This course aims at ensure basic skills in research work and prepare students for their studies. Students gain insight in the basic skills of academic writing. Important issues in organizing essays and reports will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on training students in writing professionally, using proper language. Students will for example turn in an assignment where they practice finding references with search engines, use them and report them correctly.

The course evaluation is built on weekly assignments and a short written essay is submitted at the end of the course.

The course focuses on practical professional communication, especially as it relates to prospective work in the fields of social pedagogy and youth work.

The students use several methods and media in their work, including drama, speech and digital media, analysing their own and others' ways of interacting in order to increase their communicative competence.

The subjects of the course is social interaction, co-operation and learning assistance for students who may need assistance and / or support in their studies at School of Education.

This course will focus on new emphases and innovations in education with a focus on inclusive education and universal design. Coaching, equality, inclusive society and human rights will also be discussed in a broad context. Ways will be introduced to enhance the educational and social participation of students in the university in a variety of ways. At the end of the course, students receive  confirmation that they have completed the course which they can, for example, use in their CV.  

The Collaboration with fellow students usually take three lessons a week. The collaboration may include educational assistance, for example in project work or spending time together at the library or Háma and participation in social events on behalf of student associations. There will be five meetings with teachers in the first half off the semester  as well as one working day where students receive support and training. In addition, students can book meetings as needed with the course teachers.

Students do a journal and submit a final report on their experience.

The objective of this course is to equip students with the ability to connect their community, professional field, and academic discipline to theoretical frameworks addressing discrimination and privilege. The course introduces a range of theories that provide insights into understanding contemporary society. Topics include social discrimination and privilege, with a particular emphasis on social class, gender, race, disability and sexuality, specifically within the context of the professional practice of leisure and youth workers.

Students prepare for the job training at school and then they go to a workplace for 4-6 weeks on the field of work that falls within the School of Education's, for example, kindergarten work, leisure activities and social activities, and work related to empowerment, interests and participation of disabled people. 

Preparation is in lectures, group work and project work. Students will also create a cv, keep a diary and give presentations about their own work study.

Students will work under guidance in their job training. Lectures, discussion groups, individual assignments, group work and research work will all be part of the course.  Attendance is compulsory.

The subjects of the course is social interaction, co-operation and learning assistance for students who may need assistance and / or support in their studies at School of Education.

This course will focus on new emphases and innovations in education with a focus on inclusive education and universal design. Equality, inclusive society and human rights will also be discussed in a broad context. Ways will be introduced to enhance the educational and social participation of students in the university in a variety of ways. Emphasis on collaboration with students regarding the structure of the course.

Students do a journal and submit a final report on their experience.

The course is divided into two parts and is organized like prior courses, there is attendance in schools and the job training itself is in kindergartens, recreational centers, libraries and in the field of disability. Students should gain more independence in their work and more responsibility is given to students at the job training location as well as receiving more and more complex assignments. Students will also complete a final assignment at the job training location, which they prepare and work on all semester. Students will keep on working on the projects, prepare and seek out teachers during interview hoursThe students will also create a presentation about their workplace and a final assignment that they will present in an open seminar of diploma students in May. Special emphasis will be placed on students taking extra responsibility and setting goals that they will complete at their job training location.

Topic: Before students go out to the workplace, their duties are discussed as well as setting forth goals and the responsibility the students have in their job training. The final assignment that students present will be discussed especially. At the end of January students will have begun working on ideas of what they wish to tackle. During the job training period in March/april students will meet the teacher during interview meetings when necessary. The teacher will also meet students during individual meetings and in smaller groups when students commence their presentations which their present in an open seminar of diploma students in May. In April most of the preparation work is done as well as exercises for the seminar. Students should also update their cvs that did during the second semester. Students will write a diary as before.

Working methods: Students will work under the guidance of a mentor at the job training location, there will be lectures, discussions, individual assignments, group work, research work, individual teaching. Attendance is compulsory in the course.

Students prepare for the job training at school and then they go to a workplace for 4-6 weeks on the field of work that falls within the School of Education's, for example, kindergarten work, leisure activities and social activities, and work related to empowerment, interests and participation of disabled people.

Preparation is in lectures, group work and project work. Students will also work at their cv, keep a diary and give presentations about their own work study.

Students will work under guidance in their job training. Lectures, discussion groups, individual assignments, group work and research work will all be part of the course. Attendance is compulsory.

