UV9416 ¨C Learning science research in the digital age

Course content

The course is offered in collaboration with the research groups "Living and Learning in the Digital Age" (LiDA).

Course leaders:?Sten Ludvigsen, Ingvill Rasmussen

The Learning Sciences is an interdisciplinary research field that encompasses educational psychology, social sciences, cognitive science, computer science, and other related fields of knowledge. A range of methods are used in the learning sciences, with new computational methods being developed, together these aim to capture important aspects of human learning during interactions with tools and environments that are increasingly digitalized.

Human learning is a complex phenomenon that, in principle, involves socio-cultural, cognitive, emotional and biological aspects. Learning can take place in settings that are designed for social, cognitive, and emotional development, but it also occurs in other settings, like workplaces and during everyday activities. Technologies are involved in almost every learning activity, and currently, this often means interacting with others via digital tools, applications and infrastructures (i.e. socio-technical environments). Social interaction and collaboration is often part of such activities. The problem of defining the unit of analysis and level of description of human learning is central to understanding and explaining how, why, and where human learning take place. Given the interdependency between actions and tools, designs for learning are seen as part of learning science, and a central question to address is therefore how learning takes place under different conditions.

In this course, students will work with theoretical approaches and key concepts, methodological tools, and empirical studies of learning in the digital age. We will provide state-of-the-art descriptions of learning science today and of future trends. Ph.D. students will thus be enabled to carry out research in the learning sciences and to connect their research to emerging societal challenges.

In the course, learning and participation are perceived as interactionally constituted phenomena that emerge in practice. We will take a socio-cultural stance as one major premises. The issues addressed concern:

• learning in different types of settings and how tools mediate actions and activities;

• the analytical challenge to delimit what you include in your unit of analysis;

• new and emerging forms of representations and learning in the digital age;

• theoretical challenges of tracing participation trajectories;

• the connections and boundaries between learning practices and the institutional production and reproduction of knowledge and skills in society.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, students will be able to:

• identify and analyze emerging learning practices in institutional and informal settings and relate them to societal challenges and societal development
• explain how sophisticated digital technologies mediate the development of learning in multiple settings, such as education, work life, and everyday life
• identify and account for different positions and themes in learning science and relate them to their own research problems and interests
• write literature reviews and summarize research findings.

Admission to the course

PhD candidates at the Faculty of Educational Sciences will be given priority, but it is also possible for others to apply for the course.?The candidates should be enrolled in a relevant PhD programme.

If there are more applicants than the 15 admission places available, a selection will be made based on an assessment of the relevance of the course for the candidate¡¯s research plan and qualifications in the relation to the objectives of the course. The course leaders will carry out the selection process.

Candidates admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Educational Sciences should apply through Studentweb

Other applicants may apply using this application form

The course registration opens December 3, 2024.

Recommended previous knowledge

A basic course in qualitative research methodology and research design or equivalent.

Teaching

The course takes place over three days with physical meetings, comprising a total of 15 hours.

Course structure:

During the first day, we will introduce the literature. In addition, groups of students will present reviews of articles focusing particularly on how theories are presented and used.

The second day will consist of lectures and work with the readings.

The last day we will continue to work with the readings and the students will present a draft of their paper.

Dates: March 11-12, March 27, 2025

Place: University of Oslo

You will find the timetable and the reading list on the semester webpage for this course.

Examination

3 credit points for course participation and submitted paper (6-8 pages, Times New Roman 12, line spacing 1,5). In addition to submitting a paper, participants are required to present a review of an article and present data in a joint data session. 80% attendance is required.

Papers are to be submitted electronically in Canvas.

Deadline for paper submission is TBA

Language of examination

English

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.