Teacher education reform and challenges in Norway

Abstract

Teacher education in Norway is nationally regulated and is currently undergoing extensive changes. This paper briefly outlines the various education routes for teachers and some of the ongoing work to improve teacher education, but concentrates mainly on the reform that has come the farthest: initial teacher education for grades 1–7 and grades 5–10. The background to this reform, the main changes made to teacher education through this reform and some of the challenges being dealt with are presented. Controversies abound in teacher education, and the one that is particularly brought to the forefront in this paper is the relationship between designing programmes that enable the development of skills and also enhance becoming a teacher: the character-forming significance of teacher education.

Keywords:

• teacher education reform
• initial teacher education
• programme design
• skill development
• character development