Handwriting from A-Z

Prevalence for the number of students with poor handwriting skills has been estimated to range from 12% to 21 % depending on grade, selection criteria, and instruments used (Graham & Weintraub, 1996; Hamstra-BIetz & Blote, 1993; Smits-Engelsman & Van Galen, 1997). During late elementary and middle school years there is an increasing demand for efficient work output, particularly in written requirements. Greater numbers of required reports, math assignments, and writing assignments tap into a child\u27s capacity to develop ideas quickly and put them down on paper (Levine, Oberklaid, & Meltzer, 1981). Children who have not developed automatic, fluent handwriting will find completing written work more of a struggle as demand for written output increases throughout their school years. In surveys given to elementary teachers regarding handwriting, 64%-88% responded that they did not feel they had received adequate training in how to teach handwriting in their undergraduate courses (Graham, et al. 2008; Graham &Weintraub, 1996). It is not surprising to find that the strategies, techniques and programs used by these teachers varies a great deal, even within the same school district. An extensive literature review was conducted and pertinent information gathered in order to gain an understanding of the underlying components needed for handwriting, as well as, which components research has found to be significant factors in learning how to write. Unique differences in teaching left-hand writers was explored through the literature review in order to identify how to correctly teach to this minority 10% of the population and to be able to answer questions teachers frequently ask (Coren, 1993). It was determined through the literature review that there is a need for training adults who work with children, or who will be working with children in the future in the area of handwriting. This teaching unit has been designed to educate professionals, college students majoring in elementary education and other childcare providers. It is intended to give them a background in the development of fine motor skills in young children, an overview of the components needed when learning to write and how to set up the writing area. The unit covers hand development in terms of attaining the correct pencil grasp, how to work with a child who is left-handed and when to bring in an occupational therapist. Additional activities are included to give learners\u27 ideas that they can utilize in their classrooms. The training unit incorporates the visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile modes of learning throughout the 4 1/2 hour presentation

A new regime of understanding. School leadership in Norwegian education policy (1990–2017)

Analyses of policy documents and interviews with three Norwegian politicians revealed differences in how school leaders were described, positioned and ascribed responsibility in Norwegian education policy between 1990 and 2017. While how politicians positioned school leaders changed substantially during the period, a stable trait was vague descriptions of school leaders’ responsibility. In 1990, school leaders were envisioned in a managerial position, above teachers, as employers. A more recent White Paper, from 2017, positioned school leaders closer to the teaching profession. The interviews showed that after the PISA-shock in 2001, politicians united across party lines in a 'new regime of understanding', downplaying traditional conflicts between Norwegian politicians. While Parliamentary politicians rhetorically disagreed, there was, underneath the policy discourse, a growing realpolitik consensus in questions of education policy. The study investigates policy descriptions of school leaders after 1990, when Management by Objectives was introduced in education. To position Norway in the international policy context, we draw on Stephen Ball’s concepts fabrication, managerialism, magical solutions and neoliberal performativity. Three periods, with simultaneously appearing residual and emerging tendencies were identified. In conclusion, we question an apparent lack of ambitions for school leadership in Norwegian education policy. The article contributes with new insights into education policy fluctations.publishedVersio

Risikostyring og internasjonalt konkurransefortrinn - videreutvikling av en risikostyringsmodell

Masteroppgave i bedriftsøkonomi – Universitetet i Nordland, 2015Sperra for utlån til 2020-06-2