The topic of this course is inclusive research methods which involve people with intellectual disabilities as instigators of ideas, research designers, interviewers, data analysts, authors, disseminators, and users. Students will be introduced to different aspects of the research process from an idea to dissemination. Students will learn about how to seek permission to conduct research and trained in interview technique. Various methods of dissemination will be introduced such as photo essays and academic papers. Inclusive research is directly linked to legal and international (CRPD) obligations to involve disabled people in development and implementation of legislation, policies and decision-making process concerning issues relation to disabled people. This course is a good preparation for those who will be involved in such collaboration in the future.

The main goal of this course is to shed light on the historical development of theories and perspectives on disability and how they have influenced and shaped the lives and circumstances of disabled people. An emphasis will be placed on the period from the beginning of the twentieth century to today. A particular focus will be placed on topics such as institutionalization, de-institutionalization, disability and eugenics, the medical understanding of disability, the ideology of normalization and disabled people‘s rights to education and parenting. In addition, the disability rights movement and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be discussed. The course draws on the social understanding of disability and highlights the interconnection of the various social and cultural factors that impact and influence how disability is understood and interpreted. The course places a special emphasis on connecting historical ideas and theories with the daily lives and experiences of disabled people.

In this course the aim is to teach the students how they, as teachers, can increase physical activity in a class by moving the teaching outside. The students will learn how to plan one day of outdoor teaching as well as longer period for example a semester. The students will get the opportunity to teach and build up teaching facilities in the outdoors. In the end of the course the students should have acquired general understanding and insight into main theories and concepts in outdoor learning, rationalise their decisions and have acquired an open-minded and innovative way of thinking in connection to teaching in the outdoor.

Students will become competent in organizing outdoor education and outdoor activities for people of all ages in both summer and winter. The focus is on the one hand, enjoy nature, and to identify how nature can be a platform for upbringing and education (such as the focus on plants, animals or landscapes).

Emphasis is on the value of outdoor and adventure education and how it can be used as an important and successful tool in working with people, theories about outdoor education and experiential learning, group processes, personal and social growth and development. Focus is on connection to nature, group work and cooperation, team building and improving self-esteem and self-image. Also on practical matters, such as clothing, finding your way in the outdoors and environmental and safety issues.

Students are encouraged to use a reflective journal in the course for reflection, notes and ideas.

Students take one two-night journey 6.10.-8.10. and one overnight stay 11.11.-12.11, 2025.

Students have to pay all travel costs.

Course Assessment

To finish the course students need to:
- Plan, prepare and carrie out an outdoor learning project with peer-students.
- Write a chapter about defined subject in "a student book" on Outdoor Education.
- Reflection and self evaluation about the mutual trips / journeys and the course.
- Go on the mutual trips / journeys and attend classes.
- Distance students have to write summaries from lectures and participate in a class and/or web discussions.
- Reading exames.
5.0 is the minimum grade for each assignment.
Minimum attendanse is 80%

This course provides a foundation for studies in Social Education (Þroskaþjálfafræði) and offers an overview of the professional field and role of the social educator (þroskaþjálfi). Emphasis is placed on human rights perspectives and the importance of professional support for social participation and advocacy of the rights of disabled people and others who use social educator services.

The course covers the following topics:

• Key concepts in the field of Social Education

• Competencies and roles of the social educator

• Teamwork and group collaboration

• History and development of the social educator profession in Iceland

• Human rights and international human rights conventions

• Laws and regulations relevant to the profession

• Ethical guidelines and professional values of social educators

• Service models and professional approaches

• The role of social educators in a diverse and inclusive society

• Recent research in the field

Students will also become familiar with professional practices and service models in the field. 

Teaching Methods
The course uses a flipped classroom approach and collaborative learning. Lectures and study materials are accessible on Canvas. Students are expected to come well prepared to weekly teaching sessions and intensive in-person sessions (so-called staðlotur), whether these take place in the classroom or live online. The schedule is available on the course website.

Collaboration in student workgroups and active participation in discussions and assignments during class are important components of the course.

Attendance and participation are mandatory. Attendance and active participation account for 20% of the final grade. Students must achieve a minimum grade of 5 (out of 10) in this part of the course assessment to pass the course (further details are provided in the course syllabus).

On-site teaching (Staðkennsla): On-site students attend weekly classes and intensive sessions in the classroom.
Distance learning (Fjarkennsla): Distance students attend weekly live online classes and intensive sessions. 

There are two intensive sessions (staðlotur) during the semester.

The emphasis is on students realising how they can use their local environment as a source for learning about science and mathematics. The importance of children's outdoor learning and movement for their health and development is stressed, along with how teachers can integrate these into children's education. Students will investigate different approaches to scaffold children's learning of mammals, small animals, plants, water, air, forms, numbers, and volume in their local environment.

The module’s aims at enhancing the students’ ability to plan and prepare a final project. Emphasis is on collaboration and group projects as well as individualized work. The module focus is on student’s interest, talent and contribution. Upon completion of the course, students do a presentation or organize an event about their final project.

The module is mandatory and is only for students in the  Vocational diploma programme.

This is a continuation of the course Inclusive Research I. The topic of this course is inclusive research methods which involve people with intellectual disabilities as instigators of ideas, research designers, interviewers, data analysts, authors, disseminators, and users. Students will get further introduction of the different aspects of the research process - from an idea to dissemination. The main emphasis will be on methods of dissemination both in speech and writing. Inclusive research is directly linked to legal and international (CRPD) obligations to involve disabled people in development and implementation of legislation, policies and decision-making process concerning issues relation to disabled people. This course is a good preparation for those who will be involved in such collaboration in the future.

This course introduces methods of dramatic expression related to caring, trust and feelings of security in children, as a mechanism to bolster tolerance, friendship and expression.

Megin viðfangsefni námskeiðsins eru tómstundir barna á aldrinum 6-12 ára í víðum skilningi. Fjallað er um helstu uppeldisfræðislegu sjónarhornin með þennan aldurshóp í huga, sem og margvíslegar áskoranir sem börn á þessum aldri standa frammi fyrir.

Viðfangsefni námskeiðsins snúa meðal annars að lýðræðislegum starfsháttum í starfi með börnum, viðmiðum um gæði í frístundastarfi og öryggis- og velferðarmálum í æskulýðs- og tómstundastarfi. Þá er einnig fjallað um mikilvægi frjálsa leiksins, fjölmenningu og inngildingu, samskipti og gagnrýna hugsun, listir, barnamenningu og skapandi starf og tómstundastarf með margbreytilegum barnahópum.

Markmiðið með námskeiðinu er að nemendur öðlist skilning og innsæi í helstu kenningar um þroska, nám og félagsfærni 6 – 12 ára barna, þekki til umgjörðar og laga um starfsemi stofnana á vettvangi frístunda- og æskulýðsstarfs og skilji möguleika og hindranir fyrir þátttöku barna í tómstundastarfi. Þá er einnig fjallað um samspils stöðu barna við umhverfi sitt og náttúru, listir og menningu, lýðræðisleg vinnubrögð í frístundastarfi með börnum, í fjölmenningarsamfélagi. Einnig er lögð áhersla á að nemendur fái tækifæri til að ígrunda eigin reynslu og reynsluheim af tómstundum sem börn.

Á námskeiðinu er litið til viðmiða um virðingu og skilning, eins og fram kemur í gátlista Háskóla Íslands um jafnrétti í kennslu. 

The aim of the course is that students learn to know and use different sociological theories related to physical and mental attainment. Concept related to power, such as stigma, power, microaggression, and ableism, will be explored and students can use to analyse how norms are maintained and how societal definitions of norms come about. The theories that will be taught should be useful to students to understand how the marginalization of groups is maintained in the community and how discipline of the body takes place.

The course focus on leisure activities for teenagers in Iceland, the meaning of leisure, roles of leaders, leisure studies, how to help troubled youth and visits to various organisations. Students will get training in how to organizise and evaluate leisure activities for this age group.

In this course, the aim is that students will gain knowledge about life skills. Life skills are a subject that gives students the opportunity to engage in self-reflection, emotional intelligence and self-esteem. Life skills is a platform for working with students as individuals, preparing them for the diversity of life and teaching them self-nurturing. In that context, the concepts happiness, participation, well-being, mindfulness and democracy will be discussed. Also, students will learn about the main core of life skills and how to use life skills methods in leisure and school work.

