The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour and college grades: the role of cognition and past behaviour in the prediction of students’ academic intentions and achievements

Understanding the underlying processes influencing college students’ academic achievement represents an important goal of educational research. The aim of the present study was to examine the utility of the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the relative influence of cognitive processes and measures of past behaviour in the prediction of grade intentions and actual grades in the context of higher education. Our results show that perceived behavioural control (PBC), subjective norms (SN) and past grades emerged as significant predictors and were able to explain 41% of the variance in grade intentions, while the influence of cognitive processes (planning and future orientation) wa…

Fører opplæring i felles vurderingskriterier til større grad av enighet? En studie av tekstvurdering som en del av spesialpedagogutdanning.

Hovedformålet med studien var å undersøke effekten av å gi spesialpedagogikkstudenter undervisning og trening i å bruke felles vurderingskriterier i møte med tekstvurdering. Studien tar utgangspunkt i datamaterialet fra NORM-prosjektet, der et utvalg elevtekster har blitt samlet i et digitalt korpus (Berge et al., 2017). Førti spesialpedagogikkstudenter vurderte de samme fire elevtekstene fra Normkorpuset, to før og to etter intervensjonen. Hensikten var blant annet å undersøke om studentene hadde større grad av enighet i sine vurderinger etter intervensjonen. Resultatene viste at det ikke var signifikante forskjeller i grad av enighet før og etter intervensjonen på de fleste områdene. Det …

En undersøkelse om PP-tjenestens arbeid med barnehagen

School district administrators’ perspectives on the professional activities and influence of special educators in Norway and Sweden

The purpose of this study is to investigate school district administrators’ perspectives concerning the professional activities and influence of special educators in Norway (n=266) and Sweden (n=29 ...

Knowledge sharing in workplace-based kindergarten teacher education. From ideal to practice

Artikkelen drøfter resultater fra en kombinasjonsstudie (mixed methods design) som undersøker hvorvidt Arbeidsplassbasert barnehagelærerutdanning (ABLU) bidrar til forbedret praksis for kunnskapsdeling i et utvalg involverte barnehager. Datamaterialet består av en spørreskjemaundersøkelse rettet mot ABLU-studenter og deres mentorer, og fokusgruppesamtaler med personalet i fire ABLU-barnehager. Et sentralt funn er at ABLU-studiets bidrag til økt kunnskapsdeling i barnehagen først og fremst ligger i studiets kapasitet til å øke studentens kommunikative kompetanse og teoretiske forståelse, samt stimulere til å anvende denne i praksis. Vi finner også at ved å satse mer på opplæring i veiledning…

Lower secondary school pupils’ written descriptions of their experiences with bullying and the tendency to seek help

The purpose of this study was to examine lower secondary school students’ (n = 223) descriptions of bullying and their experiences with the phenomenon. Students at three schools in Norway completed a survey containing open-ended questions. We employed a mixed-methods analytical approach in which responses were coded thematically and then quantified. Findings indicate that students viewed bullying in a manner consistent with prevalent definitions in the literature. However, they were often unsure whether social conflicts they had experienced would be considered bullying. School was clearly featured as the primary arena for bullying, although bullying in free-time activities and on social med…

Er generell pedagogisk kompetanse tilstrekkelig for å sikre en inkluderende skole?

Author's verision of an article published in the journal: Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. Also available from the publisher at: http://www.idunn.no/ts/npt/2011/02/art02 Vi redegjør for forholdet mellom spesialpedagogikk og spesialundervisning, og beskriver det “pedagogiske dilemmaet” som uttrykkes i motsetningen mellom å skulle tilpasse opplæringen til enkeltelevens evner og forutsetninger, samtidig som eleven skal være en del av et inkluderende fellesskap. Vi reiser spørsmålet om hva som må til for å sikre tilpasset undervisning innenfor rammene av den ordinære opplæringen og gjennomgår forskningsresultater som gir et uensartet bilde av effekten av spesialundervisning, og som peker på hvilke …

Do different routes to becoming a special educator produce different understandings of the profession and its core concepts?

