合作教师教育模式的运用——一条更加贴近现实的途径

介绍了挪威科技大学教师教育系和实习学校之间进行的合作教师教育模式,并探讨了这一模式能否实现“贴近现实的教师教育”这种理念。探讨了该模式是否给学生提供了名副其实的教学相长的机会,是否增加了学生与各个合作者交流的机会,从而使学习成为社会的、互动的过程。最后,审视了该模式是否给学生提供了提高反思能力的机会并促进了实习教师的专业发展。     

Does An Early Intervention Influence Behavioral Development Until Age 9 in Children Born Prematurely?

This study examined whether the Mother–Infant Transaction Program prevents behavioral problems among preterm children (birth weight < 2000 g) until age 9. The program was administered to 72 preterms, while 74 preterms and 75 full‐terms formed control groups (N = 221). Behavior was reported by parents (Child Behavior Checklist) and teachers (Teachers Report Form) and by all on selected Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) questions. Long‐term behavioral development appeared to be qualitatively unaffected by the intervention. At ages 7 and 9, fewer attention problems and better adaptation to school were reported from parents and teachers of the intervention group compared to preterm controls. At age 9, teachers reported fewer difficulties in the intervention group and better academic performance. In these areas they were reported as being at the statistically same level as term controls.     

Developing an ambivalence perspective on medical labelling in education: case dyslexia

There are several social actors involved in the process of constructing the social meaning of dyslexia—namely, parents, teachers, educational authorities and organisations representing dyslectics. Some of these actors emphasise the constructive social powers related to the dyslexia label, while others perceive dyslexia as diagnostic reasoning counter productive to the learning processes. In the discussion of this paradox, this article uses sociological medicalisation theory as a provider of perspectives on medical labelling as contested, and on how the labelling process is socially structured. Empirically, the article is based on four studies in Scandinavia of the construction of dyslexia in different social settings, such as individual life stories, parent stories, educational politics and the legal system. The medicalisation perspective is found most useful for the understanding of undesirable effects. To understand reported experience of medical labelling as empowering, other sociological perspectives are more useful.     

Computer training and general education

Is it possible to integrate ideals of general and liberal education into computer‐training programmes? To answer this question an analysis was made of computer training programmes for adults in Denmark. The results showed that the participants expressed a positive attitude towards computers and towards learning computer technology but they only expressed few and general expectations of the courses. This is problematic according to ideals of general education and of self‐directed learning. The organizers wanted to produce courses with general and enlightening contents but the form and contents of the actual courses only to a moderate degree realized the organizers’ intentions. The participants obtained a broad learning outcome. However, they only to a very moderate degree used this outcome at work or in relation to further education. The conclusion was that it is possible to integrate ideals of general and liberal education if computer training helps the participants to develop more precise intentions, if the teaching methods are modernized, and if the contents of the courses correspond better with the possibilities in the workplace.     

Measuring learning outcomes

The growing interest for measurement of learning outcomes relates to long lines of development in higher education, the request for accountability, intensified through international reforms and movements such as the development and implementation of qualifications frameworks. In this article, we discuss relevant literature on different approaches to measurement and how learning outcomes are measured, what kinds of learning outcomes are measured, and why learning outcomes are measured. Three dimensions are used to structure the literature: Whether the approaches emphasise generic or disciplinary skills and competence, self‐assessment or more objective test based measures (including grades), and how the issue of the contribution from the education program or institution (the value‐added) are discussed. It is pointed out that large scales initiatives that compare institutions and even nations seem to fall short because of the implicit and explicit differences in context, whilst small‐scale approaches suffer from a lack of relevance outside local contexts. In addition, competence (actual level of performance) is often confused with learning (gain and development) in many approaches, laying the ground for false assumptions about institutional process‐quality in higher education.     

Floods,bottlenecks and backwaters: an analysis of expansion in higher education in Norway

The quantitative expansion in higher education in most countries has not been linear. After a very strong expansion in the 1960s there was a stage of stagnation. In the early 1990s, however, there are signs of a new development towards universal higher education. This is a very distinct feature at present in Norway. Since 1988 the student population has increased by more than 50%.This article argues that the present pressure on higher education in Norway cannot be understood without taking into consideration both the long-term trends and acute accumulation of pressure at the moment. A demographic model of analyzing changes in the student population and the factors explaining both individual demands and political decisions are discussed. The needs of the labour market for a higher educational level of the workforce and the increasing level of education among the parents may explain the long-term trends in enrolment. A deteriorating labour market forces youth to go straight into higher education. The average age of the new entrants is therefore decreasing, resulting in even more pressure. The increased competition to be admitted results in repeated application to higher education, so that the number of applicants is more than one and a half times the relevant age group.The article also raises the question whether the Norwegian situation at present is unique or related to a more general trend.The article is a revised version of a paper presented at the SRHE conference in Brighton, December 1993.     

Professional norms in school leadership: Change efforts in implementation of education for sustainable development

This study identifies and analyses professional norms as a means of illuminating school cultures and how norms are distributed in the system. Of special interest is the role of school leaders and how they lead, organize and realise school development. The study research question is: What professional norms do school leaders highlight in change efforts? We are also interested in identifying the support mechanisms and obstacles to implementation and norm setting exhibited by school organisations. The case we used explores change processes in the implementation of education for sustainable development at three upper secondary schools in Sweden. It was conducted in three phases, starting with a questionnaire for all teachers and principals. In the second phase, each of the principals was interviewed individually. The third phase used focus groups consisting of the principals that made up the leadership groups. Our results indicate that professional norms are set when principals and teachers experience expectations from each other, from students and from policy documents. There is also a need for well-functioning communication in the organisation to set and disseminate norms. The school principal plays a crucial role in these norm setting processes. By becoming more aware of existing norms in the organisations, and how norms can be changed, this knowledge can support principals in change efforts.     

Establishing mathematics for teaching within classroom interactions in teacher education

Teacher educators’ processes of establishing “mathematics for teaching” in teacher education programs have been recognized as an important area for further research. In this study, we examine how two teacher educators establish and make explicit features of mathematics for teaching within classroom interactions. The study shows how the establishment of mathematics for teaching is dependent on the use of keywords from the mathematics education domain, the introduction of variation, and the use of generic communicative strategies. As such, the study could be seen as a contribution to ongoing research on how mathematics teacher educators interactively deal with mathematics for teaching.