The aim of this course is to introduce students to major theories on parenting and to help them prepare for parenting education. The course will have a broad theoretical basis, in order to help students to have a wide focus on the parenting role and best practices.

Aims: The course aims to deepen and broaden students' knowledge base in qualitative research methodology. Main approaches to and characteristics of qualitative research are explored as well as various methods of data collection such as interviews and collection of pre-existing data both visual and textual. In the course students will be introduced to various approaches to data analysis such as thematic analysis, narrative analysis, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. Students will also learn how to present their findings in an organised and responsible manner.

Teaching and learning methods: This course uses flipped learning methods. Videos with lectures for each week are discussed in weekly workshops. Students work together on assignments that are handed in weekly. They also have to work individually on assignments.

Objective

Students should understand and be able to apply the most common statistical methods for data analysis and be capable of evaluating statistical results. The student should possess the skills and knowledge to analyze and communicate numerical information according to the APA-7 publication standard (e.g., in a scientific journal article or thesis) and be able to take initiative in statistical data processing. Additionally, students will be introduced to the main research designs in quantitative methodology.

Content and Topics

The course will cover quantitative research methods and various research designs. In the statistics portion, the main emphasis will be on the structure and interpretation of the general linear model, which encompasses a range of classical statistical methods such as correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students will also learn to apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods. Finally, students will be introduced to single-case designs, the basic principles of Bayesian statistics, and total survey error assessment. Students will learn to perform analyses using statistical software. Strong emphasis will be placed on clear interpretation and communication of quantitative results according to the APA-7 publication standard.

Teaching Method

The course is taught weekly via online meetings, except for two in-person sessions (see weekly schedule), where students and instructors are expected to attend physically. Students may apply for an exemption from attending in person if they live very far away (e.g., residing abroad). Such students will participate in the in-person sessions via remote connection. Students must have the latest stable version of Jamovi (see jamovi.org) installed on their laptops, which they should bring to class.

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

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

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

Students will analyze and critique parent-child interaction theory and research, consider implications for parent-child relationships and parents’ and children’s development, and apply this course material to professional work with families.

The aim of this course is to deepen knowledge of reflective dialogue in parent education (RDPED) and support students in using the approach with parents, in group settings or individual counseling. Students are indroduced to the theoretical background of the RDPED approach and the hourglass method of reflective questioning. Students will have the opportunity to use the method with a parent group and/or in an individual interview, with or without videos. Students plan a teaching practice with a group or individul parents using the reflective dialogue approach.

In this course, discourses about the parental role will be examined. The focus will be on the societal context of the demands placed on parents, including individualization of parenting and intensive mothering. The requirements placed on parents today, such as managing school choices, after-school activities, communication between home and school/after-school programs, homework assistance, nutrition, screen time management, breastfeeding, and the demand to be an informed and conscious parent, will be explored. The origins of these requirements, their impact on parents, and their connection to contemporary ideologies such as neoliberalism, commodification, and expert discourses will be examined in a critical light. Dominant educational trends maintain that parents should act as consumers in the "education market," making school choice and participation in educational settings growing areas of research in educational and parenting studies. International and Icelandic research on parenting and how privileges and marginalization shape parents' ability to meet these demands will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on examining specific groups of people who have been classified as "privileged" and "disadvantaged" parents, connecting to theories about gender, class, origin, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Students will gain insight into parental research in the fields of critical sociology, social psychology, educational science, and theories of power and marginalization.

Aims: The course aims to deepen and broaden students' knowledge base in qualitative research methodology. Main approaches to and characteristics of qualitative research are explored as well as various methods of data collection such as interviews and collection of pre-existing data both visual and textual. In the course students will be introduced to various approaches to data analysis such as thematic analysis, narrative analysis, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. Students will also learn how to present their findings in an organised and responsible manner.

Teaching and learning methods: This course uses flipped learning methods. Videos with lectures for each week are discussed in weekly workshops. Students work together on assignments that are handed in weekly. They also have to work individually on assignments.

Objective

Students should understand and be able to apply the most common statistical methods for data analysis and be capable of evaluating statistical results. The student should possess the skills and knowledge to analyze and communicate numerical information according to the APA-7 publication standard (e.g., in a scientific journal article or thesis) and be able to take initiative in statistical data processing. Additionally, students will be introduced to the main research designs in quantitative methodology.

