The course covers the following aspects:

• Learning in cyberspace. Special emphasis is placed on open online courses intended for self-study (MOOCs). The main types of such courses are presented. Their status and development, distribution channels, teaching systems and the pedagogical basis on which they are based are examined.
• Open educational material (OER). Research, ideas and culture on open learning are presented. It examines how remixing, free authorship and large material collections with open educational material can change learning and teaching and access to learning and knowledge.
• Cloud-based solutions. The focus is on what happens when the framework of learning and teaching is moved to a web-based environment, into the cloud, what tools and solutions are suitable, and how teachers, schools and school communities can organise learning processes and teaching in such an environment.
• Blended teaching (e.g. flipped teaching). Research and development regarding blended teaching and working methods for recording and sharing such material are discussed. Students make recordings that could be used in flipped teaching and gain experience of teaching with online conferencing equipment/real-time broadcasts in teaching.

In the course, students will be introduced to the theories and tools that support cultivating creativity and innovation in the classroom. The course empowers participants to apply teaching methods that encourage curiosity, creativity and design thinking in their students. The basics of innovation education, design thinking, and challenge-based learning, will be discussed, as well as how these theories and methods can be used when teaching various age groups in diverse fields, e.g. related to art, technology and social studies. The course will review methods to promote entrepreneurial thinking, promote resilience, and encourage collaboration and teamwork in the classroom. The course will help participants gain an understanding of how innovation can become a central part of creative education.

Would you like to know firsthand how information and technology education is implemented in primary schools and how information technology is used in a creative way? Where are exciting projects going on in schools where tablets or other mobile technology are involved? Where are good examples of digital content acquisition, dissemination, imagery, and creativity? Where are examples of interesting communication between students and collaboration between teachers where digital media is in focus? How is it sought to promote information and media literacy, multifaceted media, digital communication and social participation?

Students in this course spend the equivalent of two credits on field studies related to information technology, innovation and digital media, with special emphasis on the latter part. They have sometimes had the opportunity to visit selected schools or have enjoyed collaboration with development work under the auspices of both the City of Reykjavík and NýMennt on the selection and implementation of subjects. They are introduced to practical aspects related to the organisation of teaching, where technology and input are linked on a pedagogical basis. Particular attention is paid to digital media, not least sound and live video, which can be wrestled with and used in various ways in various contexts of learning and teaching.

The course is part of a program on primary school teaching with an emphasis on information technology, innovation and communication, where students get to test tools and teaching methods with primary school students after consultation with the course's tutor, possible partners mentioned here and guidance teachers in the field. Students on other paths are also welcome, and students may work together across fields of study on teaching projects where digital media plays a role. Fieldwork in this course can also be linked to fieldwork in another field of study. In addition, it may be possible to organise field experiences in other ways than traditional field studies in primary schools, engage in distance teaching or development work on teaching methods and interesting equipment.

Students learn about programming and how to incorporate programming and work in makerspaces (fab labs) into their studies. Programming teaching in schools, ideas and theories about programming in school education and connections to technological development and industry will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the use of generative artificial intelligence for coding and the use of such code to program controllers (e.g. micro:bit or Arduino) and learning tools for working with such programming will be introduced. Students do not need to know programming, but a foundation in programming will be introduced so that students can use generative AI in a constructive way.

We will look to the future and look at the development when the digital world and the control of things merge (IoT, Internet of Things). Work will be done on ideas for workshops and study spaces that are suitable for student-centered learning where students create and work with digital design and processing of ideas.

Ideology and theories and social discourse regarding "maker culture" will be discussed. Changes in production techniques to person-centered production, remote-controlled and self-directed tools and the possibilities of such tools in education and teaching are examined.

Students in this course spend the equivalent of two credits on field studies related to information technology, innovation and digital media, with a special emphasis on programming and construction with computer controls. Fieldwork in this course can possibly take place in conjunction with a Fab lab or other workshops where students have the opportunity to work with students on digital topics. In this way, students are introduced to practical aspects related to the organisation of teaching and project work, where technology and input are linked on a pedagogical basis.

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 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.

This course focuses on theories and research related to learning, teaching and the teacher profession. Relations with on-site activities are emphasised, and that participants become familiar with the working environment of compulsory school teachers, compulsory school act and regulations.

Learning and teaching are discussed from various points of view and with respect to various learning theories. Participants organise their own teaching processes by making aims, organising teaching and learning, and organising interaction and collaboration. All this work is related do the conceptions of professionalism and practice theories.

Course design and procedure: Lectures, reflective studies, seminars, individual and group work, projects, interactive lectures, field work and training

Content: The main goal of the course is to give insight into the sociology and philosophy of education. Selected sociological and philosophical ideas that are useful to study education and the school reality will be discussed. There is emphasis on three things. A. To understand ideas and concepts og be able to explain them. B. To compare ideas and concepts to the education and the school reality that we are familiar with. C. To think critically about the ideas and the reality that they are meant to throw light on.

 Methods: There are weekly lectures and discussions. Lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the course‘s Canvas site. Students study them and then take part in discussions that will not be recorded. At the beginning of the semester students register for discussion groups which are then fixed for the semester. There is obligatory attendance (80%) for discussion classes, but students can choose to attend at Stakkahlíð or in realtime on Zoom. Students do two group assignments, two individual assignments and a final assignment.

Students in this course are expected to deepen their knowledge and skills in quantitative research methodology. Students will use a computer program for data analysis, with emphasis on interpretation and writing about research results. Students are expected to develop positive attitudes toward research and the value of research in educational and social settings.

