be used to better understand educational institutions, practices and policies will be explored.  The theoretical framework will draw on critical theory scholarship (including but not limited to critical race theory, critical feminist theory, queer theory and critical disability studies) to develop critical education lens with an emphasis on intersectionality and social justice. Educational policies and curricula will be analysed and placed in a human rights context. Special emphasis is placed on how this knowledge can be applied in a broad range of educational settings. 

The Gender and Education is a required course for graduate students the Department of International studies in education in the Faculty of Education and Diversity at the University of Iceland.

This course will review and discuss a number of key issues in assessment and testing, including National curriculum guidelines, current policies and trends. Traditional assessment methods and standardized examinations will be examined with critical eyes. New approaches to assessment will also be discussed, for example: formative assessment, authentic assessment, self-assessment, peer evaluation and evaluation based on study, experience, or portfolios.

Main Objectives

• gain knowledge and understanding of assessment criteria and methods in language education
• acquire a basis for being able to organize and formulate assessment programs

Working methods:
Teaching is conducted through lectures, face-to-face and online discussions, and student-driven presentations. There will be a great deal of reading that incorporates students’ interests in terms of reading material, discussion topics, group and individual work, and projects that are shared as presentations/workshops. Emphasis is placed on the students developing their own teaching methods and assessment methods and sharing their knowledge and practices with others.

The goal of this course is twofold. On the one hand different methods of teaching literature will be introduced with an emphasis on diversity and different ways of connecting literature with various subjects. The course will explore how the methods of literary analysis and criticism can be used to open up literary texts in the classroom and help pupils to put them into the context of their everyday liver. Through literature and literary analysis different eras, cultures, nationalities, languages and personalities can be explored. 

On the other hand the course will focus on the teaching of literature in Icelandic elementary schools, the goals of the national curriculum, the role of the study of literature and its part in general education. The selection of literary texts for teaching in the school system will be studied as well as the criteria for such selection in Iceland and in other countries. 

The main goal of this course is:

• for students to be able to give participants a perspective and understanding of the main theories and research in computer related language study
• that participants gain knowledge and know the main theories and research regarding digital litteracies and language studies.
• that students gain a chance to connect academic knowledge and practical experience of computers and information technology in language teaching.

Topics:
In this course the influence of information technology on upbringing, education and educational matters will be discussed; as well as computer culture, digital literaces and the factors that influence it within pedagogical institutions. Emphasis will be on discussing computer related language studies for example computer assisted language learning and its effects and the developments of the last thirty years. Also theories and research that are related to the use of computer related language learning in classroom in primary and secondary education will be discussed. Different computer programs will be introduced and examinded how it is possibe to use them in training different language components. 

Working Methods:
Teaching will take place in the form of lectures, discussion. In lectures the topic will be set forth, explain its main factors and put forth questions. Participants will also work by themselves are in groups to collect material and introduction of material that is related to their interests. The material could be connected to the utilization of

In this course the focus is on Icelandic as a second language and the education of multilingual students in Icelandic compulsory schools. Language acquisition and language upbringing will be examined and the difference between acquiring skills in a first and a second language. The emphases will be on what it is that teachers in general need to know about the Icelandic language to be able to help their students make progress in the subject being taught.

The structure of the Icelandic language system, pronunciation, word formation, inflections, sentence structure, meaning of words and phrases, the three layers of the vocabulary, and various things related to language use will be studied. The purpose is to figure out what is most likely to be demanding for multilingual students in preschools who are acquiring the language, both in general but also due to personal differences, such as different first languages.

Based on this special attention will be paid to the teaching of different subjects and how they can be planned, taking in account students’ different level of Icelandic. Important aspect of that is how subject texts can be simplified to fit the needs of multilingual students.

Recent years have seen an increased focus on data collection and statistical analysis within the humanities. This is particularly apparent in growing branches such as psycholinguistics, cognitive literary studies and experimental philosophy, to name a few. The push towards quantitative methods occurs at a time where the validity and reliability of well-established statistical methods are called into question in other fields, with increased demands of replicability and open access as well as data protection and responsibility. In this course, students explore the value of quantitative methods in their field while getting training in the collection and analysis of data. A diverse set of research methods will be introduced, ranging from surveys to corpus analysis and experiments in which participants’ response to stimuli (such as words, texts or audio-visual materials) is quantified. Basic concepts in statistics will be reviewed, enabling students to know the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics, understand statistical significance and interpret visual representations of data in graphs. The course will be largely practical and students are expected to apply their knowledge of data collection and analysis under the instructor’s guidance. Students will work on a project within their own discipline but will also explore the possibility of cross-disciplinary work. Open source tools such as R Studio will be used for all assignments but no prior knowledge of the software or statistics in general is required. The course is suitable for all students within the humanities who want to collect quantitative data to answer interesting questions and could therefore be a useful preparation for a BA or MA project.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences and religious identities will be discussed together with selected parts oft the main religious traditions in the world. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values of different religions will be discussed, as well as the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The course aims to expose students to perspectives on curriculum and assessment in compulsory education, from theory to practice. Students discuss and learn about basic concepts and issues related to curriculum theory as they appear in public schools. Issues and ideologies reflected in official curricula, laws, directives, and other policy briefings are discussed both theoretically and as they appear in praxis. Special focus is laid on the role of teachers and administrators in curriculum development and assessment, and alternatively their professional role in developing learning programs for groups of pupils as well as individual pupils with special needs. Nature, purpose, and strategies regarding assessment and curriculum are addressed (cf. formative assessment, summative assessment, writing test items and other test instruments, and marking and reporting). Students discuss and learn about controversial issues and different ideological currents concerning central questions about the purpose and aims of compulsory education.

The working process of the course consists of lectures, and critical discussion through seminars and group assignments

The course gives an overview of research with children and young people, in order to understand their views and experiences as they participate in research. These methods build on ideas about early childhood education, manly coming from sociology, where early childhood is seen as a specific research area and linked to research with young people and other groups in danger of being marginalized. Furthermore, building on postmodern ideas, seeing children as strong and competent, having own perspectives towards social issues. and also in relation to the movement of working towards children’s rights as citizens.

Aims for students to:
Understand the theoretical ides and views underpinning research with children. Students:

• Gain knowledge and understanding about the challenges and solutions researchers face as they in research work with children and young people, in matters such as relations and interaction, informed consent, confidentiality and protection.
• Gain knowledge and understanding on the performance of research with children and young people.
• Are able to apply theoretical approach as planning projects and research.

During the course, the challenges meeting researchers, as doing research with children and young people, will be discussed. Ideology and ethical issues will be addressed

This course deals with the spectrum of teaching methods from direct and formal approaches to informal methods. Emphasis is put on theoretical underpinnings and research on teaching methods, especially Icelandic research. Special attention is put on examining differentiated and responsive approaches (such as the open school concept, flexible teaching, cooperation, multi-age teaching, problem-based learning, holistic education, project-based learning, negotiating the curriculum and authentic learning).

The course is a free elective and is intended for those who are studying to become special educators or upper secondary school teachers. The aim of the course is for students to gain insight into the organization and implementation of support for upper secondary school students who are entitled to teaching and special educational support in accordance with assessed SEN. Theories and research in the field of education support and special education in upper secondary schools will be discussed, which will able participants to apply in their own teaching. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approach and collaboration. Students are introduced to the support services available within the college to support students with special needs or disabilities.

Objectives
The objectives of the course are threefold. First, to provide insight into selected learning theories. Second, to enable  students to gain understanding of how these theories can be applied to upbringing, teaching, and the organization of learning for people of all ages. Third, to increase knowledge of research on the effects of different approaches to teaching and evidence-based practices to reach a variety of learning objectives.   

Content

• Among the main learning theories covered in the course are those from the cognitive, behavioural, and motivational domains.
• Main concepts related to the learning theories will be introduced and discussed in relation to how learning can be defined in different ways.
• Students will read research articles where these learning theories are studied and applied in practice.
• Emphasis will be placed on understanding what constitutes evidence-based practice. 
• Students will design a learning plan for a student or a group of students, based upon one of the learning theories approaches discussed in the course. Through this assignment the students will deepen their understanding of the learning theory in question and how to apply it in practice. 

This is an introductory course addressing theoretical, philosophical and practical issues related to action research. The history and development of action research worldwide will be outlined. We will take a look at ideologies and issues that divide action researchers into different camps. A special attention will be on action research in Icelandic schools an other educational forums, how it has developed until now and how it might be taken further. The main emphasis  in the course is on learning in action: The participants will learn about action research through the process of conducting their own research project.

In this course participants learn how to design learning interventions for adults. Its main objectives are that participants can individually or with a group, design courses or other learning events for adults.

During the course participants deal with most aspects of designing, organizing and implementing learning events organized for adults, ranging from learning needs asessment through design to teaching and evaluation. However with the main focus being on the design and implementation of the learning intervention.

The course is carried out in a blended form, a mix of face to face sessions and collaborative online work.

Objective: The objective of the course is that students learn about concepts, theories and research in queer pedagogy. Furthermore, they will receive good insight into queer theory. Students will acquire critical view of schools and education and gain insight intof the reality of queer youth.

Topics include the concepts of gender, sexuality, intersectionality, masculinity, femininity, gender binary, heteronormativity and cisnormativity. Students gain insight into the main subject matters of queer pedagogy and the ways in which this field can shed light on education, pedagogy, leisure, and and society. The approach will be in the spirit of queer theory and social constructivist perspective, which will be employed to explain different views on gender, gender identity and queer sexuality. The course examines how the Icelandic school system directly and indirectly maintains a wide variety of discrimination and sustains institutionlized heternormativity and cisnormativity. New research, domestic and international, will be read, related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, the course focuses on the training of future professionals working with children and teenagers in establishing a queer friendly atmosphere and incorporate queer realities into their work.

In this course students are introduced to equality, one of the fundamental pillars of learning in the National Curriculum for primary schools. The mainstreaming of equality and equity in social studies education is explored from a multitude of angles with an emphasis on gender, sexuality, culture and race, disability, class and residence. Attention is paid to how these factors intersect to create multiple marginalizations. Students receive training in approaching current learning materials critically and designing student projects in the spirit of equality education. They receive further training in integrating two fundamental pillar of learning, equality and creativity, as they work on a project in cooperation with students in arts education. They are also introduced to various equality projects from Iceland and abroad.

