The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss a strategy for collaboration between educational institutions and the field of practice, aimed at profession-relevant teacher education. The paper is based on the results from a comprehensive action research project on teacher education schools. The main goal of the project was to develop a collaboration that could contribute to enhancing both the quality of student teachers’ practical training and the professional relevance of teacher education programs and research and development work.

Extensive Norwegian and international research shows that teacher education is not sufficiently profession-relevant, and that close collaboration and coherence between educational institutions and the field of practice is necessary to achieve relevance and quality (Canrinus et al., 2019; Darling-Hammond, 2017; Schaug & Herudsløkken, 2019; Sylte & Jahanlu, 2017). The research highlights the need for increased professional relevance in teacher education and stronger collaboration between teacher education institutions and schools.

The Norwegian political initiative Teacher Education 2025 (L-2025) emphasizes the need for enhanced quality and professional relevance in teacher education through closer collaboration between educational institutions and the field of practice (Ministry of Education, 2017). L-2025 outlines a broad initiative that focuses on what are known as teacher education schools, where schools and teacher education institutions collaborate to improve the quality of teacher education. Emphasis is placed on strengthening both student teachers’ practical training and the development and research collaboration between schools and universities that are responsible for teacher education. There is also a focus on ensuring that “teacher education programs offer relevant continuing education” (Ministry of Education [ME], 2017, p. 6).

The regional education authorities in Oslo and Akershus and a group of researchers in the Department of vocational teacher education (YLU) at the OsloMet University developed the Action research project LUSY (teacher education schools in vocational teacher education), aimed at developing vocational teacher education schools with three vocational upper secondary schools (VET), with funding from the Norwegian Research Council. The purpose for the project is to develop a binding and lasting cooperation between the schools and OsloMet to create the best possible vocational teacher education and VET. The intention is to form binding and lasting cooperative structures between VET and OsloMet University.

The paper`s research question is:

What are the central principles for the content and organization of collaboration between educational institutions and the practice field aimed at professionally relevant teacher education, and what are the opportunities and barriers in the collaboration?

A profession-relevant education can be defined as being characterized by a close coherence between content and tasks in the profession and the educational content. Such education is largely in accordance with the competence demands of the profession (Hiim, 2023; Sylte 2020). There’s a multitude of research indicating that insufficient professional relevance is a challenge in teacher education as well as in professional education in other areas. One of the reasons seems to be that collaboration between educational institutions and professional workplaces is not sufficiently developed (Canrinus et al., 2015; Heggen & Smedby, 2015; Hiim, 2023; Sylte, 2020).

The project is based on analyses of pragmatic and critical epistemological perspectives on teacher competence and teacher education, with a focus on experience-based, participatory professional learning, development, and research. A holistic approach to teacher competence is emphasized (Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1986; Eikeland, 2012a; Hiim, 2023; Hiim & Sylte, 2024; Sylte, 2020; Schön, 1983).

The main methodological approach in the project is action research in the form of practitioner research and dialogue-based organizational learning. The authors as teacher educators and project leaders developed and researched their own professional practice together with 18 teacher educator colleagues, leaders at YLU, school leaders, and practice teachers/teachers at three VET-schools (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009; Elliott, 1991; Herr & Anderson, 2015; Hiim, 2010; Hiim & Sylte, 2024). In addition to practitioner research, dialogue conferences as a methodology for organizational learning and development are central to the project (Eikeland, 2012b). The purpose was to collaborate in designing, testing, evaluating, and documenting initiatives where both teacher educators, teachers/mentor teachers, and our respective organizations developed competence in relevant teacher education. The goal of the research was to achieve and document new knowledge about key principles for the content and organization of a lasting collaboration between educational institutions and the practice field on professionally relevant teacher education. The initiatives in this paper focused on the following: • Developing a school-based further education program for mentor teachers, aimed at relevant teacher education • Developing research collaboration between teacher educators and teachers /mentor teachers • Developing YLU and the schools as learning organizations, both individually and across institutions, focusing on relevant teacher education and fostering long-term collaboration between the parties • Establishing a partner group consisting of the partner leaders with the responsibility to propose and implement initiatives for long-term collaboration between the parties. The purpose was to qualify mentor teachers and schools to guide student teachers and colleagues in teaching, as well as in development and research work, and to contribute to developing professional communities and the school as a learning organization (ME, 2017). The program`s focus was on didactic guidance tasks in part one and collaboration between teacher educators and teachers on development and research tasks in part two. The development of the school as a learning organization was also to be particularly emphasized in part two of the mentor teacher program. It was linked to the implementation of a dialogue conference where teachers and leaders identified key challenges as a starting point for planning, implementing, and documenting research and development projects. The more specific planning of the program would be carried out in collaboration with each individual school. The empirical material is based on documentation from the development initiatives mentioned above. It includes meeting minutes, plans, teaching materials, logs, participant evaluations, and submitted assignments.

