Marte Blikstad-Balas

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection Doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003427414

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Acta Didactica Norden (ADNO) 18(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.10205

I forbindelse med innføringen av nye læreplaner (LK20) for grunnskolen høsten 2020, ble oppmerksomheten på kritisk lesing og kritisk tenkning forsterket. I norskfaget understrekes i tillegg betydningen av kritisk refleksjon over teksters troverdighet og pålitelighet, og betydningen av kunne lese og forstå tekster i relasjon til kontekster. Med kritisk literacy som teoretisk utgangspunkt undersøker vi i denne artikkelen en gruppe norsklærerstudenters refleksjoner om tekst og tekstopplæring. Formålet med studien var å undersøke hvordan literacy ble konseptualisert av studentene og hvordan de tilrettela for arbeid med tekst i klasserommet i praksisperioden. Vi var interessert i å identifisere mulige sammenhenger mellom konseptualisering av literacy, arbeid med literacy i klasserommet og norskdidaktiske begrunnelser. Artikkelen bygger på observasjon av undervisning i norskfaget i lærerutdanningen og kvalitative intervju med 20 norsklærerstudenter etter en praksisperiode i skolen. Funnene viser at det er stor variasjon i hvilken betydning studentene legger i literacy, og hva de mener inngår i denne kompetansen. Vi finner imidlertid to hovedtendenser i materialet: En gruppe studenter oppfatter literacy som en bred kommunikativ kompetanse som omfatter forståelse, tolkning og produksjon av tekst, og de ser tekster som del av en sosial kontekst. De betrakter tekstkompetanse som en forutsetning for samfunnsdeltakelse, og kobler lese- og skriveopplæringen til elevenes muligheter for kunnskapstilegnelse og medborgerskap. En mindre gruppe studenter uttrykker en langt snevrere forståelse. For disse studentene er tekstkompetanse utelukkende basisferdigheter i lesing og skriving. Studien viser videre at studentene i begge gruppene i hovedsak legger opp til trening av basisferdigheter i lesing og skriving. Kun et lite mindretall av studentene legger til rette for tekstarbeid som fremmer kritisk literacy. Materialet viser at det kan være en sammenheng mellom studentenes oppfatning av literacy og hvordan arbeid med tekst foregår i klasserommet. I artikkelen drøftes mulige implikasjoner for arbeidet med tekst i lærerutdanningen.

Nordic Journal of Literacy Research 10(2) p. 72-92 Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/njlr.v10.5309

The issue of washback effects from tests on instruction has been extensively investigated. The nature and extent of washback depend on many factors, some of which are related to teachers and exams. Work to redesign the national written exams in Norwegian Language Arts (NLA) for secondary school began in 2020, placing the issue of washback effects from exams on teachers’ instruction and assessment on the agenda. However, there is no systematic knowledge about the extent and nature of washback from the current exams. The present study reports on a survey of NLA teachers in lower- and upper-secondary school (N = 508) by investigating the washback effects they perceive and their attitudes toward the existing exams, as well as exploring how perceived washback and attitudes are related using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that, as regards instruction, teachers believe there is a washback effect from the NLA exams. This effect on instruction is strongly associated with teachers’ attitudes toward the exams. In contrast, the association between the teachers’ attitudes and the washback they perceive on their own formal assessment practices is rather weak in numerical terms.

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Using Video to Foster Teacher Development Improving Professional Practice through Adaptation and Reflection

Computers & Education 219 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2024.105107

With the increasing prevalence of digital devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers, more and more reading is happening in digital formats – also in classrooms across the world. The present study focuses on lower secondary school students and their reading comprehension and attitudes toward reading on paper and screens. The study uses an innovative methodological approach were eye-tracking technology is used to observe ten carefully sampled eight grade students with different reading levels. The students read a selection of texts and answered questions from the Norwegian national reading assessment on comparable versions on paper and on screen. By analyzing eye movement data (reading transitions), including more than 25000 fixations, in combination with text reading comprehension outcomes, students' cued retrospective reporting from reading, and interview data we have obtained detailed and comprehensive data on students' reading comprehension, reading behavior, and reading experiences across different media. A key result is that reading on screen leads to more shallow processing and can hinder reading comprehension. Importantly, our results from the students' cued retrospective reporting of their eye tracking, showed that they were unaware of their reading behavior and didn't reflect much on reading in different media. These findings have implications for the increasing shift to digital learning environments in the educational context. It is important to recognize the difference between reading processes, and policymakers and practitioners cannot assume that these processes are the same across individuals and different delivery modes.