Issues, concepts and theories in the field of distance education will be explored. Development and trends will be examined from the emphasis on independent study to emphasis on social activities and shared knowledge construction online and global. The focus will also be on research on distance education at different school levels in Iceland and other countries, distance learners and their needs, and teaching methods with different types of media. The design of distance or online courses and programs will be explored as well as international standards for such courses.

Students participate in online synchronous and asynchronous discussion about theory and practice concerning distance education (DE), engage in problem-based learning (group work) and do an individual project that could involve design of a DE course, a study concerning DE, or a paper on topics related to DE.

Main focus of this course will be the causes and consequences of climate change as they appear in nature, locally and globally. Examples of pollution on land and sea will be introduced and emphasis put on actions to protect nature, reclaim former quality of land and advance towards carbon-neutral-footprint.

Controversial issues related to climate change will be discussed and also examples on how to work with different aspects  of climate change in schools in science, mathematics and information tecnology.

Participants work on assignments aimed at an age group of own choice, which will be individual assignments, for pairs or groups.

The main aim of the course is to enable students to recognize the importance of current global social, political and economic changes to gain understanding of contemporary education policies. The aim is to explore, from different angles based on critical theories, the complex relationships between developments in policy at global, national, local and institutional levels. The emphasis is on the understanding of different forms of marketization in education, both externally through private sector participation in education and internally through the changes of the education system and governance towards business models.

Subject:
Education systems and –policies and their relationship with the social context in society and institutions will be discussed with the intersecting lenses of students‘ gender, social class, residence, (dis-)ability, and ethnicity. Important concepts as quality, choices, effectiveness and governance will be of discussion.

Work process:
Lectures and discussions in weekly-sessions. Students co-operate to put theories and concepts into practice for particular issues. Student assessment comprices of written assignments and a shorter research projects. Further details and guidance will be available during the course.

The course discusses factors that underpin and support global citizenship education. We will discuss the importance of citizens realizing that they have certain rights in society, as well as shared responsibilities and duties. Emphasis is placed on academic and policy related discussion of concepts such as globalization, citizenship, civic engagement, democracy, human rights, education and sustainability. Different approaches and definitions of global citizenship will be discussed, with an emphasis on critical approaches providing examples from international and national education, such as the United Nations' global goals and the fundamental pillars of Icelandic education. The spotlight will also be directed to the current situation of children and young people and how we learn and teach in the spirit of global citizenship.

The main aim of the course is that students get to know ideas and research on education in view of gender studies and the concept of gender. An overview of how ideas of gender and education have changed historically will be discussed as well as facts and critical viewpoints at all school levels. During the next academic year a special emphasis will be placed on the research and theoretical approach of selected researchers on girls and boys in schools and about the problems in education posed by the changing status of women at the time of globalization. Finally the focus will be on the Icelandic school system: the position, socialization and academic achievement of boys and girls; leaders and administrators; the national and school curriculum and the status of legalized education on gender equality at all school levels.

This course connects sociological and transdisciplinary theories and research on youth, youth culture, transitions and education. The concept of youth refers to a diverse age group and is dependant on societies and historical context, but in our post-modern times refers to the ages 16-25. Youth and their circumstances will be studied from various sociological and related academic perspectives; an emphasis will be placed on a transdiciplinary educational view. The term transition to adulthood referred, until the 1990‘s, to youth moving from the educational systems into the workplace, but has since taken a broader view to include among other things family context,  social engagement and inclusion.

In this course the focus is on recent research on youth transitions in different societies and by socio-cultural backgrounds, emphasizing research on  Icelandic and Nordic youth. The division between the public and the private is getting more and more blurry and the transition in the private life is no less important for future well-being in the marketized and globalized digital world. Youth transition is therefore explored through three main systems;  a) The education system of secondary and higher  education, b) participation in the labour force and c) the system of sexuality.

Objectives
The main objectives of the course is to provide students with basic knowledge of logic and other foundations of critical thinking. Also to provide them with understanding of the purpose of practicing philosophical discussions with childern and adults. Students will also gain understanding of the ideas of a community of inquiry developed by Matthew Lipman and its origin among the American pragmatists Charles S. Peirce, William James and John Dewey. Students will also get practice in directing philosophical discussions with a group of people using the tehniques that has been developed in philosophy for children.

Subject
In the course philosophical discussion as a teaching method will be explored drawing on the ideas of Matthew Lipman and other scholars in the field of philosophy for children. Special attention will be paid to the connection between the national curriculum of Iceland and the main objectives of philosophical discussons such as independend and critical thinking, creativity, toleerance, self-knowledge and preparation for life in a democratic society. Close attention will be paid to these concepts as they are dealt with in philosophy for children.

The course focuses on young people’s risk behavior (e.g. drug use, deviance, inconsistent school attendance) and resilience related to various pedagogical, social, educational, and psychological factors. Subjects dealt with in the course will for example be young people’s social development, communication skills, mental disorders, sexual reproductive health, trauma and their view on different challenges in their life. Different preventive measures will be discussed and the role of homes, schools and recreations in different preventions. A special focus is on developmental research that explores the relationship between developmental growth and risk behavior. Projects are designed to seek understanding on how young people perceive risk factors in their lives.

The course is offered as a distant education course. Teaching lessons will be recorded and put on the CANVAS education management system but if there is real time teaching then it will be recorded and put on CANVAS. Discussion lessons are once a week (60 min.) were students can choose between being in-house or online. The same goes for essay presentations which are at the end of the semester.

Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms. The training is connected to the course Introduction to Teaching and Learning so these courses should be taken simultaneously.

The aim of the course is to give students an insight into main theories and research of learning and teaching (Icelandic and international). Main topics of the course are theories and research on learning and teaching, teachers' professionalism, teaching methods, and assessment.

The main field of work for graduates will be in upper secondary school, and this fact will determine the selection of learning tasks.

This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms.

The training is connected to the course Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools and these two courses should be taken simultaneously.

This course is about curriculum theory and educational policy with emphasis on the curriculum, student body and school development in Icelandic upper secondary schools.

Assignments are designed to enable students to work as professionals on the development of school practice, curricula, and policies.

This is an overview course that introduces major research methods in second language acquisition and teaching. Qualitative and quantitative research methods will be explored and their role in interpreting second language development. Student will examine real studies, develop a research plan, and conduct a pilot study. 

MA thesis in English Teaching.

The enchanted worlds that Scottish writer J. M. Barrie created for Peter Pan, “the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up,” have been variously transformed by the author and others – not least the Disney Company and translations into most of the world’s languages. In this course we will examine some of the changes that Barrie’s characters and places have undergone through the passage of time through the prism of basic ideas and terms from adaptation theory. This is an intensive 6-week course with continuous assessment.

This seminar provides a historical and cross-cultural overview on the main linguistic and cultural areas of the Americas.

Students will participate in short seminars and conferences about new development in the field. The seminars will be partly funded through Erasmus and by other means. The goal is to give students an opportunity to converse and collaborate with Icelandic and international researchers on current issues in Second Language Studies.

All MA students in English are required to complete this seminar where they discuss relevant approaches to theory and research, their own research projects, preparing to introduce their findings at conferences and whorkshops, in Iceland or abroad. Evaluation is by participation: 2 short assignments and a presentation of a paper related to the student's coursework or final essay.

This research project is linked to the course ENS506G From Gothic Beginnings to Twentieth Century Fantasy and Romance: The British Historical Novel 1764 to 1950.

The course introduces students to the development of the British historical novel up to the middle of the 20th century. Its origins will be traced back to what is seen as the first Gothic novel as well as examining in some detail Walter Scott’s Waverley, which generally is referred to as the first historical novel. The course then outlines the development of the historical novel up to the middle of the 20th century and students read selected texts from this time period. Within this framework, the course explores the way that history has been used by writers across a variety of genres, such as romance and adventure. The course will also include discussions of history in television and film where relevant, along with discussions of relevant theories by both historians and cultural theorists.

The research project involves writing a research paper of 6500-7500 words (75%) and a short essay of 1800-2500 words (25%) OR writing a longer research essay of 8000-10000 words (see below on course assessment). For the short essay, students choose from a list of essay topics given out to students in ENS506G (or come up with their own topic, see below). For the research paper, students choose a topic of their own (or with the teacher’s help); please note that the teacher needs to approve your topic of choice.

The teacher will meet with the students registered for this course on a regular basis to discuss the research paper. Dates to be confirmed.

What does it mean to say that a word or sentence has a meaning? How do we characterise that meaning and how can we study it? How can we encode meanings within a linguistic resource or annotate them in a corpus? These are some of the questions considered in this course, which is intended as a selective survey rather than a comprehensive overview and which draws on a range of research papers in theoretical, experimental and computational linguistics.

MA students are permitted to complete a total of 15 credits in supervised research projects. A project is selected in consultation with a teacher at the MA level, and that teacher must approve the sudent's research plans before he or she is permitted to register for a study of this kind. Research projects should either be an extension of a course or courses that students have already completed in the MA program or be within their special field of interest.

This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.

This course covers the nature of vocabulary acquisition: how vocabulary develops, is learned and taught. Various factors will be analyzed in detail, including, the role of pronunciation, word frequency, various learning strategies for vocabulary growth and considerable attention will be drawn to current research methodology in Vocabulary Acquisition. Students will review research as well as conduct a mini study.

Taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am (2. and 3. year students only)

This course is a review and examination of the developing field of ecocriticism in literary studies, and how ecocriticism itself as a way of examining environmental narration and imaginative literature is facing a crisis of its own.

We will look into the notion of “environment” and how literary texts portray and work with environments for narrative purposes.  We will consider environments in a  broadened sense, including not only  the purely physical, but also the digital environment and other non-physical environments such as  light, time, the human psyche and language itself.  How do writers navigate the relationship between narration and environment in its various manifestations.

We are likely to read fiction that allows us to explore the nature of storytelling in the midst of environmental crisis.  These works may include Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees; Edward Abbey’s The Monkey Wrench Gang; James Bradley’s Clade; as well as Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice; Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk; Memory of Water by Emmi Igtaranta; Oil on Water by Helon Habila; and Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad.  We may also read essays in the anthology Solastalgia, edited by Paul Bogard; a collection of short creative works by thirty four writers on our emotions in the face of disappearing worlds.

We may also read some theory and philosophy now being written on the subject as applied to literature; books such as The Crisis of Narration by Byung-Chul Han; Facing Gaia by Bruno Latour; as well as tracts on the environmental crises such as The Darkness Manifesto by Johan Eklöf and A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in The Fate of Civilization by John Perlin, as well as essays by theorists Donna Haraway and Hito Steyerl. 

