Subject of the course
Leadership, professionalism and goals of organizations in the field of leisure and after school are the subject of the course. Participants learn about inclusive leadership skills, servant leadership, change- and crisis management and the value of culture in workplaces. The field of leisure and informal/half formal learning will be the focus, but also the interaction of the field with other institutions that are involved in education and welfare.

The role of the leader in an inclusive society and the development of the field in an Icelandic as well as international context will be discussed. Students have the opportunity to connect their ideas, knowledge and experience  from the field, with the subject of the course.

The emphasis of the course

Students are given considerable freedom of action in assignments work and will be encouraged to work independently and to contribute to course topics.

The course focuses on achieving a balance between various types of study:

• Acquisition
• Discussion
• Investigation
• Collaboration
• Practice
• Product 

The setting of the course 

Each session (two weeks long) is closed with a discussion lesson. Those who do not have the opportunity to participate in discussion lessons in real time work on an inquiry assignment that they hand in.

Participation is compulsory in on-site sessions (staðlotur) and seminars at the end of the course. 

Teaching will be in the spirit of the flipped classroom, with a mix of lectures, discussions and collaborative work. Assignments are both group work as well as individual work. 

At the end of the course, students organize seminars related to the subject of the course.

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.

This course focuses on collaboration across practices between professionals within leisure and education. The aim is to enhance student knowledge of the boundaries between professional practices, the benefits of inter-professional collaboration and the challenges that may arise when professionals with different expertise work together with children within education and leisure. Theories on different approaches in collaboration and communities of practice will be explored as well as research on relational trust and expertise. New legislation on integrated service to ensure the well-being of children will be introduced with a focus on the benefits for collaboration across practices that may follow. Students will get the opportunity to use their critical thinking by looking into different concepts and collaboration and draw a conclusion where more collaboration is needed. 

The course suits students that aim to work with children and youth within formal or informal educational institutions. The course is also practical for those who already work within schools, leisure centres or in the sport sector. 

Work style and expectations
Flipped teaching will be supported and lessons will be used for discussions and processing. Students are expected to take an active part in the discussion or submit a reflection if they cannot make it to the discussion time.

All study components must be passed with a minimum grade of 5.0.

In this course we will analyse particular ethical dilemmas related to e.g. education, environment and/or welfare issues. We will emphasize what characterizes ethical dilemmas and discuss how they can be met. To do this we will focus on chosen examples from public debate in Iceland  were the core of the conflict will be defined and underlying values will be drawn out.

The goal of this course is that students will develop understanding, knowledge, and skills in key areas related to practical aspects of leadership and management (concerning the role of principals, assistant principals, and middle managers) in pre-schools, compulsory schools, upper secondary schools, and after school foundations. Furthermore, the goal is that they will encounter the influence of laws, regulations, and curriculum guides on the operation of schools and related institutes and the respective administrative roles.

The course will cover aspects of daily management in schools – aspects concerning issues of planning, budgeting, staffing, leading, developing, and evaluating. Students follow an administrator on-site for 2-3 weeks. Details concerning tasks and assignments will be given in the beginning of the course.

At the start of the term, students must contact the coordinator of the course in order to plan school placements. The course begins with a campus-based seminar where assignments are introduced. There is also a campus-based seminar at the end of the course where students share their field experiences.

This course addresses the concept of relational autonomy in the life of people who need intensive support and how to use it to increase autonomy in daily life. It also addresses the issue of gender and sexuality in relation to disability and the lived experiences of disabled people. In the module, the feminist idea of relational autonomy will be regarded as a key element for personal autonomy to flourish. Different perspectives of autonomy will be explored, e.g. how to increase respect for personal characteristics, independency, sexuality, and gender roles. The module explores how disabled people have been simultaneously viewed as asexual, eternal children or sexual predators. These contradicting stereotypes have hindered access to adult roles. The Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) will also be under discussion and its relevance in the concept of autonomy, sexuality, diversity, and gender.

Theoretical background of the course is based on positive psychology or the science of well-being and happiness. It includes topics such as mindset, motivation, emotions, flourishing, autonomy, self-regulation, meaning and life-goals. Methods for working on personal development, well-being and self-knowledge are presented – such as mindfulness, goal setting and working with character strengts and values - all empirically validated intervention strategies.
Students‘ assignments will both be theoretical and applied to their field of work or interest.
The course is organized with lectures, discussions and workshops. The assessment of the course is partly based on participation in work-shops.

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.

Aim of the course: To assist students in understanding some major processes of school management and educational leadership in schools and other educational institutions. An emphasis is put on the development of their role as educational leaders.

Main content: Theories about leadership and management in educational institutions. The multiple roles and responsibilities of educational leaders are discussed as well as the impact of gender and values on leadership. The supervisory role of leaders is addressed as well as their role in leading change and innovation. Research on leadership in educational institutions will be explored with particular emphasis on recent Icelandic research.

Organisation: The course is organised as a combination of distance learning and on-site sessions. Students finish three assignments. One short paper (15%), one longer paper or essay (40%), and an exam (35%). Students also discuss academic journals on-line in small groups and submit a report (10%).

