Lærerutdannerens rolle i skolebasert kompetanseutvikling. Hvordan bidra til profesjonalisering innenfra?

In this article, we focus on the teacher educator’s role in school-based competence development by asking: How can the teacher educator contribute to professionalization from within? The term “professionalization from within” describes how teachers and school leaders should be complementing governmental development strategies by actively pursuing local school development, managing norms and standards, and developing a local, professional knowledge base. The article presents a study based on data from a four-year action research project at a Norwegian primary school where Lesson Study (LS) was put into use as a vehicle for school-based competence development. Through the research question “How did teacher educators contribute to professionalization from within?” and the use of open coding in the constant comparative analysis method (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), three main categories were developed: emotional support, organizational support and process support. “Emotional support” shows teacher educators empowering the practitioners as owners of the development work, appreciating their knowledge and work, inviting them to cogenerative learning and challenging them in supportive ways. “Organizational support” shows teacher educators cooperating with school leaders to establish predictable but flexible structures and leadership for holistic school-based competence development. “Process support” shows research and process-oriented teacher educators contributing to the development of collective research and development skills and strengthening the learning and development processes by introducing LS and other process tools and by combining internal knowledge, research and external knowledge. Mirrordata, collective analysis, theorization and meta-communication are key elements in all three categories.

En aksjonsforskningsstudie av samarbeid i grensesoner – betydningen av deltakernes forventninger

Based on a specific, school-based development project this article reflects on the participants’ experiences of the process. Experiences are discussed with particular emphasis on expectations from three school leaders, teachers, resource teachers and the university mentors. These participants all joined with different experiences and possibilities. In this case, the mentors from the university are also the researchers. The participants worked across their professional boundaries. Cultural historical activity theory is the framework for gathering and analyzing data and for the collaboration between the participants. Narratives in this action learning study show how expectations support practitioners` involvement and motivation for improvement, which in turn contributes to changing the school practices. Furthermore, when different actors cross boundaries and meet over time in a third space, the dialogue is challenged and refined, and creativity and knowledge trigger new insights and understanding.

Likheter og forskjeller mellom tilnærminger til aksjonsforskning

This article focuses on similarities and differences between some key approaches to action research. The aim is to investigate perspectives, principles and dilemmas concerning the purpose of action research, development methods, the role of the researcher and the epistemological basis. The analysis sheds light on important dilemmas to which there are various answers. There are different views on the extent to which the purpose of action research is to develop and document knowledge for practitioners or for academia. A major methodological challenge is about the distribution of power and balance between participant influence and research management. An important dilemma is whether the researcher should be internal or external in relation to the context in question. One important epistemological issue concerns the potential of action research to transcend established traditions and structures. Another is whether democratic participation is an end in itself. A common core is to create value-conscious, practically relevant research through collaboration in social and professional fields.

Studieprogramledelse i høyere utdanning – aksjonsforskning som grunnlag for involvering, læring og organisatoriske grenseoppganger

This article is based on action research integrated as part of a competence development programme provided for colleagues taking on a study programme leader function established at the University in Stavanger 2018–2019. Experiences expressed by those who hold the function are investigated in relation to what is formulated in the written descriptions of the new educational leadership function. Data in the study was collected through mixed methods including notes from observations, case-descriptions submitted in the competence programme, and document analysis of written experiences. The new study programme leader function had the same organizational description for all faculties. However, our findings indicate that the position was interpreted and experienced in various ways in different departments and scientific disciplines, with regards to time given to fill the position, as well as the responsibility and job tasks following the position. Our main findings suggest that the study programme leaders experienced a set of tensions and dilemmas in their practice. These findings are described and discussed in the article.

Drama og teater som tilnærming i aksjonsforskning – å øve på framtida

In this chapter, we ask how drama and theatre can be a useful approach to action research processes. We focus on interventions, using teacher education as an arena for development. The empirical point of view is based on several research and developmental projects over years, together with two examples from recent developmental work. Our theoretical framework is based on theories of learning and transformation, as well as various perspectives on action research. The connection and similarities between drama and theatre and action research, will also be discussed in this chapter.

Aktivitetsteori som tenkeredskap i aksjonsforskning

In this chapter we present and discuss how cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) can inform and contribute to action research. The discussion is based on a study of how principles in activity theory are translated and applied by participants in a PhD course on action research at Oslo Metropolitan University. Key findings show that when participants use activity theory as a thinking tool in their action research projects, they identify systemic contradictions which in turn contribute to increased understanding of what potentially hinders and promotes change and development in their projects.

Om sammenhenger mellom forskningsspørsmål, aksjonsforskning, casestudier og generalisering

The purpose of the article is to contribute to the discussion about the relationship between action research with qualitative data and generalization. Working towards this purpose, we look into two other elements of research design. These two are research questions and case study as a research strategy. We apply theoretical concepts about different types of action research, different types of case study and different types of generalization in qualitative research. We also derive various formulations of constructive research questions. By experimenting with compilations of the theoretical concepts and the various formulations of constructive research questions, we promote a possible mindset about how different types of action research can justify ambition or not ambition of generalization.

Praxis-forskning – iboende i det 20. århundrets filosofiske og metodologiske utvikling

This chapter follows some main currents in philosophical and methodological developments, mainly through the 20th century. These developments emanate from a critical renewal of central aspects of Aristotelian philosophy, justifying but also requiring a praxis-based and immanently critical form of action research, and a reconfiguration of the organizational and institutional relations between research, practice and learning.

ALAR som tilnærming for å skape økt forståelse hos deltakere for forskning og for forståelse for FoU i skole og i lærerutdanning

There is an increased focus in teacher education on research-based teaching as a means to develop a more research-based professional knowledge. However, research from several Western countries shows that neither school-based nor university-based teachers are familiar with how to integrate research-based knowledge in professional teacher practice. This ALAR-study focuses on how a research and development project has been carried out in tripartite collaboration between student teachers, school-based and university-based teachers. This process initiated mutual learning and understanding of research-based knowledge between the participants in balanced partnership. The present study shows how ALAR can develop partnerships and mutual understanding of research-based knowledge between universities and schools, in respect of student teachers’ professional development.

Studentsentrert undervisning i lærerutdanning. «Når alle er engasjert og har lest, blir det fort en spennende diskusjon.»

In this chapter, we present a self-study project (Zeichner, 2007) about student-centered education for student teachers. The aim was to explore in what way student-centered education might increase students’ engagement and learning in adapted education. We used social-cultural theory and a dialogical framework (Dysthe, 1996) both as the basis for planning education and analysis of the data. We built up the education for the students as a “learning-pattern” of different kinds of dialogue. As method, we employed a questionnaire, which the students filled in at the end of the project. We found many examples of how individual reading and listening on the one hand, and collective writing and group discussion on the other hand interacted with each other and thereby increased student learning and engagement. However, a challenge was to involve students more actively in planning their own learning process to increase both learning and democratic participation. Our common planning, teaching and research made it possible for us to both develop our teaching and develop new knowledge about student-centered education.