Content and Topics

The course will cover quantitative research methods and various research designs. In the statistics portion, the main emphasis will be on the structure and interpretation of the general linear model, which encompasses a range of classical statistical methods such as correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students will also learn to apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods. Finally, students will be introduced to single-case designs, the basic principles of Bayesian statistics, and total survey error assessment. Students will learn to perform analyses using statistical software. Strong emphasis will be placed on clear interpretation and communication of quantitative results according to the APA-7 publication standard.

Teaching Method

The course is taught weekly via online meetings, except for two in-person sessions (see weekly schedule), where students and instructors are expected to attend physically. Students may apply for an exemption from attending in person if they live very far away (e.g., residing abroad). Such students will participate in the in-person sessions via remote connection. Students must have the latest stable version of Jamovi (see jamovi.org) installed on their laptops, which they should bring to class.

Students will examine adult, adolescent, and parent learning and development from the perspective of their relevance for parent education. Research information and variety of theoretical perspectives will be presented and critiqued. Personal professional development will be facilitated through challenging assumptions and examining knowledge and competencies required for parent educators.

NB The course is taught both in Icelandic and English.

The MA final project/thesis is an individual research project. 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 choice of topic is primarily the responsbility of the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation. 

In most cases preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for the MA projects which are published on the Ugla (Owl) intranet: Schools >> School of Education >> Master's Thesis.

The MA final project/thesis is an individual research project. 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 choice of topic is primarily the responsbility of the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation. 

In most cases preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for the MA projects which are published on the Ugla (Owl) intranet: Schools >> School of Education >> Master's Thesis.

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 behaviours and attitudes. It emphasises the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in children's welfare, linked to preventive work and the development of response plans. The instruction is delivered through lectures, recordings, discussions, and assignments.

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 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.

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.

The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to present their theoretical knowledge and research to listeners of the Icelandic Public Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið). Students will be introduced to public radio as a medium and trained in radio programming and in presenting theoretical material in simple manners suitable for broadcasting in public radio.

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 international approach as well 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.

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

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

The main goal of this course is for students to acquire a solid understanding of children's language development from infancy through adolescence, along with the fundamental influencing factors. The main emphasis is on increasing students’ proficiency in providing children with high-quality language intervention as a foundation for education and reading. Further, the students are encouraged to link together science and practice and to connect the topics with their prior experience. The emphasis is on the students getting to know Icelandic and international research in the field, and what teachers can learn from the research results on what experience, education, communication, and intervention, both at home and in school, provide the best practice for good language development

Central topics of the course: Development of language with a historical perspective, living conditions, motivation, and natural competence of newborns. Development of language from birth: phonemic development, vocabulary, grammar, and communication skills. The importance of quality language input, at home and at school. The relation between language proficiency and cognitive and social skills, and literacy. The primary disorders of language and speech include developmental language disorder (DLD), speech-sound disorder, and stuttering. Language development of multi/bilingual children. The importance of early intervention and general language stimulation. Informal language assessment on individual children's language skills, as well as design and plan teaching, whose central aim is to support and provide children with opportunities to develop their language skills to become active language users.

In the course, the evaluation theory will be shortly introduced. The main emphasis will be on doing an evaluation project in a professional field of students' own choice.
The course is organised around an evaluation project that includes defining research questions, building an argument for the selected evaluation approach and data collection method, analysing the data, and writing and presenting a final report.

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 aim of course is to introduce to students the journalistic profession with an emphasis on reporting and producing news for different media.  Main concepts and methods in newswriting are discussed, such as news values, news gathering and news construction. Students will be trained in writing in a focused, accurate and articulate manner.  Students will get a basic training in using social media to gather and distribute content.

Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and at times for other news media.

The aim of course is to introduce to students the journalistic profession with an emphasis on reporting and producing news for different media.  Main concepts and methods in newswriting are discussed, such as news values, news gathering and news construction. Students will be trained in writing in a focused, accurate and articulate manner.  Students will get a basic training in using social media to gather and distribute content.

Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and at times for other news media.

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

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

Adult educators can profit from ideas and tools both from the disciplin of Marketing as well as Andragogy in order to plan and promote learning opportunities: programs and courses, for adult learners.

In this course participants will learn how to combine ideas developed within the field of marketing with similar ideas developed within the field of andragogy, when planning and implementing courses and programmes for adult learners

The course Interactive and empowering education offers an opportunity to learn practical aspects of teaching, presentation and creative work with groups. The course is open to all students of the University of Iceland – and through Endurmenntun Háskóla Íslands – also others. It is offered both in the autumn and spring term. The course organisation is such that participants take three short practical courses, each one aimed at training a specific competence within the field of teaching, presentation and facilitation (see list below) to finish this course students finish at least three such courses. 