This course focuses on qualitative research methods. It looks at different movements and traditions in research methodology and their relationship to the structure and execution of research. The course also touches on the ethics of research, validity and different views of these concepts. Students will conduct a small research project, which provides training in a literature review, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of research findings. Students work as a team throughout the semester.

Readings, lectures, in-class discussion and group work. Sessions for distance students are held twice during the semester and participation is mandatory

The M.Ed. final project is an individual project of 30 ECTS credits. Students work on the project independently under the guidance of a project supervisor/supervisors chosen from among the academic staff at the School of Education. Students should consult the chair of their department on the choice of a project supervisor.

The thesis/project topic is chosen by the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor and the department chair. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. programme of study and chosen specialisation.

Various types of projects are permitted, for example, research essays, independent research projects, the development of new curricula or study materials.

Students sign up for the final project/thesis during annual registration via the Ugla Intraweb, and should register based on estimated progress in the fall and spring semester. In general, preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. In some programmes the thesis is expected to spread over two or three semesters according to specific instructions, see under programme structure in the Course Catalogue for each programme.

Master´s projects are not awarded numerical grades but are marked pass or fail. Evaluation of projects are according to rules of the School of Education.

Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for M.Ed. projects set by the School of Education. See the School of Education intraweb, Ugla: Schools / School of Education / Teaching / Master's Thesis

This course focuses on providing the student teachers with competences for becoming professionals in their field, with focus on their subject area, and supporting them in laying the foundation for their own professional working theory. This will be obtained by building up knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities which is imbued in teaching and the skills needed for self evaluation in various situations in the field. An emphasis is also put on providing the student teachers with skills regarding the role of the classroom teacher and classroom management; team-teaching and co-operative skills; how to deal with traumatic experiences and children's welfare; and working with parents. Furthermore, research on school development, school evaluation and school ethos will be looked into together with research on teachers. Finally this will be linked with practicum.

Emphasis is on interactive lectures, inquiry and reflective studies, seminars, group work, projects, portfolios, field studies and fieldwork.

The main task of this course is field work, subject teaching at middle and lower secondary level compulsory school. The emphasis is on actual teaching practise and giving the students opportunities to discuss, evaluate, reflect and develop their teaching. Students will develop a teaching plan based on the national curriculum guide and school curricula. They will analyse incidents from their practice to learn from and improve their teaching. A range of teaching methods will be explored and applied in teaching in the field.

Teaching methods: Students are in the field the whole semester in both courses and attend regular classes at the university. Emphasis is on interactive lectures, self-study, group work and projects. The course of study is directly related to field practice. Various issues will be explored with concrete examples from school practice. Students read chosen materials and research on school practice, both provided by lecturers and chosen by students.

The course covers the following aspects:

• Learning in cyberspace. Special emphasis is placed on open online courses intended for self-study (MOOCs). The main types of such courses are presented. Their status and development, distribution channels, teaching systems and the pedagogical basis on which they are based are examined.
• Open educational material (OER). Research, ideas and culture on open learning are presented. It examines how remixing, free authorship and large material collections with open educational material can change learning and teaching and access to learning and knowledge.
• Cloud-based solutions. The focus is on what happens when the framework of learning and teaching is moved to a web-based environment, into the cloud, what tools and solutions are suitable, and how teachers, schools and school communities can organise learning processes and teaching in such an environment.
• Blended teaching (e.g. flipped teaching). Research and development regarding blended teaching and working methods for recording and sharing such material are discussed. Students make recordings that could be used in flipped teaching and gain experience of teaching with online conferencing equipment/real-time broadcasts in teaching.

In the course, students will be introduced to the theories and tools that support cultivating creativity and innovation in the classroom. The course empowers participants to apply teaching methods that encourage curiosity, creativity and design thinking in their students. The basics of innovation education, design thinking, and challenge-based learning, will be discussed, as well as how these theories and methods can be used when teaching various age groups in diverse fields, e.g. related to art, technology and social studies. The course will review methods to promote entrepreneurial thinking, promote resilience, and encourage collaboration and teamwork in the classroom. The course will help participants gain an understanding of how innovation can become a central part of creative education.

Would you like to know firsthand how information and technology education is implemented in primary schools and how information technology is used in a creative way? Where are exciting projects going on in schools where tablets or other mobile technology are involved? Where are good examples of digital content acquisition, dissemination, imagery, and creativity? Where are examples of interesting communication between students and collaboration between teachers where digital media is in focus? How is it sought to promote information and media literacy, multifaceted media, digital communication and social participation?

Students in this course spend the equivalent of two credits on field studies related to information technology, innovation and digital media, with special emphasis on the latter part. They have sometimes had the opportunity to visit selected schools or have enjoyed collaboration with development work under the auspices of both the City of Reykjavík and NýMennt on the selection and implementation of subjects. They are introduced to practical aspects related to the organisation of teaching, where technology and input are linked on a pedagogical basis. Particular attention is paid to digital media, not least sound and live video, which can be wrestled with and used in various ways in various contexts of learning and teaching.

The course is part of a program on primary school teaching with an emphasis on information technology, innovation and communication, where students get to test tools and teaching methods with primary school students after consultation with the course's tutor, possible partners mentioned here and guidance teachers in the field. Students on other paths are also welcome, and students may work together across fields of study on teaching projects where digital media plays a role. Fieldwork in this course can also be linked to fieldwork in another field of study. In addition, it may be possible to organise field experiences in other ways than traditional field studies in primary schools, engage in distance teaching or development work on teaching methods and interesting equipment.

