The learner's perspective in educational practice and research

Course leaders

• Prof. Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson, University of Gothenburg
• Associate Prof. Niklas Pramling, University of Gothenburg

Course description

One of the basic tenets of contemporary educational psychology is that participants in educational research (e.g., children, pupils, interviewees) make sense of the research situation. Their perspective may be markedly different to the researcher’s or teacher’s perspective. The course aims to elaborate on the issues, and the insights gained when the learner’s (the child’s, the student’s etc.) perspective in teaching and research practices is examined. This notion of the learner’s or the child’s perspective has major implications for how to organise educational practices as well as how to conduct research on learning and development. The child’s perspective in the context of these practices will be explored.

Course plan

Required reading

Meetings and seminars

Course dates

• The course starts January 27, 2011
• Thursday 27 January, afternoon – Friday 28 January, physical meeting at University of Gothenburg:
  1a. Introduction by course leaders
  1b. Child perspectives and children's perspectives in theory and practice, Professors Dion Sommer, Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson and Karsten Hundeide

• Wednesday 23 February, afternoon - Thursday 24 February, physical meeting at University of Gothenburg
  2a. The Gothenburg school of the learner's perspective, Professor Emeritus Ference Marton
  2b. Theoretical and methodological notes: Analysing the research interview as a social practice, Professor Roger Säljö

• Thursday 17 – Friday 18 March (Online meeting)
  3a-b. Examination: The students present and discuss their examination essays. Course evaluation.