Course description

This course on elementary competence within university pedagogy fulfills the requirements stipulated in the «Regulations concerning the appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts» dated 09.02.2006, last changed FOR-2018-09-12-1322 and valid from 01.09.2019.  Furthermore, the course is in line with the national guidelines on elementary competence in university pedagogy:

«Elementary pedagogic competence related to university and higher education consists of the minimum of knowledge, skills and basic competence that is required to qualify for an academic position in higher education. The acquired competence must be based on relevant academic research and theory. »

All Norwegian universities must offer university pedagogic programmes to qualify candidates for teaching positions at the university. In this document, we will present the university pedagogy course of the University of Agder.

Target group

All new employees and other employees who have teaching or supervision tasks as part of their job description at UiA.  Research Fellows, PhD candidates and external participants are welcomed depending on availability. The courses are held both in English and Norwegian. There are 25 spots available per course. The priority order for participation is as follows:

• New employees with teaching and/or supervision tasks
• Employees aiming to be promoted
• Other employees with teaching and/or supervision tasks as part of their job description at UiA
• Temporary employees and research fellows who have teaching and/or supervision tasks as part of their job description at UiA
• Research fellows and other employees without teaching or supervision tasks as part of their job description at UiA
• External collaboration parties

Learning objective

The course aims to improve the pedagogical competence among employees at the university. Participants will acquire new knowledge and develop skills related to university pedagogic theories regarding planning, teaching methods, assessment and supervision of students. All sessions of the course are research-based.

After the course, the participants will have acquired knowledge on:

• Central models and principles within university pedagogy
• Research-based teaching
• Student-active teaching and assessment methods
• Supervision strategies
• Quality and teaching excellence

Moreover, all participants will have delivered the following obligatory coursework:

1. A description of the participant’s pedagogic essential vision anchored in pedagogic theory
2. An outline of a research plan for research on the participant’s own teaching
3. Colleague supervision
4. A presentation of a teaching plan in sequences

Administrative unit: PULS/Centre for teaching and learning at the University of Agder

Academic responsibility: Christina Nygren-Landgärds, professor, christinmn@uia.no

Administrative responsibility: John Olav Bjørnestad, department manager, john.o.bjornestad@uia.no

[1] Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts https://lovdata.no/dokument/SFE/forskrift/2006-02-09-129

Og Forskrift om endring i forskrift om ansettelse og opprykk i undervisnings- og forskerstillinger https://lovdata.no/dokument/LTI/forskrift/2018-09-12-1322

[2] Universitets og høgskolerådet (2021) Nasjonale veiledende retningslinjer for UH-pedagogisk basiskompetanse. https://www.uhr.no/temasider/karrierepolitikk-og-merittering/nasjonale-veiledende-retningslinjer-for-uh-pedagogisk-basiskompetanse/