Students learn about programming and how to incorporate programming and work in makerspaces (fab labs) into their studies. Programming teaching in schools, ideas and theories about programming in school education and connections to technological development and industry will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the use of generative artificial intelligence for coding and the use of such code to program controllers (e.g. micro:bit or Arduino) and learning tools for working with such programming will be introduced. Students do not need to know programming, but a foundation in programming will be introduced so that students can use generative AI in a constructive way.

We will look to the future and look at the development when the digital world and the control of things merge (IoT, Internet of Things). Work will be done on ideas for workshops and study spaces that are suitable for student-centered learning where students create and work with digital design and processing of ideas.

Ideology and theories and social discourse regarding "maker culture" will be discussed. Changes in production techniques to person-centered production, remote-controlled and self-directed tools and the possibilities of such tools in education and teaching are examined.

Students in this course spend the equivalent of two credits on field studies related to information technology, innovation and digital media, with a special emphasis on programming and construction with computer controls. Fieldwork in this course can possibly take place in conjunction with a Fab lab or other workshops where students have the opportunity to work with students on digital topics. In this way, students are introduced to practical aspects related to the organisation of teaching and project work, where technology and input are linked on a pedagogical basis.

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 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.

This course focuses on theories and research related to learning, teaching and the teacher profession. Relations with on-site activities are emphasised, and that participants become familiar with the working environment of compulsory school teachers, compulsory school act and regulations.

Learning and teaching are discussed from various points of view and with respect to various learning theories. Participants organise their own teaching processes by making aims, organising teaching and learning, and organising interaction and collaboration. All this work is related do the conceptions of professionalism and practice theories.

Course design and procedure: Lectures, reflective studies, seminars, individual and group work, projects, interactive lectures, field work and training

Content: The main goal of the course is to give insight into the sociology and philosophy of education. Selected sociological and philosophical ideas that are useful to study education and the school reality will be discussed. There is emphasis on three things. A. To understand ideas and concepts og be able to explain them. B. To compare ideas and concepts to the education and the school reality that we are familiar with. C. To think critically about the ideas and the reality that they are meant to throw light on.

 Methods: There are weekly lectures and discussions. Lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the course‘s Canvas site. Students study them and then take part in discussions that will not be recorded. At the beginning of the semester students register for discussion groups which are then fixed for the semester. There is obligatory attendance (80%) for discussion classes, but students can choose to attend at Stakkahlíð or in realtime on Zoom. Students do two group assignments, two individual assignments and a final assignment.

Students in this course are expected to deepen their knowledge and skills in quantitative research methodology. Students will use a computer program for data analysis, with emphasis on interpretation and writing about research results. Students are expected to develop positive attitudes toward research and the value of research in educational and social settings.

This course focuses on qualitative research methods. It looks at different movements and traditions in research methodology and their relationship to the structure and execution of research. The course also touches on the ethics of research, validity and different views of these concepts. Students will conduct a small research project, which provides training in a literature review, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of research findings. Students work as a team throughout the semester.

Readings, lectures, in-class discussion and group work. Sessions for distance students are held twice during the semester and participation is mandatory

The M.Ed. final project is an individual project of 30 ECTS credits. Students work on the project independently under the guidance of a project supervisor/supervisors chosen from among the academic staff at the School of Education. Students should consult the chair of their department on the choice of a project supervisor.

The thesis/project topic is chosen by the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor and the department chair. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. programme of study and chosen specialisation.

Various types of projects are permitted, for example, research essays, independent research projects, the development of new curricula or study materials.

Students sign up for the final project/thesis during annual registration via the Ugla Intraweb, and should register based on estimated progress in the fall and spring semester. In general, preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. In some programmes the thesis is expected to spread over two or three semesters according to specific instructions, see under programme structure in the Course Catalogue for each programme.

Master´s projects are not awarded numerical grades but are marked pass or fail. Evaluation of projects are according to rules of the School of Education.

Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for M.Ed. projects set by the School of Education. See the School of Education intraweb, Ugla: Schools / School of Education / Teaching / Master's Thesis

This course focuses on providing the student teachers with competences for becoming professionals in their field, with focus on their subject area, and supporting them in laying the foundation for their own professional working theory. This will be obtained by building up knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities which is imbued in teaching and the skills needed for self evaluation in various situations in the field. An emphasis is also put on providing the student teachers with skills regarding the role of the classroom teacher and classroom management; team-teaching and co-operative skills; how to deal with traumatic experiences and children's welfare; and working with parents. Furthermore, research on school development, school evaluation and school ethos will be looked into together with research on teachers. Finally this will be linked with practicum.

Emphasis is on interactive lectures, inquiry and reflective studies, seminars, group work, projects, portfolios, field studies and fieldwork.

The main task of this course is field work, subject teaching at middle and lower secondary level compulsory school. The emphasis is on actual teaching practise and giving the students opportunities to discuss, evaluate, reflect and develop their teaching. Students will develop a teaching plan based on the national curriculum guide and school curricula. They will analyse incidents from their practice to learn from and improve their teaching. A range of teaching methods will be explored and applied in teaching in the field.

Teaching methods: Students are in the field the whole semester in both courses and attend regular classes at the university. Emphasis is on interactive lectures, self-study, group work and projects. The course of study is directly related to field practice. Various issues will be explored with concrete examples from school practice. Students read chosen materials and research on school practice, both provided by lecturers and chosen by students.

Content: The main goal of the course is to give insight into the sociology and philosophy of education. Selected sociological and philosophical ideas that are useful to study education and the school reality will be discussed. There is emphasis on three things. A. To understand ideas and concepts og be able to explain them. B. To compare ideas and concepts to the education and the school reality that we are familiar with. C. To think critically about the ideas and the reality that they are meant to throw light on.