The final reading list will be posted later.

What does Sunset Boulevard, double entendres, self-censorship, the Coen Brothers, and #metoo have in common? They all reveal that Hollywood is not quite the fantasy it poses to be.

A very real place and industry within Los Angeles, California, Hollywood has led in film production since the beginning of narrative film, yet its magic is created within the bland and sometimes devastating concrete lots, sound stages and offices of producers and agents.

This course aims to explore the reality of Hollywood and how it has functioned over time, to examine and critique its presentation and reputation through film and media. The course includes critical viewings of films that are based on both the myth and reality of Hollywood as well as critical readings on historical context, news/gossip, and the history of American narrative film.

Only 35 seats are available for ENS352M. Once the course is filled please contact Nikkita (nhp1@hi.is) to be added onto a waiting list in case a spot opens up.

You are the perfect candidate if you have a burning desire to write fiction or poetry, and enjoy reading good books.

Aims include:

1. To sharpen awareness and improve skills through exercises in writing, and especially through revision

2. To provide practical criticism of work-in-progress in a workshop setting, along with advice about revisions and improvisation.

In addition to invoking the muse, students will learn practical writing skills such as organization, structure, characterization and dialogue. The course will also involve the examination of the work of key novel and short story writers, and poets. Throughout the course, students will develop their own work as well as improving their critical skills. Students will complete a short story or a small collection of poems by the end of the course.

Attendance requirement is 100% - you must attend one 1-hour presentation and one 2-hour workshop session per week. Not suitable for distance students.

Students who fulfil the prerequisites will be signed up. Sign up is on first come first served bases and there are 6 seats reserved for MA students and 6 seats reserved for BA students. Any unfilled seats for the course on August 30th will be offered to students on the waiting list. 

This course concerns the diverse connections between culture and language, as seen from the perspective of cultural history, social sciences and linguistics. Ancient and modern world languages will be introduced and their origins, influence and effects investigated. Written and spoken language will be discussed: what sorts of things are written, why and how? Rules and alternate perspectives on the nature of langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

MA thesis in English Teaching.

A favourite author of and inspiration to Jane Austen and keeper of the robes to Queen Charlotte, Frances Burney (1752-1840) was an eighteenth-century English novelist and playwright who is also known as Fanny Burney. Burney lived in France during the Napoleonic Wars and her French husband Alexander D’Arblay had supported the French Revolution, a political theme covered in her novel The Wanderer. Her novel Camilla (1796), sold as a subscription, earned her an incredibly large sum that enabled her to buy a house for her family. Throughout her life, Burney kept journals that serve as a record of her time in the eighteenth-century court, eighteenth-century artistic and intellectual high society, and of her time in France. Burney’s work engages with issues of class, inheritance, charity, and political struggles in France and Britain. We will read Burney’s novels and extracts from her letters and diaries. This course will cover the social, political, economic, and protofeminist commentary in Burney’s work, her narrative style, details of her life, and her influence on other novelists, such as Austen.

This seminar provides a historical and cross-cultural overview on main trends in literature and film in different parts of the Americas.

Long before contemporary analyses of human-induced environmental degradation, Indigenous and feminist authors wrote stories that resisted hierarchies of the human over other lifeworlds. This course will use the themes, "feminism" and "environment" to study the works of women writers such as Leslie Marmon Silko, bell hooks, Willa Cather, Maria Lugones and Muriel Rukeyser whose writings deepen and problematize both terms. 

Together we will ask, how have colonial histories impacted which authors are seen as "environmental" or "feminist"?  How does environmental protection materialize in the works of these authors? Further, what does environmental literature mean and how could debates in feminist theory help us answer such questions?

This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

Course requirement:
Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

MA students are permitted to complete a total of 15 credits in supervised research projects. A project is selected in consultation with a teacher at the MA level, and that teacher must approve the sudent's research plans before he or she is permitted to register for a study of this kind. Research projects should either be an extension of a course or courses that students have already completed in the MA program or be within their special field of interest.

Following up on The British Historical Novel 1764-1950, this course (though also independent of the previous course) traces the development of the British historical novel from the second half of the 20th century to the present day. It explores the way that history has been used by writers of the period across a variety of genres. Historical theory by historians and cultural theorists is also looked at in some detail, where relevant.

NB. The course is linked to the undergraduate course ENS607G The British Historical Novel since 1950; students in ENS225F attend classes in ENS607G. Also, the teacher will meet with the students registered for this course two or three times during the term (online if necessary) to discuss the research paper and students’ progress. 

The European intellectual tradition is characterized by the strong links between academia and society. Many of the most important European thinkers of the 19th and 20th Centuries worked outside of the universities – and many of those who did pursue an ordinary academic career also were public commentators frequently intervening in political discussion of the day and in some cases gaining considerable influence. In this course we present a selection of European thinkers who have been important both as scholars and as public intellectuals. We read and discuss samples of their work and look at critical discussion of their ideas. We also reflect on the time and place of the "European" – to what extent their work is quinessentially Eurocentric and to what extent awareness of cultural contingency emerges.

In this course, different types and genres of literary texts will be read and analysed, as a practical base for creative writing of various kinds - with the needs of the school teacher of literature and writing in mind.

-

The aim is to enable the student to gain a general understanding of the latest knowledge, theories, ideologies, concepts and methods in the field of language and instruction in grammar, giving a special attention to the situation in Iceland.

Terms like language policy, language planning, standard language and language usage are addressed, and conventional ideas about right and wrong language use are put into question. In addition, different positions towards gender neutral language will be discussed as well as opposing views about official naming policies. Current teaching material will be examined considering such ideas.

The main emphasis will be put on how to get young people to reflect on their responsibility in maintaining the language, while urging them to be tolerant towards other people’s language use. Students also get training in leading discussions on controversial language matters.

An important discussion will take place about the language policy in Iceland pertaining to neologism as a reaction to foreign language influence. Students will be prepared to use neologism as part of their teaching.

This course  draws on seminal and current research about effective teaching and learning of English as a foreign language.  Students will come to understand important theories that underpin EFL learning and second language acquisition, especially as it concerns teaching the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). This is accomplished by considering relevant concepts related to language acquisition, learner autonomy, and language assessment in a self- reflective and analytical way. Essentially, this course examines the why behind language teaching through student‐led and teacher-supported seminars. It culminates in a research project considering how to practically apply this knowledge to EFL teaching in a way that benefits both teachers and learners.

Course work demands active participation and consists of reading, lectures, face-to-face and online discussions, student-driven presentations and a research project.

Principles of language teaching – particularly in combination with a holisitic, communicative approach to language learning – align well with common goals of classroom management. Classroom management is a comprehensive term referring to a wide range of actions teachers take to organize students, materials, space, and time to achieve their learning goals. Relationship building, communication, engagement strategies, and structuring an effective learning environment are all features of effective classroom management (Stanzione & Mackenzie, p. 4-5) and effective language teaching. Incorporating drama techniques to achieve intertwined goals of effective language teaching and effective classroom management offers the possibility of developing practical skills and knowledge of mutual benefit to both teachers and students.  A rationale for applying drama methods to enhance language learning and classroom management include:

• It is an ideal way to encourage learners to communicate for real-life purposes.
• It makes language learning an active motivating experience.
• It helps learners gain the confidence and self-esteem needed to use the language spontaneously and collaboratively
• It makes language learning memo­rable through direct experience.
• It stimulates learners’ intellect, imagination, and creativity.
• It develops students’ ability to empathize with others and become better communicators. (Alvarado,2017).

The course introduces what is gender studies and how key concepts – such as equality, gender, gender roles, gender identity, intersectionality, queer studies, stereotypes, gender based violence, sex education, femininity, and masculinity – are useful to understand and organize schools. The course also focuses on the legislation about gender equality and gender equality education. The connections between gender equality and other types of equality are also dealt with, in accordance with the national curriculum for pre-, compulsory, and upper secondary schools.  Emphasis is placed on that the students in the course can analyze learning environments, methods, and materials from a gender perspective. Also that they can analyze the choice of play in preschools as well as in breaks and school sport.

The fundamental perspective of the national curriculum that gender equality education should involve critical examination of hegemonic ideas in society and its institutions, in order to teach children and youth to analyze the circumstances that lead to discrimination of some and privileges for others, is a base for the course.

Required attendance to introduce own final assignment in the course.

The course aims to prepare participants to draw on their resources in their work with diverse groups of students. In the course, we draw on inclusive education theories and research, emphasizing a holistic and creative approach to preparation and teaching at the forefront. Furthermore, a focus is put on teaching strategies and educative assessment that works for diverse groups of students, and adapting teaching and learning to students with special needs.

Content
The focus of the course is on inclusive practices. How to create a learning environment that cares for all students learning is introduced. The focus is also on collaboration with parents, colleagues, professionals, and paraprofessionals. 

Work process
The course is a blended course online and on campus. It is divided into four main themes. All the themes connect to teaching in inclusive educational settings. The focus on each theme is three or four weeks.

The teaching is through lectures, projects, collaboration, discussions in class, on canvas, and in formal assignments. The course is grounded in students' independence, responsibility, and participation.

The content of the course will be centred around contemporary themes in the sociology and philosophy of education. We will discuss the sociological or philosophical aspects of current issues in society such as equality, multiculturalism, social class, pedagogy, democracy and inclusive education. 

During the first half of the semester theoretical approaches are presented and discussed.

During the second half students work in groups on self-chosen topics and are guided through developing a research plan or development projects using the theories presented before mid-semester.

This course is a general introduction to Adult and Continuing education. Through the course participants will familiarize themselves with research on the charcteristics of adult learners, theories on adult learning, the societal place of adult education, participation in adult learning activities and the effects of adult development on their learning endevours.

The course aims are that participants acquaint themselves with research and theories of adult learning with the aim of informing practice and to rationalize choices and actions when organizing learning events and working with adults.

Coursework: Blended learning with face to face sessions and online collaborations: Discussions, lectures, individual assignments and group projects.

Missing

The course traces how social studies have shaped the societies they belong to. We explore how they influenced nationalist, imperialist and colonialist ideologies in the 19th century. We go on to view how they construct our contemporary societies from critical, feminist, queer and decolonial standpoints. The course provides students with various examples of teaching methods and projects intended to have social impact. Students also receive training in reflecting on how their teaching has a hand in shaping norms and ideologies. Also, if and how they can influence the construction process. 

