The relation between theory and practice in the Nordic teacher education programs.

Author(s):

Tine Arntzen Hestbek(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 05 D, Parallel Paper Session

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-19

11:00-12:30

Room:

FCEE - Aula 4.3

Chair:

Laura Colucci-Gray

Contribution

The purpose of this paper is to study discourses of research based teacher professionalism in the Nordic countries. Different orientations to research in the field of education will be discussed in how they lay foundation for relations between theory, practice and policy. The discourses on what counts as “research based knowledge” may have serious impact on the role teachers may play in education

When aiming to analyze discourses on research based knowledge, Hammersley´s (2002) concepts of “one-world-theory” and “two-world-theory” can be useful to describe the relation between theory, practice and policy. The different orientations may have different impacts on how we understand teachers´ and teacher education´s role in the education field. In the “One-world-theory”, research shall prescribe /have strong impact on practice. In the “Two-world-theory” research and theory gives perspectives to practice, and is considered one of several sources for understanding the field. Cultural diversity and political ideology will have impact of how we understand and use results from research. Kvernbek´s (2011) concept of “weak theory” and “strong theories” describes also different orientation on theory and practice. “Weak theory” is linked directly to action, but “Strong theory” refers to research bases knowledge, that does not have to be legitimated in practice. “Strong theory” could either have ha distance to practice trough function as critical tools/perspectives.

Research question: How does teacher education relate to discourses on the relation between theory and practice? The results will be discussed in relation to how the orientations may relate to views on teachers´ professionality.

Method

Methods Through discourse analysis I look into how the OECD, the governments in Norway, in Sweden and in Finland, and teacher educators of the tree countries understand the meaning of research based teacher education, and the link between theory, practice and policy. Data sources My data sources are international policy documents (OECD), white papers from Norway, Sweden and Finland, and curricula/framework plans for teacher education in the countries.

Expected Outcomes

In Norway we experience that the government much attention is given to how to teach for best result, while less attention is paid to what to teach and why. Answers to challenges in education, for example PISA results, is to find in research they believe is “objective/neutral” (Haug 2003), so called “One World Theory” (Hammersley 2002, 2007). This trend may lead to teacher education programs that educate “obedient” teachers based on so called evidenced based results. The lack of different perspectives, the lack of critical thinking and problematizing of the link between theory and practice (like in the “Two World Theory” and the "Strong Theory") in teacher education program, may lead to understand teachers as bureaucrats, not as autonomous professionals (Hansen 2008, Haugen and Hestbek 2011). In analyses of the Finish educational policy, the results are different. The consequences of Finish teacher education seem to be more autonomous teachers that the government has confidence in (Ibid). This may further indicate that the Finish teacher profession has more power than the Norwegian, and that teacher educators are more powerful premise providers in the Finish education system (Hestbek 2011).

References

Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity. Boston: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, . Biesta, G. (2011, desember). Research based (teacher) education. What, why, how, when and when not? Presentasjon ved personalseminar for Program for lærerutdanning, NTNU, Åre. Fairclough, N., & Wodak, R. (1997). Critical discourse analysis. I T. A. van Dijk (red.), Discourse as social interaction (s. 258-284). London: SAGE Publications. Hammersley, M. (2002). Educational research policymaking and practice. London: SAGE Publications. Hammersley, M. (red.). (2007). Educational research and evidence-based practice.London: SAGE Publications. Hansen, D. T. (2008). Values and purpose in teacher education. I M. Cochran-Smith, S. Feiman-Nemser, D. John McIntyre, & K. E. Demers (red.), Handbook of research on teacher education. Enduring questions in changing contexts (s. 10-26). New York: Routledge. Haug, P. (2003). Om forskings- og utviklingsarbeid i lærarutdanninga. I G. Karlsen & I. Kvalbein (red), Norsk lærerutdanning (s. 159-175). Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Haugen, C. R. (2011a). Comparing the OECD´s and Norway´s teacher education policies: Teacher autonomy under attack? (Akseptert for publisering i: The Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies) Haugen, C. R. (2011b). Hva kan kritisk utdanningsteori fortelle oss om forholdet mellom makt og utdanning? (forberedes for publisering) Hestbek, T. A. (2010). PPU – Utfordringer og mulige tiltak. Rapport til KD mars 2011. Trondheim: NTNU. Jørgensen, M. W., & Phillips, L. (1999). Diskursanalyse som teori og metode. Fredriksberg:Roskilde Universitetsforlag. Kunnskapsdepartementet. (2009). Læreren. Rollen og utdanningen. St.meld. nr. 11 (2008-2009). Oslo: Forfatteren. Kunnskapsdepartementet (2011). Mandat til nasjonale rammeplanutvalg for lærerutdanning 8.-13. trinn Kvernbekk, T. (2011). Filosofisk om teori og praksis. Bedre skole 2011(2), 20-25. NOKUT. (2006). Evaluering av allmennlærerutdanningen i Norge 2006. Del 1: Hovedrapport. Oslo: Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanning.

Author Information

Tine Arntzen Hestbek (presenting / submitting)

NTNU

PLU

Trondheim

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