The course covers the rights and responsibilities of employees, children, and caregivers. It discusses the relevant laws and regulations. It addresses the characteristics and indicators of child well-being, violence against children, and assessment in such situations. Special attention is given to the well-being of children and recognition of signs of trauma and stress in their behaviors and attitudes. It emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary collaboration when working on children's welfare, linked to preventive work and the development of response plans. The instruction is delivered through lectures, recordings, discussions, and assignments.

The course focuses on volunteering and the various social, educational and psychological theories that are related to this type of civic participation. Incentives for volunteering are also discussed as well as gender differences in that context. Organizational and structural elements of volunteering will then be introduced as they can contribute to increasing the likelihood of finding the volunteering participation meaningful as well as encouraging future engagement. Students will also get opportunities to experience volunteering on their own and participate for a chosen organization or social association that brings assistance to people with social justice and welfare in mind. 

Teaching and learning methods: Lectures, discussions and class assignments will be scheduled four times in total; twice in on-site sessions I and twice in on-site session II. Attendance is mandatory. Volunteer sessions for social associations or organizations will be six in certain number of hours each time and participation needs to be 100%.

The main objectives of evaluation will be discussed, various approaches self- evaluation will be introduced, as well as evaluation standards. Data collection, data analysis and presentation of data will be discussed. Emphasis will be on the relevance of evaluation for developmental purposes in educational settings. Ethical issues pertinent to evaluation will be discussed. Research on program evaluation will be explored.

Emphasis will be on practical assignments concerning students' interests. The course is organised in on-campus sessions and discussions on Zoom. Participants discuss selected topics and literature, work on assignments and organise self-evaluation projects within the field of their own choice. Classes are online (using Zoom), obligatory to attend 2-3 on-campus sessions (decided in consultations with students).

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to work with institutional and systems approaches in working with sustainability and sustainability education with regards to institution and/or systems. Classes are online and built on informed debate and active participation (80% attendance). Few written major assignments will be expected together with student participation. 

To pass the course students need to get minimum grade 5,0 for each assignment and fulfil obligatory attendance and participation in classes. Further information and instructions will be on Canvas (the learning environment).

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Education for sustainability in formal and informal settings (e.g. in workplaces)
• Leadership for sustainability (e.g. whole school or leisure activity change)
• Relations between science and sustainability (e.g. tactic/principle)
• Wicked problems
• Rural development and sustainability
• Creating shared values (including corporate social responsibility) 
• Curriculum change

Course Description:

The goal of this course is for students to acquire theoretical knowledge about effective ways to work with and strengthen groups in school and leisure settings, with emphasis on social and emotional competence, empathy, collaboration, and team cohesion.

Topics:

The course has six themes, with the first four being the main focus:

1. Strong Groups – Their characteristics and the role of professionals in building them.
2. Empathy – What research says and how we teach empathy.
3. Collaboration – What research says and how we teach collaboration.
4. Team Cohesion – Its significance for fostering a positive culture in school and leisure communities.
5. Social and Emotional Competence
6. Flourishing – Its interplay with the societal context to which children and youth belong.

Approach and Methodology:

The course emphasizes balancing various types of learning:

• Acquisition learning
• Discussions
• Investigation/research
• Collaboration
• Activity and practice
• Production

The course is structured with weekly sessions, including in-person modules and remote learning. Students can choose to attend classes in person, participate live on Zoom, or listen to recordings and complete active assignments. Additionally, there are mandatory in-person modules. The course involves lectures, discussions, reading, listening, and watching, as well as project work done both in groups and individually. There is also an overnight trip or a comparable activity in the city. Efforts will be made to connect the course topics as closely as possible to the students’ circumstances and experiences.

Specific group work. The course discusses the main group theories, diagnostic models and how group work can be used in youth and social work as a part of purposeful educational work and in solving specific problems that may arise in the local community of children and young people.

The purpose of this course is that participants get to know the basic techniques used in educational guidance and interdisciplinary collaboration as well as to acquire training in using them. They get acquainted with theoretical discussion on the importance of good collaboration with students, parents and colleagues, and gain an increased understanding of its value. Participants identify and understand the key basic concepts, theories and approaches relating to educational guidance in schools, including cooperation between home and school. 

Objectives- participants:

• recognize different theoretical points of view relating to professional communication and supervision.
• recognize main theories and research on home and school collaboration
• have an understanding of the importance of teacher's role in home and school collaboration
• have an understanding of the impact of their own professional guidance and collaboration
• can discuss and different ways of guidance and cooperation with different parties, e.g. parents and colleagues
• recognize the importance of empowerment  as it relates to cooperation with students, parents and colleagues
• are familiar with the basic skills and competency in interdisciplinary collaboration, such as teamwork

Teaching: Lectures, discussions, individual and group projects. 

Methods: The course is on the post-graduate level. Participants read and work independently and utilize the potential of Moodle for communication and discussions with teachers and other participants in the course. Attendance is expected in on-site sessions.

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 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

The purpose of this course is to enhance students understanding of some major concepts and thories of schools and other eductional institutions as organizations. An emphasis is put on assisting students in applying these concepts and theories to relevant organizational issues and problems.

Outline of content is as follows: A short overview of history and thought in educational administration; conflicts and dilemmas in administration; the school as an open system; the school as an organizational type; bureaucracy and the school; structure, power and politics; the school and its environment; motivation, human resources, equality, goals and goal setting; orgaizational climate and culture; organizatinal effectiveness, decision making and conflicts in organizations.