Content: The course focuses on the theory and practice of those elements of life skills education that have to do with the self and personal skills. The course is in accordance with the Icelandic national curriculum, working towards mental health, healthy self-image and strong moral character in students. Topics include character education, experiments in living and mindfulness.

Methods: Most weeks there will be lectures and discussions. Lectures will usually be recorded before sessions and uploaded to the course website on Canvas. Students should view them before taking part in sessions. Discussions will not be recorded, but students who are not able to attend can participate by posting a blog on the course website. Students submit four assignments.

The course focuses on:

• the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on education and schools
• ICT-related policy, curriculum and school practice
• Concepts, theories and research related to the use of ICT in schools
• technology integration in schools
• teaching methods, professional development of teachers, software and digital learning materials
• students' and teachers' digital competence, ICT skills, and media literacy
• ICT as part of everyday life

Approach:
Reading and discussion about curriculum, policy, theory, research and practice. Students work alone or in smaller groups on literature research and introduce various topics of their choice. They share their ideas and experiences of ICT uses in learning and teaching and contribute to the construction of a learning and professional community in the area of ICT in education.

The purpose of this course is to assist students in understanding some major concepts, theories, and models of  development in educational settings with a focus on the enhancment of cultural conditions in order to encourage improvement. Students are expected to become competent in organising, planning and leading institutional development projects. The course is based on theories about schools and other related institutions as learning communities.

Ways of working
The course is structured in eight parts in distance learning. Two days are on campus during the term. Beside that students read and discuss online. They are also invited to participate in workshops on campus. Assignments are practical and linked with daily work. Student collaboration and discussions is emphases.

Aim: The goal of the course is to provide students with a good understanding of diversity in society and school, and get a better understanding of individuals and groups that are marginalised in society. Students will also learn about various forms, origins, and consequences of exclusion and stigmatization.

Students will also be able to use ethical concepts in their fieldwork, and be able to relate concepts of professionalism and professions to ethical and historical contexts. Special emphasis is on the ability of students to reflect on their own attitudes and work in light of ethical concepts such as autonomy, respect, dignity, trust and care, social justice and social discrimination, social capital, and empowerment.

Subject matter: The main subject of the course is social diversity and the status of marginalised individuals and groups. The course is divided into three parts where the first two parts are based on theoretical discussion of history and ethics, while in the third part students are expected to use those theoretical foundations from the previous parts to reflect on the field and their own attitudes.

In this module different approaches to the question of how critical theories can be used to better understand educational institutions, practices and policies will be explored.  The theoretical framework will draw on critical theory scholarship (including but not limited to critical race theory, critical feminist theory, queer theory and critical disability studies) to develop critical education lens with an emphasis on intersectionality and social justice. Educational policies and curricula will be analysed and placed in a human rights context. Special emphasis is placed on how this knowledge can be applied in a broad range of educational settings. 

The Gender and Education is a required course for graduate students the Department of International studies in education in the Faculty of Education and Diversity at the University of Iceland.

This course will review and discuss a number of key issues in assessment and testing, including National curriculum guidelines, current policies and trends. Traditional assessment methods and standardized examinations will be examined with critical eyes. New approaches to assessment will also be discussed, for example: formative assessment, authentic assessment, self-assessment, peer evaluation and evaluation based on study, experience, or portfolios.

Main Objectives

• gain knowledge and understanding of assessment criteria and methods in language education
• acquire a basis for being able to organize and formulate assessment programs

Working methods:
Teaching is conducted through lectures, face-to-face and online discussions, and student-driven presentations. There will be a great deal of reading that incorporates students’ interests in terms of reading material, discussion topics, group and individual work, and projects that are shared as presentations/workshops. Emphasis is placed on the students developing their own teaching methods and assessment methods and sharing their knowledge and practices with others.

The goal of this course is twofold. On the one hand different methods of teaching literature will be introduced with an emphasis on diversity and different ways of connecting literature with various subjects. The course will explore how the methods of literary analysis and criticism can be used to open up literary texts in the classroom and help pupils to put them into the context of their everyday liver. Through literature and literary analysis different eras, cultures, nationalities, languages and personalities can be explored. 

On the other hand the course will focus on the teaching of literature in Icelandic elementary schools, the goals of the national curriculum, the role of the study of literature and its part in general education. The selection of literary texts for teaching in the school system will be studied as well as the criteria for such selection in Iceland and in other countries. 

The main goal of this course is:

• for students to be able to give participants a perspective and understanding of the main theories and research in computer related language study
• that participants gain knowledge and know the main theories and research regarding digital litteracies and language studies.
• that students gain a chance to connect academic knowledge and practical experience of computers and information technology in language teaching.

Topics:
In this course the influence of information technology on upbringing, education and educational matters will be discussed; as well as computer culture, digital literaces and the factors that influence it within pedagogical institutions. Emphasis will be on discussing computer related language studies for example computer assisted language learning and its effects and the developments of the last thirty years. Also theories and research that are related to the use of computer related language learning in classroom in primary and secondary education will be discussed. Different computer programs will be introduced and examinded how it is possibe to use them in training different language components. 

Working Methods:
Teaching will take place in the form of lectures, discussion. In lectures the topic will be set forth, explain its main factors and put forth questions. Participants will also work by themselves are in groups to collect material and introduction of material that is related to their interests. The material could be connected to the utilization of

In this course the focus is on Icelandic as a second language and the education of multilingual students in Icelandic compulsory schools. Language acquisition and language upbringing will be examined and the difference between acquiring skills in a first and a second language. The emphases will be on what it is that teachers in general need to know about the Icelandic language to be able to help their students make progress in the subject being taught.

The structure of the Icelandic language system, pronunciation, word formation, inflections, sentence structure, meaning of words and phrases, the three layers of the vocabulary, and various things related to language use will be studied. The purpose is to figure out what is most likely to be demanding for multilingual students in preschools who are acquiring the language, both in general but also due to personal differences, such as different first languages.

Based on this special attention will be paid to the teaching of different subjects and how they can be planned, taking in account students’ different level of Icelandic. Important aspect of that is how subject texts can be simplified to fit the needs of multilingual students.

Recent years have seen an increased focus on data collection and statistical analysis within the humanities. This is particularly apparent in growing branches such as psycholinguistics, cognitive literary studies and experimental philosophy, to name a few. The push towards quantitative methods occurs at a time where the validity and reliability of well-established statistical methods are called into question in other fields, with increased demands of replicability and open access as well as data protection and responsibility. In this course, students explore the value of quantitative methods in their field while getting training in the collection and analysis of data. A diverse set of research methods will be introduced, ranging from surveys to corpus analysis and experiments in which participants’ response to stimuli (such as words, texts or audio-visual materials) is quantified. Basic concepts in statistics will be reviewed, enabling students to know the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics, understand statistical significance and interpret visual representations of data in graphs. The course will be largely practical and students are expected to apply their knowledge of data collection and analysis under the instructor’s guidance. Students will work on a project within their own discipline but will also explore the possibility of cross-disciplinary work. Open source tools such as R Studio will be used for all assignments but no prior knowledge of the software or statistics in general is required. The course is suitable for all students within the humanities who want to collect quantitative data to answer interesting questions and could therefore be a useful preparation for a BA or MA project.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences and religious identities will be discussed together with selected parts oft the main religious traditions in the world. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values of different religions will be discussed, as well as the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The course aims to expose students to perspectives on curriculum and assessment in compulsory education, from theory to practice. Students discuss and learn about basic concepts and issues related to curriculum theory as they appear in public schools. Issues and ideologies reflected in official curricula, laws, directives, and other policy briefings are discussed both theoretically and as they appear in praxis. Special focus is laid on the role of teachers and administrators in curriculum development and assessment, and alternatively their professional role in developing learning programs for groups of pupils as well as individual pupils with special needs. Nature, purpose, and strategies regarding assessment and curriculum are addressed (cf. formative assessment, summative assessment, writing test items and other test instruments, and marking and reporting). Students discuss and learn about controversial issues and different ideological currents concerning central questions about the purpose and aims of compulsory education.

The working process of the course consists of lectures, and critical discussion through seminars and group assignments

The course gives an overview of research with children and young people, in order to understand their views and experiences as they participate in research. These methods build on ideas about early childhood education, manly coming from sociology, where early childhood is seen as a specific research area and linked to research with young people and other groups in danger of being marginalized. Furthermore, building on postmodern ideas, seeing children as strong and competent, having own perspectives towards social issues. and also in relation to the movement of working towards children’s rights as citizens.

Aims for students to:
Understand the theoretical ides and views underpinning research with children. Students:

• Gain knowledge and understanding about the challenges and solutions researchers face as they in research work with children and young people, in matters such as relations and interaction, informed consent, confidentiality and protection.
• Gain knowledge and understanding on the performance of research with children and young people.
• Are able to apply theoretical approach as planning projects and research.

During the course, the challenges meeting researchers, as doing research with children and young people, will be discussed. Ideology and ethical issues will be addressed

This course deals with the spectrum of teaching methods from direct and formal approaches to informal methods. Emphasis is put on theoretical underpinnings and research on teaching methods, especially Icelandic research. Special attention is put on examining differentiated and responsive approaches (such as the open school concept, flexible teaching, cooperation, multi-age teaching, problem-based learning, holistic education, project-based learning, negotiating the curriculum and authentic learning).

The course is a free elective and is intended for those who are studying to become special educators or upper secondary school teachers. The aim of the course is for students to gain insight into the organization and implementation of support for upper secondary school students who are entitled to teaching and special educational support in accordance with assessed SEN. Theories and research in the field of education support and special education in upper secondary schools will be discussed, which will able participants to apply in their own teaching. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approach and collaboration. Students are introduced to the support services available within the college to support students with special needs or disabilities.

Objectives
The objectives of the course are threefold. First, to provide insight into selected learning theories. Second, to enable  students to gain understanding of how these theories can be applied to upbringing, teaching, and the organization of learning for people of all ages. Third, to increase knowledge of research on the effects of different approaches to teaching and evidence-based practices to reach a variety of learning objectives.   