 Methods: There are weekly lectures and discussions. Lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the course‘s Canvas site. Students study them and then take part in discussions that will not be recorded. At the beginning of the semester students register for discussion groups which are then fixed for the semester. There is obligatory attendance (80%) for discussion classes, but students can choose to attend at Stakkahlíð or in realtime on Zoom. Students do two group assignments, two individual assignments and a final assignment.

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 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).

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.

In the course, participants are introduced to how social innovation can be used in teaching and learning to address challenges with societal benefits as a guiding principle. Emphasis will be placed on methods of innovation and entrepreneurship and connections to challenge-based learning, project- and experience-based learning, and the integration of subjects. The theoretical foundation of social innovation and challenge-based learning will be covered. Opportunities for the utilisation of social innovation will be examined, as well as methods for discovering, analysing and exploiting such opportunities. On the basis of this, students in teams select and solve projects where diverse societal challenges are addressed. At the end of the course, participants have completed a practical project that can be immediately used in school work and can be further developed with diverse applications in mind.

Students learn about AI literacy as a key competence in modern society and the creative use of AI in education and teaching. AI literacy is about understanding the basic ideas of AI, recognizing its possibilities and limitations, analyzing its impact on society and daily life, and using it responsibly and critically. During the course, students gain insight into how AI tools and technologies can simplify and improve learning and teaching, increase efficiency, and promote creative solutions. They learn to use technology in the creation and organization of course materials, for data processing and as a tool to promote student participation and interest. Furthermore, it is emphasized how AI literacy can help students become aware and critical users of AI. Ethical issues, the impact of AI on the labour market and society, and how teachers can share this knowledge with their students are discussed.

In the course, students take an active part in discussions and project work where they examine their own experiences and connect them to the theoretical topics of the course. The projects will be tailored to the needs and interests of students where AI is used in a variety of ways, whether in art, sports, media or other aspects of daily life. Students gather experience of experiments and tests with artificial intelligence in a digital CV portfolio throughout the teaching semester. Students familiarize themselves with the theoretical aspects of AI literacy and the use of AI in education and teaching and submit a reference essay. Each student presents a plan for and submits a personal final project, e.g. in the form of an app, research or educational project, which connects AI to real challenges in their life or work.

Key elements of the course:

• Active participation in discussions on AI and AI literacy.
• Project work where students connect AI to their own interests and jobs.
• Critical discussions on the impact of AI in education and society.
• Independent research and development of projects.

The course provides students with the tools to address the challenges and opportunities associated with the rapidly growing use of AI in today's society in education, work, and daily life.

New objectives of the course:

Students should acquire skills in ...

• using the basic concepts of artificial intelligence and how the technology can be used in learning and teaching.
• analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence on daily life, society, and the labor market.
• developing critical thinking towards the use of AI and participate in discussions about its ethical and social implications.
• using AI responsibly, whether in connection with studies, teaching or other work.

The aim of the course is to promote innovation and enterprise among teachers, administrators and other leaders in school work. Furthermore, to accommodate individuals and institutions who want to innovate in education and in the business community. Work will be done with theory and practical tools pertaining to innovation in education and creative schooling; such as innovation and entrepreneurship education, enterprise studies, project- and experience-based learning, integration of subjects, empowering pedagogy and design thinking. Particular attention will be paid to educational technology and futurology. The course will seek to move participants so that they use their own knowledge and human resources in the school community and society to create real projects that are useful in their work. Efforts will be made to enable individuals to provide education for those who are interested in pursuing innovation in schools and the labour market, to be able to organise such development work, make plans and implement them. Opportunities for exploitation will be examined and promoted, as well as ways to support the discovery, analysis and exploitation of such opportunities. At the end of the course, participants have completed a practical project that can be immediately used in school work and can be further developed with diverse applications in mind.

In this course students explore teaching of diverse groups in inclusive settings, emphasizing strategies to address diverse educational and sociological needs of students, guided by human values, democracy and social justice. The emphasis is on evidence-based strategies to address the most common students´ special needs related to reading difficulties, behavioral difficulties, attention deficit, hyperactivity, and autism spectrum disorder. At the same time the use of respectful, person-first language, putting strengths and talents of students in the foreground, is stressed. Multicultural teaching and teaching of students learning Icelandic as a second language will be addressed. Students will be introduced to classroom management strategies, individualized behavior support, multi-disciplinary and parent collaboration. The course focus is on inclusive, evidence-based practices that aim to provide students with special needs opportunities equal to those of their classmates.

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.

This course explores the potential and constraints of instructional design and digital media in educational contexts. Students explore and experience instructional design processes in the spirit of emancipatory pedagogy by taking on a creative role as instructional designers, laying out their own learning materials and multimedia projects. They make use of an array of tools of their own preference to work with text, graphical interfaces, pictures, video and sound. They review and discuss accounts and findings reflecting this field of activity in schools and are expected to contemplate on ways to have students at different age levels do project work of their own in an emancipatory fashion. Students interested in publishing interactive multimedia content are expected to consider instructional design processes involved and realize the importance of team efforts and expertise in such an undertaking. Open project approaches and the value of digital communities sharing open learning materials, will also be introduced. Course work may prepare the ground for a master’s project or funded development efforts.

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.

Students in this course are expected to deepen their knowledge and skills in quantitative research methodology. Students will use a computer program for data analysis, with emphasis on interpretation and writing about research results. Students are expected to develop positive attitudes toward research and the value of research in educational and social settings.

