Curriculum theorising draws on different knowledge sources and concepts. It combines professional knowledge and experience, empirical research and fundamental ideas from ‘Pedagogik’ and ‘Didaktik’. It draws attention to the long historical lines as well as to current educational policies.
At the same time, stakeholders and organisations are arguing that the world is at a tipping point and are urgently calling for curricula for a damaged planet and a democracy that is at risk. Meanwhile, the curriculum policy discourse is dominated by a narrow language of competences, performance and measurable learning outcomes, combined with fears of falling behind in the competitive global economy. This contradictory complexity calls for the importance of curriculum theorising and critical reflection.
Normativity is part of a longstanding approach to curriculum theorising in the Nordic countries. Engaging with normativity from a critical perspective implies that research and scholarship, in addition to understanding and interpreting the world, must also engage in transforming the world. However, expectations of curriculum research increasingly emphasise a more instrumental approach in which researchers play the role of curriculum experts. This implies a focus on providing evidence and outcomes in response to particular questions, policies and practices.
The following question therefore lies at the heart of the conference: How can we continue to protect and stimulate a research agenda that welcomes reflexivity, challenges taken-for-granted assumptions, and unpacks and repackages concepts, distinctions and epistemological boundaries, while being recognized as an important contributor to policy-making, the profession and educational practice?
Programme Thursday October 24
10.00–11.00: Registration at Helga Eng building (HE)
11.00–11.15: Welcome by Head of the Department of Education Tone Kvernbekk and Leader of the organizing committee Berit Karseth (University of Oslo). Aud. 2, HE
11.15–12.15: «Knowledge and Democracy – The Educational Task Before Us», by keynote Ninni Wahlström (University of Linnaeus)
Place: Aud. 2, HE
Abstract
According to V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy), autocratisation continues to be the dominant trend in 2024 and it is becoming increasingly clear that democracy cannot be taken for granted. When a democracy goes down, it happens through gradual restrictions on the freedom of the press, academic freedom, civil organisations, investigative bodies, and on deliberations about political initiatives.
Therefore, as researchers in the Nordic countries, we need to take the school's democratic task seriously. We need to thoroughly discuss the reason for having a public school system and articulate what this means for approaches to knowledge in daily teaching.
I explore how a democratic stance can form a basis for the authoring of the teaching content and how we can understand what characterises good teaching quality beyond a results-driven school system.
The conceptualisation of a fundamental purpose of teaching in a liberal democracy, as well as how teaching quality can be understood, is based on concepts of transactional realism, “bildning”, and speculative pragmatism in terms of «revolutionary habits».
Learn more about Professor Ninni Wahlström (University of Linnaeus)
- Commentary: Ilmi Willbergh, University of Agder.
- Chair: Kirsten Sivesind, University of Oslo
12.15–13.00: Lunch at Helga Eng building (HE)
13.00–14.30: Parallel sessions 1. Helga Eng building (HE)
Paper session 1a
Place: Room 232, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Carl-Henrik Adolfsson
- Ilmi Willbergh; Chanette Catharina Bach Mikkelsen; Greta Marthinussen & Alexander Elmies-Vestergren (University of Agder): «Accountability-critical educational research – a review».
- Erik Åkesson (Linnæus University): «How the hierarchy of curriculum ideas was inverted by accountability measures within the Swedish education system».
- María Jónasdóttir; Guðrún Ragnarsdóttir & Elsa Eiríksdóttir (University of Iceland): «Curricular Inequality in Icelandic Upper Secondary Schools: Emerging patterns of unequal access to university preparation».
- Carl-Henrik Adolfsson (Linnæus University): «Big ideas, soft governance: managing large-scale school improvement at the national agency level in Sweden".
Paper session 1b
Place: Room 241, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Ole Andreas Kvamme
- Päivi Nilivaara & Tiina Soini-Ikonen (Tampere University): «Searching for coherence - well-being as a disciplinary objective, competence outcome and pedagogical principle in Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic Education».
- Isabella Varricchio & Maria Olson (Stockholm University): «Philosophy Syllabi in upper secondary Schools in the Nordic countries – different ways of relating the subject to society and crucial matters of our times».
- Ole Andreas Kvamme (University of Oslo): «Value promotion and sustainability: The Norwegian curriculum renewal (LK20)».
Paper session 1c
Place: Room U30, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Kirsten Sivesind
- Keld Skovmand (Norwegian University of Science and Technology/ UCL University College) & Daniel Sundberg (Linnæus University): «Digitaliseringen og formidlingen af læreplaner i Norden».
- Ruth Jensen (University of Oslo): «Formative Interventions as a Methodology for Researching Reform Work in Upper Secondary Schools- Potentials and Challenges».
- Kirsten Sivesind (University of Oslo): «History use in curriculum studies: perspectives and purposes».
