A learning circle is a group consisting of different participants with different experiences, interests, prerequisites and intentions.

In a learning circle, collective knowledge development takes place. One examines, describes and analyzes challenges from their own teaching practice, that the participants find urgent and relevant.

In the circle, the participants try to understand and analyze these challenges through interaction and collaboration, and thereby achieve deeper insights into these challenges, as well as developing possible new actions to change the teaching practice.

The project’s intention is to develop and test learning circles, comprising of both 4^th yr preservice teachers and newly qualified teachers (NQT),  as a method to ease the transition from teacher education to the teaching profession by strengthen the connection between theoretical and practical knowledge,  and develop professionality in teaching, for thereby to provide greater opportunity for establishing   foothold in the profession.

In addition, the intention is

-to identify themes that could be beneficial for the teacher education program to focus on, regarding induction

- to encourage preservice teachers to write practical bachelor projects that can help them in the transition from education to profession.

The project builds on knowledge generated in the research project Teacher Start and Foothold 2016-2020 (Frederiksen et al., 2017).

The theoretical foundation of this project is based on: 

- peer-group mentoring, based on equality and autonomy (Tynjälä, 2019)

- socio-constructivism theories of learning (Illeris, 2006; Rasmussen, 2004), distributed among participants in a (Rasmussen, 2004, Säljö,2003) …

- inquiry-based collaborative mentoring(Beutel et al., 2017; Gardiner & Weisling, 2018; Langdon, 2017),

- educative mentoring with a trifocal perspective (Bradbury, 2010; Langdon, 2017) in a Nordic understanding, which means mentoring, that does not primarily focus on specific teaching concepts but rather on and understanding  that mentoring must help the NQT to understand and interpret students´ well-being, learning and bildung.

- professional identity work (Heggen, 2008)

- professional judgement (Grimen, 2008; Paahus, 2009)

- learning communities (Dillard, 2012; DuFour, 2004)

Our research questions is:

–       How can/cannot learning circles in the form of peer-group mentoring with nqts and preservice teachers respectively, contribute to professional development, ease the transition from teacher education to the teaching profession, and contribute to further connecting theoretical and practical knowledge?

–       Where do we see challenges, opportunities and limitations of working with learning circles in this context?

In the project, two learning circles were established. Each circle consisted of four newly qualified teachers employed in the same municipality and four 4th year preservice teachers from the same teacher education, as well as a facilitator (who was both a teacher educator and a knowledge worker in the research program). Work was done with reflective teams consisting of preservice teacheres. Furthermore, work was done with a primary and a secondary person, in the form of a new teacher who was to inquire into the current case. The process for each learning circle was: Presenting new experiences from trying out actions developed from the challenges from the previous learning circle session, presentation of cases from all newly qualified teachers, selection of case, inquiry of challenge jointly, contribution from the reflective team (pre service students), further study of challenge with development of different possiblities for new action, agreements: who will try the new action out? To support an inquiry-based approach, Karl Tomm's questiontypes were applied (Tomm, 1992). We have data from: 39 logbooks from preservice teachers,25 logbooks from NQTs, 11 logbooks from facilitators, 11 observation notes, 2 focus group interviews with student teaches, 1 focus group interview with NQTs, 2 individual interviews with NQTs. Our strategy for analysis has been a combination of inductive and deductive methods across all empirics (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Patton, 1990). We have had themes in the back of our minds, based on theory and inductive open coding with subsequent thematization.

We have preanalyzed one big theme “reflection”, as the dialogues in the learning circles have provided opportunities for both rearward and forward reflection for all participants. The analysis also shows sign for the themes “development of professional identity”, “teacher role”” revitalization and courage”, “collaborative competencies” and “development of competencies for use in professional learning communities”. To become clearer in the analysis we have divided the main theme reflection into three subthemes:” Reflection”, “interaction between theory and practice” and “the action perspective”. The themes are closely linked, intertwined, and interdependent, and in its entirety, it is about reflection. In order to learn to reflect in a qualified way, the NQTs needed to learn to unfold a case, to change perspective Both the preservice teachers and the newly qualified teachers gained good skills for this throughout the process of the 6 learning circle sessions. The work in the learning circles has given the participants experience with and insight into how practice and theory can play together when challenges in teaching must be addressed. Especially the preservice students’ 'involvement of theory, has (re)activated the newly qualified teachers' theoretical knowledge. The newly qualified teachers´ action and testing new practice have also contributed to the preservice teachers, in terms of insights and ideas for action and real actions. The preservice teachers have gained insight into the fact that challenges can change, if you work with them seriously. The learning circles seems to have potential to strengthen the participants agency in practice and their courage to develop their practice.

Beutel, D., Crosswell, L., Willis, J., Spooner-Lane, R., Curtis, E., & Churchward, P. (2017). Preparing teachers to mentor beginning teachers: an Australian case study. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 6(3), 164–177. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-04-2017-0030 Bradbury, L. U. (2010). Educative Mentoring : Promoting Reform-Based Science Teaching through mentoring relationships. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 94(6), 1049–1071. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20393 Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa Dillard, H. (2012). The Effects of Professional Learning Communities on the Efficacy Level of Novice Teachers: A Mixed Methods Study [ProQuest LLC]. In ETD Collection for Tennessee State University (Issue May). http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED548960&site=ehost-live DuFour, R. (2004). What is a “professional learning community"? Educational Leadership, 61(8), 6–11. Frederiksen, L. L., Krøjgaard, F., & Paaske, K. A. (2017). Lærerstart og fodfæste i et livslangt karriereforløb. VIA University College. https://www.ucviden.dk/da/publications/lærerstart-og-fodfæste-i-et-livs-langt-karriereforløb Gardiner, W., & Weisling, N. (2018). Challenges and complexities of developing mentors’ practice: insights from new mentors. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 7(4), 329–342. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-12-2017-0078 Grimen, H. & Molander. A. (2008). Profesjon og skjønn. In A. Molander & L. I. Terum (Eds.), Profesjonsstudier (pp. 179–197). Universitetsforlaget. Heggen, K. (2008). Profesjon og identitet. In A. Molander & L. I. Terum (Eds.), Profesjonsstudier (pp. 321–332). Universitetsforlaget. Illeris, K. (2006). Læring (2nd. ed). Roskilde Universitetsforlag. Langdon, F. J. (2017). Learning to Mentor: Unravelling Routine Practice to Develop Adaptive Mentoring Expertise. Teacher Development, 21(4), 528–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2016.1267036 Paahus, A. (2009). Professionel dømmekraft. Gjallerhorn, 8. Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2.ed.). Sage. Rasmussen, J. (2004). Undervisning i det refleksivt moderne: politik, profession, pædagogik. Hans Reitzel. Tomm, K. (1992). Interviewet som intervention. Forum.