Journal of Learning Analytics 11(2) p. 268-280 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18608/jla.2024.8241

In June 2022, the Norwegian Expert Commission on Learning Analytics delivered an interim report to the Norwegian Minister of Education and Research. Motivated by the need to establish a solid foundation upon which to regulate and promote the use of learning analytics in the Norwegian educational sector, the Ministry asked the Expert Commission to investigate the relevant pedagogical, ethical, legal, and privacy issues. Addressing primary, secondary, higher, and vocational education, the interim report surveys the field of learning analytics and the regulatory environment across the contexts and analyzes its challenges and opportunities for Norwegian education. Four dilemmas — data, learning, governance, and competence — signal where greater knowledge, awareness, and reflection are needed, as well as the nature of necessary policy and regulatory choices. In this practical report, we offer insights on the use, development, and regulation of LA in different countries, describe the Expert Commission mandate, work method, and dilemmas, and conclude with a reflection on the relationship between research on learning analytics and the challenges that arise when implementing learning analytics in practice. This practical report is relevant for those interested in developing policies or practices surrounding the use of learning analytics at the local or national level.

Didactics in a Changing World European Perspectives on Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum p. 217-235

Universitetsforlaget

Schools and Society During the COVID-19 Pandemic How Education Systems Changed and the Road Ahead p. 131-147

Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy 18(4) p. 272-286 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/NJDL.18.4.6

Reading, a cornerstone of children’s education, is deeply influenced by cultural and traditional factors. Despite a consensus on its critical role, divergent definitions of reading persist across disciplines and theoretical paradigms. In this perspective article, we capitalise on recent research, including our own, to illustrate how divergent approaches to reading can enrich each other. We argue that diverse perspectives on reading can transcend the simplistic dichotomy of print versus digital reading in contemporary public discussions, and foster a more nuanced understanding of literacy. Each of the authors outlines their distinctive approach and research findings, and we synthesise these insights to provide a more integrated comprehension of the intricate nature of reading in the current global educational context.

Acta Didactica Norden (ADNO) 17(1) p. 1-24 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.9837

A range of different theories may inform educational research. Rather than drawing on well established grand theories’, more and more educational researchers are drawing on different theories for different research purposes. In this article we review 179 doctoral theses written within the educational sciences in order to examine (1) How frequently is an eclectic use of theory employed within the educational sciences, and how do the candidates combine the different theories? and (2) How do the candidates justify their eclectic use of theory? The theses studied were submitted between 2010 and 2021 to the faculties of education at the two largest universities in Norway, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University of Oslo (UiO). A total of 179 theses were screened to identify words and expressions that could classify them as having an eclectic use of theory. The current analysis provides insights into the frequency of employing an eclectic approach to theory within the field of educational sciences, how educational scientists combine different theories and how they justify their eclectic use of theory. We find that 25 of the theses are eclectic in their theoretical framing, however few candidates corroborate and demonstrate their combination of theories. The lack of demonstration and justification of the integration of theories can be a result of the academic format in a Norwegian article-based PhD and the fact that PhD-candidates often are novices in both the use and discussion of academic theories.

Computers in The Schools 40(3) p. 1-21 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2023.2196963

Educational podcasting may support student collaboration and learning. However, little is known about how students talk with each other when developing podcasts in groups. In this study, eight groups of Norwegian high school students (N = 30) developed podcasts about contemporary poems in their literature class. The study focuses on the extent to which on-task student talk was presentational or exploratory, and serves to illustrate occasions of exploratory talk in educational podcasting projects. Subsequent analysis of 50 hours of audio recordings collected throughout the four-week project showed that exploratory talk was most prevalent during the beginning of the project and presentational talk toward the end. Excerpts from two group works show how exploratory talk manifested in group conversations during the project. The study demonstrates that students may engage in exploratory talk when developing podcasts, indicating that such projects in combination with broad pedagogical approaches may foster educational dialogues.

Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies 133 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104274

This study reports on a longitudinal video-based literacy coaching professional development intervention involving 38 teachers at nine Norwegian schools, targeting the use of three scaffolding practices that teachers struggle to implement in daily practices: modeling, feedback, and strategy instruction. By measuring the quality of teachers' scaffolding instruction through an observation protocol, we document how teachers were able to engage in high-level scaffolding practices, exhibiting development through the support of video-based coaching. However, challenges to implementation were raised, such as putting scaffolding theory into practice and receiving balanced support. The study indicates that PDs require flexibility to accommodate teachers’ individual needs.

Studies in Educational Evaluation 75 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2022.101204

There is a growing use of standardized observation systems to directly measure teaching quality in classrooms. These systems are based on conceptual understandings of teaching that lead to carefully operationalized rubrics that decompose teaching quality into a number of distinct dimensions. In this paper, we argue that measurement and analysis choices used by observation systems may not fully align with the conceptual understandings of teaching upon which observation systems are based. We discuss three key assumptions that undergird many views of teaching quality and highlight how common analytical approaches violate these assumptions, proposing alternative analytical approaches that would better conform to the conceptual understandings of teaching quality. We end with a discussion of the importance of carefully aligning conceptual understandings with measurement approaches.