There are multiple routes to becoming a special educator in Norway. In recent years, bachelor's degree programmes have offered an alternative to the traditional path in which special education coursework is taken as a part of teacher education. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these different programmes produce different understandings of the special education profession and its core concepts. We surveyed 27 bachelor students and 36 teacher education students using open-ended questions concerning their future goals and expectations and the concepts of ‘inclusion,’ ‘learning disability,’ and ‘special educator’. Teacher education students were more likely to: (a) view incl…

A scoping review on the use of speech-to-text technology for adolescents with learning difficulties in secondary education

To identify and describe the aims, methodological approaches, and major findings of studies on the use of STT among secondary pupils (age 12-18) with learning difficulties published from January 2000 to April 2022.This scoping review includes empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals and grey literature between January 2000 and April 2022. Searches were conducted in April 2022 in three databases: ERIC, PsycINFO and Scopus. In addition, related reviews were manually screened for relevant papers.Eight peer-revied studies and five publications of grey literature were found to meet the inclusion criteria; two studies employed experimental designs, four employed quasi-experimental de…

‘You know that collaboration works when … ’ identifying the features of successful collaboration on behalf of children with disabilities in early childhood education and care

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to identify features of successful collaboration among professionals and parents involved in supporting children with disabilities in early childhood education and care. The study employed a multiple-case study design comprising 6 cases and 30 adult participants, who were interviewed regarding their collaboration on behalf of 6 children with significant disabilities ranging in age from 3 to 5 years. Applying a system-theoretical approach, analysis led to the development of a framework based on the concepts of ‘internal’ and ‘external’ features of collaboration. Whereas internal aspects refer primarily to the interpersonal interactions of parents and pro…

Are We Talking about the Same Thing? A Survey of Preschool Workers’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Bullying

The aim of the study was to examine the attitudes and beliefs of preschool workers with respect to the phenomenon of bullying in preschool. Participants comprised 694 employees in private and munic...

School district administrators' perspectives on special education policy and practice in Norway and Sweden

The purpose of this study was to examine special education policy and practice from the perspective of school district administrators in Norway and Sweden. Administrators from 266 Norwegian and 262 Swedish municipalities completed a survey concerning: (a) reasons children need special education, (b) common and desired organizational solutions, and (c) the influence of policy on practice. Despite a number of clear differences, findings suggest that Swedish and Norwegian administrators share similar attitudes regarding the provision of special education support. It appears that in both countries inclusive practices are seen as the ideal, yet, Norwegian administrators appear to have a stronger…

An analysis of the different patterns of 1:1 interactions between educational professionals and their students with varying abilities in inclusive classrooms

The purpose of this study was to examine the different types and patterns of 1:1 interactions provided by general educators, special educators and paraprofessionals to children with mild disabilities (n = 13), severe disabilities (n = 13), and children without disabilities (n = 13) in inclusive classrooms. General educators, special educators, and paraprofessionals' 1:1 interactions with students in three comparison groups were recorded in 17 elementary and middle school classrooms using a partial interval observation system. We found significant differences with respect to interaction frequency and content. Teachers and paraprofessionals had consistently more 1:1 interactions with students…

“Two Schools under one Roof” in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Exploring the challenges of group identity and deliberative values among Bosniak and Croat students

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the challenge of engaging Bosniak and Croat students in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in deliberative democracy within the context “two schools under one roof,” students receiving education in the same school building, yet attending separate classes and following distinct curricula. Findings suggest that group identity for Bosniak students was strongly tied to “being Bosnian” while Croat students expressed ambivalence and unease about their identity, balancing feelings between having their home in BiH and maintaining their Croat roots. The students’ relationships were complicated by an imbalance in perceptions of power, discriminatory attitud…

“Bridging Old Relations”: The (De)Construction of Ethnic Identity in the Educational Context of Bosnia and Herzegovina From the Teachers' Point of View

ABSTRACTThe present study focuses on an educational arrangement in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) known as “two schools under one roof.” The term refers to two different ethnic groups (Bosniaks and Croats) physically sharing the same school building, but maintaining separate administrations, teaching staff, and curricula. The purpose of the study is to explore the manner in which teachers (seven Bosniak and four Croat) from the two ethnic groups perceive and construct their group identities within this context. Findings indicate that the teachers’ sense of belonging to different ethnic groups is strong and that the use of language functions as a vital marker for expressing group identity. In …

Accommodating Students With Special Educational Needs During School Closures Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Norway: Perceptions of Teachers and Students

The purpose of the two interrelated studies reported here was to explore the approaches that schools and teachers adopted to accommodate students with special educational needs (SEN) during school closings in Norway, as well as the consequences of the pandemic for children with SEN and their peers. Study 1 was a mixed-methods case study of a lower-secondary school in which students with SEN (n= 14) and students performing at or above grade-level (n= 66) completed a survey about their experiences. Survey results were then used as a starting point for follow-up interviews with four teachers and the school principal to explore how they dealt with pandemic restrictions and supported students wi…