This course focuses on qualitative research methods. It looks at different movements and traditions in research methodology and their relationship to the structure and execution of research. The course also touches on the ethics of research, validity and different views of these concepts. Students will conduct a small research project, which provides training in a literature review, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of research findings. Students work as a team throughout the semester.

Readings, lectures, in-class discussion and group work. Sessions for distance students are held twice during the semester and participation is mandatory

The M.Ed. final project is an individual project of 30 ECTS credits. Students work on the project independently under the guidance of a project supervisor/supervisors chosen from among the academic staff at the School of Education. Students should consult the chair of their department on the choice of a project supervisor.

The thesis/project topic is chosen by the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor and the department chair. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. programme of study and chosen specialisation.

Various types of projects are permitted, for example, research essays, independent research projects, the development of new curricula or study materials.

Students sign up for the final project/thesis during annual registration via the Ugla Intraweb, and should register based on estimated progress in the fall and spring semester. In general, preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. In some programmes the thesis is expected to spread over two or three semesters according to specific instructions, see under programme structure in the Course Catalogue for each programme.

Master´s projects are not awarded numerical grades but are marked pass or fail. Evaluation of projects are according to rules of the School of Education.

Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for M.Ed. projects set by the School of Education. See the School of Education intraweb, Ugla: Schools / School of Education / Teaching / Master's Thesis

The University of Iceland offers this transdisciplinary course for senior graduate students registered in all schools and disciplines across the University. The course is also open to students from all Aurora universities. The course combines online content, virtual sessions that take place over the semester, and a five-day capstone experience on-site at the university of Iceland.

Participants will gain insights into current and future challenges and learn about how these are being addressed. Participants will work in collaborative interdisciplinary teams under the guidance of experienced industry and academic leaders to apply their new knowledge toward developing their own recommendations for tackling immediate and foreseeable challenges. Students will gain a deeper understanding of their own strengths as well as developing methods and approaches for innovative thinking under the guidance of experienced teachers.

The course incorporates the approach of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which is part of the Aurora Competency Framework. This concept includes both social entrepreneurship, a way to achieve social change by employing entrepreneurial principles with or without the formation of new organizations, and social innovation, a process of developing and deploying effective solutions to challenging and often systemic social and environmental issues in support of social progress.

The course relies on brief assignments worked on during the virtual sessions, intense group work on the days of the on-site capstone session, and preparation of final deliverable, which is presented on the final day of the on-site session.

The course is 6 ECTS credits. Successful completion of the course depends on completion of the preparatory work, participation in the group work, and completion of a satisfactory final project and deliverable during the on-site capstone session.

The purpose of this course is to work with conceptual issues in sustainability and global initiative such as those being implemented by the UNESCO. Examples of problems in the environment and nature will be explored, f.ex. climate change, decrease in number of species, soil erosion and pollution. Emphasis will be on the role of teachers in dealing with controversial issues and how they can teach children to analyse problems, evaluate information and put forward possible solutions. Participants read and use research about sustainability education. Participants will also examine their own angle to sustainability, their values and behaviour. 

It is obligatory to attend classes during On Campus weeks, according to the academic calendar for School of Education.

The central objective of this course is for students to develop their ideas about literacy and how to intergrade literacy across subjects so that they will be better equipped to teach their own subject.

During their studies student develop their own personal theory, i.e. research and mould their ideas about how they will or want to perform as teachers.

An emphasis will be placed on a coherent and creative approach towards planning and organising teaching across subjects and that students will be introduce to research and novelties in teaching methods that enhance literacy and subject-based vocabulary in all school levels.

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.

Content: The main goal of the course is to give insight into the sociology and philosophy of education. Selected sociological and philosophical ideas that are useful to study education and the school reality will be discussed. There is emphasis on three things. A. To understand ideas and concepts og be able to explain them. B. To compare ideas and concepts to the education and the school reality that we are familiar with. C. To think critically about the ideas and the reality that they are meant to throw light on.

 Methods: There are weekly lectures and discussions. Lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the course‘s Canvas site. Students study them and then take part in discussions that will not be recorded. At the beginning of the semester students register for discussion groups which are then fixed for the semester. There is obligatory attendance (80%) for discussion classes, but students can choose to attend at Stakkahlíð or in realtime on Zoom. Students do two group assignments, two individual assignments and a final assignment.

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 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).

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.

In the course, participants are introduced to how social innovation can be used in teaching and learning to address challenges with societal benefits as a guiding principle. Emphasis will be placed on methods of innovation and entrepreneurship and connections to challenge-based learning, project- and experience-based learning, and the integration of subjects. The theoretical foundation of social innovation and challenge-based learning will be covered. Opportunities for the utilisation of social innovation will be examined, as well as methods for discovering, analysing and exploiting such opportunities. On the basis of this, students in teams select and solve projects where diverse societal challenges are addressed. At the end of the course, participants have completed a practical project that can be immediately used in school work and can be further developed with diverse applications in mind.

Students learn about AI literacy as a key competence in modern society and the creative use of AI in education and teaching. AI literacy is about understanding the basic ideas of AI, recognizing its possibilities and limitations, analyzing its impact on society and daily life, and using it responsibly and critically. During the course, students gain insight into how AI tools and technologies can simplify and improve learning and teaching, increase efficiency, and promote creative solutions. They learn to use technology in the creation and organization of course materials, for data processing and as a tool to promote student participation and interest. Furthermore, it is emphasized how AI literacy can help students become aware and critical users of AI. Ethical issues, the impact of AI on the labour market and society, and how teachers can share this knowledge with their students are discussed.