The tentative results provide examples of how educational institutions and the field of practice can jointly plan and implement education that focuses on developing teachers’ professional competence through experiential, participatory learning and research. Didactic analysis and guidance, the development of professional communities, and organizational learning emerge as central elements in mentor teacher education aimed at relevant teacher training. The tentative findings suggest that the core principles of profession-relevant teacher education, regardless of type or level, are grounded in experience with professional teacher tasks. Education, development, and research must all be based on this foundation, from which professional concepts, theories, and new practices are developed. Critical reflection and participation are also prerequisites for ensuring that teacher education and teachers’ competencies remain socially relevant and sustainable. Experience-based, participatory teacher education can only be achieved through ongoing collaboration between teacher education institutions and schools. In this paper, we will provide examples of cooperation aimed at qualifying teachers, schools, teacher educators, and teacher education institutions for profession-relevant teacher education, highlighting the opportunities and challenges that may arise. Schools, teachers, and teacher educators who have participated in a practical teacher training program characterized by equitable collaboration, active participation and experiential learning report that it has been very meaningful and that they have learned a great deal about profession-relevant teacher education. The tentative findings also indicate that the development of teacher educators’ competence and organizational learning within teacher education institutions is crucial for achieving profession-relevant teacher education, and that there may be challenges related to established structures and traditions.

Canrinus, E. T., Bergem, O. K., Klette, K. & Hammerness, K. (2015). Coherent teacher education programmes: Taking a student perspective. Journal of Curriculum Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2015.1124145 Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (2009). Inquiry as a stance. Practitioner research for the next generation. Teacher College Press. Darling-Hammond, L. (Ed.). (2006). Professional development schools—schools for developing a profession. Teacher’s College Press. Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher education around the world: What can we learn from international practice? European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(3), 291–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2017.1315399 Dreyfus, H. L. & Dreyfus, S. E. (1986). Mind over Machine: The Power of human intuition and expertice in the era of the computer. Free press. Eikeland, O. (2012a). Symbiotic Learning Systems: Reorganizing and Integrating Learning Efforts and Responsibilities Between Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and Work Places. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. Springer. DOI 10.1007/s13132-012-0123-6 Eikeland, O. (2012b). Action research and organisational learning—a Norwegian approach to doing action research in complex organisations. Educational Action Research Journal, 20(2), 267–290. DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2012.676303 Elliott, J. (1991). Action research for educational change. Open University Press. Heggen, K., Smeby J.-C. & Vågan, A. (2015). Coherence: A longitudinal approach. In J.-C. Smedby & M. Suthpen (Ed.), From Vocational to professional Education (s. 70–88). Routledge. Herr, K., & Anderson, G. (2015). The action research dissertation. Sage. Hiim, H. (2010). Pedagogisk aksjonsforskning [Educational action research]. Gyldendal Akademisk. Hiim, H. (2023). Developing teacher professionalism in an era of neo-liberalism. In J. McNiff (Ed.), Representations of the academic: Challenging assumptions in higher education. (pp. 135-150) Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351053 Hiim, H., & Sylte, A. L. (2024). Collaboration between educational institutions and the practical field in teacher education – Epistemological perspectives in a project aiming to enhance relevance in vocational teacher education through the development of teacher education schools. Social Education Research, 5(2), 484–500. https://doi.org/10.37256/ser.5220244488 Ministry of Education (Kunnskapsdepartementet (2017). Lærerutdanning 2025. https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/d0c1da83bce94e2da21d5f631bbae817/kd_nasjonal-strategi-for-larerutdanningene_nett.pdf Schaug, R. M., & Herudsløkken, K. (2019). Teaching and teaching practice in vocational teacher Education. Scandinavian Journal of Vocations in Development, 4(1), 53–80.https://doi.org/10.7577/sjvd.3218 Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books. Sylte, A. L. (2020). Predicting the Future Competence Needs in Working Life: Didactical Implications for VET. International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training, 7(2), 167–192. https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.7.2.3 Sylte, A. L., & Jahanlu, D. (2017). Profesjonsrettet lærerutdanning for yrkesfag -dagens undervisning og opplevelse av relevans. Scandinavian Journal of Vocations in Development, 2. https://doi.org/10.7577/sjvd.2010