Teaching and Learning within the Swedish School System, 7.5 Credits

Contents

The course discusses the formation and organization of the Swedish school system. Syllabuses and teaching resources are discussed, from the student's gained experience as teacher students. Finally the course deals with social and cultural factors which impact Swedish schools. The course includes four weeks of school based practice.

Expected learning outcomes

After the course the students should have acquired competence to:

Knowledge and understanding

• describe the main characteristics of the Swedish school system, it´s organization, culture and development

Skills and ability

• plan, practice and evaluate teaching
• compare and discuss teaching and learning in an international context
• discuss the main content in Swedish policy documents in relation to the teacher student´s subject and age level´s (future professional field).

Values and attitudes

• analyse and critically discuss the Swedish school system in relation to the education system in the student´s home country

Required Knowledge

Teacher students who have at least two years of teacher training. General qualifications for university studies. 

Form of instruction

The course is given in English through lectures and seminars. A compulsory part of the course is four weeks of school practice (VFU).

Examination modes

The Learning outcomes are examined by:

• Two examining seminars, (Fail/Pass)
• One observation in connection to the student's school practice 
• One written report, (Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction)

To get a pass, all examining tasks must be approved. To get a Pass with distinction the written report must in addition be graded as Pass with distinction.

For each examining part of the course is a regular examination given with a second reexamination within two months after the regular examination. For examinations performed in May and June is the first reexamination offered within three months of the regular examination. In addition to this is a third reexamination given within a year after the end of the course. Examination based on the same course plan as the regular examination is guaranteed within two years after the earlier course plan has ceased to be valid or the course is no longer given (see rules for grades and examination on basic and advanced level, Dnr: FS 1.1.2-553-14). A student who has failed two tests for a course or a part of a course is entitled to have another examiner appointed after a written request to the head of department. 

Examiners may decide to deviate from the modes of assessment in the course syllabus. Individual adaption of modes of assessment must give due consideration to the student's needs. The adaption of modes of assessment must remain within the framework of the intended learning outcomes in the course syllabus. Students who require an adapted examination must submit a request to the department holding the course no later than 10 days before the examination. The examiner decides on the adaption of the examination, after which the student will be notified.

In consultation with the supervisor, the responsible examiner may decide to fail a student during an ongoing placement if the student demonstrates shortcomings in knowledge, skills or approach that, either individually or in combination, present a significant risk that the student will cause physical or psychological harm to another person during the placement. The placement will then be prematurely terminated and the student given a failing grade for the course in question. In such cases, the student is deemed to have used up one placement opportunity.

In conjunction with such a decision, an individual development plan is to be drawn up by the examiner in consultation with the student. This development plan is to state the knowledge, skills and approaches that the student needs to acquire before they can begin a new placement, as well as a date on which this will be checked. The student is entitled to two such checks each year but, unless special grounds exist, to no more than four checks in total. If such a check reveals that the student has acquired the knowledge, skills and approaches specified in the individual development plan, the student has the right to a new placement, as long as the student has not exhausted their total number of placement opportunities. If the course syllabus limits the number of placement opportunities and the student has exhausted these, then the student is not entitled to a new assessment opportunity.

Transfer of credits
In order to transfer credits to a corresponding course at Umeå University, students have the right to submit previous education or equivalent knowledge and skills acquired in the profession for evaluation. Application for transfer of credits is submitted to the Student Centre / Examinations. More information on transfer of credits is available on Umeå University's student website, www.student.umu.se, and the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 6). A refusal for transfer of credits may be appealed against (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 12) to the University Appeals Board. This applies whether the entire application or part of the application for transfer of credits is refused.

Other regulations

A certificate from the authorities in the student's home country showing that the student has not been charged for any crimes towards individuals, must be presented to the principal in charge for the school where the student is doing his/her school practice.