Social and emotional learning, and psychosocial difficulties in kindergarten and school (DUH650)

The course aims to provide students with insights into contemporary theories and research relevant to how schools and kindergartens can promote social and emotional learning (SEL) for children and adolescents, and work towards positive development and motivation in children and adolescents with social and emotional difficulties. Emphasis will be placed on seeing connections between research, theory, and practice. The course will have three main themes:

  1. Social and emotional learning in kindergarten and schools
  2. The potential for kindergarten and schools to promote mental health and motivation for learning
  3. The potential for kindergarten and schools to regulate behaviour through social structures

The course will provide an overview of the current research field and give students a solid foundation for further specialization and research. Emphasis is placed on participation in that the research fellows are involved in selecting sub-topics and syllabus that are relevant for the individual group. This means that the angle for each course will be influenced by the course participants' needs with regard to their own doctoral work.

Requirements for the number of participants:

The course will be offered on the condition that a minimum of 3 participants register. If the number of participants is lower, the course coordinator will decide whether to offer it as a self-study course. A self-study course combines independent study with one seminar day. The regular course syllabus still applies if the course is offered as a self-study course instead of a regular course.


Course description for study year 2025-2026. Please note that changes may occur.

Facts

Course code

DUH650

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

5

Semester tution start

Autumn

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Autumn

Language of instruction

Norwegian

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Content

The course will cover various subtopics related to the three main themes. Topics relevant to participants' PhD projects will be prioritized. Relevant sub-topics will be:

  • Background factors for social and emotional difficulties.
  • Effective interventions and practices that promote social and emotional learning in kindergarten and schools.
  • The school's and kindergarten's adaptation to students who are socially and emotionally vulnerable.
  • Conditions in school and kindergarten that inhibit/promote social and emotional difficulties.
  • The significance of teacher-student interactions and relationships.
  • The importance of peer groups.
  • Challenging behaviours in kindergarten and schools.
  • Connections between academic difficulties and stress, coping, motivation, and social and emotional difficulties.

Learning outcome

Upon completion of this course, students will:

Knowledge:

• Have extensive knowledge and understanding of the current research field.

• Have acquired a good understanding of the important research gaps and challenges within this field.

Skills:

• Be able to describe research questions that can contribute to further developing knowledge in the area of social and emotional learning and psychosocial difficulties in kindergarten and schools.

• Be able to apply previous research and theory to propose relevant studies and research designs for the education sector in areas where further research is needed.

General competence:

• Be able to make good assessments regarding the choice of research questions, current theory and relevant research methodological approaches with regard to own research work in the doctoral degree.

• Be able to place their own work in an overall theoretical framework within the relevant thematic area

Required prerequisite knowledge

Qualified for PhD education.

Recommended prerequisites

Master's degree in educational sciences / special education or equivalent qualifications, preferably with a specialization in social and emotional difficulties or equivalent.

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Indivdual paper 1/1 Passed / Not Passed

The student must submit an academic text of approximately 5000 words, +/-10%, which addresses one or more of the main themes of the course. Grade Pass/Fail.

Coursework requirements

The participants must prepare proposals for the literature they want to include in the syllabus. They must prepare and carry out a presentation based on key theories in their chosen literature. Furthermore, the participants will make a presentation of the academic text prior to submission. Attendance is expected on all course days.

Course teacher(s)

Course teacher:

Thormod Idsøe

Study Program Director:

Hein Berdinesen

Course coordinator:

Ingunn Størksen

Course teacher:

Cecilie Evertsen

Course teacher:

Klara Øverland

Course teacher:

Lars Edvin Bru

Method of work

The course will primarily consist of introductory lectures, presentations conducted by students on self-selected literature, and reflections related to these presentations. The course will take place over 4 days or as a supervisor-led reading course (with 3 or fewer participants).

Open for

PhD Program in Educational Sciences and Humanities - or equivalent.

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital course evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto