Policy documents relating to teacher education in Ireland and Norway from 2008 to 2016, representing periods of change in teacher education in both jurisdictions, were analysed to explore the discursive construction of reflective practice. Employing a discourse analysis, the study found that, while reflective practice was seen as important in both…

This article addresses the transition from vocational worker to vocational teacher in a Norwegian higher institution. Specifically, the vocational worker identity is examined to obtain a deeper knowledge of how trainee teachers describe the transition from vocational worker to vocational teacher. Previous research has highlighted the challenges of…

In this article the author discusses the terms "Bildung," wisdom, dialogue and philosophical dialogue. The author understands "Bildung" as the spiritual education of the soul, involving the existential growth and maturation of the individual in her relation to herself, to other people, to the world and to a possible…

Sexual abuse is a public health issue with long-term consequences for children's lives and education. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a key reference point in safeguarding, increasingly incorporated into domestic law. This article aims to strengthen safeguarding theory and practice by reviewing human rights education (HRE) theory and…

Within the early childhood education system, early childhood teachers are the weak element in two hierarchies, the governance hierarchy and the epistemological hierarchy. From the perspective of early childhood teacher professionalization, this is a paradox because professionalism is intrinsically linked to a relatively high degree of professional…

In recent years, play-based learning (PBL) has attracted attention, debate and controversy across different national contexts. There is no definitional consensus which may have undesirable consequences for enacting its potential in professional practice. The aim of our study was to synthesize international research on ECE practitioners' views on…

The relationships between teacher and students are interdependent and rely on their mutual interaction. In the classroom, teaching involves daily face-to-face encounters between students and teachers and therefore could be considered a moral as well as an academic issue. A central question is how the teacher can establish and support a learning…

Teach for All is a good example of a globally travelling educational reform policy. In this article, we examine the rhetoric of the reform through an analysis of its public discourse, specifically the websites for the umbrella organization, 3 of its 35 constituent projects (Teach for America, Teach First and Teach for China) and one associated…

This article is based on a qualitative case study of teachers' conceptions of improvisation in teaching. Empirical data are master student teachers' texts (transcripts, reflections) based on observations and interviews of practising teachers. The texts were analysed in an abductive process. We can identify four specific characteristics of how…

Education is described as a moral enterprise and many of the professional dilemmas teachers encounter have an ethical aspect. Research on ethical situations that novice teachers experience, however, seems to be limited, and we know little about how teacher education can prepare student-teachers for dealing with ethical issues. In this article a…

This article analyses the results from a study conducted among the total population of full-time Postgraduate Certificate in Education course (PGCE) students in Norwegian universities (N = 283) in the autumn of 2006. The students responded to a questionnaire examining their motivation to take the PGCE course and their motivation to become…

This research evaluated the use of open and distance learning in preschool teacher training in Norway, Scotland, and Iceland. A model of preschool teacher education was developed in which students received a 3-year educational program over 4 years while working as kindergarten assistants. The program operated through the collaboration of…

Describes the implementation of computer-based teaching in the Norwegian school system. The government's role is described, evaluation procedures are explained, the role of the teachers and teacher training are discussed, and factors that influence a school's success in implementing the use of computers are explored. (LRW)

This is a record of the proceedings of the 30th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA). The theme of the conference is "Mathematics: Essential research, essential practice." The theme draws attention to the importance of developing and maintaining links between research and practice and…