Background of study

The landscape of higher education (HE) is in constant shift and maybe especially so academically based teacher education (TE) programs. In Sweden a reform was launched in 2001 and already another in 2011. Both of those reforms changed fundamental aspects of programs such as admittance, structures, length of study, internships, content etc. Among its objectives, following international policy, it aimed at academic upgrading and raised attractiveness. Content was also addressed and emphasis was placed on democratic values and human rights – and not only to study those issues but to internalize them to be able to defend democracy and human right as a part of the profession.

The AACU report College Learning for the New Global Century (2007) noted that democracies are founded on “a distinct web of values: human dignity, equality, justice, responsibility and freedom” and the fact that most student “never actually study such issues in any formal way”. This seems a bit surprising due to the usually high estimation of J Dewey’s Democracy and Education. Is this observation valid also for Sweden? What can explain this?

Several studies of values education in Swedish TE programs of the model introduced in 2001 has been presented (cf. Frånberg 2006, Elmér & Larsson 2006) but no studies are yet presented in relation to recent reform. A report on Swedish research in this fields draw attention to problems in earlier studies (Arnot 2007). The study presented here has taken that criticism into account.

The problem

It is well known that it is problematic to achieve goals for education reforms (Tyack & Tobin) and that TE institutions has certain difficulties in HE (Labaree). The mentioned reform in 2011 of Swedish TE is especially challenging as the requirement to install in students certain values and attitudes conflicts with the academic tradition in HE of objectivity, neutrality and the approach for critical reflection taking nothing for granted. It seems essential here to look not for how the reform has been implemented but to inquire how higher education institutions “change reforms” and why. (Tyack & Cuban 1995).

Research questions and theoretical framework

Educational systems can be understood also as systems reproducing condition for sustaining a society in one or several respect, explicit or implicit etc. (Bourdieu, 1977; Lindensjö & Lundgren, 2000). This papers overarching research questions is how the state reproduces values, attitudes and behaviors that is regarded essential for sustaining the society. The case inquired is higher education reform and more precise the professionally oriented preparation in academic institutions of teachers with certain values and attitudes. Questions addressed are:

• What’s the perception of the required focus on democracy and values among a) leadership of institutions and programs and b) teachers active in TE programs?
• How and to what extent have institutions changed their TE programs?
• How are institutions acting strategically to fulfill the requirements?
• In what way differs the understanding of tensions between professional requirements and academic requirements between leaders (academic and administrative) and active teachers in TE?

Arnot, M, Hopmann, S. T. & Molander, B., International Evaluation in Educational Sciences: Democratic Values, Gender and Citizenship (2007) Bourdieu, P, Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture (1977) College Learning for the New Global Century, Association of American Colleges & Universities, 2007 Dewey, J, Democracy and Education (1916) Elmér, M & Larsson, H-L, Demokratiutbildning i lärarutbildningen- några jämförelser och tolkningar, (2006) Frånberg, G-M, Lärarstudenters uppfattning om värdegrunden i lärarutbildningen, (2006) Labaree, D, The Trouble With Ed Schools, (2004) Lindensjö, B & Lundgren, U. P, Utbildningsreformer och politisk styrning, (2000) Tyack, D & Tobin, W, The Grammar of Schooling: Why Has it Been so Hard to Change? (1994) Tyack, D and Cuban, L, Tinkering Towards Utopia – A Century of Public School Reforms, (1995)