Learning, instruction and digitalisation in Higher Education

The course can be read as a free-standing course. The course may be included in a master's degree in teaching and learning in higher education.

Admission to the course requires an awarded bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits or an equivalent degree. Furthermore, the student must demonstrate proficiency in English equivalent to English 6 (Swedish upper secondary school level) or English B with at least a Pass, or an international test in English with the following requirements on the lowest result:

TOEFL paper: 575, or with computer: 213, or a Bachelor's degree that has been provided in English.

The overarching aim of the course is to introduce scientific knowledge of digitalisation of higher education with a focus on what conditions this bring to teaching and learning.

The course targets both theoretical perspectives on, and practical consequences of, learning and development of knowledge. The course includes studying, analysing and discussing how digitalisation influences the conditions for students and teachers. Central challenges and possibilities that digitalisation of higher education imply are problematised, as well as current issues and implications will be explored and presented.

Knowledge and understanding

• use key concepts to describe commonly occurring pedagogical approaches with a focus on digital learning environments in higher education
• describe how digitalisation has influenced forms of instruction in higher education
• explain at a general level how learning as a process is transformed in relation to specific technologies
• account for how pedagogical design of digital learning environments is based on scientific knowledge concerning how people learn

Competence and skills

• reflect on how learning in digital learning environments is theorised in research
• apply research about learning and digital learning environments to summarise and reflect on how digitalisation influences the conditions for students and teachers in higher education

Judgement and approach

• Analyse, critically evaluate and discuss how technological progress influences teaching and students' possibilities to participate in higher education on basis of scientific knowledge

The course is web-based and fully online. It includes lectures, seminars and written exercises based on active collaboration via University of Gothenburg's virtual learning platform.

The language of instruction is English. Assignments can by agreement with the examiner be written also in Swedish.

Language of instruction: English

The course includes the following examining assignments:

• Individual written assignment . Grades: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) or Fail (U)
• Critically review, reflect on, and lead discussion based on the written assignment of another student Grade: Pass (G), Fail (U) (1.5 credits)

A student who has taken two exams in a course or part of a course without obtaining a pass grade is entitled to the nomination of another examiner. The student needs to contact the department for a new examiner, preferably in writing, and this should be approved by the department unless there are special reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 of the Higher Education Ordinance).

If a student has received a recommendation from the University of Gothenburg for study support for students with disabilities, the examiner may, where it is compatible with the learning outcomes of the course and provided that no unreasonable resources are required, decide to give the student an adjusted exam or alternative form of assessment.

If the course has been discontinued or substantially revised, a student should be guaranteed to take the exam on at least three occasions (including the ordinary examination occasion) during a period of at least one year, but not later than two years after the course was discontinued or revised. The same applies to internships and professional placements (VFU), although this is restricted to just one additional examination session.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

To receive grade Pass, both above stated examining assignments, must be completed with the grade Pass. To receive the grade Pass with distinction (Pass with distinction) requires a grade of Passed with distinction on the first individual written assignment as describe above.

Course evaluation is performed in relation to the course's intended learning outcomes and content and is implemented at the end of the course through an individual written questionnaire on University of Gothenburg's virtual learning environment. The result and potential changes in the course content are communicated to the students who carried out the course evaluation and to the students who will start the following course.

Access to a computer and internet connection are required to carry out the course.