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Abstract The transitions between the statuses of pupil, student teacher and professional teacher remain some of the most fundamental challenges for student teachers. Teacher education programs emphasize that students should become equipped with competences to cope with change and adhere to career-long learning. In this study, we make use of inquiry-based learning (IBL) and qualitative data collected from student teachers at three different departments at a university in Norway to investigate how student teachers reflect on these transitions. The findings suggest the need to assist the students in engaging in a dialogue between theory and practice in relation to these transitions, and that IBL cannot be developed hermetically at the university without a close dialogue with the practice field.

Intensjonen med denne artikkelen er å analysere og diskutere hvordan eksamensformer og oppgavetekster i den nye barnehagelærerutdanningen bidrar til en integrert, profesjonsrettet og forskningsbasert utdanning. Eksamensoppgavetekster gitt ved ni norske høgskoler og universiteter, blir analysert ut fra profesjonsteori og teorier om forskningsbasert utdannelse. Analysene viser at oppgavetekstenes form og innhold fra over halvparten av institusjonene som er undersøkt, ikke skiller seg nevneverdig fra tidligere oppgaver. Vi stiller spørsmål ved om disse oppgavetypene og -tekstene oppfyller kravet om at barnehagelærerutdanningen skal være en integrert, profesjonsrettet og forskningsbasert utdanning. The purpose of this article is to analyze and discuss whether exam types and texts in the new Early Childhood Teacher Education contribute to an integrated, professional and research-based education. Examination papers given by nine Norwegian colleges and universities are analyzed within the framework of theory on vocational education and theory on research-based education. The analyzes show that in more than half of the institutions investigated, the content and form of the examination papers do not differ significantly from previous assignments. We question whether these exam types and texts fulfill the demand of the Early Childhood Teacher Education to be both integrated, professionally oriented and based on research-based knowledge.

De siste tiårs forskning, samfunnsdebatt og politikkutforming knyttet til skolesektoren har vært preget av diskusjoner om hva det egentlig innebærer å være en kompetent lærer, og hvordan de to læringsarenaene i lærerutdanningene – teoriarenaen og praksisarenaen – best kan utfylle hverandre for å utdanne kompetente lærere. I denne artikkelen presenterer vi resultatene fra en undersøkelse blant grunnskolelærerstudenter på én utdanningsinstitusjons grunnskolelærerutdanning for 1.–7. trinn. I undersøkelsen har vi rettet blikket mot studentenes opplevelser av lærerrollen og av sammenhengen mellom teoriarenaen og praksisarenaen. Dette har vi gjort i tilknytning til ett spesifikt undervisningsfag i lærerutdanningen – norskfaget. Gjennom en spørreskjemaundersøkelse og gruppeintervjuer har vi bedt studentene svare på hvordan de mener at norskfaglig kompetanse bidrar til at de kan fylle lærerrollen på en god måte, og hvordan de opplever sammenhengen mellom undervisning i norskfaget ved lærerutdanningsinstitusjonen og praksiserfaringer fra norskfaget i skolen. Målsettingen med artikkelen er å bidra til diskusjonen om hvordan man best mulig kan legge til rette for en god lærerutdanning, hvor studenter og lærerutdannere (på både praksisarenaen og teoriarenaen) opplever gjensidig toleranse og felles forståelse for kompleksiteten som ligger i denne profesjonsutdanningen, og der de anerkjenner de to læringsarenaenes likeverdighet. Hovedfunnene er at lærerstudentene ikke uten videre klarer å omsette kunnskap mellom de to læringsarenaene, at de i stor grad ser relasjonskompetanse som viktigere enn fagkompetanse, at disse to kompetanseområdene er uavhengige av hverandre og at praksisarenaen er viktigere enn teoriarenaen som grunnlag for å tre inn i lærerrollen. Nøkkelord: lærerutdanning, lærerstudent, lærerkompetanse, lærerrolle, fagkunnskap, læringsarenaer, norskfaget Abstract During the last few decades, research, public debate and policymaking related to the school sector, have been characterized by discussions concerning what being a competent teacher involves. Another issue has been how the two learning arenas in teacher education – the theory arena and the practice arena – can best complement each other to educate competent teachers. In this article we present and discuss results from an investigation conducted among teacher students in teacher education 1-7 at one particular educational institution. We have focused on getting across the students´ experiences and understanding of what the teacher role comprises, and how they see the connections between the two learning arenas as campus training and practice training in partner schools in the school subject Norwegian. This is done using a survey and group interviews. Our goal has been to contribute to the ongoing discussion about how to develop a teacher education in which teacher students and teacher educators (in both learning arenas) share an understanding of mutual tolerance and respect. Another has been to develop a common understanding of the complexity of teacher education, and thereby recognizing the equivalence of the students` two learning arenas. Our main findings are that the respondents are not automatically able to transfer knowledge between the two arenas. Consider relational competence more important than subject competence, that these two competence areas are seen as independent of each other, and that the practice arena is considered as more important than the theory arena for developing the role of the teacher. Key words: teacher education, student teacher, teacher competence, teacher role, subject knowledge, learning arenas, the subject Norwegian

Title: Issues of Educational Policy and Educational Activities in Norwegian kindergartens Abstract: In recent decades the Norwegian kindergartens have become an important social institution where both its content and aims have been part of the public debate. The aim of this article is to put the spotlight on educational activities in Norwegian kindergartens and discuss these issues in the light of increased political focus. What kind of educational activities do kindergarten teachers (pedagogical leaders) and kindergarten assistants emphasize in everyday work with children? Are we heading towards a more “schoolish” content in Norwegian kindergartens? What consequences have kindergarten teachers and kindergartens assistants professional background for educational activities in Norwegian kindergartens? Results from a national survey (MAFAL) to kindergarten teachers and kindergartens assistants will be presented and discussed.