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.

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.

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.

The main topic of this course is the importance and intitution of health promotion in various setting of society; the workplace, schools, sports as well as within the roam of people‘s leisure time. Various theories underlying health promotion will be introduced and the pros and cons of applying them in real life context will be discussed.  Students will have the platform to learn about the organization, execution and the process of health promotion. Special emphasis will be on introducing different methods to evaluate both the process and outcome of health promoting projects.

The course format is built on lectures and seminars. Active participation in class discussion, project productions and seminars is required.

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.

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to focus on learning, teaching and leisure activities for sustainability. The on-line and campus sessions will be built on informed debate. Three major assignments will be expected together with student participation in organising classes, leading discussions plus a final assignment. The course is taught online and it is obligatory to attend 80% of classes during according to the course plan.

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Activism in learning and teaching
• Place-based and experiential education
• Behavioural change
• Science learning, technology and sustainability
• Creativity, creation of knowledge and social sustainability
• University education, adult learning
• Formal, informal and non-formal learning
• Sustainability as an emerging curriculum area

Theoretical background of the course is based on the science of well-being and how it can be applied in pedagogic and educational setting – or on positive education. Main emphasis is on social- emotional and etical learning or so called SEE learning which is an internatinoal approach aswell as curriculum. We also introduce so called UPRIGHT which is an approach to support students resilience. Other concepts include mindfulness, mindset and strength based approach in pedagogy and education. Methods for working on well-being are presented, such as mindfulness. Main focus is how we can support and teach social, emotional and etical learning as parents, care-takers and educators.
Students’ assignments will both be theoretical and applied to their field of work or interest.
The course is organized with lectures, discussions and workshops. The assessment of the course is partly based on participation.

Place-responsive education is a learning that is rooted in what is local: the unique history, environment, culture, economy, literature, and art of a particular place.

In this course, the local community provides the context for learning. An experiential approach is used and with the perspective of “sailing and the seashore”. Student work focuses on community needs and interests, and community members will, with educators from the university, serve as resources and partners in teaching and the learning process.

A pedagogy of place in outdoor education allows us to discover and inhabit the world in a manner that acknowledges the historical roots and cultural connections to the stories of our people. As such this moves outdoor education and recreation practice into the 21st century. Moves beyond what was the dominant UK (western) paradigm of imperialistic, white, masculine, colonisation of outdoor spaces as wild landscapes to be conquered. As such place connection, and place responsiveness, helps develop a deeper understanding, respect, and care of these places. By connecting with the stories of the past and present it is possible to conceive of what the future stories may be. These new perspectives and understanding help students to consider the bigger questions around global issues; environmental justice, sustainability, and social justice.

The syllabus will typically include:

• an examination of the concept of place in an outdoor pedagogy and how this challenge the dominant underpinning philosophies of the adventure paradigm;
• opportunities to develop curiosity about place and develop a process to apply this in a variety of settings including in a global context;
• an introduction to the contribution that adventurous activities on the water make to place-responsive outdoor education experiences in a coastal location;
• development of personal experience in adventurous activities used in an outdoor pedagogy;
• development of higher education research skills: reading, digital research, and exploration of local museums and archives.

This course is run as a collaboration of the University of Iceland and the Outdoor Learning team at Plymouth Marjon University UK and is supported by Siglunes Watersport Centre, Oceancluster, Reykjavik Maritime museum, Hostelling International, The Icelandic Lighthouse Society and Reykjavík City Museum. 

Work Methods:

The course is based on active students and participation. The course takes place August xx and xx the year 2026 and is based on teaching throughout the day.  Preparation day is June xx  at 16.30-18.

The course covers gender-based violence and prevention. The course objective is twofold. First, students will learn about the main manifestations of gender-based violence, and second, they will develop skills in leading critical discussions and thereby counteract harmful attitudes associated with violence culture in modern society.

The course will cover key theoretical concepts from gender studies that are useful for analyzing and understanding gender-based violence as it occurs in young people's daily lives. We will examine the different positions and opportunities of genders and the impact of ideas about masculinity and femininity on societal attitudes and expectations. Additionally, we will analyze discourses about violence, social status, and equality in a broader context.

Strong emphasis is placed on students’ ability to reflect on their attitudes and work from an intersectional gender perspective.

This course is designed for students in leisure studies, tourism, and teachers’ education (including sport, kindergarten and primary school educators). Also ideal for outdoor educators and field researchers. Emphasis is placed on knowledge and essential skills in risk management and safety planning for outdoor environments. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, equipping students to manage risks effectively in diverse outdoor settings.

Learning Activities:

Lectures/classes: Weekly from Mid-August to end of October. Field trip (3 days): Last week of September or beginning of October.

• Virtual and in house classes focusing on theoretical knowledge and group discussions.
• Independent group work: Collaborative projects where students develop risk management plans and solutions for outdoor education scenarios. Emphases on students tackling real-world outdoor education challenges and applying knowledge to practical scenarios.
• Guest lectures: insights from experts in outdoor education, safety management, and risk assessment.
• Fieldwork (3 days): hands-on learning in outdoor settings to practice risk management and safety skills. Part of the field work is a first aid course focusing on comprehensive training in outdoor-specific first aid.

