A short presentation of the STEP project
The symposium is based on STEP, a research- and collaborative project that follows the first generation of students with a five-year master's education for primary school teachers in Norway during their last year of study and the first two years as teachers.
The STEP project focuses on how to retain Early Career Teachers in schools, and builds on values such as equality, multi-perspectives, competences, and collaboration. The methodology is framed by Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) combined by the approach of research circles. We combine CHAT and Research Circles (RCs) to facilitate research- and experience-based dialogues for national and international policymaking.
Primary objective: STEP will develop research- and experience-based knowledge on transition from Master Initial Teacher Education (M-ITE) into the teacher profession.
Secondary objectives:
- Identify student teachers’ expectations to the profession and school actors’ expectations to Early Career Teachers’ competence.
- Identify experiences of tension and recognition of Early Career Teachers’ competence in school.
- Ensure a continuum of professional learning for Early Career Teachers through induction and mentoring.
This multi-methodological project is funded by the Norwegian Research Association.
Different papers will introduce values, methodological perspectives and preliminary findings.
The papers are:
Paper 1: Partnership and Collaboration to Contribute to a Good Start to the Teaching Profession.
Paper 2: School Owners' Expectations to Early Career Teachers: Novices or Resource Persons?
Paper 3: School Employees' Experiences and Understanding of New Teachers' Research- and Development Competence