In this course, the lived experience of disabled people throughout the life course, from childhood to old age, will be explored, along with the societal and structural barriers that they face along the way. Critical theories on the life course will be employed to discuss the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and biases that disabled people experience in different stages of their lives, and how they undermine their ability to fully participate in society, including in education, employment, culture, recreation, politics and family life. A special focus will be directed at the criticism voiced by representative organizations of disabled people with regard to the first and final stages of the life course, i.e. fetal ultrasounds and assisted suicide. In addition, the course will examine the teenage years as a distinct life stage, and access of disabled people to the digital world, in the context of the right to full and active participation in adulthood. The course will also discuss how the prevailing discourse around the different stages of the life course, that is childhood, teenage years, adulthood and senior year, can be both be oppressive and liberating for disabled people and the development of their self-identity. Policymaking in matters pertaining to disabled people and international human rights treaties will be examined from the perspective of the human rights approach to disability.

Methods of work: Lectures, working in groups and class discussion. An emphasis will be placed on active participation of students in discussions and that they follow public coverage of disability in the media and politics with the life course in mind. Students will need to adopt academic methods of work in their writing and documentation.

Students will learn about the importance of the arts in the education of children and adolescents. The focus will be on expression through drama, visual arts, and music. One common theme will be chosen as a pivot point for the three genres of artistic expression.

The course aims at enhancing students ability to plan and prepare event with tools of project management. Emphasis is on collaboration and group projects so students should be more prepared for further studies, future jobs and diverse organisational participations. The course is mandatory for students in leisure studies and social education and aims at meeting the demand for skills in event and project management in the field of leisure, recreation and youth work. It´s also available for other students within the University of Iceland at their choice.

The course requires students active participation in discussions and assignments for building a good and supportive learning environment and success for all. We also focus on positive interactions and communications and responsibility of all students for their actions and study. 

Subject matter
During the course, issues of organising event projects will be discussed. A main focus is on preparation, analysing, planning, performing and evaluationg events, fx. in the field of leisure, recreation and culture. Cases such as meetings, conferences, concerts, festivals, sports events, annual dates and festivals will be discussed and looked into. Discussion about law environment, regulations and safety issues and the role of events for leisure, recreation and travel along with educational and social meaning and influence of events.

How?
Lectures, discussions, assignments and field trips. In the course students work on their own event in groups, planning, preparing, performing and evaluating it, and also peer reviewing co-students plans and events and on line "reading-exams".

The course is for both distant students and on field students. Attendance is mandatory to 80% for on field students and for distance students in on field sessions. 

Mininum grade og 5.0 is required for every assignment.

This course aims at ensure basic skills in research work and prepare students for their studies. Students gain insight in the basic skills of academic writing. Important issues in organizing essays and reports will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on training students in writing professionally, using proper language. Students will for example turn in an assignment where they practice finding references with search engines, use them and report them correctly.

The course evaluation is built on weekly assignments and a short written essay is submitted at the end of the course.

The course focuses on practical professional communication, especially as it relates to prospective work in the fields of social pedagogy and youth work.

The students use several methods and media in their work, including drama, speech and digital media, analysing their own and others' ways of interacting in order to increase their communicative competence.

The subjects of the course is social interaction, co-operation and learning assistance for students who may need assistance and / or support in their studies at School of Education.

This course will focus on new emphases and innovations in education with a focus on inclusive education and universal design. Coaching, equality, inclusive society and human rights will also be discussed in a broad context. Ways will be introduced to enhance the educational and social participation of students in the university in a variety of ways. At the end of the course, students receive  confirmation that they have completed the course which they can, for example, use in their CV.  

The Collaboration with fellow students usually take three lessons a week. The collaboration may include educational assistance, for example in project work or spending time together at the library or Háma and participation in social events on behalf of student associations. There will be five meetings with teachers in the first half off the semester  as well as one working day where students receive support and training. In addition, students can book meetings as needed with the course teachers.

Students do a journal and submit a final report on their experience.

The objective of this course is to equip students with the ability to connect their community, professional field, and academic discipline to theoretical frameworks addressing discrimination and privilege. The course introduces a range of theories that provide insights into understanding contemporary society. Topics include social discrimination and privilege, with a particular emphasis on social class, gender, race, disability and sexuality, specifically within the context of the professional practice of leisure and youth workers.

Students prepare for the job training at school and then they go to a workplace for 4-6 weeks on the field of work that falls within the School of Education's, for example, kindergarten work, leisure activities and social activities, and work related to empowerment, interests and participation of disabled people. 

Preparation is in lectures, group work and project work. Students will also create a cv, keep a diary and give presentations about their own work study.

Students will work under guidance in their job training. Lectures, discussion groups, individual assignments, group work and research work will all be part of the course.  Attendance is compulsory.