Content

• Among the main learning theories covered in the course are those from the cognitive, behavioural, and motivational domains.
• Main concepts related to the learning theories will be introduced and discussed in relation to how learning can be defined in different ways.
• Students will read research articles where these learning theories are studied and applied in practice.
• Emphasis will be placed on understanding what constitutes evidence-based practice. 
• Students will design a learning plan for a student or a group of students, based upon one of the learning theories approaches discussed in the course. Through this assignment the students will deepen their understanding of the learning theory in question and how to apply it in practice. 

This is an introductory course addressing theoretical, philosophical and practical issues related to action research. The history and development of action research worldwide will be outlined. We will take a look at ideologies and issues that divide action researchers into different camps. A special attention will be on action research in Icelandic schools an other educational forums, how it has developed until now and how it might be taken further. The main emphasis  in the course is on learning in action: The participants will learn about action research through the process of conducting their own research project.

In this course participants learn how to design learning interventions for adults. Its main objectives are that participants can individually or with a group, design courses or other learning events for adults.

During the course participants deal with most aspects of designing, organizing and implementing learning events organized for adults, ranging from learning needs asessment through design to teaching and evaluation. However with the main focus being on the design and implementation of the learning intervention.

The course is carried out in a blended form, a mix of face to face sessions and collaborative online work.

Objective: The objective of the course is that students learn about concepts, theories and research in queer pedagogy. Furthermore, they will receive good insight into queer theory. Students will acquire critical view of schools and education and gain insight intof the reality of queer youth.

Topics include the concepts of gender, sexuality, intersectionality, masculinity, femininity, gender binary, heteronormativity and cisnormativity. Students gain insight into the main subject matters of queer pedagogy and the ways in which this field can shed light on education, pedagogy, leisure, and and society. The approach will be in the spirit of queer theory and social constructivist perspective, which will be employed to explain different views on gender, gender identity and queer sexuality. The course examines how the Icelandic school system directly and indirectly maintains a wide variety of discrimination and sustains institutionlized heternormativity and cisnormativity. New research, domestic and international, will be read, related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, the course focuses on the training of future professionals working with children and teenagers in establishing a queer friendly atmosphere and incorporate queer realities into their work.

In this course students are introduced to equality, one of the fundamental pillars of learning in the National Curriculum for primary schools. The mainstreaming of equality and equity in social studies education is explored from a multitude of angles with an emphasis on gender, sexuality, culture and race, disability, class and residence. Attention is paid to how these factors intersect to create multiple marginalizations. Students receive training in approaching current learning materials critically and designing student projects in the spirit of equality education. They receive further training in integrating two fundamental pillar of learning, equality and creativity, as they work on a project in cooperation with students in arts education. They are also introduced to various equality projects from Iceland and abroad.

Issues, concepts and theories in the field of distance education will be explored. Development and trends will be examined from the emphasis on independent study to emphasis on social activities and shared knowledge construction online and global. The focus will also be on research on distance education at different school levels in Iceland and other countries, distance learners and their needs, and teaching methods with different types of media. The design of distance or online courses and programs will be explored as well as international standards for such courses.

Students participate in online synchronous and asynchronous discussion about theory and practice concerning distance education (DE), engage in problem-based learning (group work) and do an individual project that could involve design of a DE course, a study concerning DE, or a paper on topics related to DE.

Main focus of this course will be the causes and consequences of climate change as they appear in nature, locally and globally. Examples of pollution on land and sea will be introduced and emphasis put on actions to protect nature, reclaim former quality of land and advance towards carbon-neutral-footprint.

Controversial issues related to climate change will be discussed and also examples on how to work with different aspects  of climate change in schools in science, mathematics and information tecnology.

Participants work on assignments aimed at an age group of own choice, which will be individual assignments, for pairs or groups.

The main aim of the course is to enable students to recognize the importance of current global social, political and economic changes to gain understanding of contemporary education policies. The aim is to explore, from different angles based on critical theories, the complex relationships between developments in policy at global, national, local and institutional levels. The emphasis is on the understanding of different forms of marketization in education, both externally through private sector participation in education and internally through the changes of the education system and governance towards business models.

Subject:
Education systems and –policies and their relationship with the social context in society and institutions will be discussed with the intersecting lenses of students‘ gender, social class, residence, (dis-)ability, and ethnicity. Important concepts as quality, choices, effectiveness and governance will be of discussion.

Work process:
Lectures and discussions in weekly-sessions. Students co-operate to put theories and concepts into practice for particular issues. Student assessment comprices of written assignments and a shorter research projects. Further details and guidance will be available during the course.

The course discusses factors that underpin and support global citizenship education. We will discuss the importance of citizens realizing that they have certain rights in society, as well as shared responsibilities and duties. Emphasis is placed on academic and policy related discussion of concepts such as globalization, citizenship, civic engagement, democracy, human rights, education and sustainability. Different approaches and definitions of global citizenship will be discussed, with an emphasis on critical approaches providing examples from international and national education, such as the United Nations' global goals and the fundamental pillars of Icelandic education. The spotlight will also be directed to the current situation of children and young people and how we learn and teach in the spirit of global citizenship.

The main aim of the course is that students get to know ideas and research on education in view of gender studies and the concept of gender. An overview of how ideas of gender and education have changed historically will be discussed as well as facts and critical viewpoints at all school levels. During the next academic year a special emphasis will be placed on the research and theoretical approach of selected researchers on girls and boys in schools and about the problems in education posed by the changing status of women at the time of globalization. Finally the focus will be on the Icelandic school system: the position, socialization and academic achievement of boys and girls; leaders and administrators; the national and school curriculum and the status of legalized education on gender equality at all school levels.

This course connects sociological and transdisciplinary theories and research on youth, youth culture, transitions and education. The concept of youth refers to a diverse age group and is dependant on societies and historical context, but in our post-modern times refers to the ages 16-25. Youth and their circumstances will be studied from various sociological and related academic perspectives; an emphasis will be placed on a transdiciplinary educational view. The term transition to adulthood referred, until the 1990‘s, to youth moving from the educational systems into the workplace, but has since taken a broader view to include among other things family context,  social engagement and inclusion.

In this course the focus is on recent research on youth transitions in different societies and by socio-cultural backgrounds, emphasizing research on  Icelandic and Nordic youth. The division between the public and the private is getting more and more blurry and the transition in the private life is no less important for future well-being in the marketized and globalized digital world. Youth transition is therefore explored through three main systems;  a) The education system of secondary and higher  education, b) participation in the labour force and c) the system of sexuality.

Objectives
The main objectives of the course is to provide students with basic knowledge of logic and other foundations of critical thinking. Also to provide them with understanding of the purpose of practicing philosophical discussions with childern and adults. Students will also gain understanding of the ideas of a community of inquiry developed by Matthew Lipman and its origin among the American pragmatists Charles S. Peirce, William James and John Dewey. Students will also get practice in directing philosophical discussions with a group of people using the tehniques that has been developed in philosophy for children.

Subject
In the course philosophical discussion as a teaching method will be explored drawing on the ideas of Matthew Lipman and other scholars in the field of philosophy for children. Special attention will be paid to the connection between the national curriculum of Iceland and the main objectives of philosophical discussons such as independend and critical thinking, creativity, toleerance, self-knowledge and preparation for life in a democratic society. Close attention will be paid to these concepts as they are dealt with in philosophy for children.

The course focuses on young people’s risk behavior (e.g. drug use, deviance, inconsistent school attendance) and resilience related to various pedagogical, social, educational, and psychological factors. Subjects dealt with in the course will for example be young people’s social development, communication skills, mental disorders, sexual reproductive health, trauma and their view on different challenges in their life. Different preventive measures will be discussed and the role of homes, schools and recreations in different preventions. A special focus is on developmental research that explores the relationship between developmental growth and risk behavior. Projects are designed to seek understanding on how young people perceive risk factors in their lives.

The course is offered as a distant education course. Teaching lessons will be recorded and put on the CANVAS education management system but if there is real time teaching then it will be recorded and put on CANVAS. Discussion lessons are once a week (60 min.) were students can choose between being in-house or online. The same goes for essay presentations which are at the end of the semester.

Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms. The training is connected to the course Introduction to Teaching and Learning so these courses should be taken simultaneously.

The aim of the course is to give students an insight into main theories and research of learning and teaching (Icelandic and international). Main topics of the course are theories and research on learning and teaching, teachers' professionalism, teaching methods, and assessment.

The main field of work for graduates will be in upper secondary school, and this fact will determine the selection of learning tasks.

This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms.

The training is connected to the course Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools and these two courses should be taken simultaneously.

This course is about curriculum theory and educational policy with emphasis on the curriculum, student body and school development in Icelandic upper secondary schools.

Assignments are designed to enable students to work as professionals on the development of school practice, curricula, and policies.

This is an overview course that introduces major research methods in second language acquisition and teaching. Qualitative and quantitative research methods will be explored and their role in interpreting second language development. Student will examine real studies, develop a research plan, and conduct a pilot study. 

MA thesis in English Teaching.

The enchanted worlds that Scottish writer J. M. Barrie created for Peter Pan, “the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up,” have been variously transformed by the author and others – not least the Disney Company and translations into most of the world’s languages. In this course we will examine some of the changes that Barrie’s characters and places have undergone through the passage of time through the prism of basic ideas and terms from adaptation theory. This is an intensive 6-week course with continuous assessment.

This seminar provides a historical and cross-cultural overview on the main linguistic and cultural areas of the Americas.

Students will participate in short seminars and conferences about new development in the field. The seminars will be partly funded through Erasmus and by other means. The goal is to give students an opportunity to converse and collaborate with Icelandic and international researchers on current issues in Second Language Studies.

All MA students in English are required to complete this seminar where they discuss relevant approaches to theory and research, their own research projects, preparing to introduce their findings at conferences and whorkshops, in Iceland or abroad. Evaluation is by participation: 2 short assignments and a presentation of a paper related to the student's coursework or final essay.

This research project is linked to the course ENS506G From Gothic Beginnings to Twentieth Century Fantasy and Romance: The British Historical Novel 1764 to 1950.

The course introduces students to the development of the British historical novel up to the middle of the 20th century. Its origins will be traced back to what is seen as the first Gothic novel as well as examining in some detail Walter Scott’s Waverley, which generally is referred to as the first historical novel. The course then outlines the development of the historical novel up to the middle of the 20th century and students read selected texts from this time period. Within this framework, the course explores the way that history has been used by writers across a variety of genres, such as romance and adventure. The course will also include discussions of history in television and film where relevant, along with discussions of relevant theories by both historians and cultural theorists.