The practical, competence courses fall into four categories and the student can take courses from all the categories or focus on one of them. 

Interactive and empowering education 

• Professional communication in learning and collaboration
• Activating methods for groups
• The teacher or leader as a facilitator

Presentation of learning materials

• Effective presentation
• Visual presentation for meetings and education

Democratic and creative methods with groups

• Open Space Technology
• The Pin Point method / Moderation
• World Café
• Creative Problem Solving

Information technology for learning and interactivity

• Actual technologies and methods for learning and teachng
• Effective video conferencing
• Creating learning materials with sound and image / video

The aims of this course are to prepare participants to use theories and methods to evaluate, assess and critically analize the results of educational programmes aimed at adults.

During this course participants acquaint themselves with central ideas of quality management and programme evaluation, and familiarize themselves with a few prominent models of quality assurance and evaluation. Participants  engage themselves with the critical discussion on quality management with the aim of being able to critically discern founding ideas various models build on and their consequences. 

Contents
Quality assurance and quality management, programme evaluation. Important ideas, models and methods for quality assurance and programme evaluation.

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

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.

Ideas of inclusion, multicultural education, and special needs education are essential to effective schools serving diverse student groups.

The primary purpose of the course is to give students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of research and theories in inclusive education and multicultural studies in Iceland and other countries.

Research and theories on the marginalisation of children and youth in the school system will be discussed in the context of equity, equality, and human rights. Inclusive and multicultural education in a historical and international context, as well as the status of minorities and refugees, will also be discussed.

The term intersectionality draws attention to the fact that when variables such as race, language, religion, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality intersect, they have a cumulative effect on students' status.

This course has the general aim of helping students to deepen their knowledge and skills in assessing adults' skills and knowledge. Assessment is a central aspect of all organized learning interventions. Professionals in this field therefore need to master various aspects of assessing learning achieved during specific courses or knowledge and skills acquired through informal ways. During this course students learn both theories and methods which can be seen as a useful basis to organize and carry out various forms of assessment of lerning, both formally and informally in various situations where adult knowledge and skills need to be measured for one reason or another. 

One of the first steps in designing learning activities for adults is to analyse and assess learning needs the potential learners might have. Recently the task of analysing and assessing learning needs has become a task adult educators have to take on in cooperation with their or their organisations clients. Companies which contact so called "learning providers" more and more expect their partners to enter into cooperation with them in order to talormake learning interventions aimed at raising the competencies of their staff.

Form of instruction: 
Blended learning: A mix of contact sessions and collaborative online learning.

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.

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.

This course explores parenting roles and experiences across diverse and international contexts. Students will expand their awareness of a range of parenting roles, values, and perspectives and consider multiple cultural, social, political and ecological factors which may influence parenting. Such factors include cultural traditions and expectations of parents, children, and the parent-child relationship. Students will also reflect on how their own experiences with and perspectives on parenting and family life may influence their lens for viewing parental practices and connecting with children and families. 

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.

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

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

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

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

The learning arrangements consist of lectures and group work.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to major theories on parenting and to help them prepare for parenting education. The course will have a broad theoretical basis, in order to help students to have a wide focus on the parenting role and best practices.

Aims: The course aims to deepen and broaden students' knowledge base in qualitative research methodology. Main approaches to and characteristics of qualitative research are explored as well as various methods of data collection such as interviews and collection of pre-existing data both visual and textual. In the course students will be introduced to various approaches to data analysis such as thematic analysis, narrative analysis, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. Students will also learn how to present their findings in an organised and responsible manner.

Teaching and learning methods: This course uses flipped learning methods. Videos with lectures for each week are discussed in weekly workshops. Students work together on assignments that are handed in weekly. They also have to work individually on assignments.

Objective

Students should understand and be able to apply the most common statistical methods for data analysis and be capable of evaluating statistical results. The student should possess the skills and knowledge to analyze and communicate numerical information according to the APA-7 publication standard (e.g., in a scientific journal article or thesis) and be able to take initiative in statistical data processing. Additionally, students will be introduced to the main research designs in quantitative methodology.

Content and Topics

The course will cover quantitative research methods and various research designs. In the statistics portion, the main emphasis will be on the structure and interpretation of the general linear model, which encompasses a range of classical statistical methods such as correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students will also learn to apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods. Finally, students will be introduced to single-case designs, the basic principles of Bayesian statistics, and total survey error assessment. Students will learn to perform analyses using statistical software. Strong emphasis will be placed on clear interpretation and communication of quantitative results according to the APA-7 publication standard.