Paper session 1d
Place: Fakultetsstyrerommet (2 floor), Helga Eng building
- Chair: Berit Karseth
- Elisabeth Rønningen & Elise Farstad Djupedal (Norwegian University of Science and Technology): «Unpacking political and pedagogical ideas: An analysis of the historical governing of homework in compulsory schooling in Norway, 1936-2024».
- Brit Marie Hovland (VID specialized University); Janicke Heldal (MF specialized University): «Something lost: Between patriotism and democratic skills. Curricular historiography of citizenship and history education in Norway».
- Harald Jarning (University of Oslo): «Læreplanlag over et hundreår».
14.30–15.00: Coffee break
15.00–16.30: Parallel sessions 2. Helga Eng building (HE)
Paper session 2a
Place: Room 232, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Bernadette Hörmann
- Gustaf Bjurhammer Birck (Uppsala University): «The idea of a research-based school».
- Andreas Ruschkowski; Johanna Köpsén & Andreas Fejes (Linköping University): «The formulation of the policy of education based on a scientific foundation and proven experience at folk high schools in Sweden».
- Siv Marit Stavem (University of Oslo): «How Learning Spaces Come to Being Through Teaching practices».
- Bernadette Hörmann (Private University of Education, Linz); Saija Volmari (University of Helsinki) & Trine Juul Reder (Aalborg University): «Scientification or political legitimation? Tracing the concepts of evidence and context in Nordic school reforms».
Paper session 2b
Place: Room 241, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Ruth Jensen
- Julie Alstadnes Malme (University of Oslo): «Educating for unknowable futures».
- Ciara Solheim & Tobias Werler (University of Oslo): «Public good professionalism in Norwegian teacher education curriculum: Measuring its impact on preservice teachers perception on serving the public good».
- Anders Stig Christensen (UCL University College): «Knowledge, capabilities, or problems? 3 curricular principles and their consequences using social studies as example».
- Armend Tahirsylaj (Norwegian University of Science and Technology): «Bildung and Twenty-First Century Competences: In Need of Mutual Recognition?»
Paper session 2c
Place: Room U30, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Ragnhild Meland
- Anna Wahlgren (Linnæus University): «Subject positions of the learning child in curriculum policy texts - An explorative text analysis 1972 – 2018».
- Katarina Ståhlkrantz (Linnæus University): «The Swedish National Professional Program – A new curriculum for the professionalization of preschool teachers, teachers, and school leaders».
- Erik Ryen (Oslo Metropolitan University): «What’s the problem represented to be? A critical analysis of the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture».
- Ragnhild Meland (University of Oslo): «From policy to practice – at the intersection of legal regulation and the curriculum».
Paper session 2d
Place: Fakultetsstyrerommet (2 floor), Helga Eng building
- Chair: Jeffrey Hall
- Andreas Reier Jensen & Sverre Tveit (University of Agder): «Implementation of school policy programs in teacher professionalization».
- Daniel Sundberg (Linnæus university): «The Evolving Role of School Leadership in Swedish Curricula».
- Ann Elisabeth Gunnulfsen & Jeffrey Hall (University of Oslo): «Curriculum Reform Planning Strategies: A Case of Norwegian School Principals».
16.45–17.45: «The Many Faces of Juridification in Education – Some empirical and theoretical reflections», by keynote Andreas Bergh (University of Uppsala)
Place: Aud. 2, HE
Abstract
As is well known in curriculum theoretical research, legal regulation of the school system is far from a new phenomenon. However, the last decades development towards increased use of judicial means, to solve different societal and educational problems, calls for further theoretical development.
In studies of education the tendency of juridification, which in a broader sense refers to a situation or issue taking on a legal or a changed legal character, has until recently remained an outlier.
While the use of legal means can contribute to creating a just, equal and democratic society, there is at the same time a risk of adverse consequences, such as overregulation and leading to a colonization of the lifeworld.
This duality also highlights the complexity of the many faces of juridification, as it points to the multiple interconnections between education and other systems, especially politics and law.
Learn more about Professor Andreas Bergh (University of Uppsala)
- Commentary: Jeffrey Hall, University of Oslo.
- Chair: Ragnhild Meland, University of Oslo
18.30, Georg Sverdrup building, 2 floor: Dinner.
Programme Friday October 25
09.00–10.00: «Is participatory curriculum reform possible? Reflecting sense-making and teacher agency in Finnish curriculum reform», by keynote Tiina Soini-Ikonen (University of Tampere)
Place: Aud. 2, HE
Abstract
The national core curriculum is renewed in Finland approximately every ten years, the most recent renewal being in 2014 (Finnish National Agency for Education 2014).
Curriculum making in the reform may be referred to as participatory relying on shared sense-making as a tool for transformative learning throughout the educational system. The approach emphasizes interpreting, adapting, and transforming policy messages in an interactive process that is influenced by participants’ cognitive efforts whilst simultaneously embedded in social and structural conditions.