The research project involves writing a research paper of 6500-7500 words (75%) and a short essay of 1800-2500 words (25%) OR writing a longer research essay of 8000-10000 words (see below on course assessment). For the short essay, students choose from a list of essay topics given out to students in ENS506G (or come up with their own topic, see below). For the research paper, students choose a topic of their own (or with the teacher’s help); please note that the teacher needs to approve your topic of choice.

The teacher will meet with the students registered for this course on a regular basis to discuss the research paper. Dates to be confirmed.

What does it mean to say that a word or sentence has a meaning? How do we characterise that meaning and how can we study it? How can we encode meanings within a linguistic resource or annotate them in a corpus? These are some of the questions considered in this course, which is intended as a selective survey rather than a comprehensive overview and which draws on a range of research papers in theoretical, experimental and computational linguistics.

MA students are permitted to complete a total of 15 credits in supervised research projects. A project is selected in consultation with a teacher at the MA level, and that teacher must approve the sudent's research plans before he or she is permitted to register for a study of this kind. Research projects should either be an extension of a course or courses that students have already completed in the MA program or be within their special field of interest.

This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.

This course covers the nature of vocabulary acquisition: how vocabulary develops, is learned and taught. Various factors will be analyzed in detail, including, the role of pronunciation, word frequency, various learning strategies for vocabulary growth and considerable attention will be drawn to current research methodology in Vocabulary Acquisition. Students will review research as well as conduct a mini study.

Taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am (2. and 3. year students only)

This course is a review and examination of the developing field of ecocriticism in literary studies, and how ecocriticism itself as a way of examining environmental narration and imaginative literature is facing a crisis of its own.

We will look into the notion of “environment” and how literary texts portray and work with environments for narrative purposes.  We will consider environments in a  broadened sense, including not only  the purely physical, but also the digital environment and other non-physical environments such as  light, time, the human psyche and language itself.  How do writers navigate the relationship between narration and environment in its various manifestations.

We are likely to read fiction that allows us to explore the nature of storytelling in the midst of environmental crisis.  These works may include Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees; Edward Abbey’s The Monkey Wrench Gang; James Bradley’s Clade; as well as Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice; Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk; Memory of Water by Emmi Igtaranta; Oil on Water by Helon Habila; and Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad.  We may also read essays in the anthology Solastalgia, edited by Paul Bogard; a collection of short creative works by thirty four writers on our emotions in the face of disappearing worlds.

We may also read some theory and philosophy now being written on the subject as applied to literature; books such as The Crisis of Narration by Byung-Chul Han; Facing Gaia by Bruno Latour; as well as tracts on the environmental crises such as The Darkness Manifesto by Johan Eklöf and A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in The Fate of Civilization by John Perlin, as well as essays by theorists Donna Haraway and Hito Steyerl. 

The final reading list will be posted later.

What does Sunset Boulevard, double entendres, self-censorship, the Coen Brothers, and #metoo have in common? They all reveal that Hollywood is not quite the fantasy it poses to be.

A very real place and industry within Los Angeles, California, Hollywood has led in film production since the beginning of narrative film, yet its magic is created within the bland and sometimes devastating concrete lots, sound stages and offices of producers and agents.

This course aims to explore the reality of Hollywood and how it has functioned over time, to examine and critique its presentation and reputation through film and media. The course includes critical viewings of films that are based on both the myth and reality of Hollywood as well as critical readings on historical context, news/gossip, and the history of American narrative film.

Only 35 seats are available for ENS352M. Once the course is filled please contact Nikkita (nhp1@hi.is) to be added onto a waiting list in case a spot opens up.

You are the perfect candidate if you have a burning desire to write fiction or poetry, and enjoy reading good books.

Aims include:

1. To sharpen awareness and improve skills through exercises in writing, and especially through revision

2. To provide practical criticism of work-in-progress in a workshop setting, along with advice about revisions and improvisation.

In addition to invoking the muse, students will learn practical writing skills such as organization, structure, characterization and dialogue. The course will also involve the examination of the work of key novel and short story writers, and poets. Throughout the course, students will develop their own work as well as improving their critical skills. Students will complete a short story or a small collection of poems by the end of the course.

Attendance requirement is 100% - you must attend one 1-hour presentation and one 2-hour workshop session per week. Not suitable for distance students.

Students who fulfil the prerequisites will be signed up. Sign up is on first come first served bases and there are 6 seats reserved for MA students and 6 seats reserved for BA students. Any unfilled seats for the course on August 30th will be offered to students on the waiting list. 

This course concerns the diverse connections between culture and language, as seen from the perspective of cultural history, social sciences and linguistics. Ancient and modern world languages will be introduced and their origins, influence and effects investigated. Written and spoken language will be discussed: what sorts of things are written, why and how? Rules and alternate perspectives on the nature of langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

MA thesis in English Teaching.

A favourite author of and inspiration to Jane Austen and keeper of the robes to Queen Charlotte, Frances Burney (1752-1840) was an eighteenth-century English novelist and playwright who is also known as Fanny Burney. Burney lived in France during the Napoleonic Wars and her French husband Alexander D’Arblay had supported the French Revolution, a political theme covered in her novel The Wanderer. Her novel Camilla (1796), sold as a subscription, earned her an incredibly large sum that enabled her to buy a house for her family. Throughout her life, Burney kept journals that serve as a record of her time in the eighteenth-century court, eighteenth-century artistic and intellectual high society, and of her time in France. Burney’s work engages with issues of class, inheritance, charity, and political struggles in France and Britain. We will read Burney’s novels and extracts from her letters and diaries. This course will cover the social, political, economic, and protofeminist commentary in Burney’s work, her narrative style, details of her life, and her influence on other novelists, such as Austen.

This seminar provides a historical and cross-cultural overview on main trends in literature and film in different parts of the Americas.

Long before contemporary analyses of human-induced environmental degradation, Indigenous and feminist authors wrote stories that resisted hierarchies of the human over other lifeworlds. This course will use the themes, "feminism" and "environment" to study the works of women writers such as Leslie Marmon Silko, bell hooks, Willa Cather, Maria Lugones and Muriel Rukeyser whose writings deepen and problematize both terms. 

Together we will ask, how have colonial histories impacted which authors are seen as "environmental" or "feminist"?  How does environmental protection materialize in the works of these authors? Further, what does environmental literature mean and how could debates in feminist theory help us answer such questions?

This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

Course requirement:
Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

MA students are permitted to complete a total of 15 credits in supervised research projects. A project is selected in consultation with a teacher at the MA level, and that teacher must approve the sudent's research plans before he or she is permitted to register for a study of this kind. Research projects should either be an extension of a course or courses that students have already completed in the MA program or be within their special field of interest.

Following up on The British Historical Novel 1764-1950, this course (though also independent of the previous course) traces the development of the British historical novel from the second half of the 20th century to the present day. It explores the way that history has been used by writers of the period across a variety of genres. Historical theory by historians and cultural theorists is also looked at in some detail, where relevant.

NB. The course is linked to the undergraduate course ENS607G The British Historical Novel since 1950; students in ENS225F attend classes in ENS607G. Also, the teacher will meet with the students registered for this course two or three times during the term (online if necessary) to discuss the research paper and students’ progress. 

The European intellectual tradition is characterized by the strong links between academia and society. Many of the most important European thinkers of the 19th and 20th Centuries worked outside of the universities – and many of those who did pursue an ordinary academic career also were public commentators frequently intervening in political discussion of the day and in some cases gaining considerable influence. In this course we present a selection of European thinkers who have been important both as scholars and as public intellectuals. We read and discuss samples of their work and look at critical discussion of their ideas. We also reflect on the time and place of the "European" – to what extent their work is quinessentially Eurocentric and to what extent awareness of cultural contingency emerges.

In this course, different types and genres of literary texts will be read and analysed, as a practical base for creative writing of various kinds - with the needs of the school teacher of literature and writing in mind.

-

The aim is to enable the student to gain a general understanding of the latest knowledge, theories, ideologies, concepts and methods in the field of language and instruction in grammar, giving a special attention to the situation in Iceland.

Terms like language policy, language planning, standard language and language usage are addressed, and conventional ideas about right and wrong language use are put into question. In addition, different positions towards gender neutral language will be discussed as well as opposing views about official naming policies. Current teaching material will be examined considering such ideas.

The main emphasis will be put on how to get young people to reflect on their responsibility in maintaining the language, while urging them to be tolerant towards other people’s language use. Students also get training in leading discussions on controversial language matters.

An important discussion will take place about the language policy in Iceland pertaining to neologism as a reaction to foreign language influence. Students will be prepared to use neologism as part of their teaching.

This course  draws on seminal and current research about effective teaching and learning of English as a foreign language.  Students will come to understand important theories that underpin EFL learning and second language acquisition, especially as it concerns teaching the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). This is accomplished by considering relevant concepts related to language acquisition, learner autonomy, and language assessment in a self- reflective and analytical way. Essentially, this course examines the why behind language teaching through student‐led and teacher-supported seminars. It culminates in a research project considering how to practically apply this knowledge to EFL teaching in a way that benefits both teachers and learners.

Course work demands active participation and consists of reading, lectures, face-to-face and online discussions, student-driven presentations and a research project.

Principles of language teaching – particularly in combination with a holisitic, communicative approach to language learning – align well with common goals of classroom management. Classroom management is a comprehensive term referring to a wide range of actions teachers take to organize students, materials, space, and time to achieve their learning goals. Relationship building, communication, engagement strategies, and structuring an effective learning environment are all features of effective classroom management (Stanzione & Mackenzie, p. 4-5) and effective language teaching. Incorporating drama techniques to achieve intertwined goals of effective language teaching and effective classroom management offers the possibility of developing practical skills and knowledge of mutual benefit to both teachers and students.  A rationale for applying drama methods to enhance language learning and classroom management include:

• It is an ideal way to encourage learners to communicate for real-life purposes.
• It makes language learning an active motivating experience.
• It helps learners gain the confidence and self-esteem needed to use the language spontaneously and collaboratively
• It makes language learning memo­rable through direct experience.
• It stimulates learners’ intellect, imagination, and creativity.
• It develops students’ ability to empathize with others and become better communicators. (Alvarado,2017).