Teaching Method

The course is taught weekly via online meetings, except for two in-person sessions (see weekly schedule), where students and instructors are expected to attend physically. Students may apply for an exemption from attending in person if they live very far away (e.g., residing abroad). Such students will participate in the in-person sessions via remote connection. Students must have the latest stable version of Jamovi (see jamovi.org) installed on their laptops, which they should bring to class.

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

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

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

Students will analyze and critique parent-child interaction theory and research, consider implications for parent-child relationships and parents’ and children’s development, and apply this course material to professional work with families.

The aim of this course is to deepen knowledge of reflective dialogue in parent education (RDPED) and support students in using the approach with parents, in group settings or individual counseling. Students are indroduced to the theoretical background of the RDPED approach and the hourglass method of reflective questioning. Students will have the opportunity to use the method with a parent group and/or in an individual interview, with or without videos. Students plan a teaching practice with a group or individul parents using the reflective dialogue approach.

In this course, discourses about the parental role will be examined. The focus will be on the societal context of the demands placed on parents, including individualization of parenting and intensive mothering. The requirements placed on parents today, such as managing school choices, after-school activities, communication between home and school/after-school programs, homework assistance, nutrition, screen time management, breastfeeding, and the demand to be an informed and conscious parent, will be explored. The origins of these requirements, their impact on parents, and their connection to contemporary ideologies such as neoliberalism, commodification, and expert discourses will be examined in a critical light. Dominant educational trends maintain that parents should act as consumers in the "education market," making school choice and participation in educational settings growing areas of research in educational and parenting studies. International and Icelandic research on parenting and how privileges and marginalization shape parents' ability to meet these demands will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on examining specific groups of people who have been classified as "privileged" and "disadvantaged" parents, connecting to theories about gender, class, origin, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Students will gain insight into parental research in the fields of critical sociology, social psychology, educational science, and theories of power and marginalization.

Aims: The course aims to deepen and broaden students' knowledge base in qualitative research methodology. Main approaches to and characteristics of qualitative research are explored as well as various methods of data collection such as interviews and collection of pre-existing data both visual and textual. In the course students will be introduced to various approaches to data analysis such as thematic analysis, narrative analysis, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. Students will also learn how to present their findings in an organised and responsible manner.

Teaching and learning methods: This course uses flipped learning methods. Videos with lectures for each week are discussed in weekly workshops. Students work together on assignments that are handed in weekly. They also have to work individually on assignments.

Objective

Students should understand and be able to apply the most common statistical methods for data analysis and be capable of evaluating statistical results. The student should possess the skills and knowledge to analyze and communicate numerical information according to the APA-7 publication standard (e.g., in a scientific journal article or thesis) and be able to take initiative in statistical data processing. Additionally, students will be introduced to the main research designs in quantitative methodology.

Content and Topics

The course will cover quantitative research methods and various research designs. In the statistics portion, the main emphasis will be on the structure and interpretation of the general linear model, which encompasses a range of classical statistical methods such as correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students will also learn to apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods. Finally, students will be introduced to single-case designs, the basic principles of Bayesian statistics, and total survey error assessment. Students will learn to perform analyses using statistical software. Strong emphasis will be placed on clear interpretation and communication of quantitative results according to the APA-7 publication standard.

Teaching Method

The course is taught weekly via online meetings, except for two in-person sessions (see weekly schedule), where students and instructors are expected to attend physically. Students may apply for an exemption from attending in person if they live very far away (e.g., residing abroad). Such students will participate in the in-person sessions via remote connection. Students must have the latest stable version of Jamovi (see jamovi.org) installed on their laptops, which they should bring to class.

Students will examine adult, adolescent, and parent learning and development from the perspective of their relevance for parent education. Research information and variety of theoretical perspectives will be presented and critiqued. Personal professional development will be facilitated through challenging assumptions and examining knowledge and competencies required for parent educators.

NB The course is taught both in Icelandic and English.

The MA final project/thesis is an individual research project. 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 choice of topic is primarily the responsbility of the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation. 

In most cases preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for the MA projects which are published on the Ugla (Owl) intranet: Schools >> School of Education >> Master's Thesis.

The MA final project/thesis is an individual research project. 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 choice of topic is primarily the responsbility of the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation. 

In most cases preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for the MA projects which are published on the Ugla (Owl) intranet: Schools >> School of Education >> Master's Thesis.

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 behaviours and attitudes. It emphasises the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in children's welfare, linked to preventive work and the development of response plans. The instruction is delivered through lectures, recordings, discussions, and assignments.