A significant portion of the course is conducted outdoors and includes hands-on exercises to build practical experience.

Aim:

The aim of the course is that students get aquainted with ideas, theories, and research about the experiences of trans people, as well as the main ideas of critical childhood studies. Emphasis is placed on that participants will become conscious about the reality of trans youth and trans children and the discourse in society about the matter.

Issues:

The concepts of gender, gender binaries, non-binary, intersectionality, trans*, (Cis), care, children’s protection, and children’s rights. Main ideas of trans and queer studies are presented as well as how to use them to understand upbringing, education, society, leisure, and sports. The matter will be approached via critical trans and childhood studies as well as constructivist idea. The school system and other institution will be discussed in light of how many types of discrimination have been created and maintained, and how such systems can maintain trans phobic attitudes and (cis)heteronormativity. New Icelandic and international research is presented. Emphases are placed on training candidates education studies, social education, parent education, teaching at all school levels, leisure studies, management and other professional disciplines to create queer and trans friendly atmosphere in the groups they will work with.

Subject of the course
Leadership, professionalism and goals of organizations in the field of leisure and after school are the subject of the course. Participants learn about inclusive leadership skills, servant leadership, change- and crisis management and the value of culture in workplaces. The field of leisure and informal/half formal learning will be the focus, but also the interaction of the field with other institutions that are involved in education and welfare.

The role of the leader in an inclusive society and the development of the field in an Icelandic as well as international context will be discussed. Students have the opportunity to connect their ideas, knowledge and experience  from the field, with the subject of the course.

The emphasis of the course

Students are given considerable freedom of action in assignments work and will be encouraged to work independently and to contribute to course topics.

The course focuses on achieving a balance between various types of study:

• Acquisition
• Discussion
• Investigation
• Collaboration
• Practice
• Product 

The setting of the course 

Each session (two weeks long) is closed with a discussion lesson. Those who do not have the opportunity to participate in discussion lessons in real time work on an inquiry assignment that they hand in.

Participation is compulsory in on-site sessions (staðlotur) and seminars at the end of the course. 

Teaching will be in the spirit of the flipped classroom, with a mix of lectures, discussions and collaborative work. Assignments are both group work as well as individual work. 

At the end of the course, students organize seminars related to the subject of the course.

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.

This course focuses on collaboration across practices between professionals within leisure and education. The aim is to enhance student knowledge of the boundaries between professional practices, the benefits of inter-professional collaboration and the challenges that may arise when professionals with different expertise work together with children within education and leisure. Theories on different approaches in collaboration and communities of practice will be explored as well as research on relational trust and expertise. New legislation on integrated service to ensure the well-being of children will be introduced with a focus on the benefits for collaboration across practices that may follow. Students will get the opportunity to use their critical thinking by looking into different concepts and collaboration and draw a conclusion where more collaboration is needed. 

The course suits students that aim to work with children and youth within formal or informal educational institutions. The course is also practical for those who already work within schools, leisure centres or in the sport sector. 

Work style and expectations
Flipped teaching will be supported and lessons will be used for discussions and processing. Students are expected to take an active part in the discussion or submit a reflection if they cannot make it to the discussion time.

All study components must be passed with a minimum grade of 5.0.

In this course we will analyse particular ethical dilemmas related to e.g. education, environment and/or welfare issues. We will emphasize what characterizes ethical dilemmas and discuss how they can be met. To do this we will focus on chosen examples from public debate in Iceland  were the core of the conflict will be defined and underlying values will be drawn out.

The goal of this course is that students will develop understanding, knowledge, and skills in key areas related to practical aspects of leadership and management (concerning the role of principals, assistant principals, and middle managers) in pre-schools, compulsory schools, upper secondary schools, and after school foundations. Furthermore, the goal is that they will encounter the influence of laws, regulations, and curriculum guides on the operation of schools and related institutes and the respective administrative roles.

The course will cover aspects of daily management in schools – aspects concerning issues of planning, budgeting, staffing, leading, developing, and evaluating. Students follow an administrator on-site for 2-3 weeks. Details concerning tasks and assignments will be given in the beginning of the course.

At the start of the term, students must contact the coordinator of the course in order to plan school placements. The course begins with a campus-based seminar where assignments are introduced. There is also a campus-based seminar at the end of the course where students share their field experiences.

This course addresses the concept of relational autonomy in the life of people who need intensive support and how to use it to increase autonomy in daily life. It also addresses the issue of gender and sexuality in relation to disability and the lived experiences of disabled people. In the module, the feminist idea of relational autonomy will be regarded as a key element for personal autonomy to flourish. Different perspectives of autonomy will be explored, e.g. how to increase respect for personal characteristics, independency, sexuality, and gender roles. The module explores how disabled people have been simultaneously viewed as asexual, eternal children or sexual predators. These contradicting stereotypes have hindered access to adult roles. The Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) will also be under discussion and its relevance in the concept of autonomy, sexuality, diversity, and gender.

Theoretical background of the course is based on positive psychology or the science of well-being and happiness. It includes topics such as mindset, motivation, emotions, flourishing, autonomy, self-regulation, meaning and life-goals. Methods for working on personal development, well-being and self-knowledge are presented – such as mindfulness, goal setting and working with character strengts and values - all empirically validated intervention strategies.
Students‘ assignments will both be theoretical and applied to their field of work or interest.
The course is organized with lectures, discussions and workshops. The assessment of the course is partly based on participation in work-shops.

