The article describes the characteristics of educational action research on the basis of its development in three Nordic countries, namely Sweden, Norway and Finland. The characterisation begins with a reflection on the Anglo-Saxon variants of action research within education. Thereafter follows a democratic and participatory conceptualisation of action research identified through a description of its formation within working life practices. This conceptualisation is traced back and interpreted in terms of bildning, collective pedagogical practices within folkbildning and in relation to pedagogik as a basis for teachers’ professional knowledge base. The characteristics of educational action research are encapsulated as action research for being.
{"title":"Educational Action Research for Being","authors":"Petri Salo, Karin Rönnerman","doi":"10.23865/nse.v43.3985","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v43.3985","url":null,"abstract":"The article describes the characteristics of educational action research on the basis of its development in three Nordic countries, namely Sweden, Norway and Finland. The characterisation begins with a reflection on the Anglo-Saxon variants of action research within education. Thereafter follows a democratic and participatory conceptualisation of action research identified through a description of its formation within working life practices. This conceptualisation is traced back and interpreted in terms of bildning, collective pedagogical practices within folkbildning and in relation to pedagogik as a basis for teachers’ professional knowledge base. The characteristics of educational action research are encapsulated as action research for being.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44977738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The paper proposes three educational spaces, an operational space, an interactive space and a comparative space. The focus is on the interactive space in order to shed light on various modes of Nordic educational cooperation, with a brief discussion on the rather unique Nordic comparative space. Based on different data and sources, the paper proposes that within the interactive space, practical, scientific, administrative and policy sub-spaces connect across the Nordic countries. The interactive space is seen as socially constructed, multidimensional, and centring on communication.
{"title":"The Nordic Interactive and Comparative Spaces Within the Arena of Education","authors":"J. Jónasson, Valgerður S. Bjarnadóttir","doi":"10.23865/nse.v43.3987","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v43.3987","url":null,"abstract":"The paper proposes three educational spaces, an operational space, an interactive space and a comparative space. The focus is on the interactive space in order to shed light on various modes of Nordic educational cooperation, with a brief discussion on the rather unique Nordic comparative space. Based on different data and sources, the paper proposes that within the interactive space, practical, scientific, administrative and policy sub-spaces connect across the Nordic countries. The interactive space is seen as socially constructed, multidimensional, and centring on communication.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47952422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jóhann Örn Sigurjónsson, A. Sigurðardóttir, B. Gísladóttir, Jorryt van Bommel
Which dimensions of instruction can be reliably captured using student perception surveys, is subject for debate. The aim of this study is to empirically explore the validity and limitations of two different measures of cognitive activation: systematic classroom observations and student perceptions. 34 video-recorded lessons from ten lower secondary mathematics teachers in Iceland were analysed using an observation system and compared to 217 responses to the Tripod student perception survey. The results indicate that for the cognitive activation dimension, the connection between observer ratings and student perceptions is weak, raising questions about the validity of different measures of instructional quality.
{"title":"Connecting Student Perceptions and Classroom Observations as Measures of Cognitive Activation","authors":"Jóhann Örn Sigurjónsson, A. Sigurðardóttir, B. Gísladóttir, Jorryt van Bommel","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3636","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3636","url":null,"abstract":"Which dimensions of instruction can be reliably captured using student perception surveys, is subject for debate. The aim of this study is to empirically explore the validity and limitations of two different measures of cognitive activation: systematic classroom observations and student perceptions. 34 video-recorded lessons from ten lower secondary mathematics teachers in Iceland were analysed using an observation system and compared to 217 responses to the Tripod student perception survey. The results indicate that for the cognitive activation dimension, the connection between observer ratings and student perceptions is weak, raising questions about the validity of different measures of instructional quality.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44954051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Lyng, TrygveJ. Steiro, Bjørn Ivar Kruke, Glenn-Egil Torgersen
The unwanted situations one must be prepared to handle in schools evolve as a response to the risk society. This has led to public guidelines for emergency preparedness work in schools and education in Norway. Based on educational theories, international research, government documents and reports, and a qualitative study, we have investigated how emergency preparedness work regarding incidents of ongoing life-threatening violence is implemented in the schools in this research. Our findings suggest that students and teachers in the schools are not involved in the emergency preparedness work in an appropriate way, and that it may have a negative effect on the school environment in addition to weakened preparedness.