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 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.

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.

The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to present their theoretical knowledge and research to listeners of the Icelandic Public Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið). Students will be introduced to public radio as a medium and trained in radio programming and in presenting theoretical material in simple manners suitable for broadcasting in public radio.

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 international approach as well 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.

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

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

The main goal of this course is for students to acquire a solid understanding of children's language development from infancy through adolescence, along with the fundamental influencing factors. The main emphasis is on increasing students’ proficiency in providing children with high-quality language intervention as a foundation for education and reading. Further, the students are encouraged to link together science and practice and to connect the topics with their prior experience. The emphasis is on the students getting to know Icelandic and international research in the field, and what teachers can learn from the research results on what experience, education, communication, and intervention, both at home and in school, provide the best practice for good language development

Central topics of the course: Development of language with a historical perspective, living conditions, motivation, and natural competence of newborns. Development of language from birth: phonemic development, vocabulary, grammar, and communication skills. The importance of quality language input, at home and at school. The relation between language proficiency and cognitive and social skills, and literacy. The primary disorders of language and speech include developmental language disorder (DLD), speech-sound disorder, and stuttering. Language development of multi/bilingual children. The importance of early intervention and general language stimulation. Informal language assessment on individual children's language skills, as well as design and plan teaching, whose central aim is to support and provide children with opportunities to develop their language skills to become active language users.

In the course, the evaluation theory will be shortly introduced. The main emphasis will be on doing an evaluation project in a professional field of students' own choice.
The course is organised around an evaluation project that includes defining research questions, building an argument for the selected evaluation approach and data collection method, analysing the data, and writing and presenting a final report.

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 aim of course is to introduce to students the journalistic profession with an emphasis on reporting and producing news for different media.  Main concepts and methods in newswriting are discussed, such as news values, news gathering and news construction. Students will be trained in writing in a focused, accurate and articulate manner.  Students will get a basic training in using social media to gather and distribute content.

Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and at times for other news media.

The aim of course is to introduce to students the journalistic profession with an emphasis on reporting and producing news for different media.  Main concepts and methods in newswriting are discussed, such as news values, news gathering and news construction. Students will be trained in writing in a focused, accurate and articulate manner.  Students will get a basic training in using social media to gather and distribute content.

Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and at times for other news media.

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

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

Adult educators can profit from ideas and tools both from the disciplin of Marketing as well as Andragogy in order to plan and promote learning opportunities: programs and courses, for adult learners.

In this course participants will learn how to combine ideas developed within the field of marketing with similar ideas developed within the field of andragogy, when planning and implementing courses and programmes for adult learners

The course Interactive and empowering education offers an opportunity to learn practical aspects of teaching, presentation and creative work with groups. The course is open to all students of the University of Iceland – and through Endurmenntun Háskóla Íslands – also others. It is offered both in the autumn and spring term. The course organisation is such that participants take three short practical courses, each one aimed at training a specific competence within the field of teaching, presentation and facilitation (see list below) to finish this course students finish at least three such courses. 

The practical, competence courses fall into four categories and the student can take courses from all the categories or focus on one of them. 

Interactive and empowering education 

• Professional communication in learning and collaboration
• Activating methods for groups
• The teacher or leader as a facilitator

Presentation of learning materials

• Effective presentation
• Visual presentation for meetings and education

Democratic and creative methods with groups

• Open Space Technology
• The Pin Point method / Moderation
• World Café
• Creative Problem Solving

Information technology for learning and interactivity

• Actual technologies and methods for learning and teachng
• Effective video conferencing
• Creating learning materials with sound and image / video

The aims of this course are to prepare participants to use theories and methods to evaluate, assess and critically analize the results of educational programmes aimed at adults.

During this course participants acquaint themselves with central ideas of quality management and programme evaluation, and familiarize themselves with a few prominent models of quality assurance and evaluation. Participants  engage themselves with the critical discussion on quality management with the aim of being able to critically discern founding ideas various models build on and their consequences. 

Contents
Quality assurance and quality management, programme evaluation. Important ideas, models and methods for quality assurance and programme evaluation.

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

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.

Ideas of inclusion, multicultural education, and special needs education are essential to effective schools serving diverse student groups.

The primary purpose of the course is to give students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of research and theories in inclusive education and multicultural studies in Iceland and other countries.

Research and theories on the marginalisation of children and youth in the school system will be discussed in the context of equity, equality, and human rights. Inclusive and multicultural education in a historical and international context, as well as the status of minorities and refugees, will also be discussed.

