Filosofie masterexamen med huvudområdet pedagogik inriktning lärande och digitalisering

The master programme in Learning, Digitalization, and Sustainability focuses on global perspectives and strategies for sustainable development of education in an increasingly digitalized and media dense society.

Education of today is undergoing several transformations, provoked by an increasingly digitalized and globalized society, for example, intensified presence of the Edtech market, datafication of individuals’ learning activities, emerging practices with digital tools, as well as new forms of leadership and implementation processes. The rapid changes in the sector need to be scrutinized and studied from a sustainability aspect in order to create future-oriented learning that matters for coming generations. The social and environmental sustainability aspects in the field of education and technology is still under development. The LeaDS programme responds to societal needs of critical and practical thinking regarding change and innovation with and through digital solutions on a sustainable basis in a range of educational settings.

In a compulsory five-week internship independently organized by the student, the student works with an implementation process, framed and formulated within the programme. The acquired experience allows for knowledge application, and further development. The surrounding courses on specific aspects of learning, digitalization, and sustainability serve the purpose to expand and deepen the internship experience, for example regarding collaborative practices across fields of expertise and professional roles within an organization, inclusive communication with tools, and leadership skills. Students learn to recognize, analyse, and reflect on challenges pertaining to digitalization and implementation in local and global contexts, and to deal with problems on a cross-sectorial level. In addition, students acquire key competences and soft skills for the professional world, such as self-responsibility, problem-solving skills, and cultural competence.

The programme offers a solid knowledge platform of theoretical perspectives pertaining to the field of education and technology. Ethical and social considerations, as well as critical issues of participation, learning design, inclusive communicative practices, leadership, policies, and implementation processes, are included in this offering. The research base of the programme is anchored in the CCD – communication, culture, and diversity environment at HLK/JU (www.ju.se/ccd) and the national research school consortium on digitalization in education Grade Research (https://graderesearch.umu.se/ ). During the two-year master programme, the students are confronted with several real-life cases from various educational contexts and practical situations wherein innovative and solution driven research application is required. The core subject field of educational science and technology is systematically married to social science perspectives on sustainable development.

The core of the programme curriculum includes perspectives on educational and inclusive communication, a global teacher approach to learning in digital environments, implementation processes, and leadership regarding digitalization processes in organizations. The goal of the programme is for students to learn about various theoretical perspectives of learning, digitalization, and sustainability, to get experience in data collection and analysis, and to develop practical skills and experiences in planning and working for inclusive, knowledge intensive, and solution-driven sustainable innovation with and through digital technology in education. The thesis work is carried out independently with the support of a supervisor and seminars during the process from the development and formulation of a thesis plan to the final defense.

The programme provides a set of social science methods and tools for designing innovative solutions for learning and digitalization within the framework of sustainable development goals by looking into recent changes and trends in different regions of the world, and by applying relevant methods and tools in real-life situations. Throughout the programme, academics, practitioners, and other resource persons use lectures, case studies, group work and practical exercises to strike a balance between theory and practice and to stimulate interaction among participants.

In addition, courses on general aspects of the development of sustainable societies, social change, and global environmental challenges, including interdisciplinary ways of working, expand the interdisciplinary perspective. Human rights, diversity and gender, and social and cultural diversity are treated as cross-sectional fields. Students learn to recognise, analyse, and reflect on global issues in local settings and to deal with problems on an interdisciplinary level. In addition, students acquire key competences and soft skills for the professional world, such as self-responsibility, problem-solving skills, and intercultural competence, in addition to skills in project planning and practical experience with sustainability work.

The programme consists of four semesters. 1) The first semester introduces sustainability in relation to social, political, and environmental aspects and focuses on theories, strategies and planning for sustainable digital change in education and how these can be applied in order to promote inclusion, cultures and languages. 2) The second semester introduces research methodology, followed by a 5-week course including field work, an individual literature course and the first module of the 30 credit master thesis (to be continued in the fourth semester). 3) The third semester provides the opportunity for the students to choose courses more freely, including the possibility of studies abroad, after agreement with the programme director. 4) The fourth semester offers further studies in research methodology followed by the second module of the 30-credit master thesis.

One academic year consists of 40 study weeks, divided into two semesters. This is equivalent to 60 credits (60 hp). Each study week consists of 1.5 credits (1,5 hp) that correspond to 40 hours of study. All courses are taught in English.