Retorikk i fremføringer - sett med elevenes øyne

Denne studien handler om elevers bruk av retorikk i framføringer. Den overordnede problemstillingen lyder slik: hvordan vurderer et utvalg elever i Vg1 og Vg2 egen bruk av retorikk i framføringer? Knyttet til dette stiller jeg følgende forskningsspørsmål: Hva tenker elevene om fokus på retorikk i framføringer? Hva kan egenvurderingene si om elevers forståelse av de retoriske begrepene etos, logos og patos? Og hva får elevene ut av å se egen framføring på film? Oppgavens teoretiske tilknytting er dels retorikk, der jeg tar utgangspunkt i den klassiske retorikken, og dels vurdering der jeg fokuserer på vurdering av muntlig, og bruk av egenvurdering. Undersøkelsens metode er kvalitativ, forankret i en casedesign. Datamaterialet består hovedsakelig av notater fra undervisningen, opptak av elevenes framføringer, elevenes egenvurderinger av en framføring og intervju med elevene. Intervjuene er gjennomført på Its learning, der elevene har svart på noen spørsmål knyttet til opplegget. Undersøkelsen er gjennomført i to klasser. Den ene klassen er en Vg1 musikk, dans og dramaklasse med 28 elever. Den andre klassen er en Vg2 studiespesialiserende klasse med 25 elever. Undersøkelsen viser at elevene generelt er positive til å lære om retorikk i forbindelse med muntlighet, flertallet er også positive til å se opptak av egen framføring på film. Flertallet av elevene skriver innsiktsfulle egenvurderinger i form av at de trekker fram både positive og negative sider ved egen framføring. Egenvurderingene generelt bærer likevel preg av å være kortfattede og lite konkrete, og sier lite om elevenes forståelse for retorikk. Elevene ser ut til å vurdere kriteriene isolert, uten å se dem i sammenheng med appellformene. Det er også sjelden de trekker fram sider ved egen framføring dersom det ikke er nevnt som kriterium i egenvurderingen. Undersøkelsen viser samlet sett at elevene har lært en del om retorikk, men dette kommer ikke godt nok fram i egenvurderingene alene. Funnene tyder på at både retorikk og egenvurdering er noe elevene trenger tid på å utvikle, noe som taler for å arbeide med dette allerede i Vg1, slik utkast til ny læreplan legger opp til (Utdanningsdirektoratet, Udir, 2012)

Intelligent accountability in schools: A study of how school leaders work with the implementation of assessment for learning

In response to accountability systems dominated by external inspections and achievement data, calls are being made for intelligent accountability or a new accountability paradigm that focuses on meaningful learning, enabled by professionally skilled and committed educators within the system. In such systems, the actors are encouraged to strive for continuous development in learning organisations based on teamwork, distributed leadership, and professional learning communities. School leaders are positioned between district level administrators and teachers in such processes and have the responsibility to secure professional development. Using the implementation of the national program ‘Assessment for Learning’ in Norway as a case, the article shows that leaders approach professional development differently. Analyses of interviews with leaders from 7 schools reveal three distinct approaches related to how school leaders perceive knowledge. Some school leaders assume that teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills and trust them to manage the implementation process without leader support. Other school leaders distrust teachers’ knowledge and skills and assume that the proper knowledge exists outside the school. These leaders seek external support when they meet teacher resistance. In a third approach, school leaders assume that knowledge develops through collaboration and thereby engage with teachers in continuous judgment about the implementation procedure. In the discussion, questions of trust and distrust are analysed in relation to how professional knowledge is developed and how professional discretion can support the development of intelligent accountability in schools.publishedVersio