An examination of teacher-student interactions in inclusive classrooms: teacher interviews and classroom observations

Teacher–student interactions in 17 inclusive classrooms were examined using a mixed-methods approach that involved quantitative analysis of interactions recorded during classroom observations and follow-up interviews with seven general educators. Observational findings suggest that classrooms were organised along traditional lines with the vast majority of interactions provided by general educators to the whole class, followed by brief intervals of 1 : 1 interactions directed towards individual students, most frequently children with disabilities. Interview findings suggest that teachers were aware of the greater individual attention devoted to students with disabilities and described a num…

Barriers to Parental Empowerment in the Context of Multidisciplinary Collaboration on Behalf of Preschool Children with Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of parents in multidisciplinary collaboration on behalf of their preschool-aged children with disabilities from the theoretical perspective of empowerment. The study employed a multiple-case study design, including twenty-six individual and two focus group interviews with parents and professionals supporting six children and their families. Three interconnected themes emerged from the analysis. First, parents struggled with navigating a system that was perceived as rigid and cumbersome. Second, parents often found themselves in the position of having to ‘police’ the professionals involved in supporting them. Third, parents expressed a desire…

An Examination of the Role and Responsibilities of Kindergarten in Multidisciplinary Collaboration on Behalf of Children With Severe Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine the role and responsibilities of Norwegian kindergarten (i.e., preschool for ages 0–6 years) from the perspective of participants involved in multidisciplinary collaboration on behalf of children with severe disabilities and their families. The authors employed a multiple-case study approach comprising 26 interviews across six cases. Findings suggest that kindergarten is considered an important partner for families and a major contributor to the provision of services. Kindergartens were valued for their (1) close relationships and intimate knowledge of children as individuals, (2) the sense of security and relief of stress that they provided to paren…

Teacher preparation for inclusion in Norway: a study of beliefs, skills, and intended practices

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the educational experiences of teacher education students and their attitudes towards planning and making adaptations for children with learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Participants comprised pre-service teachers in the second and fourth years of teacher preparation at a major Norwegian university. Fourth-year students were completing a 1-year elective in special education (n = 34) or coursework in other subjects (n = 30). Second-year students were grouped based on their intention to take special education (n = 26) or other coursework (n = 62). Participants rated their beliefs, skills, and intended practices…

An examination of parents’ and preschool workers’ perspectives on bullying in preschool

ABSTRACTParents (n = 141) and preschool workers (n = 81) completed a survey regarding their perspectives towards: (a) the existence of bullying in preschool, (b) interpretations of bullying, (c) the roles of bullies and victims, and (d) gender differences. Findings suggest that both groups largely believe that bullying occurs in preschool. Excluding others from play, conditional threats, and the victim's perception of being bullied were the three conditions most likely to be associated with bullying. Parents were significantly more likely than workers to hold a negative view of bullies and believe that bullying differs with regard to gender. Whereas most participants felt that bullying coul…

Teachers’ responses to children in emotional distress: A study of co-regulation in the first year of primary school in Norway

The purpose of this study was to explore how first-grade teachers respond to pupils in emotional distress within the framework of co-regulation. Co-regulation in this context refers to an adult–chi...

Efficacy of the portage early intervention programme ‘growing: birth to three’ for children born prematurely

Findings are presented from a study examining the effects of the home-based intervention ‘Growing: Birth to Three’ (GBT) on children born prematurely at a regional hospital in Norway over a four-year period. Nineteen children received the intervention, while 17 children comprised the control group. Results indicate that GBT had a positive effect on development at 18 months, as measured by the Bayley Scale of Infant Development. However, by 36 months both the intervention and control groups were in the normal range on this measure. A post-test comparison of language performance at 36 months found significantly higher expressive language scores among children in the intervention group on the …

A comparative study of Norwegian and Swedish special educators’ beliefs and practices

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare Norwegian (n = 320) and Swedish (n = 425) special educators’ reported practices and beliefs about key aspects of their profession. Data was coll...

Inclusive Teachers’ Concern and Rejection Toward Their Students

This article reports two related studies. In the first study, concern and rejection ratings of 14 inclusive teachers toward 26 students with disabilities were correlated with teacher—student interactions. Partial correlations, controlling for severity of disability, indicated that instructional-academic interactions corresponded significantly with teachers’ concern ratings and noninstructional-behavioral interactions corresponded significantly with teachers’ rejection ratings. In the second study, the authors compared teachers’ concern and rejection ratings of students with learning disabilities ( n = 77), cognitive disabilities ( n = 44), attention-deficit disorder ( n = 20), behavioral d…