Bildung: alive and allowed? A critical study of work plan practices in Norwegian schools

Figures & data

Table 1. A framework for curriculum analysis

Programme forms and functions	Conditional Mainly teaching oriented		Purposive Mainly learning oriented
	Past regulations formal	Present content substantial	Present activities* value based	Future performance instrumental
Topical structure in curricula	Why something is of value (rules)	What to teach (narratives)	How to learn (problem solving)	When to achieve (standards)
Pure conditional	X	X
Structured combination	X	X	X
Undefined combination		X	X
Interrelated combination		X	X	X
Pure purposive			X	X

* This concept replaces the ‘learning’ found in earlier versions of this apparatus.

Table 2. Distribution and number of schools, work plans and cases

Region	Number of schools	Number of work plans	Number of cases
Region 1	6	27	12
Region 2	8	35	16
Region 3	6	24	10
Region 4	4	12	8
Region 5	7	19	13
Region 6	7	23	12
Region 7	9	23	15
Region 8	5	16	9
Region 9	7	25	12
Total	59	204	107

Table 3. Quantitative distribution of the work plan cases

Programme forms	Frequency of cases
Combination of purposive and conditional forms	44
Purposive	38
Conditional	16
Others	9
Total	107

Example 1. School 3.5, week 48, first grade (extracts from the list of learning goals)

Goals for this period Norwegian: I should be able to write and recognize the sound of the letter Ø/ø. I should be able to pronounce the sounds of the letters and combine them to form a word. I should be able to recognize words such as de, vi and som (they, we and as). (…) Science and social studies: I should know why waste separation is important. I should recognize the various symbols at landfill sites and know what to dispose where. (…) ‘This is my choice’/religious education: I should know examples of children’s rights. I should be able to discuss Cain and Abel and talk about jealousy, sin and violence. I shall be a good friend and say nice things to my peers.

Example 2. School 2.7, week 47, fourth grade

Learning goal Dialogue between the child and parents	Cannot	Can a bit	Can
Norwegian: I can write a story with an introduction, main section and ending.
English: I can name eight different professions in English.
Social: I enter the classroom quietly (door frame rule).

Example 3.: SChool 6.3, week 48, first grade

Learning goal Maths: Chapter 7. Measuring. We compare sizes and measure with nonstandardised measurement units. We learn the days of the week and review the numbers 1–10 (p. 23–27). English: ‘Creepy crawlies’. We learn words for some insects: ant–maur, bee–bie, centipede–tusenben, grasshopper–gresshoppe, ladybug–marihøne, snail–snegle. Norwegian: We learn the letter D/d. We work with letters and sounds (p. 85–92 in the workbook).

Example 4. School 2.1, week 48, first grade

Some of this week’s learning goals To be able to read, write and form the letter F/f, find it in texts and hear the letter in words that contain the letter F/f. Pupils should play, improvise and experiment with rhyme and rhythm. To be able to write and recognize sets of the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. To know the New Testament and about Jesus’ life from his birth onward. To participate in simple, practiced dialogues in English, know the names of the days of the week and learn the terms today, yesterday, tomorrow, week and day.

Example 5. School 3.1, week 48, fourth grade.Week plan (timetable)—Tuesday.

Gathering
Norwegian: exercise with words
Reading
Maths: kilometres
Break: outside
English: nouns
Break: eat outside
Swimming: jumping into deep water, distance swimming
Break
Religion: Judaism

Learning goals

Maths: To know that 1 km = 1,000 metres and to be able to convert the two.

Norwegian: To master normal words with the kj sound; to learn what various words mean; to practice writing words correctly. Master better: reading, handwriting, reading comprehension.

English: To be able to write short descriptive sentences about a picture; to know what ‘a’ and ‘an’ mean; to know how to say nouns in both the singular and plural

Example 6. School 2.3, week 48, first grade

Learning goal	Is able to	Is a little bit able to	Cannot
Norwegian: Can write and read the letters ‘h’ and ‘k’
Maths: Can count forward and backward from 0–10
English: Can say ‘I want a … ’, ‘I like … ’ and ‘I don’t like … ’
Self-evaluation should be done at home with parents every Friday. Parents provide their signature here to confirm that the self-evaluation has been done. Signature:

Example 7.: School 3.3, week 49, first grade

NORWEGIAN
Goal	Repetition of the pronunciation of the letters N, J, F, Å, Y and M. Can pronounce the sounds and say words featuring these sounds. Can write the letters and words. Knows the difference between consonants and vowels. Can clap and say syllables.
Evaluation	Through reading/writing/orally. Hentediktat (pictures with words). Bokstavbrikker (parts of letters).
At school	Letter and wordplay. Games. Language games. Form letters in the handwriting book. Zeppelin workbook—finish with all letters. Zeppelin reading book—read together. Zeppelin digital pupil resources.
MATHS
Goal	Terms: addition, subtraction, even and odd numbers
Evaluation	Observation and delivered exercises/tasks
At school	Work with books and notebooks

Subjects: Norwegian and maths