Proposal information

In a three year project we developed an understanding of the complexity of classroom leadership in collaboration with the practice field. The research question was "Can we develop a broad, didactical and applicable concretization of the concept of classroom leadership for use in practicum in teacher education?”. The first year (2007-2008) a preliminary draft of the concept was developed through "shadowing" to student groups in their practicum, interviewing them and their supervisors and analyzing  assessments of students from their supervisors.

The next year (2008-2009) this draft was tried out and developed in collaboration with three supervisors and their eleven students in their seven-weeks practicum in the second year of teacher education. The third year (2009-2010) this scheme for classroom leadership was further tried out by six supervisors and their twenty-two students. Both supervisors and student teachers from all three years participated actively in discussing and trying out this way of operationalising and concretising the concept of classroom leadership. The concept was understood within a relational and communicational framework (Kounin 1970, Bateson 1972, Dysthe 2003).  Classroom leadership was also connected to the concept of practical knowledge and learning within the profession in a relational framework (Grimen 2008, Molander 1996, Fuglestad 1997, Wenger 1998).

References: Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an Ecology of Mind. Ballantine Books. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in Psychology. In: Qualitative Research in Psychology 2006; 3: 77-101. Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). The Landscape of Qualitative Research. Sage Publications. Dysthe, O. (2003). Det flerstemmige klasserommet. Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. Fuglestad O. L. (1997). Pedagogiske prosessar- empiri - teori - metoder. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget. Grimen, H. (2008). Profesjon og kunnskap. I: Molander, A. & Terum, L.I. Profesjonsstudier. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Kounin, J.S. (1970). Discipline and Group Management in Classrooms. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Molander, B. (1996). Kunnskap i handling. Gøteborg: Daidalos. Tiller, T. (red) (2004). Aksjonsforskning. Høyskoleforlaget. Ulleberg, I. (2004). Kommunikasjon og veiledning. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Ulleberg, I. (2008). Det mangetydige klasserommet – kommunikasjon og handlingstvang. I: Michelet, S. Mangfold i klasserommet – individ og fellesskap. HiO-rapport 13/2008. Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice. New York: Cambridge University Press.