The term intersectionality draws attention to the fact that when variables such as race, language, religion, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality intersect, they have a cumulative effect on students' status.

This course has the general aim of helping students to deepen their knowledge and skills in assessing adults' skills and knowledge. Assessment is a central aspect of all organized learning interventions. Professionals in this field therefore need to master various aspects of assessing learning achieved during specific courses or knowledge and skills acquired through informal ways. During this course students learn both theories and methods which can be seen as a useful basis to organize and carry out various forms of assessment of lerning, both formally and informally in various situations where adult knowledge and skills need to be measured for one reason or another. 

One of the first steps in designing learning activities for adults is to analyse and assess learning needs the potential learners might have. Recently the task of analysing and assessing learning needs has become a task adult educators have to take on in cooperation with their or their organisations clients. Companies which contact so called "learning providers" more and more expect their partners to enter into cooperation with them in order to talormake learning interventions aimed at raising the competencies of their staff.

Form of instruction: 
Blended learning: A mix of contact sessions and collaborative online learning.

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.

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.

This course explores parenting roles and experiences across diverse and international contexts. Students will expand their awareness of a range of parenting roles, values, and perspectives and consider multiple cultural, social, political and ecological factors which may influence parenting. Such factors include cultural traditions and expectations of parents, children, and the parent-child relationship. Students will also reflect on how their own experiences with and perspectives on parenting and family life may influence their lens for viewing parental practices and connecting with children and families. 

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.

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

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

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

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

The learning arrangements consist of lectures and group work.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to major theories on parenting and to help them prepare for parenting education. The course will have a broad theoretical basis, in order to help students to have a wide focus on the parenting role and best practices.

Aims: The course aims to deepen and broaden students' knowledge base in qualitative research methodology. Main approaches to and characteristics of qualitative research are explored as well as various methods of data collection such as interviews and collection of pre-existing data both visual and textual. In the course students will be introduced to various approaches to data analysis such as thematic analysis, narrative analysis, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. Students will also learn how to present their findings in an organised and responsible manner.

Teaching and learning methods: This course uses flipped learning methods. Videos with lectures for each week are discussed in weekly workshops. Students work together on assignments that are handed in weekly. They also have to work individually on assignments.

Objective

Students should understand and be able to apply the most common statistical methods for data analysis and be capable of evaluating statistical results. The student should possess the skills and knowledge to analyze and communicate numerical information according to the APA-7 publication standard (e.g., in a scientific journal article or thesis) and be able to take initiative in statistical data processing. Additionally, students will be introduced to the main research designs in quantitative methodology.

Content and Topics

The course will cover quantitative research methods and various research designs. In the statistics portion, the main emphasis will be on the structure and interpretation of the general linear model, which encompasses a range of classical statistical methods such as correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students will also learn to apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods. Finally, students will be introduced to single-case designs, the basic principles of Bayesian statistics, and total survey error assessment. Students will learn to perform analyses using statistical software. Strong emphasis will be placed on clear interpretation and communication of quantitative results according to the APA-7 publication standard.

Teaching Method

The course is taught weekly via online meetings, except for two in-person sessions (see weekly schedule), where students and instructors are expected to attend physically. Students may apply for an exemption from attending in person if they live very far away (e.g., residing abroad). Such students will participate in the in-person sessions via remote connection. Students must have the latest stable version of Jamovi (see jamovi.org) installed on their laptops, which they should bring to class.

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

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

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

Students will analyze and critique parent-child interaction theory and research, consider implications for parent-child relationships and parents’ and children’s development, and apply this course material to professional work with families.

The aim of this course is to deepen knowledge of reflective dialogue in parent education (RDPED) and support students in using the approach with parents, in group settings or individual counseling. Students are indroduced to the theoretical background of the RDPED approach and the hourglass method of reflective questioning. Students will have the opportunity to use the method with a parent group and/or in an individual interview, with or without videos. Students plan a teaching practice with a group or individul parents using the reflective dialogue approach.

In this course, discourses about the parental role will be examined. The focus will be on the societal context of the demands placed on parents, including individualization of parenting and intensive mothering. The requirements placed on parents today, such as managing school choices, after-school activities, communication between home and school/after-school programs, homework assistance, nutrition, screen time management, breastfeeding, and the demand to be an informed and conscious parent, will be explored. The origins of these requirements, their impact on parents, and their connection to contemporary ideologies such as neoliberalism, commodification, and expert discourses will be examined in a critical light. Dominant educational trends maintain that parents should act as consumers in the "education market," making school choice and participation in educational settings growing areas of research in educational and parenting studies. International and Icelandic research on parenting and how privileges and marginalization shape parents' ability to meet these demands will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on examining specific groups of people who have been classified as "privileged" and "disadvantaged" parents, connecting to theories about gender, class, origin, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Students will gain insight into parental research in the fields of critical sociology, social psychology, educational science, and theories of power and marginalization.