{"title":"PLIVO, pedagogikk og beredskap. En kvalitativ studie på skoleskyting og livstruende vold i skolen i nordisk kontekst","authors":"Daniel Lyng, TrygveJ. Steiro, Bjørn Ivar Kruke, Glenn-Egil Torgersen","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3669","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3669","url":null,"abstract":"The unwanted situations one must be prepared to handle in schools evolve as a response to the risk society. This has led to public guidelines for emergency preparedness work in schools and education in Norway. Based on educational theories, international research, government documents and reports, and a qualitative study, we have investigated how emergency preparedness work regarding incidents of ongoing life-threatening violence is implemented in the schools in this research. Our findings suggest that students and teachers in the schools are not involved in the emergency preparedness work in an appropriate way, and that it may have a negative effect on the school environment in addition to weakened preparedness.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41654365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study investigates similarities and differences in Lithuanian and Norwegian teacher practices aimed at preventing school bullying by applying a whole-school approach anti-bullying programme. The quantitative data was collected from 1576 teachers from 99 schools in Lithuania, and 82 teachers from 13 schools in Norway that have implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme (OBPP). The comparative analysis of the study results indicates that Norwegian teachers are slightly more active in working with the OBPP on the school and individual levels, as well as in working with the programme in general. The study reveals that female teachers are more active than male teachers on the classroom and individual levels of the OBPP as well as the whole programme, and that primary education teachers are more active than lower secondary education teachers on the classroom level of the OBPP. The implications of teacher practices aimed at preventing bullying by applying the OBPP are discussed, and limitations of the current study emphasised.
{"title":"Teacher Practices Aimed at Preventing School Bullying: A Comparative Analysis of Lithuania and Norway","authors":"Dziuginta Baraldsnes","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3503","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3503","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates similarities and differences in Lithuanian and Norwegian teacher practices aimed at preventing school bullying by applying a whole-school approach anti-bullying programme. The quantitative data was collected from 1576 teachers from 99 schools in Lithuania, and 82 teachers from 13 schools in Norway that have implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme (OBPP). The comparative analysis of the study results indicates that Norwegian teachers are slightly more active in working with the OBPP on the school and individual levels, as well as in working with the programme in general. The study reveals that female teachers are more active than male teachers on the classroom and individual levels of the OBPP as well as the whole programme, and that primary education teachers are more active than lower secondary education teachers on the classroom level of the OBPP. The implications of teacher practices aimed at preventing bullying by applying the OBPP are discussed, and limitations of the current study emphasised.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41772228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study discusses children’s experiences with play in first grade in Norwegian school. Through interviews with children (Grades 1–3) they emphasized that the best thing about school was play and they associate it to three aspects: the opportunity to participate in a child community, to participate in child-initiated play and to participate in creating the place. They experienced that there was less time for play in school compared with kindergarten. The question is whether a school life focusing on teaching deprives children an important kind of participation.
{"title":"Barns lek som deltakelse i skolehverdagen","authors":"Tuva Schanke, Maria Øksnes","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3743","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3743","url":null,"abstract":"This study discusses children’s experiences with play in first grade in Norwegian school. Through interviews with children (Grades 1–3) they emphasized that the best thing about school was play and they associate it to three aspects: the opportunity to participate in a child community, to participate in child-initiated play and to participate in creating the place. They experienced that there was less time for play in school compared with kindergarten. The question is whether a school life focusing on teaching deprives children an important kind of participation.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46427018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The article takes as point of departure the current critique of ‘general education’ (Allgemeine Pädagogik) as a paradigm no longer possible nor relevant. This leads (section I) into a discussion of a current, diagnostic assumption which claims, that the field of research is split into competing paradigms (between a pedagogical ‘general education’ and a broad inter-disciplinary ‘educational research’), which are in mutual conflict. Next (section II) the article looks into Benner (2005) and the concept of ‘innovative transmission’ (innovativ tradering) to explore a possible remedy in light of the assumption of pedagogical research being split in two. On the basis of Vogel and Krüger’s notion of “Brückenkonzept” (‘conceptual connecting principle’) (Krüger et al., 1994; Vogel, 1998) a Bildung-concept is suggested (section III), which applies the ‘innovative transmission’ as leverage and possible remedy in light of a split in the research paradigms.
