LT1056 Leadership for Learning and Development 7.0 credits

The course focuses on leadership to promote all pupils' learning and development, which for example implies the view that all pupils can benefit from special education efforts. To establish a good working and learning climate, including focus on for example communication and conflict management and psychology and cognitive science. The learning content of the whole course is connected in practice to authentic learning situations during the VFU2 of the spring. The course consists of three course component 1, 2 and 3:

Item 1, Social relationships, communication and leadership; treats the school as an arena for social interaction and learning. Special attention is given to the role of the teacher as a leader, but other relations that are of importance for the schoolwork are also brought up: pupils' relations to each other and relations between teachers, school headmasters, other school staff, pupils and guardians. The course covers the importance of communication for a good learning and working environment, also concerning potentially sensitive subjects such as sexuality, discrimination and gender roles. Finally, strategies and methods are brought up for both proactive and reactive conflict management, as a tool for the creation of good social relationships.

The second item, Introduction to Special needs education, is based on the responsibility of the school to give all pupils conditions for learning, irrespective of disabilities, ethnicity, gender and social class and how the organisation of the teaching can have consequences for processes of social inclusion and exclusion. The item deals with the importance of being able to identify, analyse and handle special education needs, on both individual level and on school and community level, in collaboration with guardians, teachers and other professional groups within and outside the school. The course also provides orientation in educational tools that can increase pupils' possibilities to learn and develop.

The third item, Introduction to Cognitive science and psychology, brings up modern brain research, psychology and cognitive science. In this part, knowledge of how the brain functions, its possibilities and limitations, development and maturity are included and how the learning is influenced. Furthermore, it is discussed how knowledge of neuropedagogy and learning can influence the design of teaching.

After passing the course, the student should be able to:

Item 1, Social relationships, communication and leadership

1. give an account of strategies and methods for leadership and for respectful and ethical ways of communicating through listening, talking and writing with pupils, their guardians and school staff, and discuss their consequences
2. give an account of strategies and methods to counteract conflicts in working groups as for instance school classes and discuss their consequences
3. give an account of methods and strategies to evaluate their own work and identify their need of additional knowledge in order to develop their skills in social relationships, communication and leadership
4. analyse and evaluate their communication with pupils, their guardians and school staff on the basis of science and proven experience
   Part 2: Introduction to Special needs education
5. give an account of the responsibility of the school and the teacher in relation to teaching for every pupil's participation and learning, based on regulations and conventions
6. account, on the basis of the literature, for how teachers can identify and analyse special education needs in the teaching, including neuropsychiatric difficulties in collaboration with pupils, guardians, teachers and others within and outside the school
7. on the basis of such jointly identified and analysed needs, account, on the basis of the literature, for appropriate handling in practice of such needs, both on group and individual level, and give an account of the cooperation that is required in these cases.
8. demonstrate the ability to identify and analyse special education needs including neuropsychiatric difficulties, on the basis of authentic teaching situations
   Item 3, Introduction to Cognitive science and psychology
9. give an account of learning strategies and methods in practice that facilitates pupils' learning and development from current psychological and cognitive-scientific perspectives.
10. Analyse authentic learning situations and argue for what in the teaching that hinders and facilitates learning, with the help of psychological and neuro-pedagogical theories.

General entry requirements for higher education

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• INLA - Hand-in assignment, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• INLB - Hand-in assignment, 1.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
• SEMA - Seminar, 1.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
• SEMB - Seminar, 1.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
• SEMC - Seminar, 1.0 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Sandra Tibbelin

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.