Aims: The course aims to deepen and broaden students' knowledge base in qualitative research methodology. Main approaches to and characteristics of qualitative research are explored as well as various methods of data collection such as interviews and collection of pre-existing data both visual and textual. In the course students will be introduced to various approaches to data analysis such as thematic analysis, narrative analysis, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. Students will also learn how to present their findings in an organised and responsible manner.

Teaching and learning methods: This course uses flipped learning methods. Videos with lectures for each week are discussed in weekly workshops. Students work together on assignments that are handed in weekly. They also have to work individually on assignments.

Objective

Students should understand and be able to apply the most common statistical methods for data analysis and be capable of evaluating statistical results. The student should possess the skills and knowledge to analyze and communicate numerical information according to the APA-7 publication standard (e.g., in a scientific journal article or thesis) and be able to take initiative in statistical data processing. Additionally, students will be introduced to the main research designs in quantitative methodology.

Content and Topics

The course will cover quantitative research methods and various research designs. In the statistics portion, the main emphasis will be on the structure and interpretation of the general linear model, which encompasses a range of classical statistical methods such as correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students will also learn to apply exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods. Finally, students will be introduced to single-case designs, the basic principles of Bayesian statistics, and total survey error assessment. Students will learn to perform analyses using statistical software. Strong emphasis will be placed on clear interpretation and communication of quantitative results according to the APA-7 publication standard.

Teaching Method

The course is taught weekly via online meetings, except for two in-person sessions (see weekly schedule), where students and instructors are expected to attend physically. Students may apply for an exemption from attending in person if they live very far away (e.g., residing abroad). Such students will participate in the in-person sessions via remote connection. Students must have the latest stable version of Jamovi (see jamovi.org) installed on their laptops, which they should bring to class.

Students will examine adult, adolescent, and parent learning and development from the perspective of their relevance for parent education. Research information and variety of theoretical perspectives will be presented and critiqued. Personal professional development will be facilitated through challenging assumptions and examining knowledge and competencies required for parent educators.

NB The course is taught both in Icelandic and English.

The MA final project/thesis is an individual research project. 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 choice of topic is primarily the responsbility of the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation. 

In most cases preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for the MA projects which are published on the Ugla (Owl) intranet: Schools >> School of Education >> Master's Thesis.

The MA final project/thesis is an individual research project. 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 choice of topic is primarily the responsbility of the student in collaboration with his or her project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation. 

In most cases preparation for and work on the project takes at least two semesters. Students should follow the more detailed instructions and rules for the MA projects which are published on the Ugla (Owl) intranet: Schools >> School of Education >> Master's Thesis.

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 behaviours and attitudes. It emphasises the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in children's welfare, linked to preventive work and the development of response plans. The instruction is delivered through lectures, recordings, discussions, and assignments.

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 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.

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.

The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to present their theoretical knowledge and research to listeners of the Icelandic Public Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið). Students will be introduced to public radio as a medium and trained in radio programming and in presenting theoretical material in simple manners suitable for broadcasting in public radio.

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 international approach as well 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.

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

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

The main goal of this course is for students to acquire a solid understanding of children's language development from infancy through adolescence, along with the fundamental influencing factors. The main emphasis is on increasing students’ proficiency in providing children with high-quality language intervention as a foundation for education and reading. Further, the students are encouraged to link together science and practice and to connect the topics with their prior experience. The emphasis is on the students getting to know Icelandic and international research in the field, and what teachers can learn from the research results on what experience, education, communication, and intervention, both at home and in school, provide the best practice for good language development

Central topics of the course: Development of language with a historical perspective, living conditions, motivation, and natural competence of newborns. Development of language from birth: phonemic development, vocabulary, grammar, and communication skills. The importance of quality language input, at home and at school. The relation between language proficiency and cognitive and social skills, and literacy. The primary disorders of language and speech include developmental language disorder (DLD), speech-sound disorder, and stuttering. Language development of multi/bilingual children. The importance of early intervention and general language stimulation. Informal language assessment on individual children's language skills, as well as design and plan teaching, whose central aim is to support and provide children with opportunities to develop their language skills to become active language users.