{"title":"Pædagogisk rettet forskning og dens mulige kontinuitetsformer i det post-traditionelle samfund: Dannelse som bro-begreb for innovativ tradering","authors":"Frederik Pio","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3856","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3856","url":null,"abstract":"The article takes as point of departure the current critique of ‘general education’ (Allgemeine Pädagogik) as a paradigm no longer possible nor relevant. This leads (section I) into a discussion of a current, diagnostic assumption which claims, that the field of research is split into competing paradigms (between a pedagogical ‘general education’ and a broad inter-disciplinary ‘educational research’), which are in mutual conflict. Next (section II) the article looks into Benner (2005) and the concept of ‘innovative transmission’ (innovativ tradering) to explore a possible remedy in light of the assumption of pedagogical research being split in two. On the basis of Vogel and Krüger’s notion of “Brückenkonzept” (‘conceptual connecting principle’) (Krüger et al., 1994; Vogel, 1998) a Bildung-concept is suggested (section III), which applies the ‘innovative transmission’ as leverage and possible remedy in light of a split in the research paradigms.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41781102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Since 2005, there have been three ambitious Danish upper-secondary school reforms. These reforms reflect broader international educational reform trends. In this article we apply a mixed methods approach to examine whether and how the role of teachers has changed. The article concludes that teachers encounter increasing complexity and a teaching role characterised by the need to make difficult decisions regarding prioritising tasks that, from a teacher’s perspective, all seem essential in order to ensure good teaching, with Bildung as a constant guiding light. We also conclude that reforms may be emotionally exhausting, as they risk undermining or undervaluing the moral purposes of teachers.
{"title":"Teachers’ Expectations and Experiences with Processes of Reform","authors":"A. Qvortrup, H. F. Rasmussen","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3454","url":null,"abstract":"Since 2005, there have been three ambitious Danish upper-secondary school reforms. These reforms reflect broader international educational reform trends. In this article we apply a mixed methods approach to examine whether and how the role of teachers has changed. The article concludes that teachers encounter increasing complexity and a teaching role characterised by the need to make difficult decisions regarding prioritising tasks that, from a teacher’s perspective, all seem essential in order to ensure good teaching, with Bildung as a constant guiding light. We also conclude that reforms may be emotionally exhausting, as they risk undermining or undervaluing the moral purposes of teachers.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48974588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The psychometric properties of the short Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (CTE; Goddard, 2002) were examined in a sample of 1,524 teachers from 65 Norwegian primary schools. Associations between items were investigated using network analysis, and multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was applied to determine the optimal factor structure across the twelve items. Criterion validity was examined by inspecting correlations between CTE, academic achievement, and school problem behavior. The results supported the expected two-factor structure, group competence, and task analysis. Correlations in the expected directions support the instrument’s concurrent and predictive validity. Implications of the results are discussed.
{"title":"Assessing Collective Efficacy in School: A Norwegian Validation Study of Goddard’s 12-item Scale","authors":"Mari-Anne Sørlie, S. Hukkelberg","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3542","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3542","url":null,"abstract":"The psychometric properties of the short Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (CTE; Goddard, 2002) were examined in a sample of 1,524 teachers from 65 Norwegian primary schools. Associations between items were investigated using network analysis, and multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was applied to determine the optimal factor structure across the twelve items. Criterion validity was examined by inspecting correlations between CTE, academic achievement, and school problem behavior. The results supported the expected two-factor structure, group competence, and task analysis. Correlations in the expected directions support the instrument’s concurrent and predictive validity. Implications of the results are discussed.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41322597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article explores how teacher union journals in Sweden construct (1) problems related to teaching and learning assumed to be caused by pupils’ physical inactivity, and (2) solutions regarding how and by whom these problems should be addressed. This is done through a critical discourse analysis of four strategically selected articles published in two teacher union journals where researchers, physicians, school leaders and teachers are interviewed about the potential of more physical activity in schools. The overall conclusion is that the examined teacher union journal articles connect physical activity to teaching and learning in ways that de-professionalise teachers.
{"title":"En samtida diskurs om betydelsen av fysisk aktivitet för undervisning och lärande: Kritisk analys av artiklar i lärarfackliga tidskrifter","authors":"Magnus Levinsson, Anita Norlund, J. Johansson","doi":"10.23865/nse.v42.3535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23865/nse.v42.3535","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores how teacher union journals in Sweden construct (1) problems related to teaching and learning assumed to be caused by pupils’ physical inactivity, and (2) solutions regarding how and by whom these problems should be addressed. This is done through a critical discourse analysis of four strategically selected articles published in two teacher union journals where researchers, physicians, school leaders and teachers are interviewed about the potential of more physical activity in schools. The overall conclusion is that the examined teacher union journal articles connect physical activity to teaching and learning in ways that de-professionalise teachers.","PeriodicalId":38767,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Studies in Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49267373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}