The course introduces what is gender studies and how key concepts – such as equality, gender, gender roles, gender identity, intersectionality, queer studies, stereotypes, gender based violence, sex education, femininity, and masculinity – are useful to understand and organize schools. The course also focuses on the legislation about gender equality and gender equality education. The connections between gender equality and other types of equality are also dealt with, in accordance with the national curriculum for pre-, compulsory, and upper secondary schools.  Emphasis is placed on that the students in the course can analyze learning environments, methods, and materials from a gender perspective. Also that they can analyze the choice of play in preschools as well as in breaks and school sport.

The fundamental perspective of the national curriculum that gender equality education should involve critical examination of hegemonic ideas in society and its institutions, in order to teach children and youth to analyze the circumstances that lead to discrimination of some and privileges for others, is a base for the course.

Required attendance to introduce own final assignment in the course.

The course aims to prepare participants to draw on their resources in their work with diverse groups of students. In the course, we draw on inclusive education theories and research, emphasizing a holistic and creative approach to preparation and teaching at the forefront. Furthermore, a focus is put on teaching strategies and educative assessment that works for diverse groups of students, and adapting teaching and learning to students with special needs.

Content
The focus of the course is on inclusive practices. How to create a learning environment that cares for all students learning is introduced. The focus is also on collaboration with parents, colleagues, professionals, and paraprofessionals. 

Work process
The course is a blended course online and on campus. It is divided into four main themes. All the themes connect to teaching in inclusive educational settings. The focus on each theme is three or four weeks.

The teaching is through lectures, projects, collaboration, discussions in class, on canvas, and in formal assignments. The course is grounded in students' independence, responsibility, and participation.

The content of the course will be centred around contemporary themes in the sociology and philosophy of education. We will discuss the sociological or philosophical aspects of current issues in society such as equality, multiculturalism, social class, pedagogy, democracy and inclusive education. 

During the first half of the semester theoretical approaches are presented and discussed.

During the second half students work in groups on self-chosen topics and are guided through developing a research plan or development projects using the theories presented before mid-semester.

This course is a general introduction to Adult and Continuing education. Through the course participants will familiarize themselves with research on the charcteristics of adult learners, theories on adult learning, the societal place of adult education, participation in adult learning activities and the effects of adult development on their learning endevours.

The course aims are that participants acquaint themselves with research and theories of adult learning with the aim of informing practice and to rationalize choices and actions when organizing learning events and working with adults.

Coursework: Blended learning with face to face sessions and online collaborations: Discussions, lectures, individual assignments and group projects.

Missing

The course traces how social studies have shaped the societies they belong to. We explore how they influenced nationalist, imperialist and colonialist ideologies in the 19th century. We go on to view how they construct our contemporary societies from critical, feminist, queer and decolonial standpoints. The course provides students with various examples of teaching methods and projects intended to have social impact. Students also receive training in reflecting on how their teaching has a hand in shaping norms and ideologies. Also, if and how they can influence the construction process. 

Content: The course focuses on the theory and practice of those elements of life skills education that have to do with the self and personal skills. The course is in accordance with the Icelandic national curriculum, working towards mental health, healthy self-image and strong moral character in students. Topics include character education, experiments in living and mindfulness.

Methods: Most weeks there will be lectures and discussions. Lectures will usually be recorded before sessions and uploaded to the course website on Canvas. Students should view them before taking part in sessions. Discussions will not be recorded, but students who are not able to attend can participate by posting a blog on the course website. Students submit four assignments.

The course focuses on:

• the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on education and schools
• ICT-related policy, curriculum and school practice
• Concepts, theories and research related to the use of ICT in schools
• technology integration in schools
• teaching methods, professional development of teachers, software and digital learning materials
• students' and teachers' digital competence, ICT skills, and media literacy
• ICT as part of everyday life

Approach:
Reading and discussion about curriculum, policy, theory, research and practice. Students work alone or in smaller groups on literature research and introduce various topics of their choice. They share their ideas and experiences of ICT uses in learning and teaching and contribute to the construction of a learning and professional community in the area of ICT in education.

The purpose of this course is to assist students in understanding some major concepts, theories, and models of  development in educational settings with a focus on the enhancment of cultural conditions in order to encourage improvement. Students are expected to become competent in organising, planning and leading institutional development projects. The course is based on theories about schools and other related institutions as learning communities.

Ways of working
The course is structured in eight parts in distance learning. Two days are on campus during the term. Beside that students read and discuss online. They are also invited to participate in workshops on campus. Assignments are practical and linked with daily work. Student collaboration and discussions is emphases.

Aim: The goal of the course is to provide students with a good understanding of diversity in society and school, and get a better understanding of individuals and groups that are marginalised in society. Students will also learn about various forms, origins, and consequences of exclusion and stigmatization.

Students will also be able to use ethical concepts in their fieldwork, and be able to relate concepts of professionalism and professions to ethical and historical contexts. Special emphasis is on the ability of students to reflect on their own attitudes and work in light of ethical concepts such as autonomy, respect, dignity, trust and care, social justice and social discrimination, social capital, and empowerment.

Subject matter: The main subject of the course is social diversity and the status of marginalised individuals and groups. The course is divided into three parts where the first two parts are based on theoretical discussion of history and ethics, while in the third part students are expected to use those theoretical foundations from the previous parts to reflect on the field and their own attitudes.

In this module different approaches to the question of how critical theories can be used to better understand educational institutions, practices and policies will be explored.  The theoretical framework will draw on critical theory scholarship (including but not limited to critical race theory, critical feminist theory, queer theory and critical disability studies) to develop critical education lens with an emphasis on intersectionality and social justice. Educational policies and curricula will be analysed and placed in a human rights context. Special emphasis is placed on how this knowledge can be applied in a broad range of educational settings. 

The Gender and Education is a required course for graduate students the Department of International studies in education in the Faculty of Education and Diversity at the University of Iceland.

This course will review and discuss a number of key issues in assessment and testing, including National curriculum guidelines, current policies and trends. Traditional assessment methods and standardized examinations will be examined with critical eyes. New approaches to assessment will also be discussed, for example: formative assessment, authentic assessment, self-assessment, peer evaluation and evaluation based on study, experience, or portfolios.

Main Objectives

• gain knowledge and understanding of assessment criteria and methods in language education
• acquire a basis for being able to organize and formulate assessment programs

Working methods:
Teaching is conducted through lectures, face-to-face and online discussions, and student-driven presentations. There will be a great deal of reading that incorporates students’ interests in terms of reading material, discussion topics, group and individual work, and projects that are shared as presentations/workshops. Emphasis is placed on the students developing their own teaching methods and assessment methods and sharing their knowledge and practices with others.

The goal of this course is twofold. On the one hand different methods of teaching literature will be introduced with an emphasis on diversity and different ways of connecting literature with various subjects. The course will explore how the methods of literary analysis and criticism can be used to open up literary texts in the classroom and help pupils to put them into the context of their everyday liver. Through literature and literary analysis different eras, cultures, nationalities, languages and personalities can be explored. 

On the other hand the course will focus on the teaching of literature in Icelandic elementary schools, the goals of the national curriculum, the role of the study of literature and its part in general education. The selection of literary texts for teaching in the school system will be studied as well as the criteria for such selection in Iceland and in other countries. 

The main goal of this course is:

• for students to be able to give participants a perspective and understanding of the main theories and research in computer related language study
• that participants gain knowledge and know the main theories and research regarding digital litteracies and language studies.
• that students gain a chance to connect academic knowledge and practical experience of computers and information technology in language teaching.

Topics:
In this course the influence of information technology on upbringing, education and educational matters will be discussed; as well as computer culture, digital literaces and the factors that influence it within pedagogical institutions. Emphasis will be on discussing computer related language studies for example computer assisted language learning and its effects and the developments of the last thirty years. Also theories and research that are related to the use of computer related language learning in classroom in primary and secondary education will be discussed. Different computer programs will be introduced and examinded how it is possibe to use them in training different language components. 

Working Methods:
Teaching will take place in the form of lectures, discussion. In lectures the topic will be set forth, explain its main factors and put forth questions. Participants will also work by themselves are in groups to collect material and introduction of material that is related to their interests. The material could be connected to the utilization of

In this course the focus is on Icelandic as a second language and the education of multilingual students in Icelandic compulsory schools. Language acquisition and language upbringing will be examined and the difference between acquiring skills in a first and a second language. The emphases will be on what it is that teachers in general need to know about the Icelandic language to be able to help their students make progress in the subject being taught.

The structure of the Icelandic language system, pronunciation, word formation, inflections, sentence structure, meaning of words and phrases, the three layers of the vocabulary, and various things related to language use will be studied. The purpose is to figure out what is most likely to be demanding for multilingual students in preschools who are acquiring the language, both in general but also due to personal differences, such as different first languages.

Based on this special attention will be paid to the teaching of different subjects and how they can be planned, taking in account students’ different level of Icelandic. Important aspect of that is how subject texts can be simplified to fit the needs of multilingual students.

Recent years have seen an increased focus on data collection and statistical analysis within the humanities. This is particularly apparent in growing branches such as psycholinguistics, cognitive literary studies and experimental philosophy, to name a few. The push towards quantitative methods occurs at a time where the validity and reliability of well-established statistical methods are called into question in other fields, with increased demands of replicability and open access as well as data protection and responsibility. In this course, students explore the value of quantitative methods in their field while getting training in the collection and analysis of data. A diverse set of research methods will be introduced, ranging from surveys to corpus analysis and experiments in which participants’ response to stimuli (such as words, texts or audio-visual materials) is quantified. Basic concepts in statistics will be reviewed, enabling students to know the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics, understand statistical significance and interpret visual representations of data in graphs. The course will be largely practical and students are expected to apply their knowledge of data collection and analysis under the instructor’s guidance. Students will work on a project within their own discipline but will also explore the possibility of cross-disciplinary work. Open source tools such as R Studio will be used for all assignments but no prior knowledge of the software or statistics in general is required. The course is suitable for all students within the humanities who want to collect quantitative data to answer interesting questions and could therefore be a useful preparation for a BA or MA project.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences and religious identities will be discussed together with selected parts oft the main religious traditions in the world. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values of different religions will be discussed, as well as the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The course aims to expose students to perspectives on curriculum and assessment in compulsory education, from theory to practice. Students discuss and learn about basic concepts and issues related to curriculum theory as they appear in public schools. Issues and ideologies reflected in official curricula, laws, directives, and other policy briefings are discussed both theoretically and as they appear in praxis. Special focus is laid on the role of teachers and administrators in curriculum development and assessment, and alternatively their professional role in developing learning programs for groups of pupils as well as individual pupils with special needs. Nature, purpose, and strategies regarding assessment and curriculum are addressed (cf. formative assessment, summative assessment, writing test items and other test instruments, and marking and reporting). Students discuss and learn about controversial issues and different ideological currents concerning central questions about the purpose and aims of compulsory education.