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.

Aim of the course: To assist students in understanding some major processes of school management and educational leadership in schools and other educational institutions. An emphasis is put on the development of their role as educational leaders.

Main content: Theories about leadership and management in educational institutions. The multiple roles and responsibilities of educational leaders are discussed as well as the impact of gender and values on leadership. The supervisory role of leaders is addressed as well as their role in leading change and innovation. Research on leadership in educational institutions will be explored with particular emphasis on recent Icelandic research.

Organisation: The course is organised as a combination of distance learning and on-site sessions. Students finish three assignments. One short paper (15%), one longer paper or essay (40%), and an exam (35%). Students also discuss academic journals on-line in small groups and submit a report (10%).

The course covers the rights and responsibilities of employees, children, and caregivers. It discusses the relevant laws and regulations. It addresses the characteristics and indicators of child well-being, violence against children, and assessment in such situations. Special attention is given to the well-being of children and recognition of signs of trauma and stress in their behaviors and attitudes. It emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary collaboration when working on children's welfare, linked to preventive work and the development of response plans. The instruction is delivered through lectures, recordings, discussions, and assignments.

The course focuses on volunteering and the various social, educational and psychological theories that are related to this type of civic participation. Incentives for volunteering are also discussed as well as gender differences in that context. Organizational and structural elements of volunteering will then be introduced as they can contribute to increasing the likelihood of finding the volunteering participation meaningful as well as encouraging future engagement. Students will also get opportunities to experience volunteering on their own and participate for a chosen organization or social association that brings assistance to people with social justice and welfare in mind. 

Teaching and learning methods: Lectures, discussions and class assignments will be scheduled four times in total; twice in on-site sessions I and twice in on-site session II. Attendance is mandatory. Volunteer sessions for social associations or organizations will be six in certain number of hours each time and participation needs to be 100%.

The main objectives of evaluation will be discussed, various approaches self- evaluation will be introduced, as well as evaluation standards. Data collection, data analysis and presentation of data will be discussed. Emphasis will be on the relevance of evaluation for developmental purposes in educational settings. Ethical issues pertinent to evaluation will be discussed. Research on program evaluation will be explored.

Emphasis will be on practical assignments concerning students' interests. The course is organised in on-campus sessions and discussions on Zoom. Participants discuss selected topics and literature, work on assignments and organise self-evaluation projects within the field of their own choice. Classes are online (using Zoom), obligatory to attend 2-3 on-campus sessions (decided in consultations with students).

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to work with institutional and systems approaches in working with sustainability and sustainability education with regards to institution and/or systems. Classes are online and built on informed debate and active participation (80% attendance). Few written major assignments will be expected together with student participation. 

To pass the course students need to get minimum grade 5,0 for each assignment and fulfil obligatory attendance and participation in classes. Further information and instructions will be on Canvas (the learning environment).

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Education for sustainability in formal and informal settings (e.g. in workplaces)
• Leadership for sustainability (e.g. whole school or leisure activity change)
• Relations between science and sustainability (e.g. tactic/principle)
• Wicked problems
• Rural development and sustainability
• Creating shared values (including corporate social responsibility) 
• Curriculum change

Course Description:

The goal of this course is for students to acquire theoretical knowledge about effective ways to work with and strengthen groups in school and leisure settings, with emphasis on social and emotional competence, empathy, collaboration, and team cohesion.

Topics:

The course has six themes, with the first four being the main focus:

1. Strong Groups – Their characteristics and the role of professionals in building them.
2. Empathy – What research says and how we teach empathy.
3. Collaboration – What research says and how we teach collaboration.
4. Team Cohesion – Its significance for fostering a positive culture in school and leisure communities.
5. Social and Emotional Competence
6. Flourishing – Its interplay with the societal context to which children and youth belong.

Approach and Methodology:

The course emphasizes balancing various types of learning:

• Acquisition learning
• Discussions
• Investigation/research
• Collaboration
• Activity and practice
• Production

The course is structured with weekly sessions, including in-person modules and remote learning. Students can choose to attend classes in person, participate live on Zoom, or listen to recordings and complete active assignments. Additionally, there are mandatory in-person modules. The course involves lectures, discussions, reading, listening, and watching, as well as project work done both in groups and individually. There is also an overnight trip or a comparable activity in the city. Efforts will be made to connect the course topics as closely as possible to the students’ circumstances and experiences.

Specific group work. The course discusses the main group theories, diagnostic models and how group work can be used in youth and social work as a part of purposeful educational work and in solving specific problems that may arise in the local community of children and young people.

The purpose of this course is that participants get to know the basic techniques used in educational guidance and interdisciplinary collaboration as well as to acquire training in using them. They get acquainted with theoretical discussion on the importance of good collaboration with students, parents and colleagues, and gain an increased understanding of its value. Participants identify and understand the key basic concepts, theories and approaches relating to educational guidance in schools, including cooperation between home and school. 