The subjects of the course is social interaction, co-operation and learning assistance for students who may need assistance and / or support in their studies at School of Education.

This course will focus on new emphases and innovations in education with a focus on inclusive education and universal design. Equality, inclusive society and human rights will also be discussed in a broad context. Ways will be introduced to enhance the educational and social participation of students in the university in a variety of ways. Emphasis on collaboration with students regarding the structure of the course.

Students do a journal and submit a final report on their experience.

The course is divided into two parts and is organized like prior courses, there is attendance in schools and the job training itself is in kindergartens, recreational centers, libraries and in the field of disability. Students should gain more independence in their work and more responsibility is given to students at the job training location as well as receiving more and more complex assignments. Students will also complete a final assignment at the job training location, which they prepare and work on all semester. Students will keep on working on the projects, prepare and seek out teachers during interview hoursThe students will also create a presentation about their workplace and a final assignment that they will present in an open seminar of diploma students in May. Special emphasis will be placed on students taking extra responsibility and setting goals that they will complete at their job training location.

Topic: Before students go out to the workplace, their duties are discussed as well as setting forth goals and the responsibility the students have in their job training. The final assignment that students present will be discussed especially. At the end of January students will have begun working on ideas of what they wish to tackle. During the job training period in March/april students will meet the teacher during interview meetings when necessary. The teacher will also meet students during individual meetings and in smaller groups when students commence their presentations which their present in an open seminar of diploma students in May. In April most of the preparation work is done as well as exercises for the seminar. Students should also update their cvs that did during the second semester. Students will write a diary as before.

Working methods: Students will work under the guidance of a mentor at the job training location, there will be lectures, discussions, individual assignments, group work, research work, individual teaching. Attendance is compulsory in the course.

Students prepare for the job training at school and then they go to a workplace for 4-6 weeks on the field of work that falls within the School of Education's, for example, kindergarten work, leisure activities and social activities, and work related to empowerment, interests and participation of disabled people.

Preparation is in lectures, group work and project work. Students will also work at their cv, keep a diary and give presentations about their own work study.

Students will work under guidance in their job training. Lectures, discussion groups, individual assignments, group work and research work will all be part of the course. Attendance is compulsory.

The topic of this course is inclusive research methods which involve people with intellectual disabilities as instigators of ideas, research designers, interviewers, data analysts, authors, disseminators, and users. Students will be introduced to different aspects of the research process from an idea to dissemination. Students will learn about how to seek permission to conduct research and trained in interview technique. Various methods of dissemination will be introduced such as photo essays and academic papers. Inclusive research is directly linked to legal and international (CRPD) obligations to involve disabled people in development and implementation of legislation, policies and decision-making process concerning issues relation to disabled people. This course is a good preparation for those who will be involved in such collaboration in the future.

The main goal of this course is to shed light on the historical development of theories and perspectives on disability and how they have influenced and shaped the lives and circumstances of disabled people. An emphasis will be placed on the period from the beginning of the twentieth century to today. A particular focus will be placed on topics such as institutionalization, de-institutionalization, disability and eugenics, the medical understanding of disability, the ideology of normalization and disabled people‘s rights to education and parenting. In addition, the disability rights movement and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be discussed. The course draws on the social understanding of disability and highlights the interconnection of the various social and cultural factors that impact and influence how disability is understood and interpreted. The course places a special emphasis on connecting historical ideas and theories with the daily lives and experiences of disabled people.

In this course the aim is to teach the students how they, as teachers, can increase physical activity in a class by moving the teaching outside. The students will learn how to plan one day of outdoor teaching as well as longer period for example a semester. The students will get the opportunity to teach and build up teaching facilities in the outdoors. In the end of the course the students should have acquired general understanding and insight into main theories and concepts in outdoor learning, rationalise their decisions and have acquired an open-minded and innovative way of thinking in connection to teaching in the outdoor.

Students will become competent in organizing outdoor education and outdoor activities for people of all ages in both summer and winter. The focus is on the one hand, enjoy nature, and to identify how nature can be a platform for upbringing and education (such as the focus on plants, animals or landscapes).

Emphasis is on the value of outdoor and adventure education and how it can be used as an important and successful tool in working with people, theories about outdoor education and experiential learning, group processes, personal and social growth and development. Focus is on connection to nature, group work and cooperation, team building and improving self-esteem and self-image. Also on practical matters, such as clothing, finding your way in the outdoors and environmental and safety issues.