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (JCAL) 39 (1) p. 269-285 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12745

Background: Globally, digital skills are a crucial aspect of education that schoolsshould develop systematically. Research on digital skills tends to be measured usingself-reports, performance tests or interventions. There is less knowledge about stu-dent and teacher uptake of technology in school, making it important to investigatethe actual use of technology and digital skills in authentic classroom settings. Objectives:This study contributes unique baseline data concerning students' use oftechnology and digital skills across mandatory English courses in real classroom set-tings in secondary schools in Norway over time. Methods:The study adapted a national framework for digital skills into an observa-tion protocol. With it, this study analysed videos from 60 naturally occurring Englishlessons in 13 English classes at seven lower secondary schools over two school years(grades 9 and 10), following 186 students (aged 13–15) and 10 teachers. Results and Conclusions:Students used digital skills critical for education in half ofthe video-recorded English lessons, with more digital skill use at some schools overtime. The main finding across classrooms and school years regards students' use ofbasic, not advanced, digital skills. Takeaways:Although teachers provide opportunities for students to use digital skillsin school, more advanced skills are needed. This work calls for continued use of videorecordings to provide systematic comparisons of potential shifts in students' digitalskills in real English secondary classroom settings over time.

Research in Comparative and International Education Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/17454999221077848

This paper focuses on patterns of instructional practices in mathematics classrooms in two Nordic contexts, Finland and Norway. While sharing some key features in terms of ways of organizing schooling and education, these two contexts also exhibit interesting differences in instruction at the classroom level. In using a standardized coding manual to systematically analyze features of instruction in 16 classrooms, eight in Helsinki, and eight in Oslo, we found that whole-class instruction dominated in Oslo, and individual seatwork was the main instructional activity in Helsinki. Instruction in Helsinki showed more evidence of clear instructional explanations, connection of new knowledge to existing knowledge, and explicit learning goals; Oslo students had greater opportunities to participate in classroom discourse and peer discussions. This study contributes to the understanding of how similar contexts enact distinct instructional patterns in the classroom, and how these can be related to the aspects of instructional quality.

Nordic Journal of Literacy Research 8(2) p. 44-63 Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/njlr.v8.3347

Alle lærere har ansvar for å utvikle elevenes evne til å tenke – og lese – kritisk. For å lykkes med det, må de også kunne det selv. I artikkelen presenteres en studie som undersøker lærerstudenters kritiske lesing av et utvalg tekster distribuert via sosiale medier. Datamaterialet består av 58 lærerstudenters rapporterte bruk av sosiale medier, samt vurderingene deres av formål og pålitelighet i et utvalg autentiske tekster fra sosiale medier. Som framtidige lærere vil informantene i studien spille en vesentlig rolle i skolens arbeid med å utvikle barn og unges tekstkyndighet, og det er derfor interessant å vite mer om denne gruppens lesing og tekstforståelse. Funnene viser at utvalget av studenter har høy tillit til tekstene. De har utfordringer med å vurdere tekstenes pålitelighet og legger vage kriterier til grunn når de begrunner vurderingene sine. De legger stor vekt på subjektiv opplevelse av tekstene, på forkunnskap og synspunkter om temaet og på antakelser om avsenderens troverdighet. Funnene indikerer at lærerutdanningen ikke kan forutsette at studentene er kritiske lesere, og at kritiske perspektiver på tekst i større grad må inngå i utdanningen.

Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift 4(106) p. 316-330 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/npt.106.4.4

Fra 12. mars til 15. mai 2020 stengte den norske regjeringen alle grunnskolene i landet for å begrense spredningen av COVID19. Aldri før har så mange elever fått hjemmeundervisning. Vi har gjennomført en spørreundersøkelse med foresatte (N=4642) fra hele landet med barn i grunnskolen, der vi kartlegger deres opplevelse av hjemmeskoletilbudet. Ikke overraskende er det stor variasjon i hvordan hjemmeskole ble gjennomført, og det er også store forskjeller i hvordan de foresatte opplevde denne perioden med nedstenging. Et viktig funn fra studien er at hjemmeskole i stor grad innebar at elevene jobbet individuelt med oppgaver etter en arbeidsplan, noe som forutsetter at elevene enten har høy grad av selvregulering eller svært involverte foresatte. De sosiale mulighetene som digital teknologi muliggjør, ble i liten grad benyttet.

Norsklæreren p. 53-67

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-022-09394-y

Abstract Capturing and measuring instructional patterns by using standardized observation manuals has become increasingly popular in classroom research. While researchers argue that a common vocabulary of teaching is necessary for the field of classroom research to move forward, instructional features vary across classrooms and contexts, which poses serious measuring challenges. In this article, we argue that potential biases embedded in observation systems have to be identified and addressed in order for interpretations of results across different classrooms and contexts to be valid and relevant. We identify three aspects of possible systematic biases (related to the grain size of conceptualization, operationalization, and sequencing of lessons) and how these may influence ratings of instructional quality when an established observation system (the Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observations [PLATO]) is applied in the contexts of Nordic mathematics classrooms. We discuss implications of such possible biases and make suggestions for how they may be addressed.

Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies 115 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103698

Despite robust evidence of effectiveness, many teachers struggle to implement research-based recommendations of reading instruction into everyday practice. This study examined naturally occurring text-based instruction in 237 lower secondary language arts lessons in 62 different classrooms from Norway and Sweden. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, we found evidence that explicit strategy instruction and cognitively challenging tasks were rare even in lessons that did focus on deep comprehension of text. We also identified some of the distinct challenges (or missed opportunities) that characterize comprehension-oriented instruction. These findings provide critical insight into relevant areas of future professional development for teachers.

Morgenbladet

Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift 105(3) p. 268-281 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1504-2987-2021-03-02

Å forholde seg til et stadig økende mangfold av tekster er noe av det viktigste skolen kan lære elever – og det er en sentral del av skolefaget norsk. Med utgangspunkt i videodata fra 178 norsktimer undersøker vi i denne artikkelen hvilke læremidler som brukes av norsklærere på åttende trinn. Vi finner at læreboka er det mest brukte læremidlet; spesielt er lærerne trofaste mot lærebokas valg av skjønnlitteratur. Digitale tekster utfordrer i liten grad de mer tradisjonelle tekstene, da lærernes bruk av digitale ressurser i all hovedsak består av PowerPoint-presentasjoner. Når det gjelder bruk av tekstene, finner vi at mangelen på utforskende samtaler og mangelen på kritisk lesing av tekst utgjør en stor utfordring.

Learning to Build Back Better Futures for Education: Lessons from educational innovations during the COVID-19 Pandemic p. 118-123

Providing high-quality, formative feedback is a crucial aspect of teaching. The key idea in this chapter is that digital, real-time collaborative feedback on students’ work through platforms such as Teams and Google Classroom is an important educational innovation. The approach can provide teachers with new insight into each student’s working process and allow them to give formative feedback while the student is still actively engaged in the task. Drawing on data from Norway, a country with an extensive digital infrastructure, the chapter discusses how teachers and school leaders used the shift to remote and blended learning situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to increase and expand the use of digital formative feedback and to find new ways of collaborating between teachers and students. Focusing on the potential of real-time digital feedback, this chapter explores the lessons learned and the possibility of upscaling this particularly promising way of providing feedback.

Morgenbladet

Acta Didactica Norden (ADNO) Doi: https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.8153

Det er et tilbakevendende tema at lærerutdanningen må være forankret i praksis i større grad, og at lærerstudenter fremhever nettopp praksiserfaringene som det mest verdifulle i studiene. I tråd med internasjonal forskning på alternative måter å gjennomføre praksis på, har lektorprogrammet ved Universitetet i Oslo utviklet fem dager med såkalt analysepraksis – en praksisform der studentene er på campus og der all undervisning tar utgangspunkt i en konkret case med videoer av undervisning, intervjuer med elever og lærer, dokumenter fra timer og spørreskjemaer elevene har besvart, alt fra fire skole­timer i samme klasse. I artikkelen undersøker vi, ved hjelp av både spørreskjema og fokusgrupper, i hvilken grad lektorstudentene oppfatter at en slik praksisorganisering har bidratt til deres forsknings- og profesjonsforberedelser. Funnene viser at studentene er positive til alternative praksisformer, at de opplever analysepraksis som relevant for egen masteroppgave, og at det å analysere artefakter fra praksis er en progresjon fra tidligere praksisperioder. I diskusjonen tar vi opp hvordan studentene kan utfordres på at det å kjenne til ulike forskningsmetoder og analytiske innganger ikke bare er noe som angår forskere og masterstudenter – men alle profesjonelle lærere som skal forholde seg til forskning gjennom hele yrkeslivet.

Metoder i klasseromsforskning Forskningsdesign, datainnsamling og analyse p. 21-46

Primary and Secondary Education During Covid-19 p. 177-201 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81500-4_7

Metoder i klasseromsforskning Forskningsdesign, datainnsamling og analyse p. 153-165

Education In The North 28(3) p. 204-221 Doi: https://doi.org/10.26203/9dvz-5f97

Within the Norwegian education system, equity, equal opportunities and education for all are fundamental principles, regardless of one’s socioeconomic background and academic achievement. In this article, we discuss how these ideals of equity for all students were challenged during the period of home-schooling that took place amid the Covid19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. The analysis draws on data from an anonymous, national digital survey for parents/caretakers with children in Norwegian elementary and secondary schools in grades 1 to 10 (N = 4,642). To describe typical teaching during home-schooling, the survey consists of both closed and open-ended questions. Overall, our findings show that parents had different experiences of home-schooling due to their levels of education, their work situations and the students’ access to equipment. The most important factors for ensuring equity during this period of home-schooling were providing the students with access to relevant equipment and support at home with regard to completing their schoolwork.