Objectives- participants:

• recognize different theoretical points of view relating to professional communication and supervision.
• recognize main theories and research on home and school collaboration
• have an understanding of the importance of teacher's role in home and school collaboration
• have an understanding of the impact of their own professional guidance and collaboration
• can discuss and different ways of guidance and cooperation with different parties, e.g. parents and colleagues
• recognize the importance of empowerment  as it relates to cooperation with students, parents and colleagues
• are familiar with the basic skills and competency in interdisciplinary collaboration, such as teamwork

Teaching: Lectures, discussions, individual and group projects. 

Methods: The course is on the post-graduate level. Participants read and work independently and utilize the potential of Moodle for communication and discussions with teachers and other participants in the course. Attendance is expected in on-site sessions.

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 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

The purpose of this course is to enhance students understanding of some major concepts and thories of schools and other eductional institutions as organizations. An emphasis is put on assisting students in applying these concepts and theories to relevant organizational issues and problems.

Outline of content is as follows: A short overview of history and thought in educational administration; conflicts and dilemmas in administration; the school as an open system; the school as an organizational type; bureaucracy and the school; structure, power and politics; the school and its environment; motivation, human resources, equality, goals and goal setting; orgaizational climate and culture; organizatinal effectiveness, decision making and conflicts in organizations.

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.

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.

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.

The main topic of this course is the importance and intitution of health promotion in various setting of society; the workplace, schools, sports as well as within the roam of people‘s leisure time. Various theories underlying health promotion will be introduced and the pros and cons of applying them in real life context will be discussed.  Students will have the platform to learn about the organization, execution and the process of health promotion. Special emphasis will be on introducing different methods to evaluate both the process and outcome of health promoting projects.

The course format is built on lectures and seminars. Active participation in class discussion, project productions and seminars is required.

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.

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to focus on learning, teaching and leisure activities for sustainability. The on-line and campus sessions will be built on informed debate. Three major assignments will be expected together with student participation in organising classes, leading discussions plus a final assignment. The course is taught online and it is obligatory to attend 80% of classes during according to the course plan.

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Activism in learning and teaching
• Place-based and experiential education
• Behavioural change
• Science learning, technology and sustainability
• Creativity, creation of knowledge and social sustainability
• University education, adult learning
• Formal, informal and non-formal learning
• Sustainability as an emerging curriculum area

Theoretical background of the course is based on the science of well-being and how it can be applied in pedagogic and educational setting – or on positive education. Main emphasis is on social- emotional and etical learning or so called SEE learning which is an internatinoal approach aswell as curriculum. We also introduce so called UPRIGHT which is an approach to support students resilience. Other concepts include mindfulness, mindset and strength based approach in pedagogy and education. Methods for working on well-being are presented, such as mindfulness. Main focus is how we can support and teach social, emotional and etical learning as parents, care-takers and educators.
Students’ assignments will both be theoretical and applied to their field of work or interest.
The course is organized with lectures, discussions and workshops. The assessment of the course is partly based on participation.

Place-responsive education is a learning that is rooted in what is local: the unique history, environment, culture, economy, literature, and art of a particular place.

In this course, the local community provides the context for learning. An experiential approach is used and with the perspective of “sailing and the seashore”. Student work focuses on community needs and interests, and community members will, with educators from the university, serve as resources and partners in teaching and the learning process.

A pedagogy of place in outdoor education allows us to discover and inhabit the world in a manner that acknowledges the historical roots and cultural connections to the stories of our people. As such this moves outdoor education and recreation practice into the 21st century. Moves beyond what was the dominant UK (western) paradigm of imperialistic, white, masculine, colonisation of outdoor spaces as wild landscapes to be conquered. As such place connection, and place responsiveness, helps develop a deeper understanding, respect, and care of these places. By connecting with the stories of the past and present it is possible to conceive of what the future stories may be. These new perspectives and understanding help students to consider the bigger questions around global issues; environmental justice, sustainability, and social justice.

The syllabus will typically include:

• an examination of the concept of place in an outdoor pedagogy and how this challenge the dominant underpinning philosophies of the adventure paradigm;
• opportunities to develop curiosity about place and develop a process to apply this in a variety of settings including in a global context;
• an introduction to the contribution that adventurous activities on the water make to place-responsive outdoor education experiences in a coastal location;
• development of personal experience in adventurous activities used in an outdoor pedagogy;
• development of higher education research skills: reading, digital research, and exploration of local museums and archives.

This course is run as a collaboration of the University of Iceland and the Outdoor Learning team at Plymouth Marjon University UK and is supported by Siglunes Watersport Centre, Oceancluster, Reykjavik Maritime museum, Hostelling International, The Icelandic Lighthouse Society and Reykjavík City Museum. 

Work Methods:

The course is based on active students and participation. The course takes place August xx and xx the year 2026 and is based on teaching throughout the day.  Preparation day is June xx  at 16.30-18.

The course covers gender-based violence and prevention. The course objective is twofold. First, students will learn about the main manifestations of gender-based violence, and second, they will develop skills in leading critical discussions and thereby counteract harmful attitudes associated with violence culture in modern society.

The course will cover key theoretical concepts from gender studies that are useful for analyzing and understanding gender-based violence as it occurs in young people's daily lives. We will examine the different positions and opportunities of genders and the impact of ideas about masculinity and femininity on societal attitudes and expectations. Additionally, we will analyze discourses about violence, social status, and equality in a broader context.

Strong emphasis is placed on students’ ability to reflect on their attitudes and work from an intersectional gender perspective.

