This paper presents an analysis of what constitutes learning outcomes-oriented education policy as expressed in policy documents in Norway and discuss implications of the observed policy developments for the teaching profession. Recent developments in education policy reflects a widespread expansion of learning outcomes orientation in curriculum and assessment. This development has led to changes in perceptions of quality, and a move in focus from input indicators to outcome indicators (Prøitz 2015). Consequently, it is argued that the scope of interpretation, action, and evaluation of the teaching profession have been reformulated (Young, 2009). These developments lead to changes in how education is governed and practiced and that it is necessary to form critical concepts for the understanding of how curricula are formed and function today (Lundgren, 2006). The following research question has been investigated: How is Norwegian learning outcomes oriented policy defined in key policy documents and what are the implications of these policies for the teacher profession? Particularly the study aims to illuminate “…which policy problems and goals that are brought to the fore and which are left aside” (Saarinen, 2008, p. 719). The study draws on a document analysis (Bowen, 2009) of key policy documents. This investigation consists of a first phase of content analysis by simple word count of carefully selected key concepts. The key concepts have been drawn from a baseline of recent education research on education policy in Norway (Aasen et al. 2012, Mausethagen 2013, Prøitz 2014, Mølstad 2015). The second phase is an in-depth reading of texts identified in the first phase in a more interpretive qualitative analysis. The material consists of 16 documents (5 national budgets, 3 reports to the parliament, 2 official national report, the education act and national regulation and 4 documents from the national curriculum). The preliminary findings display varied usage of central key concepts in the different documents. The highest frequency words identified is knowledge, competence, goal, development, support and learning, among the lowest is the Norwegian “dannelse” equivalent to the German “Bildung”. The study indicates a learning outcomes oriented policy that builds the education system on a linear understanding of the relationship between teachers’ competences, student outcomes and thereby student life opportunities. The policies seem to be built on strong policy visions based on ideas of alignment between pupil’s life opportunities and the teacher’s methodological and didactical competences, thus placing the responsibility of students´ life opportunities on the teachers.

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