L1-Educational Studies in Language and Literature (L1-ESLL) 21 p. 1-22 Doi: https://doi.org/10.17239/L1ESLL-2021.21.02.10

Function and use of literary texts in Nordic schools. Contribution to a special issue Working with Literature in Nordic Secondary Education edited by A.F. Gourvcennec. H. Höglund, M. Johansson, K. Kabel, & M. Sønneland. In this comparative study, naturally occurring literature instruction in Nordic lower secondary school is investigated in order to find out how lessons are organized, to what extent different genres are read and worked upon, and for what subject-specific functions and purposes literary texts are used. Implications for text selection by teachers are discussed. The study relies on four consecutive video-recorded language arts lessons from 102 classrooms in Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The function and use of literary texts were investigated by means of video-analysis and statistical comparisons. The analysis clearly indicates that literature plays an important part in Nordic language arts education. In all four countries, narrative fiction texts were favored above other genres. When the aim was to give students joint reading experiences, short stories and excerpts from novels were normally used. Reading literature for the sake of developing comprehension appears to be a dominant function of using literary texts in Nordic lower secondary arts classrooms. The present study also suggests that it is important for Nordic teachers to provide their students with positive reading experiences.

Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 2 p. 1-13 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.589227

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented global shutdown that closed schools for months. In many nations, schools were closed to students, and teachers directed educational activities remotely via digital devices or homeschooling resources. This article explores how these months of homeschooling have affected the physical activity of Norwegian students in Grades 1–10. All Norwegian students are supposed to have at least 60 min of physical activity every day in school. We draw on data from two surveys, one with parents (N = 4,624) and the other with teachers (N = 726), to provide an indication of the daily physical activity students engaged in during the period of homeschooling. An important finding from the teacher survey is that the degree to which schools prioritized physical education among the school subjects varied greatly between schools and teachers. Key findings from the parent survey were that reported time spent on physical activity increased with the age of the students, that many parents expressed concerns about increased sedentary behavior, and that the most active students were those who showed the greatest engagement and effort in schoolwork in general. Our findings raise the questions of whether students were given too much responsibility for their own physical activity during this period and whether teachers should provide their students with more digital workout sessions and instructional videos.

Universitetsforlaget

Ways of Analyzing Teaching Quality.Potentials and Pitfalls p. 9-20 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/9788215045054-2021-0

Ways of Analyzing Teaching Quality.Potentials and Pitfalls p. 174-203 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/9788215045054-2021-06

Viden om Literacy p. 59-67

I denne artikkelen undersøker vi hva som skjer med elevenes muligheter til å lese og skrive når all undervisningen skal skje digitalt. Vi argumenterer for at den digitale undervisningen elevene i norsk grunnskole fikk under hjemmeskoleperioden under korona-pandemien, i liten grad ga elevene rom for å lese og skrive sammen med andre i tråd med det literacyforskningen anbefaler. Vi tok utgangspunkt i to spørreundersøkelser hvor en ble besvart av foreldre og en av lærere. Selv om digitale verktøy også kan støtte elever som leser eller skriver, mener vi perioden med digital hjemmeundervisning med all tydelighet viser at det er vanskeligere å forene god literacydidaktik med at elevene sitter hver for seg i sitt eget hjem, og det meste av det de skal gjøre er individuelle oppgaver som skal leveres inn. Vi mener undersøkelsen har viktige didaktiske implikasjoner, også for lese og skriveopplæring i tradisjonell skole, fordi den viser at tilgang til digitalt utstyr i seg selv ikke fører til innovativ didaktisk bruk.

Morgenbladet

Morgenbladet

Morgenbladet

Universitetsforlaget

Nordic Journal of Literacy Research Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/njlr.v6.2641

101 digitale grep – en didaktikk for profesjonsfaglig digital kompetanse. p. 51-64

Universitetsforlaget

Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy 15(1) p. 55-68 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2020-01-05

Drawing on 178 video-recorded lessons from 47 lower-secondary classrooms with high technological infrastructure in Norway, the present study sheds light on how and for what purposes teachers use technology in their everyday instruction, providing important insights into what kind of digital literacy practices students experience in a classroom context. Key findings are that teachers’ implementation and uptake of technology in everyday instruction was narrow and limited. Despite good access and high national ambitions for the development of students’ digital competence, teachers’ uptake of the available digital technology was very often limited to supporting traditional teacher-centered practices, with low student participation, suggesting that information and communications technology (ICT) was used for traditional transmissive pedagogy. Teachers’ discourse around ICT in class was practical and technical, rather than conceptual. Further, students’ use of technology mainly revolved around writing digital texts, individually, not the promising pedagogical practices associated with ICT in previous research. These findings show that the implementation of digital technology and the development of digital competence in schools require far more than an ambitious curriculum and a basic digital infrastructure. Structures at a national level are not enough, and there is an urgent need for professional development at the local level to increase the instructional repertoire and the didactical motivation of teachers in relation to digital technology.