This course is designed for students in leisure studies, tourism, and teachers’ education (including sport, kindergarten and primary school educators). Also ideal for outdoor educators and field researchers. Emphasis is placed on knowledge and essential skills in risk management and safety planning for outdoor environments. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, equipping students to manage risks effectively in diverse outdoor settings.

Learning Activities:

Lectures/classes: Weekly from Mid-August to end of October. Field trip (3 days): Last week of September or beginning of October.

• Virtual and in house classes focusing on theoretical knowledge and group discussions.
• Independent group work: Collaborative projects where students develop risk management plans and solutions for outdoor education scenarios. Emphases on students tackling real-world outdoor education challenges and applying knowledge to practical scenarios.
• Guest lectures: insights from experts in outdoor education, safety management, and risk assessment.
• Fieldwork (3 days): hands-on learning in outdoor settings to practice risk management and safety skills. Part of the field work is a first aid course focusing on comprehensive training in outdoor-specific first aid.

A significant portion of the course is conducted outdoors and includes hands-on exercises to build practical experience.

Aim:

The aim of the course is that students get aquainted with ideas, theories, and research about the experiences of trans people, as well as the main ideas of critical childhood studies. Emphasis is placed on that participants will become conscious about the reality of trans youth and trans children and the discourse in society about the matter.

Issues:

The concepts of gender, gender binaries, non-binary, intersectionality, trans*, (Cis), care, children’s protection, and children’s rights. Main ideas of trans and queer studies are presented as well as how to use them to understand upbringing, education, society, leisure, and sports. The matter will be approached via critical trans and childhood studies as well as constructivist idea. The school system and other institution will be discussed in light of how many types of discrimination have been created and maintained, and how such systems can maintain trans phobic attitudes and (cis)heteronormativity. New Icelandic and international research is presented. Emphases are placed on training candidates education studies, social education, parent education, teaching at all school levels, leisure studies, management and other professional disciplines to create queer and trans friendly atmosphere in the groups they will work with.

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.

Theoretical background of the course is based on positive psychology or the science of well-being and happiness. It includes topics such as mindset, motivation, emotions, flourishing, autonomy, self-regulation, meaning and life-goals. Methods for working on personal development, well-being and self-knowledge are presented – such as mindfulness, goal setting and working with character strengts and values - all empirically validated intervention strategies.
Students‘ assignments will both be theoretical and applied to their field of work or interest.
The course is organized with lectures, discussions and workshops. The assessment of the course is partly based on participation in work-shops.

This course is about bullying and the students that complete the course should acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities to prevent and intervene in bullying among children and teenagers.

The course is based on theory and research on bullying. The course is both theoretical and practical. The course is intended for all those who want to work with children and teenagers and is therefore suitable for students at the School of Education. Students in other fields are also welcome. The course will cover numerous aspects of bullying, including different manifestations of bullying, effective methods of prevention and intervention, collaboration with parents and guardians, and effective work with victims, perpetrators and bystanders. The course is conducted in Icelandic, but the reading material is in Icelandic and English.

The course is based on lectures, discussion and working sessions, field experiences and student presentations.

Attendance is compulsory for the course (minimum 80%). Attendance is compulsory for distance learners on specific dates. If distance learners miss those session they must make it up by attending other classes instead. Distance learning students can attend all the classes they want. They must do assignments for the classes they dont go to for attendance.

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 overall aim of the course is to develop student´s knowledge and understanding of experiential learning, outdoor education, life skills and reflective practices. There is a special focus on outdoor education as a subject, method and research topic.

From the perspective of experiential education this course deals with the process of playing, learning and developing in the out-of-doors, with an attention to the connection between formal, non-formal and informal learning and the value of leisure studies. 

Students are encouraged to reflect on how learning takes place and to develop skills to organize learning environment that supports experiential learning and active participation of learners.

Experiential learning can be used as method for a skill acquisition; therefore, this course will explore possibilities to work closer with learning life skills within leisure- and school programs. Life skills as a concept involves self-knowledge, communication, creativity, lifestyle and leadership. Student will be given an opportunity to explore research methods used in outdoor education, including participants observation, focus groups and interviews.

Topics such as experiential learning, life skills, outdoor- and adventure education will be addressed, both in theory and practice. The course will attempt to provide opportunities for teachers and students alike, to explore more deeply, the role and value of experiential learning and reflective practices in nature settings.  In this course we also want to give student that are interested in using outdoor education approach with focus on well-being, adventure and nature programs.

Work schedule

The course will take place in August, September, and October, with four study sessions, a discussion session, and work sessions in between.

Study session 1 in Reykjavík: Friday, August 22, 12 noon to Saturday, August 23, 6 pm

Study session 2 outside Reykjavík: Friday, September 12, 12 noon to Sunday, September 14, 4 pm. The stay will be outside Reykjavík. The work will be experientially focused both indoors and outdoors.

Study session 3 outside Reykjavík: Wednesday, October 1, 12 noon-8 pm (Experiential learning in action).

Study session 4 in Reykjavík: Thursday, October 16 (Conference on outdoor education).

Students will keep a reflective journal during the course and prepare and carry out an experiential learning project and a conference.

Attendance is mandatory for the course, which includes the study sessions.

