Methods in Community Planning

F2023

Nordic Urban Planning Studies

Course

English

Read about the Master Programme and find the Study Regulations at ruc.dk

Sign up for study activities at STADS Online Student Service within the announced registration period, as you can see on the Study administration homepage. When signing up for study activities, please be aware of potential conflicts between study activities or exam dates. The planning of activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programs which do not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programs, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

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David Pinder (dpinder@ruc.dk)

Lasse Martin Koefoed (lmartin@ruc.dk)

IMT Registration & Exams (imt-exams@ruc.dk)

U60326

This course aims to introduce students to key methods within planning, planning processes and urban development. This includes the use of participatory, qualitative and creative methods. The course provides students with informed means to address and analyse planning tasks, processes and outcomes that involve different actors and partners. It enables them to become more critically reflexive about the positions of the actors involved, and how they can work with different and sometimes conflicting voices and interests.

Through the methodological exercises of the course, students will gain experience and be better able to use different methods relevant to planning practice. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical background and orientation of key participant-oriented and qualitative methods, as well as the challenges posed by applying them in a practical context.

This course aims to introduce students to key methods within planning, planning processes and urban development. This includes the use of participatory, qualitative and creative methods. The course provides students with informed means to address and analyse planning tasks, processes and outcomes that involve different actors and partners. It enables them to become more critically reflexive about the positions of the actors involved, and how they can work with different and sometimes conflicting voices and interests.

Through the methodological exercises of the course, students will gain experience and be better able to use different methods relevant to planning practice. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical background and orientation of key participant-oriented and qualitative methods, as well as the challenges posed by applying them in a practical context.

Among the methods considered are citizen participation and co-creation, action research, planning document analysis, and forms of ethnographic and qualitative research. Emphasis is placed on the distinctive as well as potentially complementary perspectives that these methods offer planning processes and studies. Participants in the course are invited to work with them not only during course sessions but also through a problem or case of their choosing.

Readings for each session are provided on Moodle before the start of the course. Useful theoretical background for the course as a whole is provided by:

Alveson, M. and Sköldberg, K. (2017), Reflexive Methodology: New Vistas for Qualitative Research, London, Sage, third edition.

Study intensity Outline • The proposed study intensity for a student in this activity: 135 hours

• The proposed distribution of hours on teaching and learning activities Lectures, discussions and in-class exercises: 30 Preparation for lectures and exercises: 72 Assignment: 33

Teaching and learning activities

There are eight course sessions. These combine lectures, class discussion and methods exercises. Further details are uploaded to Moodle.

The course is taught at RUC. It includes preparatory exercises that involve working at different sites.

Evaluation is via an anonymous online survey distributed to all participants. The course will also be discussed with participants in the final session and reviewed at the NUPS Education Committee with input from student representatives.

Dates for the sessions and exam to be added.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key participatory, qualitative and creative methods within social planning and planning processes

• Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different methods for different forms of planning analysis and practice, including in relation to participation in planning processes and social engagement

• Know when and how to use different qualitative methods in relation to concrete planning situations and tasks.

Oral group exam based on a product presented by a group

Permitted group size: 2-6 students.

Time allowed for exam including time used for assessment is for:
2 students: 35 minutes.
3 students: 40 minutes.
4 students: 45 minutes.
5 students: 50 minutes.
6 students: 55 minutes.

The assessment is individual and based on the student's individual performance.
The assessment is an overall assessment of the written product(s) and the subsequent oral examination..

Permitted support and preparation materials at the oral exam: All.

Assessment: Pass/Fail.
Moderation: Internal co-assessor.

Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam

Working in groups of 2-6, participants should prepare a short presentation of [ADD] mins that considers the strengths and weaknesses of two or more of the methods addressed in the course for studying a specific planning problem or issue.
Those taking group projects should focus on the same planning problem or issue as their project. Groups of students taking internships should focus on problems, issues or projects they are working on in their internships. Questions that the presentation may address include: • What planning problems or issues are to be addressed? • Which method or which combinations of methods would be relevant to produce relevant knowledge on the issue? • What kind of knowledge would the method produce? • Which different actors and stakeholders would be involved, and how would they participate?
• How could this knowledge be used in the design and development of urban interventions, plans or strategies? • What approach to interpretation of the empirical material could be adopted (cf. Alveson and Sköldberg 2017)? The presentation will be followed by dialogue with the two examiners about any aspects of the course curriculum. Assessment criteria - emphasis is placed on demonstrating the ability to: • Show understanding of different methods and their potential uses for addressing urban planning problems and issues, including in terms of the different kinds of knowledge that they produce • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different methods for different forms of planning analysis and practice, and for engaging with different actors and stakeholders in planning processes • Reflect critically on when and how to use different qualitative methods in relation to a defined planning situation or task.