In the course, students take an active part in discussions and project work where they examine their own experiences and connect them to the theoretical topics of the course. The projects will be tailored to the needs and interests of students where AI is used in a variety of ways, whether in art, sports, media or other aspects of daily life. Students gather experience of experiments and tests with artificial intelligence in a digital CV portfolio throughout the teaching semester. Students familiarize themselves with the theoretical aspects of AI literacy and the use of AI in education and teaching and submit a reference essay. Each student presents a plan for and submits a personal final project, e.g. in the form of an app, research or educational project, which connects AI to real challenges in their life or work.

Key elements of the course:

• Active participation in discussions on AI and AI literacy.
• Project work where students connect AI to their own interests and jobs.
• Critical discussions on the impact of AI in education and society.
• Independent research and development of projects.

The course provides students with the tools to address the challenges and opportunities associated with the rapidly growing use of AI in today's society in education, work, and daily life.

New objectives of the course:

Students should acquire skills in ...

• using the basic concepts of artificial intelligence and how the technology can be used in learning and teaching.
• analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence on daily life, society, and the labor market.
• developing critical thinking towards the use of AI and participate in discussions about its ethical and social implications.
• using AI responsibly, whether in connection with studies, teaching or other work.

The aim of the course is to promote innovation and enterprise among teachers, administrators and other leaders in school work. Furthermore, to accommodate individuals and institutions who want to innovate in education and in the business community. Work will be done with theory and practical tools pertaining to innovation in education and creative schooling; such as innovation and entrepreneurship education, enterprise studies, project- and experience-based learning, integration of subjects, empowering pedagogy and design thinking. Particular attention will be paid to educational technology and futurology. The course will seek to move participants so that they use their own knowledge and human resources in the school community and society to create real projects that are useful in their work. Efforts will be made to enable individuals to provide education for those who are interested in pursuing innovation in schools and the labour market, to be able to organise such development work, make plans and implement them. Opportunities for exploitation will be examined and promoted, as well as ways to support the discovery, analysis and exploitation of such opportunities. At the end of the course, participants have completed a practical project that can be immediately used in school work and can be further developed with diverse applications in mind.

In this course students explore teaching of diverse groups in inclusive settings, emphasizing strategies to address diverse educational and sociological needs of students, guided by human values, democracy and social justice. The emphasis is on evidence-based strategies to address the most common students´ special needs related to reading difficulties, behavioral difficulties, attention deficit, hyperactivity, and autism spectrum disorder. At the same time the use of respectful, person-first language, putting strengths and talents of students in the foreground, is stressed. Multicultural teaching and teaching of students learning Icelandic as a second language will be addressed. Students will be introduced to classroom management strategies, individualized behavior support, multi-disciplinary and parent collaboration. The course focus is on inclusive, evidence-based practices that aim to provide students with special needs opportunities equal to those of their classmates.

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.

This course explores the potential and constraints of instructional design and digital media in educational contexts. Students explore and experience instructional design processes in the spirit of emancipatory pedagogy by taking on a creative role as instructional designers, laying out their own learning materials and multimedia projects. They make use of an array of tools of their own preference to work with text, graphical interfaces, pictures, video and sound. They review and discuss accounts and findings reflecting this field of activity in schools and are expected to contemplate on ways to have students at different age levels do project work of their own in an emancipatory fashion. Students interested in publishing interactive multimedia content are expected to consider instructional design processes involved and realize the importance of team efforts and expertise in such an undertaking. Open project approaches and the value of digital communities sharing open learning materials, will also be introduced. Course work may prepare the ground for a master’s project or funded development efforts.

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.

Students in this course are expected to deepen their knowledge and skills in quantitative research methodology. Students will use a computer program for data analysis, with emphasis on interpretation and writing about research results. Students are expected to develop positive attitudes toward research and the value of research in educational and social settings.

This course focuses on qualitative research methods. It looks at different movements and traditions in research methodology and their relationship to the structure and execution of research. The course also touches on the ethics of research, validity and different views of these concepts. Students will conduct a small research project, which provides training in a literature review, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of research findings. Students work as a team throughout the semester.

Readings, lectures, in-class discussion and group work. Sessions for distance students are held twice during the semester and participation is mandatory

The M.Ed. final project is an individual project of 30 ECTS credits. Students work on the project independently under the guidance of a project supervisor/supervisors chosen from among the academic staff at the School of Education. Students should consult the chair of their department on the choice of a project supervisor.

The thesis/project topic is chosen by the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor and the department chair. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. programme of study and chosen specialisation.

Various types of projects are permitted, for example, research essays, independent research projects, the development of new curricula or study materials.

Students sign up for the final project/thesis during annual registration via the Ugla Intraweb, and should register based on estimated progress in the fall and spring semester. In general, preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. In some programmes the thesis is expected to spread over two or three semesters according to specific instructions, see under programme structure in the Course Catalogue for each programme.

Master´s projects are not awarded numerical grades but are marked pass or fail. Evaluation of projects are according to rules of the School of Education.

Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for M.Ed. projects set by the School of Education. See the School of Education intraweb, Ugla: Schools / School of Education / Teaching / Master's Thesis

The University of Iceland offers this transdisciplinary course for senior graduate students registered in all schools and disciplines across the University. The course is also open to students from all Aurora universities. The course combines online content, virtual sessions that take place over the semester, and a five-day capstone experience on-site at the university of Iceland.

Participants will gain insights into current and future challenges and learn about how these are being addressed. Participants will work in collaborative interdisciplinary teams under the guidance of experienced industry and academic leaders to apply their new knowledge toward developing their own recommendations for tackling immediate and foreseeable challenges. Students will gain a deeper understanding of their own strengths as well as developing methods and approaches for innovative thinking under the guidance of experienced teachers.