Edda. Nordisk tidsskrift for litteraturforskning Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1500-1989-2020-02-02

Norskfaget har et hovedansvar for å gi barn og unge meningsfylte møter med skjønnlitteratur. Men hvilken litteratur leses egentlig i norsktimene? I denne artikkelen utforsker vi hvilke skjønnlitterære tekster som blir lest i løpet av en uke med norsktimer i 47 ulike klasserom. I de 178 norsktimene vi har videofilmet og analysert, finner vi begrenset og lite repertoar av skjønnlitteratur. Læreboka har enorm definisjonsmakt, da så å si alle skjønnlitterære tekstene kommer fra en lærebok. Unntaket er elevtekster innenfor skjønnlitterære sjangre. Vi finner utstrakt bruk av utdrag, og de få hele romanene vi finner, er selvvalgte bøker til individuell lesing, ikke romaner klassen leser og diskuterer sammen. De litterære tekstene har til felles at de oppfyller – og aldri utfordrer – sentrale sjangerkonvensjoner. Dette kan øke avstanden mellom samtidslitteraturen og norskfaget. Artikkelen som helhet kan leses som et argument for å revurdere hva vi vil med litteraturundervisningen i skolen.

Fagbokforlaget

L1-Educational Studies in Language and Literature (L1-ESLL) 19 p. 1-32 Doi: https://doi.org/10.17239/L1ESLL-2019.19.01.13

This study investigates the use of literary texts in 178 video-recorded LA lessons across 47 lower-secondary Norwegian classrooms. It offers a systematic overview of how literary texts are read, used, and discussed across classrooms and investigates instructional practices related to literary texts and functions of texts in instruction. The results reveal a strong genre discourse across classrooms; reading literary texts is strongly connected to students’ own writing, focusing on generic text features that are relevant for text across the same genre. With one exception, shared instruction did not include novels except as individual pleasure reading. Findings herein align with concerns raised by scholars about literature’s role in language arts. They surface a rather reductionist use of literature across classrooms. Despite strong arguments and empirical support for students reading literature in school, such practices are poorly reflected in classrooms in this study. Our main contribution lies in the exploration of the practices by which adolescents are socialized into literary reading. We provide an exhaustive look into the everyday practices related to literary texts in language arts lessons and the ways these texts are framed, read, and discussed in education.

Nordic Journal of Literacy Research 5(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/njlr.v5.1566

Lesing av skjønnlitteratur er en sentral del av norskfaget. Med innføringen av K06 ble listene over verk og forfatterskap fjernet fra norskplanen, og valg av tekster ble med dette opp til den enkelte lærer – et prinsipp som videreføres i fagfornyelsen 2020. Vi vet lite om hvilke tekster lærere velger å bruke i norskundervisningen, og i hvilken grad de leser hele teksten eller et eller flere utdrag fra den, noe vi med denne studien ønsker å undersøke. Datamaterialet bygger på en spørreundersøkelse med 153 norsklærere i vg3, der vi kartlegger hvilke litterære utdrag og hele verk lærerne bruker i undervisningen og deres holdninger til lesing av utdrag og hele verk. Et tydelig funn er at utdrag er en svært utbredt praksis blant lærerne i utvalget. Analysen viser også at visse enkelttekster (hovedsakelig fra 1800-tallet) og utvalgte deler av Henrik Ibsens forfatterskap og tekster er så hyppig brukt i undervisningen på tvers av klasser, at denne litteraturen i praksis er med på å opprettholde en form for skjult litterær kanon. Videre viser analysen at lærerne oppfatter lesing av utdrag og hele verk som to svært forskjellige aktiviteter, som tjener relativt motsetningsfylte mål i norskfaget.

Fagbokforlaget

Student Voice in Education : CIDREE Yearbook 2019 p. 155-166

How does the ongoing Norwegian curriculum renewal emphasize student voice and an active student role in primary and secondary education? What is the knowledge base for this and what is the context of student involvement in Norwegian Schools, both historically and in the current situation? These are key questions to be answered in this text. Norway has a rather long tradition of emphasising students voice in primary and elementary school, and our first student council was established as early as 1919. Today we are implementing a renewal of the curriculum where empowerment of individual students is emphasized, as well as the ambition that students should experience that they through knowledge and cooperation can find solutions. An aim in the new Norwegian curriculum is that students should be practiced in critical thinking and reflection, and the concept deeper-learning has become central for student learning. We mainly draw on theory of student voice and analyses of the new curriculum, in addition to brief examples from contemporary classroom studies.

Education Inquiry 9(1) p. 57-77 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2018.1428036

In this article, we approach large questions regarding justice and equality in the Nordic classrooms. A substantial body of previous research emphasises the importance of student engagement in teaching and learning. Drawing on video data from Norway, Sweden and Finland, we focus on whole-class teaching, i.e. situations in which the teacher addresses the class from the front of the classroom, to investigate justice trough participation. We have approached our topic through two concerns: student participation in classroom discourse and student engagement as providing access to content. Our findings seem to pose some serious challenges for the Nordic welfare society vision of classrooms as core societal hubs for justice and equality. While whole-class teaching is one of the primary tools available for attempting to achieve justice and equality for all, this interaction format seems to contain inherent constraints that do not support equitable student engagement. Further, the way the Nordic classrooms have responded so far to the massive digitisation in their societies seems to pose serious questions rather than provide comforting answers.