Students are encouraged to use a reflective journal in the course for reflection, notes and ideas.

Students take one two-night journey 6.10.-8.10. and one overnight stay 11.11.-12.11, 2025.

Students have to pay all travel costs.

Course Assessment

To finish the course students need to:
- Plan, prepare and carrie out an outdoor learning project with peer-students.
- Write a chapter about defined subject in "a student book" on Outdoor Education.
- Reflection and self evaluation about the mutual trips / journeys and the course.
- Go on the mutual trips / journeys and attend classes.
- Distance students have to write summaries from lectures and participate in a class and/or web discussions.
- Reading exames.
5.0 is the minimum grade for each assignment.
Minimum attendanse is 80%

This course provides a foundation for studies in Social Education (Þroskaþjálfafræði) and offers an overview of the professional field and role of the social educator (þroskaþjálfi). Emphasis is placed on human rights perspectives and the importance of professional support for social participation and advocacy of the rights of disabled people and others who use social educator services.

The course covers the following topics:

• Key concepts in the field of Social Education

• Competencies and roles of the social educator

• Teamwork and group collaboration

• History and development of the social educator profession in Iceland

• Human rights and international human rights conventions

• Laws and regulations relevant to the profession

• Ethical guidelines and professional values of social educators

• Service models and professional approaches

• The role of social educators in a diverse and inclusive society

• Recent research in the field

Students will also become familiar with professional practices and service models in the field. 

Teaching Methods
The course uses a flipped classroom approach and collaborative learning. Lectures and study materials are accessible on Canvas. Students are expected to come well prepared to weekly teaching sessions and intensive in-person sessions (so-called staðlotur), whether these take place in the classroom or live online. The schedule is available on the course website.

Collaboration in student workgroups and active participation in discussions and assignments during class are important components of the course.

Attendance and participation are mandatory. Attendance and active participation account for 20% of the final grade. Students must achieve a minimum grade of 5 (out of 10) in this part of the course assessment to pass the course (further details are provided in the course syllabus).

On-site teaching (Staðkennsla): On-site students attend weekly classes and intensive sessions in the classroom.
Distance learning (Fjarkennsla): Distance students attend weekly live online classes and intensive sessions. 

There are two intensive sessions (staðlotur) during the semester.

The emphasis is on students realising how they can use their local environment as a source for learning about science and mathematics. The importance of children's outdoor learning and movement for their health and development is stressed, along with how teachers can integrate these into children's education. Students will investigate different approaches to scaffold children's learning of mammals, small animals, plants, water, air, forms, numbers, and volume in their local environment.

The module’s aims at enhancing the students’ ability to plan and prepare a final project. Emphasis is on collaboration and group projects as well as individualized work. The module focus is on student’s interest, talent and contribution. Upon completion of the course, students do a presentation or organize an event about their final project.

The module is mandatory and is only for students in the  Vocational diploma programme.

This is a continuation of the course Inclusive Research I. The topic of this course is inclusive research methods which involve people with intellectual disabilities as instigators of ideas, research designers, interviewers, data analysts, authors, disseminators, and users. Students will get further introduction of the different aspects of the research process - from an idea to dissemination. The main emphasis will be on methods of dissemination both in speech and writing. Inclusive research is directly linked to legal and international (CRPD) obligations to involve disabled people in development and implementation of legislation, policies and decision-making process concerning issues relation to disabled people. This course is a good preparation for those who will be involved in such collaboration in the future.

This course introduces methods of dramatic expression related to caring, trust and feelings of security in children, as a mechanism to bolster tolerance, friendship and expression.

Megin viðfangsefni námskeiðsins eru tómstundir barna á aldrinum 6-12 ára í víðum skilningi. Fjallað er um helstu uppeldisfræðislegu sjónarhornin með þennan aldurshóp í huga, sem og margvíslegar áskoranir sem börn á þessum aldri standa frammi fyrir.

Viðfangsefni námskeiðsins snúa meðal annars að lýðræðislegum starfsháttum í starfi með börnum, viðmiðum um gæði í frístundastarfi og öryggis- og velferðarmálum í æskulýðs- og tómstundastarfi. Þá er einnig fjallað um mikilvægi frjálsa leiksins, fjölmenningu og inngildingu, samskipti og gagnrýna hugsun, listir, barnamenningu og skapandi starf og tómstundastarf með margbreytilegum barnahópum.

