Research question, objective and theoretical framework:

This paper presents the findings of a comparative study on teacher students’ acquisition of special educational competencies in teacher education and in-service training in Sweden, Finland, Ontario (Canada) and Denmark.

The study is motivated by the current implementation of inclusion in the Danish public school system. Schools are now expected to provide education that ensures good learning outcomes for all students while fostering social and educational inclusion. This change forces the building of the necessary capacity and competencies for teachers. It includes teachers’ special educational and inclusive competencies in dealing with complex learning situations. And thus it includes an interest of student teachers’ acquisition of competencies through education.

The objective of the study is to make an international comparative examination of teacher education and in-service training with a specific focus on special educational and inclusive educational subjects and to find strengths and challenges within the systems in different national contexts.

The theoretical framework for the study is the theory of practice by Pierre Bourdieu (Bourdieu, 1977), the theory of practical reflexivity by Margaret Archer (Archer, 2007) and the theoretical definition of competencies by Illeris (Illeris, 2011). Also a comparative study of teacher education in Canada, Singapore, Denmark and Finland is a part of the theoretical framework (Rasmussen et.al, 2010). From these theories the point of departure in the analysis is the division of knowledge between practice and theory and especially the division of theoretical knowledge in instructive professional practice knowledge and scientific knowledge. This and the discussion of theories in the field of special needs education (Clarke, Dyson & Millward, 1998) and of professionalism in practice by Donald E. Polkinghorne (Polkinghorne, 2004), form an approach to the analysis.

References: Archer, Margaret S. (2007) Making our way through the world, human Reflexivity and Social Mobility, Cambridge. Bourdieu, Pierre & Waquant, J.D. Loïc (1992) An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology, Polity Press. Bourdieu, Pierre (1993) Outline of a Theory of Practice, University Press, Cambridge. Clarke, Catherine, Dyson Alan & Millward Alan (red.) (1998) Theorising Special Education, Routledge. Järvining & Mik – Meyer (2003) At skabe en klient, København, Hans Reitzels Forlag. Polkinghorne, Donald E. (2004) Practice of the human sciences – the case for a judgement-based practice of care, State University of New York Press. Rasmussen et.al. (2010) Komparativt stadium af indholdet I læreruddannelser i Canada, Danmark, Finland og Singapore, DPU.