The working process of the course consists of lectures, and critical discussion through seminars and group assignments

The course gives an overview of research with children and young people, in order to understand their views and experiences as they participate in research. These methods build on ideas about early childhood education, manly coming from sociology, where early childhood is seen as a specific research area and linked to research with young people and other groups in danger of being marginalized. Furthermore, building on postmodern ideas, seeing children as strong and competent, having own perspectives towards social issues. and also in relation to the movement of working towards children’s rights as citizens.

Aims for students to:
Understand the theoretical ides and views underpinning research with children. Students:

• Gain knowledge and understanding about the challenges and solutions researchers face as they in research work with children and young people, in matters such as relations and interaction, informed consent, confidentiality and protection.
• Gain knowledge and understanding on the performance of research with children and young people.
• Are able to apply theoretical approach as planning projects and research.

During the course, the challenges meeting researchers, as doing research with children and young people, will be discussed. Ideology and ethical issues will be addressed

This course deals with the spectrum of teaching methods from direct and formal approaches to informal methods. Emphasis is put on theoretical underpinnings and research on teaching methods, especially Icelandic research. Special attention is put on examining differentiated and responsive approaches (such as the open school concept, flexible teaching, cooperation, multi-age teaching, problem-based learning, holistic education, project-based learning, negotiating the curriculum and authentic learning).

The course is a free elective and is intended for those who are studying to become special educators or upper secondary school teachers. The aim of the course is for students to gain insight into the organization and implementation of support for upper secondary school students who are entitled to teaching and special educational support in accordance with assessed SEN. Theories and research in the field of education support and special education in upper secondary schools will be discussed, which will able participants to apply in their own teaching. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approach and collaboration. Students are introduced to the support services available within the college to support students with special needs or disabilities.

Objectives
The objectives of the course are threefold. First, to provide insight into selected learning theories. Second, to enable  students to gain understanding of how these theories can be applied to upbringing, teaching, and the organization of learning for people of all ages. Third, to increase knowledge of research on the effects of different approaches to teaching and evidence-based practices to reach a variety of learning objectives.   

Content

• Among the main learning theories covered in the course are those from the cognitive, behavioural, and motivational domains.
• Main concepts related to the learning theories will be introduced and discussed in relation to how learning can be defined in different ways.
• Students will read research articles where these learning theories are studied and applied in practice.
• Emphasis will be placed on understanding what constitutes evidence-based practice. 
• Students will design a learning plan for a student or a group of students, based upon one of the learning theories approaches discussed in the course. Through this assignment the students will deepen their understanding of the learning theory in question and how to apply it in practice. 

This is an introductory course addressing theoretical, philosophical and practical issues related to action research. The history and development of action research worldwide will be outlined. We will take a look at ideologies and issues that divide action researchers into different camps. A special attention will be on action research in Icelandic schools an other educational forums, how it has developed until now and how it might be taken further. The main emphasis  in the course is on learning in action: The participants will learn about action research through the process of conducting their own research project.

In this course participants learn how to design learning interventions for adults. Its main objectives are that participants can individually or with a group, design courses or other learning events for adults.

During the course participants deal with most aspects of designing, organizing and implementing learning events organized for adults, ranging from learning needs asessment through design to teaching and evaluation. However with the main focus being on the design and implementation of the learning intervention.

The course is carried out in a blended form, a mix of face to face sessions and collaborative online work.

Objective: The objective of the course is that students learn about concepts, theories and research in queer pedagogy. Furthermore, they will receive good insight into queer theory. Students will acquire critical view of schools and education and gain insight intof the reality of queer youth.

Topics include the concepts of gender, sexuality, intersectionality, masculinity, femininity, gender binary, heteronormativity and cisnormativity. Students gain insight into the main subject matters of queer pedagogy and the ways in which this field can shed light on education, pedagogy, leisure, and and society. The approach will be in the spirit of queer theory and social constructivist perspective, which will be employed to explain different views on gender, gender identity and queer sexuality. The course examines how the Icelandic school system directly and indirectly maintains a wide variety of discrimination and sustains institutionlized heternormativity and cisnormativity. New research, domestic and international, will be read, related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, the course focuses on the training of future professionals working with children and teenagers in establishing a queer friendly atmosphere and incorporate queer realities into their work.

In this course students are introduced to equality, one of the fundamental pillars of learning in the National Curriculum for primary schools. The mainstreaming of equality and equity in social studies education is explored from a multitude of angles with an emphasis on gender, sexuality, culture and race, disability, class and residence. Attention is paid to how these factors intersect to create multiple marginalizations. Students receive training in approaching current learning materials critically and designing student projects in the spirit of equality education. They receive further training in integrating two fundamental pillar of learning, equality and creativity, as they work on a project in cooperation with students in arts education. They are also introduced to various equality projects from Iceland and abroad.

Issues, concepts and theories in the field of distance education will be explored. Development and trends will be examined from the emphasis on independent study to emphasis on social activities and shared knowledge construction online and global. The focus will also be on research on distance education at different school levels in Iceland and other countries, distance learners and their needs, and teaching methods with different types of media. The design of distance or online courses and programs will be explored as well as international standards for such courses.

Students participate in online synchronous and asynchronous discussion about theory and practice concerning distance education (DE), engage in problem-based learning (group work) and do an individual project that could involve design of a DE course, a study concerning DE, or a paper on topics related to DE.

Main focus of this course will be the causes and consequences of climate change as they appear in nature, locally and globally. Examples of pollution on land and sea will be introduced and emphasis put on actions to protect nature, reclaim former quality of land and advance towards carbon-neutral-footprint.

Controversial issues related to climate change will be discussed and also examples on how to work with different aspects  of climate change in schools in science, mathematics and information tecnology.

Participants work on assignments aimed at an age group of own choice, which will be individual assignments, for pairs or groups.

The main aim of the course is to enable students to recognize the importance of current global social, political and economic changes to gain understanding of contemporary education policies. The aim is to explore, from different angles based on critical theories, the complex relationships between developments in policy at global, national, local and institutional levels. The emphasis is on the understanding of different forms of marketization in education, both externally through private sector participation in education and internally through the changes of the education system and governance towards business models.

Subject:
Education systems and –policies and their relationship with the social context in society and institutions will be discussed with the intersecting lenses of students‘ gender, social class, residence, (dis-)ability, and ethnicity. Important concepts as quality, choices, effectiveness and governance will be of discussion.

Work process:
Lectures and discussions in weekly-sessions. Students co-operate to put theories and concepts into practice for particular issues. Student assessment comprices of written assignments and a shorter research projects. Further details and guidance will be available during the course.

The course discusses factors that underpin and support global citizenship education. We will discuss the importance of citizens realizing that they have certain rights in society, as well as shared responsibilities and duties. Emphasis is placed on academic and policy related discussion of concepts such as globalization, citizenship, civic engagement, democracy, human rights, education and sustainability. Different approaches and definitions of global citizenship will be discussed, with an emphasis on critical approaches providing examples from international and national education, such as the United Nations' global goals and the fundamental pillars of Icelandic education. The spotlight will also be directed to the current situation of children and young people and how we learn and teach in the spirit of global citizenship.

The main aim of the course is that students get to know ideas and research on education in view of gender studies and the concept of gender. An overview of how ideas of gender and education have changed historically will be discussed as well as facts and critical viewpoints at all school levels. During the next academic year a special emphasis will be placed on the research and theoretical approach of selected researchers on girls and boys in schools and about the problems in education posed by the changing status of women at the time of globalization. Finally the focus will be on the Icelandic school system: the position, socialization and academic achievement of boys and girls; leaders and administrators; the national and school curriculum and the status of legalized education on gender equality at all school levels.

This course connects sociological and transdisciplinary theories and research on youth, youth culture, transitions and education. The concept of youth refers to a diverse age group and is dependant on societies and historical context, but in our post-modern times refers to the ages 16-25. Youth and their circumstances will be studied from various sociological and related academic perspectives; an emphasis will be placed on a transdiciplinary educational view. The term transition to adulthood referred, until the 1990‘s, to youth moving from the educational systems into the workplace, but has since taken a broader view to include among other things family context,  social engagement and inclusion.

In this course the focus is on recent research on youth transitions in different societies and by socio-cultural backgrounds, emphasizing research on  Icelandic and Nordic youth. The division between the public and the private is getting more and more blurry and the transition in the private life is no less important for future well-being in the marketized and globalized digital world. Youth transition is therefore explored through three main systems;  a) The education system of secondary and higher  education, b) participation in the labour force and c) the system of sexuality.

Objectives
The main objectives of the course is to provide students with basic knowledge of logic and other foundations of critical thinking. Also to provide them with understanding of the purpose of practicing philosophical discussions with childern and adults. Students will also gain understanding of the ideas of a community of inquiry developed by Matthew Lipman and its origin among the American pragmatists Charles S. Peirce, William James and John Dewey. Students will also get practice in directing philosophical discussions with a group of people using the tehniques that has been developed in philosophy for children.

Subject
In the course philosophical discussion as a teaching method will be explored drawing on the ideas of Matthew Lipman and other scholars in the field of philosophy for children. Special attention will be paid to the connection between the national curriculum of Iceland and the main objectives of philosophical discussons such as independend and critical thinking, creativity, toleerance, self-knowledge and preparation for life in a democratic society. Close attention will be paid to these concepts as they are dealt with in philosophy for children.

The course focuses on young people’s risk behavior (e.g. drug use, deviance, inconsistent school attendance) and resilience related to various pedagogical, social, educational, and psychological factors. Subjects dealt with in the course will for example be young people’s social development, communication skills, mental disorders, sexual reproductive health, trauma and their view on different challenges in their life. Different preventive measures will be discussed and the role of homes, schools and recreations in different preventions. A special focus is on developmental research that explores the relationship between developmental growth and risk behavior. Projects are designed to seek understanding on how young people perceive risk factors in their lives.

The course is offered as a distant education course. Teaching lessons will be recorded and put on the CANVAS education management system but if there is real time teaching then it will be recorded and put on CANVAS. Discussion lessons are once a week (60 min.) were students can choose between being in-house or online. The same goes for essay presentations which are at the end of the semester.