Undervisningens indhold: universitetsdidaktikkens stedbarn

Resumé

Undervisere foretager løbende indholdsmæssige valg. Spørgsmålet om indholdsudvælgelse adresseres dog sjældent i teori om undervisning på videregående uddannelser. Med udgangspunkt i kategorier primært genereret fra almendidaktikken beskrives og diskuteres 116 underviseres begrundelser for valg af indhold. Analysen viser, at underviserne har en betydelig autonomi i udvælgelse af indhold. Centrale begrundelser er opfattelsen af fundamentale begreber og problemstillinger, forskningen, at indholdet skal præsentere emnet bredt samt den valgte lærebog. Deltagerforudsætninger, værdi for fremtiden og indholdets eventuelle reference til studieordningen fremhæves i mindre omfang. Afslutningsvist diskuteres almendidaktikkens modellers potentiale i universitetsundervisning.

Teachers continuously make decisions on content. However, theory about teaching and learning in higher education deals only sporadic with criteria for selection of content. This study examines 116 assignments concerning selection of content using categories from general didactics. The analysis shows that teachers have a considerable autonomy in selection of content. Significant criteria for selection is that content is regarded to present fundamental concepts and problems, its relation to research, that it gives a broad presentation of the topic, and the text book. Students’ actual knowledge, value for their future life, and the curriculum are less often emphasized as criteria for selection of content. The final section discusses potentials and limitations in application of general didactics to higher education.