Universitetsbibliotekets brukerundersøkelse 2022

Arbeidet med Universitetsbibliotekets brukerundersøkelse 2022 ble gjennomført av Aili Sarre, Linnea Nordström, Marit Bull Enger og Stian Lillejord. Gruppen ble satt ned høsten 2021 og startet arbeidet i november 2021. Oversettelse til engelsk ble gjort av Ellen Nierenberg. Dette er den tredje undersøkelsen Universitetsbiblioteket har gjennomført med et intervall på om lag tre år. Denne kontinuiteten gjør at Universitetsbiblioteket sitter på sammenliknbare data som gjør det enklere å se på endringer og utviklinger, eller mangel på dette ved UB. Brukerundersøkelsen er nettbasert og ble publisert på norsk og engelsk 14. mars og gikk til og med 30. april 2022. Den ble sendt ut på e-post til alle studenter og ansatte to ganger i denne perioden, 16. mars og 20. april. I tillegg ble informasjon og lenke til undersøkelsen publisert på sosiale medier, og i hele perioden lå det lenke til den på UBs nettside (uit.no/ub). Det lå også ute informasjon om undersøkelsen på UBs infoskjermer hele denne tida. Alle deltakere som ønsket det, var med i trekning av et sett støyreduserende hodetelefoner og 4 VISA-gavekort på kr. 500,-. Til slutt kom det inn 1669 besvarelser, 1428 gjennom det norske skjemaet og 241 gjennom det engelske. Forrige undersøkelse ble gjennomført våren 2019 og ble distribuert gjennom de samme kanalene som årets. Den gang kom det inn 1771 svar. Det var ønskelig å få inn minst like mange ved denne undersøkelsen, men at det ble ca. 100 færre ved denne undersøkelsen påvirker ikke svarenes validitet. Den første av disse tre brukerundersøkelsene ved UB ble kjørt vinteren 2016/2017 og fikk kun inn totalt 324 svar. Dette var da den første undersøkelsen Universitetsbiblioteket holdt siden 2009

'Othering' and Physical Education in Norway

Røset L, Green K, Thurston M. (2020). ‘Even if you don’t care…you do care after all’: ‘Othering’ and physical education in Norway. European Physical Education Review, 26(3), 622-641. Copyright © [2020] (Copyright Holder). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.In the past decade or more, improving young people’s mental health has been identified as a priority for policy-makers in many countries, including Norway. Physical education (PE), as a setting for physical activity, is increasingly viewed as having a potentially significant role to play in addressing mental health among the young. This paper reports the findings from a study of 148 Norwegian youngsters (68 girls and 80 boys) from the 10th grade (15-16 year olds) in eight secondary schools in Norway in 2017. It explores Norwegian youngsters’ experiences of PE in relation to aspects of their mental health – specifically, being judged and, by extension, ‘othered’. The findings suggest that PE may undoubtedly serve to generate positive feelings associated with physical activity and games and, in doing so, bolster some youngsters’ self-esteem and self-identities. On the other hand, however, for those less competent in sporting terms, and whose bodily self-image is not particularly positive, the public nature of PE and the nature of the activities that constitute the subject can give rise to unplanned and unintended harm to some youngsters’ mental health – especially in countries, such as Norway, where sport is a significant aspect of the group habitus and collective ‘we-group’ identity

The Youngest Victims: Children and Youth Affected by War

In 1989, the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child declared, “[state parties] shall take all feasible measures to ensure protection and care of children who are affected by an armed conflict.” In addition to attempting to secure the welfare of children in armed conflict, the Convention went on to ban the recruitment and deployment of children during armed conflict. Despite the vast majority of sovereign nations signing and ratifying this agreement, this treaty, unfortunately, has not prevented children and youth from witnessing, becoming victims of, or participating in political, ethnic, religious, and cultural violence across the past three decades. This chapter offers an “ecological perspective” on the psychosocial consequences of exposure to the trauma of war-related violence and social disruption

Tilpasset opplæring: politisk dragkamp om pedagogisk praksis

Tilpasset opplæring er et populært politisk virkemiddel når skolen skal reformeres og gjøres i stand til å møte endrede betingelser. Det er et begrep som hentes frem når politikerne skal nå mål som inkludering, sosial utjevning eller økt læringsutbytte. Evalueringer viser at skoler opplever tilpasset opplæring som et uklart og problematisk begrep. Vi viser i denne artikkelen at lærerne har god grunn til å synes at tilpasset opplæring er vanskelig å praktisere. Dette gjør vi ved å vise hvordan tilpasset opplæring har skiftet meningsinnhold med skiftende regjeringer i perioden 1975 og frem til i dag. Vi har identifiser fire ulike epoker i tilpasset opplæring som hver fremhever ulike sider ved opplæringen og forfekter ulike løsninger