European Educational Research Journal 17(1) p. 129-146 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1474904117703228

The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of coding and observation manuals in classroom studies. While observation manuals have been a part of the methodological toolkit for measuring various aspects of instruction for decades, the field has also been suffering from ‘paradigm wars’, fragmentation and local production of instruments. Common frameworks for investigating teaching are needed, including observation instruments for teaching that are both generic and subject specific. Such common tools for research developed within an integrated methodological design could help researchers make progress in aggregating knowledge about the impact of different teaching approaches across settings and subjects. This article serves as one such integrative mechanism by summarizing and reviewing existing manuals targeted towards developing knowledge for and in teaching. The analysis provides status, overview and focus of the different observation manuals; additionally, the article discusses how recent developments in instruments and coding procedures might provide increased rigour and a shared vocabulary to talk about teaching. We discuss both pitfalls and possibilities of coding manuals, and argue that if used in a reflexive manner, coding manuals can provide a common language and vocabulary when talking about – and researching – classroom teaching and learning

Science Education 102(2) p. 304-341 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21324

Nordic Journal of Literacy Research 4(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/njlr.v4.1020

Reading Research Quarterly Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.231

Written Communication: an international quarterly of research, theory, and application 35(2) p. 119-154 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0741088317751123

Research suggests that student development as writers requires a supportive environment in which they receive sustained opportunities to write. However, writing researchers in general know relatively little about the actual writing opportunities embedded in students’ language arts lessons and how students’ production of texts in class is framed. The present study analyzes 178 video-recorded language arts lessons across 46 secondary classrooms in Norway based on the Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observation. Specifically, we assess how often and in what situations students get an opportunity to engage in writing or are explicitly encouraged to write. We found that some writing assignments are short and fragmented, especially when students are merely recopying information from teachers’ materials. However, our analysis also provides detailed insight into how some teachers facilitate sustained, genre-focused, and process-oriented writing opportunities. These are powerful examples of successful writing instruction, and they suggest that when Norwegian language arts teachers prioritize writing, the opportunities to write are both sustained and scaffolded, the purpose of writing is explicit, and genre-specific assessment criteria are often used.

International Journal of Research & Method in Education 40(5) p. 511-523 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.2016.1181162

Didaktisk praksis 5.-10.trinn p. 139-152

Acta Didactica Norge 11(3) p. 19-19 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.4729

For å studere undervisningskvalitet vil det være en fordel å kombinere data fra et makro og meso- nivå med detaljerte studier av hva som skjer i klasserommet. Flere har etterlyst studier som ser på sammenhenger mellom målbar faglig fremgang og lærerens undervisning. Å få til slike studier er krevende, da det forutsetter et tett samarbeid mellom forskere fra ulike felt med ulik ekspertise innenfor nokså ulike forskningstradisjoner. En hovedambisjon i vårt pågående forskningsprosjekt er nettopp å få til en slik integrasjon. Som tittelen avslører, er vi dedikert til «Linking Instruction and Student Achievement (LISA)». I denne artikkelen presenterer vi det teoretiske og empiriske grunnlaget knyttet til undervisningskvalitet. Videre argumenterer vi for verdien av videodata i studier som sammenligner undervisningspraksiser fra ulike klasserom på en systematisk måte. Deretter presenterer vi de tre datakildene i LISA-prosjektets forskningsdesign – spørreskjemaer til elever om deres oppfatninger om lærerens undervisning, systematiske klasseromsobservasjoner, og målt fremgang på nasjonale prøver i lesing og regning. Verdien av å kombinere nettopp disse tre datakildene vil også bli diskutert. Avslutningsvis deler vi noen av våre tidlige forskningsfunn.

Oxford Review of Education 43(3) p. 311-331 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2017.1305045

The provision for every pupil in schools of 1:1 digital devices such as tablets and laptops is claimed to offer a range of benefits, both practical and educational. Opinions are still divided as to whether the benefits for teaching and learning in fact outweigh the cost, disruption to established teaching practice, and distraction for learners. This paper presents studies carried out in three different settings where such schemes have been implemented, in order to consider the extent to which the benefits as presented in the research literature are working out in reality, and whether such benefits constitute an adequate argument in support of investing further in these technologies. The paper finds that there is considerable evidence of practical benefit for processes of teaching and learning from the availability in schools of 1:1 devices, but limited evidence of concerted or systematic strategies on the part of schools for helping young people to engage profitably and wisely with the digital world, with respect both to their learning and their wider lives. The final version of this research has been published in Oxford Review of Education. © Taylor & Francis

Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 24(2) p. 164-184 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2016.1239611