This programme is designed to develop leaders and educators with a deep understanding of learning and digitalization processes in a global and media dense world, including sustainable and future-oriented development ideas and strategies in the field. In the programme, you will acquire the necessary critical thinking skills to inform policy and create change and long-term impact in the field of LeaDS. Upon completion of the programme, you will have enhanced your existing knowledge of learning, digitalization, and sustainability, and will have the relevant theoretical and practical knowledge to take on high-level roles in the educational sector, government agencies, non-government organizations, and private companies. The programme also prepares you for applying for further education on third cycle, i.e., doctoral programmes. Thus, the programme both prepares for post-graduate studies in various educational research areas, and for qualified positions in a range of educational sectors.

General aims
Second cycle education shall essentially build on the knowledge students acquire in first cycle education or corresponding knowledge. Second cycle education shall involve a deepening of knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to first cycle education and, in addition to what applies to first cycle education, shall:
- further develop the students’ ability to independently integrate and use knowledge
- develop the students’ ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues, and situations
- develop the students’ potential for professional activities that demand considerable independence or for research and development work

Programme specific learning goals
For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

Knowledge and understanding
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
- demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the in the main field of study.

Competence and skills
- demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess, and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
- demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously, and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work
- demonstrate the ability in speech and writing both nationally and internationally to clearly report and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
- demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach
- demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social, and ethical issues and to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work
- demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
- demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Degree of Master (120 credits) is completion by the student of an independent degree project (master thesis) for at least 30 credits in Education, specialisation in Learning and Digitalisation. The degree project may comprise less than 30 credits, however no less than 15 credits, if the student has already completed an independent project in the second cycle for at least 15 credits in Education, specialisation in Learning and Digitalisation, or the equivalent.

The programme consists of the following courses. For details about each course please consult the course curricula. The courses that are included in the specialization are marked below.

Semester 1
Social sciences of sustainability, 5 credits
Sustainability, digitalization, and learning, 2.5 credits (specialisation)
The global teacher, 7.5 credits (specialisation)
Digitalization and implementation processes in school I, 7.5 credits (specialisation)
Social justice, 7.5 credits (specialisation)

Semester 2
Research methods 1 in Learning, Digitalization, and Sustainability, 7.5 credits
Digitalization and implementation processes in school II, 7.5 credits
Individual Literature Course, 7.5 credits (specialisation)
Master's Thesis in Learning, Digitalization, and Sustainability, 30 credits (first course module, 7.5 credits, specialisation)

Semester 3
Sustainable leadership in a digital age, 7.5 credits (specialisation) and
Elective courses, 22.5 credits, alternatively
studies at other university 30 credits

Semester 4
Research Methods 2 in Learning, Digitalization, and Sustainability, 7.5 credits
Master's Thesis in Learning, Digitalization, and Sustainability, 30 credits (second course module, 22.5 credits, specialisation)

There may be some rearrangement and revision of courses. However, a course can only be moved or revised if the move or revision does not affect the content of the programme or the way its courses build on each other.

To pass a course, the student needs to fulfil all the course requirements. Examination takes place in the form of written exams, oral exams, or term papers. Different methods of examination can be used within a single course. The student will be offered at least three examination opportunities in each examination period. The university is not obligated to offer re-exams in courses that a student already has passed. Mandatory workshops and assignments can exist within a course. The courses within the programme are graded A-F or Pass (G)/Fail (U). Grades A-E all constitute passing grades and grades FX and F are equal to Fail. For most workshops and mandatory group assignments, only Pass (G) or Fail (U) is given.

The applicant must hold the minimum of a bachelor’s degree (i.e. the equivalent of 180 ECTS credits at an accredited university) with at least 90 credits in education or social science including independent work, i.e., a thesis or the equivalent. English proficiency is required.

Specific entry requirements within the programme are set out in the course curricula.

To obtain the Master of Science (120 credits) with a major in Education, specialisation in Learning and Digitalisation, the student must complete the course requirements of at least 120 credits at the higher education level that were not used for the bachelor's degree, with at least 90 credits overall in second-cycle courses and at least 60 of those second-cycle credits in Education, specialisation in Learning and Digitalisation, including two 15-credit master's theses in Education, specialisation in Learning and Digitalisation.
The degree certificate will be issued after formal application from student.

The programme is evaluated at the end of the second semester as well as at the end of the fourth semester. This evaluation work is carried out in collaboration between students and the programme director. Each course is also evaluated according to the regulations and guidelines for first, second and third cycle education at Jönköping University.

The programme targets both Swedish and international students from all over the world in order to obtain the best student environment as possible.

A list of available elective courses will be provided each year.

Regulations regarding accreditation of completed and passed university education at another Swedish or foreign higher education institution are found in “Regulations and guidelines for first-, second- and third – cycle education at Jönköping University”, BRJU.