The course incorporates the approach of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which is part of the Aurora Competency Framework. This concept includes both social entrepreneurship, a way to achieve social change by employing entrepreneurial principles with or without the formation of new organizations, and social innovation, a process of developing and deploying effective solutions to challenging and often systemic social and environmental issues in support of social progress.

The course relies on brief assignments worked on during the virtual sessions, intense group work on the days of the on-site capstone session, and preparation of final deliverable, which is presented on the final day of the on-site session.

The course is 6 ECTS credits. Successful completion of the course depends on completion of the preparatory work, participation in the group work, and completion of a satisfactory final project and deliverable during the on-site capstone session.

The purpose of this course is to work with conceptual issues in sustainability and global initiative such as those being implemented by the UNESCO. Examples of problems in the environment and nature will be explored, f.ex. climate change, decrease in number of species, soil erosion and pollution. Emphasis will be on the role of teachers in dealing with controversial issues and how they can teach children to analyse problems, evaluate information and put forward possible solutions. Participants read and use research about sustainability education. Participants will also examine their own angle to sustainability, their values and behaviour. 

It is obligatory to attend classes during On Campus weeks, according to the academic calendar for School of Education.

The central objective of this course is for students to develop their ideas about literacy and how to intergrade literacy across subjects so that they will be better equipped to teach their own subject.

During their studies student develop their own personal theory, i.e. research and mould their ideas about how they will or want to perform as teachers.

An emphasis will be placed on a coherent and creative approach towards planning and organising teaching across subjects and that students will be introduce to research and novelties in teaching methods that enhance literacy and subject-based vocabulary in all school levels.

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.

Content: The main goal of the course is to give insight into the sociology and philosophy of education. Selected sociological and philosophical ideas that are useful to study education and the school reality will be discussed. There is emphasis on three things. A. To understand ideas and concepts og be able to explain them. B. To compare ideas and concepts to the education and the school reality that we are familiar with. C. To think critically about the ideas and the reality that they are meant to throw light on.

 Methods: There are weekly lectures and discussions. Lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the course‘s Canvas site. Students study them and then take part in discussions that will not be recorded. At the beginning of the semester students register for discussion groups which are then fixed for the semester. There is obligatory attendance (80%) for discussion classes, but students can choose to attend at Stakkahlíð or in realtime on Zoom. Students do two group assignments, two individual assignments and a final assignment.

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 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).

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.

In the course, participants are introduced to how social innovation can be used in teaching and learning to address challenges with societal benefits as a guiding principle. Emphasis will be placed on methods of innovation and entrepreneurship and connections to challenge-based learning, project- and experience-based learning, and the integration of subjects. The theoretical foundation of social innovation and challenge-based learning will be covered. Opportunities for the utilisation of social innovation will be examined, as well as methods for discovering, analysing and exploiting such opportunities. On the basis of this, students in teams select and solve projects where diverse societal challenges are addressed. At the end of the course, participants have completed a practical project that can be immediately used in school work and can be further developed with diverse applications in mind.

Students learn about AI literacy as a key competence in modern society and the creative use of AI in education and teaching. AI literacy is about understanding the basic ideas of AI, recognizing its possibilities and limitations, analyzing its impact on society and daily life, and using it responsibly and critically. During the course, students gain insight into how AI tools and technologies can simplify and improve learning and teaching, increase efficiency, and promote creative solutions. They learn to use technology in the creation and organization of course materials, for data processing and as a tool to promote student participation and interest. Furthermore, it is emphasized how AI literacy can help students become aware and critical users of AI. Ethical issues, the impact of AI on the labour market and society, and how teachers can share this knowledge with their students are discussed.

In the course, students take an active part in discussions and project work where they examine their own experiences and connect them to the theoretical topics of the course. The projects will be tailored to the needs and interests of students where AI is used in a variety of ways, whether in art, sports, media or other aspects of daily life. Students gather experience of experiments and tests with artificial intelligence in a digital CV portfolio throughout the teaching semester. Students familiarize themselves with the theoretical aspects of AI literacy and the use of AI in education and teaching and submit a reference essay. Each student presents a plan for and submits a personal final project, e.g. in the form of an app, research or educational project, which connects AI to real challenges in their life or work.

Key elements of the course:

• Active participation in discussions on AI and AI literacy.
• Project work where students connect AI to their own interests and jobs.
• Critical discussions on the impact of AI in education and society.
• Independent research and development of projects.

The course provides students with the tools to address the challenges and opportunities associated with the rapidly growing use of AI in today's society in education, work, and daily life.

New objectives of the course:

Students should acquire skills in ...

• using the basic concepts of artificial intelligence and how the technology can be used in learning and teaching.
• analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence on daily life, society, and the labor market.
• developing critical thinking towards the use of AI and participate in discussions about its ethical and social implications.
• using AI responsibly, whether in connection with studies, teaching or other work.

The aim of the course is to promote innovation and enterprise among teachers, administrators and other leaders in school work. Furthermore, to accommodate individuals and institutions who want to innovate in education and in the business community. Work will be done with theory and practical tools pertaining to innovation in education and creative schooling; such as innovation and entrepreneurship education, enterprise studies, project- and experience-based learning, integration of subjects, empowering pedagogy and design thinking. Particular attention will be paid to educational technology and futurology. The course will seek to move participants so that they use their own knowledge and human resources in the school community and society to create real projects that are useful in their work. Efforts will be made to enable individuals to provide education for those who are interested in pursuing innovation in schools and the labour market, to be able to organise such development work, make plans and implement them. Opportunities for exploitation will be examined and promoted, as well as ways to support the discovery, analysis and exploitation of such opportunities. At the end of the course, participants have completed a practical project that can be immediately used in school work and can be further developed with diverse applications in mind.