Markmiðið með námskeiðinu er að nemendur öðlist skilning og innsæi í helstu kenningar um þroska, nám og félagsfærni 6 – 12 ára barna, þekki til umgjörðar og laga um starfsemi stofnana á vettvangi frístunda- og æskulýðsstarfs og skilji möguleika og hindranir fyrir þátttöku barna í tómstundastarfi. Þá er einnig fjallað um samspils stöðu barna við umhverfi sitt og náttúru, listir og menningu, lýðræðisleg vinnubrögð í frístundastarfi með börnum, í fjölmenningarsamfélagi. Einnig er lögð áhersla á að nemendur fái tækifæri til að ígrunda eigin reynslu og reynsluheim af tómstundum sem börn.

Á námskeiðinu er litið til viðmiða um virðingu og skilning, eins og fram kemur í gátlista Háskóla Íslands um jafnrétti í kennslu. 

The aim of the course is that students learn to know and use different sociological theories related to physical and mental attainment. Concept related to power, such as stigma, power, microaggression, and ableism, will be explored and students can use to analyse how norms are maintained and how societal definitions of norms come about. The theories that will be taught should be useful to students to understand how the marginalization of groups is maintained in the community and how discipline of the body takes place.

The course focus on leisure activities for teenagers in Iceland, the meaning of leisure, roles of leaders, leisure studies, how to help troubled youth and visits to various organisations. Students will get training in how to organizise and evaluate leisure activities for this age group.

In this course, the aim is that students will gain knowledge about life skills. Life skills are a subject that gives students the opportunity to engage in self-reflection, emotional intelligence and self-esteem. Life skills is a platform for working with students as individuals, preparing them for the diversity of life and teaching them self-nurturing. In that context, the concepts happiness, participation, well-being, mindfulness and democracy will be discussed. Also, students will learn about the main core of life skills and how to use life skills methods in leisure and school work.

In this course, the lived experience of disabled people throughout the life course, from childhood to old age, will be explored, along with the societal and structural barriers that they face along the way. Critical theories on the life course will be employed to discuss the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and biases that disabled people experience in different stages of their lives, and how they undermine their ability to fully participate in society, including in education, employment, culture, recreation, politics and family life. A special focus will be directed at the criticism voiced by representative organizations of disabled people with regard to the first and final stages of the life course, i.e. fetal ultrasounds and assisted suicide. In addition, the course will examine the teenage years as a distinct life stage, and access of disabled people to the digital world, in the context of the right to full and active participation in adulthood. The course will also discuss how the prevailing discourse around the different stages of the life course, that is childhood, teenage years, adulthood and senior year, can be both be oppressive and liberating for disabled people and the development of their self-identity. Policymaking in matters pertaining to disabled people and international human rights treaties will be examined from the perspective of the human rights approach to disability.

Methods of work: Lectures, working in groups and class discussion. An emphasis will be placed on active participation of students in discussions and that they follow public coverage of disability in the media and politics with the life course in mind. Students will need to adopt academic methods of work in their writing and documentation.

Students will learn about the importance of the arts in the education of children and adolescents. The focus will be on expression through drama, visual arts, and music. One common theme will be chosen as a pivot point for the three genres of artistic expression.

The course aims at enhancing students ability to plan and prepare event with tools of project management. Emphasis is on collaboration and group projects so students should be more prepared for further studies, future jobs and diverse organisational participations. The course is mandatory for students in leisure studies and social education and aims at meeting the demand for skills in event and project management in the field of leisure, recreation and youth work. It´s also available for other students within the University of Iceland at their choice.

The course requires students active participation in discussions and assignments for building a good and supportive learning environment and success for all. We also focus on positive interactions and communications and responsibility of all students for their actions and study. 

Subject matter
During the course, issues of organising event projects will be discussed. A main focus is on preparation, analysing, planning, performing and evaluationg events, fx. in the field of leisure, recreation and culture. Cases such as meetings, conferences, concerts, festivals, sports events, annual dates and festivals will be discussed and looked into. Discussion about law environment, regulations and safety issues and the role of events for leisure, recreation and travel along with educational and social meaning and influence of events.

How?
Lectures, discussions, assignments and field trips. In the course students work on their own event in groups, planning, preparing, performing and evaluating it, and also peer reviewing co-students plans and events and on line "reading-exams".

The course is for both distant students and on field students. Attendance is mandatory to 80% for on field students and for distance students in on field sessions. 

Mininum grade og 5.0 is required for every assignment.