To be successful participatory reform should support teachers’ agency in sense-making. The written curriculum document itself should communicate the big picture clearly and create sufficient alignment between meta-goals of the curriculum and changes they imply to classroom practices. However, focus should not be only on what is changing but also on how the change can be brought about. Here teacher agency is in crucial role.
Learn more about Research Director Tiina Soini-Ikonen (University of Tampere)
- Commentary: Gunn Elisabeth Søreide (University of Bergen).
- Chair: Ruth Jensen (University of Oslo).
10.00–10.30: Coffee break
10.30–12.00: Parallel sessions 3. Helga Eng building (HE)
Paper session 3a
Place: Room 232, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Johanna Annala
- Hege Merete Somby (Sámi allaskuvla): «Renewal of the curriculum in Norway from a Sámi perspective».
- Elise Farstad Djupedal (Norwegian University of Science and Technology): «Shifting attention: From global policy ideas to national modification practices».
- Rebecka Rundquist (Linnæus University): «Teachers experience of data-based decision-making».
- Johanna Annala (Tampere University): «Towards harmonisation or diversity? Knowledge and knowers in higher education curricula».
Paper session 3b
Place: Room 233, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Berit Karseth
- Winnifred Jelier (University of Bergen): «Becoming more alike? Education inspectorates throughout the Covid-19 pandemic».
- Oscar Garberg (University of Oslo): «Employing topic modelling to newspapers: a longitudinal discourse analysis».
- Gunn Elisabeth Søreide (University of Bergen): «Local educational policy enactment and the positioning of “The pupil”».
- Berit Karseth (University of Oslo): «Curriculum Policy in Scandinavia: The issue of curriculum content».
Paper session 3c
Place: Room 231, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Simona Bernotaite
- Anniken Furberg; Kenneth Silseth; Kari Anne Rødnes; Hans Christian Arnseth; Andreas Lund; Ole Andreas Kvamme; Elin Sæther & Kristin Vasbø (University of Oslo): «Possibilities and challenges of in interdisciplinary teaching about societal challenges: Findings from a multiple case study».
- Hege Myhre; Astrid Junker (Nord University): «A case study of the implementation of a local curriculum with more practical teaching in a small primary school – in light of the announced white paper on more practical and varied teaching in grades 5-10».
- Ana Lucia Lennert da Silva (Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences): «The construction of teacher autonomy in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)».
- Simona Bernotaite (University of Oslo): «Digital instruments as mediators of teaching planning practice».
Paper session 3d
Place: Room U35, Helga Eng building
- Chair: Anniken Hotvedt Sundby
- Emma Arneback; Mattias Börjesson; Mattias Nylund & Rune Romhed (University of Gothenburg): «Curriculum as a pedagogical, political, or professional problem? A retrospect on the role of teachers in the field of Swedish curriculum theory».
- Stefan Ting Graf (UCL University College): «Problem-based school curriculum and normativity».
- Anniken Hotvedt Sundby (NIFU Nordic Institute for Studies of innovation, research and education): «Combining theories when exploring content in school subjects».
12.15–12.45: Closing of the conference
Place: Aud. 2, HE
- «Nordic perspectives on curriculum research – historical trajectories and current trends», by Christina Niemi Mølstad (Inland University) and Andreas Nordin (Linnæus University).
- Final words by Daniel Sundberg (Linnæus university), Head of the governing group of the Nordic Curriculum Theory Conference.
- Chair: Berit Karseth
12.45: Lunch at Helga Eng building (HE)
Programme and abstracts as pdf files
You can download the abstracts for the paper sessions (pdf). The keynote abstracts are provided in the programme above.
It is also possible to download the programme in pdf format. Please note that smaller changes to the programme can be made at a later stage.
Please consider the environment before printing.
Practical information
The conference takes place at the University of Oslo, campus Blindern, Helga Eng building. This is a five minute walk from the metro station Blindern, with departures/ arrivals to/from the city center every five minutes or so.
More information about time tables and how to purchase tickets at Ruter.no (please type "Blindern" when searching for the conference location).
Registration
Please note that the conference is primarily intended for those who have received an accepted abstract for presentation. The number of presenters is limited to 50.
The conference is now fully booked.
Call for abstracts
The conference welcomes papers from the Nordic countries that aims toward stimulating the theoretical, conceptual, and methodological development of the field by presenting new approaches, concepts, and empirical studies.
The abstract submission is now closed and notices of acceptance of abstracts are given.
Important dates
- First announcement March 1, 2024
- Second announcement: April 5, 2024
- Abstract submission: April 5 – June 1, 2024
- Notice of acceptance of abstract will be given latest June 21, 2024
- Registration: June 20 – September 20, 2024
Organisers
The conference is organised by the research group Curriculum, leadership and educational governance (CLEG) at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo.
Berit Karseth, Jeffrey Hall, Kirsten Sivesind, Ragnhild Meland and Ruth Jensen are in the organising committee.
Questions can be directed to Berit Karseth.