Upper secondary school practices in Iceland: Teaching

and learning – student engagement and initiative

Proposal to the Icelandic Research Fund for 2014-2016

Why?

• Interest in the upper secondary school which is underresearched – and not in any integrated way

• Research group about practices in compulsory schools, led by Gerður G. Óskarsdóttir and others

• The Effectiveness Study previously conducted by Jón Torfi Jónasson and colleagues

Formal objectives• To provide understanding of teaching and learning

practices in upper secondary schools in Iceland and the moulding forces of their evolution, including external structures, views of students, teachers and leaders, physical learning environment, teaching and learning practices, and student engagement.

• To support development and innovation in upper secondary schools and in teacher education with the participation and consultancy on behalf of the research group.

• To serve as a database for longitudinal research.

Research questions

1. What is the spectrum of current practices in teaching and learning in Icelandic upper secondary schools and what do these practices indicate about the evolvement of the schools, with reference to educational structures, administration, physical learning environment, teaching practices and curriculum?2. How are the views of students, teachers and leaders related to school practices and development?3. How do school practices succeed in engaging the students and fostering their initiative as well as ensuring students’ educational performance and progress towards their educational aims?

Divided into five strands

A. External structures, including initiatives and reforms

B. Views of students, teachers and leaders on teaching and learning

C. Physical learning environmentD. Teaching and learning practicesE. Student engagement.

Data

• Existing data from the Effectiveness Study

• Data gathered in nine upper secondary schools 2013-2014– Pre-study – interviews with 12 experienced

upper secondary school teachers

Number of observations and interviews in nine schools

Schools no.: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total

Class-room observations for a whole school day pr school, a day in each of

four grade levels in each school, ca. 5 hrs per day (a total of 180 hrs). Total

no. of days:

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

4

 

 

36

Learning environment: observations and photogr.; No.: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9

Interviews: student groups, learning environment No.: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9

Interviews: student groups, learning experiences No.: 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 18

Interviews: teachers (from different subjects) No.: 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 18

Interviews: experienced teachers (spring 2012) No.: 3 3 3 3           12

Interviews: managers (external influences etc. No.: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9

Interviews: managers (internal issues) No.: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9

Interviews: school committees No. 1 1 1             3

Expectation to JustEd

• Graduate student training• Communication about research results