This article provides an analysis of the integration of assessment for learning principles in the newly revised five-year Master of Education programme at the University of Oslo, Norway, across didactic subjects, pedagogy and school practice. The analysis draws on lecture notes, student videos and student exam papers among 143 student teachers, aiming to identify (a) the operationalisation of the assessment curriculum at the university campus, and in school practice, (b) how the student teachers use assessment principles as tools in their instructional designs and (c) how they self-assess their teaching practice. Our main finding is that student teachers seem to be more concerned with assessing their students than using self-assessment to improve their instruction. Based on the findings, we argue the importance of relating the teaching and learning activities with the assessment situations used in the teacher education programme. The final version of this research has been published in Assessment in Education. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Norsklæreren p. 28-39

En av skolens aller viktigste oppgaver er å gi elever relevant tekstkompetanse – ofte omtalt som literacy (NOU 8:2015). Literacy handler enkelt forklart om å skape mening i egne og andres tekster ved hjelp av tegn – og er en kompleks kompetanse som muliggjør både kunnskapstilegnelse og samfunnsdeltakelse (Blikstad-Balas, 2016). Dagrun Skjelbred (2010) forstår literacy som evnen til å finne frem i dagens tekstlandskap. Dette landskapet av tekster har aldri vært så omfattende eller så sammensatt som i dag. Å navigere klokt i møte med alle disse tekstene innebærer også å velge og vurdere tekster. Nettopp aspektene knyttet til det å vurdere og velge tekster er det som opptar oss i denne artikkelen. Som tittelen antyder, ville vi undersøke hva som skjer når elever vurderer ulike tekster fra internett, og hva de legger vekt på når de skal bruke tekster som kilde i egen skriving.

Digital læring i skole og lærerutdanning p. 136-150

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 60(6) p. 594-608 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2015.1066428

In traditional classrooms, a textbook was often the only source of knowledge available; in stark contrast, today's classrooms have an infinite number of knowledge sources available through the Internet. Nevertheless, a range of studies suggest that students systematically favor Wikipedia in their school-related literacy practices. The present study investigates this tendency among students in upper-secondary school, using a survey with multiple choice and open-ended questions. The main finding suggests that students favor Wikipedia because the site provides them with what they need, being fast, flexible, and easy to use. At the same time, students are aware of credibility issues associated with Wikipedia. A discrepancy between students’ positive attitudes to including Wikipedia in their school-related literacy practices and their teachers’ lack of approval of this knowledge source is discussed. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis.

Universitetsforlaget

Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 24(2) p. 164-184 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2016.1239611

This article provides an analysis of the integration of assessment for learning principles in the newly revised five-year Master of Education programme at the University of Oslo, Norway, across didactic subjects, pedagogy and school practice. The analysis draws on lecture notes, student videos and student exam papers among 143 student teachers, aiming to identify (a) the operationalisation of the assessment curriculum at the university campus, and in school practice, (b) how the student teachers use assessment principles as tools in their instructional designs and (c) how they self-assess their teaching practice. Our main finding is that student teachers seem to be more concerned with assessing their students than using self-assessment to improve their instruction. Based on the findings, we argue the importance of relating the teaching and learning activities with the assessment situations used in the teacher education programme.

International Journal of Research & Method in Education 40(5) p. 511-523 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.2016.1181162

Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy 2015(4) p. 122-137

Learning Tech -Tidsskrift for læremidler, didaktik og teknologi Doi: https://doi.org/10.7146/lt.v1i1.107724

I denne artikkelen belyser jeg de didaktiske konsekvensene av at vi i Norge har nærmest 100% (1:1) dekning når det gjelder tilgang til digitale teknologier, både i hjemmet og på skolen. Dette er en situasjon som også er stadig mer aktuell i de andre nordiske landene. Ved å gi elevene tilgang til Internett, svekkes grensene mellom det som er skolens tekster og andres tekster – grensene mellom hva som er innenfor og utenfor skolens literacy. Med bakgrunn i en gjennomgang av aktuell forskning, argumenterer jeg for at to helt sentrale endringer i skolens literacy er at elevenes tekstpraksiser er langt mer individualiserte enn noen gang tidligere, og at tekstpraksisene i skolen er mindre forankret i en institusjonalisert skolediskurs. Artikkelen diskuterer spenninger mellom literacy som er en institusjonalisert del av fagene og selvvalgt literacy bragt inn i skolen av eleven selv.

Science Education 99(1) p. 39-69 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21143

Literacy Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12037

Alle tiders norskdidaktiker. Festskrift til Frøydis Hertzberg på 70-årsdagen p. 325-347

Tilgjengeliggjort med tillatelse fra Novus Forlag.

Acta Didactica Norge 8(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.1094

Profesjonsutvikling i skolen p. 191-206

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 58(5) p. 528-539 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2013.773558

Norsklæreren 13(1) p. 34-43

Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy p. 32-48

Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy p. 81-96