In this course students explore teaching of diverse groups in inclusive settings, emphasizing strategies to address diverse educational and sociological needs of students, guided by human values, democracy and social justice. The emphasis is on evidence-based strategies to address the most common students´ special needs related to reading difficulties, behavioral difficulties, attention deficit, hyperactivity, and autism spectrum disorder. At the same time the use of respectful, person-first language, putting strengths and talents of students in the foreground, is stressed. Multicultural teaching and teaching of students learning Icelandic as a second language will be addressed. Students will be introduced to classroom management strategies, individualized behavior support, multi-disciplinary and parent collaboration. The course focus is on inclusive, evidence-based practices that aim to provide students with special needs opportunities equal to those of their classmates.

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.

This course explores the potential and constraints of instructional design and digital media in educational contexts. Students explore and experience instructional design processes in the spirit of emancipatory pedagogy by taking on a creative role as instructional designers, laying out their own learning materials and multimedia projects. They make use of an array of tools of their own preference to work with text, graphical interfaces, pictures, video and sound. They review and discuss accounts and findings reflecting this field of activity in schools and are expected to contemplate on ways to have students at different age levels do project work of their own in an emancipatory fashion. Students interested in publishing interactive multimedia content are expected to consider instructional design processes involved and realize the importance of team efforts and expertise in such an undertaking. Open project approaches and the value of digital communities sharing open learning materials, will also be introduced. Course work may prepare the ground for a master’s project or funded development efforts.

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.

Students in this course are expected to deepen their knowledge and skills in quantitative research methodology. Students will use a computer program for data analysis, with emphasis on interpretation and writing about research results. Students are expected to develop positive attitudes toward research and the value of research in educational and social settings.

This course focuses on qualitative research methods. It looks at different movements and traditions in research methodology and their relationship to the structure and execution of research. The course also touches on the ethics of research, validity and different views of these concepts. Students will conduct a small research project, which provides training in a literature review, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of research findings. Students work as a team throughout the semester.

Readings, lectures, in-class discussion and group work. Sessions for distance students are held twice during the semester and participation is mandatory

The M.Ed. final project is an individual project of 30 ECTS credits. Students work on the project independently under the guidance of a project supervisor/supervisors chosen from among the academic staff at the School of Education. Students should consult the chair of their department on the choice of a project supervisor.

The thesis/project topic is chosen by the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor and the department chair. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. programme of study and chosen specialisation.

Various types of projects are permitted, for example, research essays, independent research projects, the development of new curricula or study materials.

Students sign up for the final project/thesis during annual registration via the Ugla Intraweb, and should register based on estimated progress in the fall and spring semester. In general, preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. In some programmes the thesis is expected to spread over two or three semesters according to specific instructions, see under programme structure in the Course Catalogue for each programme.

Master´s projects are not awarded numerical grades but are marked pass or fail. Evaluation of projects are according to rules of the School of Education.

Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for M.Ed. projects set by the School of Education. See the School of Education intraweb, Ugla: Schools / School of Education / Teaching / Master's Thesis

The University of Iceland offers this transdisciplinary course for senior graduate students registered in all schools and disciplines across the University. The course is also open to students from all Aurora universities. The course combines online content, virtual sessions that take place over the semester, and a five-day capstone experience on-site at the university of Iceland.

Participants will gain insights into current and future challenges and learn about how these are being addressed. Participants will work in collaborative interdisciplinary teams under the guidance of experienced industry and academic leaders to apply their new knowledge toward developing their own recommendations for tackling immediate and foreseeable challenges. Students will gain a deeper understanding of their own strengths as well as developing methods and approaches for innovative thinking under the guidance of experienced teachers.

The course incorporates the approach of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which is part of the Aurora Competency Framework. This concept includes both social entrepreneurship, a way to achieve social change by employing entrepreneurial principles with or without the formation of new organizations, and social innovation, a process of developing and deploying effective solutions to challenging and often systemic social and environmental issues in support of social progress.

The course relies on brief assignments worked on during the virtual sessions, intense group work on the days of the on-site capstone session, and preparation of final deliverable, which is presented on the final day of the on-site session.

The course is 6 ECTS credits. Successful completion of the course depends on completion of the preparatory work, participation in the group work, and completion of a satisfactory final project and deliverable during the on-site capstone session.

The purpose of this course is to work with conceptual issues in sustainability and global initiative such as those being implemented by the UNESCO. Examples of problems in the environment and nature will be explored, f.ex. climate change, decrease in number of species, soil erosion and pollution. Emphasis will be on the role of teachers in dealing with controversial issues and how they can teach children to analyse problems, evaluate information and put forward possible solutions. Participants read and use research about sustainability education. Participants will also examine their own angle to sustainability, their values and behaviour. 

It is obligatory to attend classes during On Campus weeks, according to the academic calendar for School of Education.

The central objective of this course is for students to develop their ideas about literacy and how to intergrade literacy across subjects so that they will be better equipped to teach their own subject.

During their studies student develop their own personal theory, i.e. research and mould their ideas about how they will or want to perform as teachers.

An emphasis will be placed on a coherent and creative approach towards planning and organising teaching across subjects and that students will be introduce to research and novelties in teaching methods that enhance literacy and subject-based vocabulary in all school levels.

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.