Assessment and emphasis in the course are formulated in collaboration with students and thus try to be faithful to work in an experiential way.

Direct costs related to field trips and travel will be approximately ISK 16.000.

Course Description:

The goal of this course is for students to acquire theoretical knowledge about effective ways to work with and strengthen groups in school and leisure settings, with emphasis on social and emotional competence, empathy, collaboration, and team cohesion.

Topics:

The course has six themes, with the first four being the main focus:

1. Strong Groups – Their characteristics and the role of professionals in building them.
2. Empathy – What research says and how we teach empathy.
3. Collaboration – What research says and how we teach collaboration.
4. Team Cohesion – Its significance for fostering a positive culture in school and leisure communities.
5. Social and Emotional Competence
6. Flourishing – Its interplay with the societal context to which children and youth belong.

Approach and Methodology:

The course emphasizes balancing various types of learning:

• Acquisition learning
• Discussions
• Investigation/research
• Collaboration
• Activity and practice
• Production

The course is structured with weekly sessions, including in-person modules and remote learning. Students can choose to attend classes in person, participate live on Zoom, or listen to recordings and complete active assignments. Additionally, there are mandatory in-person modules. The course involves lectures, discussions, reading, listening, and watching, as well as project work done both in groups and individually. There is also an overnight trip or a comparable activity in the city. Efforts will be made to connect the course topics as closely as possible to the students’ circumstances and experiences.

In this course, the focus is on three main areas: Peer supervision, trauma-informed approach, and the development of learning communities with an emphasis on inter-professional collaboration. The course will also explore laws regarding the integration of services for the well-being of children, considering the enhancement of social and emotional skills in school and leisure activities.

Students receive training in acquiring peer supervision and engaging in in-depth discussions within their work, involving practical exercises in groups. Students become acquainted with a trauma-informed approach within school and leisure activities and work on a plan for a child, a group of children or a workplace, keeping this approach at the forefront.

Inter-professional collaboration is discussed, emphasizing its significance in the successful implementation of new legislation concerning the integration of services for the well-being of children and youth. Additionally, students receive guidance on how to take initiative in the development of learning communities within their workplaces.

The aim of the course content is to enhance students' abilities to promote their own well-being and that of their peers in their workplace and take on leadership roles in school and leisure activities related to enhancing the social and emotional skills of children and youth.

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.

This course focuses on collaboration across practices between professionals within leisure and education. The aim is to enhance student knowledge of the boundaries between professional practices, the benefits of inter-professional collaboration and the challenges that may arise when professionals with different expertise work together with children within education and leisure. Theories on different approaches in collaboration and communities of practice will be explored as well as research on relational trust and expertise. New legislation on integrated service to ensure the well-being of children will be introduced with a focus on the benefits for collaboration across practices that may follow. Students will get the opportunity to use their critical thinking by looking into different concepts and collaboration and draw a conclusion where more collaboration is needed. 

The course suits students that aim to work with children and youth within formal or informal educational institutions. The course is also practical for those who already work within schools, leisure centres or in the sport sector. 

Work style and expectations
Flipped teaching will be supported and lessons will be used for discussions and processing. Students are expected to take an active part in the discussion or submit a reflection if they cannot make it to the discussion time.

All study components must be passed with a minimum grade of 5.0.

The aim of this course is for students to gain theoretical knowledge of the role of middle-leaders in schools and in the field of leisure, with a special emphasis on their professional leadership and the value of interprofessional collaboration in the education system.

Theoretical background of the course is based on the science of well-being and how it can be applied in pedagogic and educational setting – or on positive education. Main emphasis is on social- emotional and etical learning or so called SEE learning which is an internatinoal approach aswell as curriculum. We also introduce so called UPRIGHT which is an approach to support students resilience. Other concepts include mindfulness, mindset and strength based approach in pedagogy and education. Methods for working on well-being are presented, such as mindfulness. Main focus is how we can support and teach social, emotional and etical learning as parents, care-takers and educators.
Students’ assignments will both be theoretical and applied to their field of work or interest.
The course is organized with lectures, discussions and workshops. The assessment of the course is partly based on participation.

The course is open to all M.A. and M.Ed students, and it is an optional course for M.Ed.-students of the special education program.

The focus of this course is on emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD) among children and adolescents. Students learn about the basics of applied behavior analysis, functional behavioral assessment and comprehensive positive behavior support plans.

The learning arrangements consist of lectures and group work.

The course puts the child at the center, its well-being, and rights in everyday life. These factors are explored in relation to the child’s immediate environment: family life, schoolwork, and leisure time, social relationships and participation, mental and physical well-being, violence, and protection as well as social and economic status. Social contexts around child well-being are in focus but also resources and support available to them, considering diversity and the circumstances of children and young people experiencing being vulnerable or marginalized. Concepts related to well-being, prosperity and children's rights will be examined critically, from the perspective of childhood studies and in the light of contemporary challenges. National, Nordic, and international policies for children and young people will be discussed in the light of new emphasis on prosperity in education policy both in Iceland and abroad. Students will in course assignments use new Icelandic research data to analyze factors that promote or reduce the well-being of children and young people.

The course is split up in seven topical themes of which five are the units that the dashboard of childrens prosperity builds on. Students choose one of those five themes and do assignments within that theme to enhance their knowledge and understanding.