In the course, the evaluation theory will be shortly introduced. The main emphasis will be on doing an evaluation project in a professional field of students' own choice.
The course is organised around an evaluation project that includes defining research questions, building an argument for the selected evaluation approach and data collection method, analysing the data, and writing and presenting a final report.

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 aim of course is to introduce to students the journalistic profession with an emphasis on reporting and producing news for different media.  Main concepts and methods in newswriting are discussed, such as news values, news gathering and news construction. Students will be trained in writing in a focused, accurate and articulate manner.  Students will get a basic training in using social media to gather and distribute content.

Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and at times for other news media.

The aim of course is to introduce to students the journalistic profession with an emphasis on reporting and producing news for different media.  Main concepts and methods in newswriting are discussed, such as news values, news gathering and news construction. Students will be trained in writing in a focused, accurate and articulate manner.  Students will get a basic training in using social media to gather and distribute content.

Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and at times for other news media.

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

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

Adult educators can profit from ideas and tools both from the disciplin of Marketing as well as Andragogy in order to plan and promote learning opportunities: programs and courses, for adult learners.

In this course participants will learn how to combine ideas developed within the field of marketing with similar ideas developed within the field of andragogy, when planning and implementing courses and programmes for adult learners

The course Interactive and empowering education offers an opportunity to learn practical aspects of teaching, presentation and creative work with groups. The course is open to all students of the University of Iceland – and through Endurmenntun Háskóla Íslands – also others. It is offered both in the autumn and spring term. The course organisation is such that participants take three short practical courses, each one aimed at training a specific competence within the field of teaching, presentation and facilitation (see list below) to finish this course students finish at least three such courses. 

The practical, competence courses fall into four categories and the student can take courses from all the categories or focus on one of them. 

Interactive and empowering education 

• Professional communication in learning and collaboration
• Activating methods for groups
• The teacher or leader as a facilitator

Presentation of learning materials

• Effective presentation
• Visual presentation for meetings and education

Democratic and creative methods with groups

• Open Space Technology
• The Pin Point method / Moderation
• World Café
• Creative Problem Solving

Information technology for learning and interactivity

• Actual technologies and methods for learning and teachng
• Effective video conferencing
• Creating learning materials with sound and image / video

The aims of this course are to prepare participants to use theories and methods to evaluate, assess and critically analize the results of educational programmes aimed at adults.

During this course participants acquaint themselves with central ideas of quality management and programme evaluation, and familiarize themselves with a few prominent models of quality assurance and evaluation. Participants  engage themselves with the critical discussion on quality management with the aim of being able to critically discern founding ideas various models build on and their consequences. 

Contents
Quality assurance and quality management, programme evaluation. Important ideas, models and methods for quality assurance and programme evaluation.

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

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.

Ideas of inclusion, multicultural education, and special needs education are essential to effective schools serving diverse student groups.

The primary purpose of the course is to give students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of research and theories in inclusive education and multicultural studies in Iceland and other countries.

Research and theories on the marginalisation of children and youth in the school system will be discussed in the context of equity, equality, and human rights. Inclusive and multicultural education in a historical and international context, as well as the status of minorities and refugees, will also be discussed.

The term intersectionality draws attention to the fact that when variables such as race, language, religion, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality intersect, they have a cumulative effect on students' status.

This course has the general aim of helping students to deepen their knowledge and skills in assessing adults' skills and knowledge. Assessment is a central aspect of all organized learning interventions. Professionals in this field therefore need to master various aspects of assessing learning achieved during specific courses or knowledge and skills acquired through informal ways. During this course students learn both theories and methods which can be seen as a useful basis to organize and carry out various forms of assessment of lerning, both formally and informally in various situations where adult knowledge and skills need to be measured for one reason or another. 

One of the first steps in designing learning activities for adults is to analyse and assess learning needs the potential learners might have. Recently the task of analysing and assessing learning needs has become a task adult educators have to take on in cooperation with their or their organisations clients. Companies which contact so called "learning providers" more and more expect their partners to enter into cooperation with them in order to talormake learning interventions aimed at raising the competencies of their staff.

Form of instruction: 
Blended learning: A mix of contact sessions and collaborative online learning.

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.

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.

This course explores parenting roles and experiences across diverse and international contexts. Students will expand their awareness of a range of parenting roles, values, and perspectives and consider multiple cultural, social, political and ecological factors which may influence parenting. Such factors include cultural traditions and expectations of parents, children, and the parent-child relationship. Students will also reflect on how their own experiences with and perspectives on parenting and family life may influence their lens for viewing parental practices and connecting with children and families. 

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.

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

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

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

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

The learning arrangements consist of lectures and group work.