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Teachers’ Professional Development and Educational Change (TEPEC)

The TEPEC research group is dedicated to the study of teachers’ professional development in educational programs.

Illustration photo of students working in groups: colourbox

In what way does new technology influence teaching and learning? Illustration photo: colourbox

Upcoming events

Events in english

For more events go to TEPEC's Norwegian site.

About the research group

The research group is based within a teacher education program for grades 8-13 at ILS, where innovation and research on program development is in focus. Important also are the many “teacher educators” taking part in these programs, including mentors in schools.

We further define our focus to include pre-service as well as novice teachers. Whereas the group is working on general aspects of teacher education in the context of national programs, international comparative research is also in focus.

TEPEC’s four research areas:

Area 1: Coherence in teacher education

Research on teacher education continues to underscore the importance of coherence, typically addressing challenges of complexity and fragmentation. The aim of such research is often to create an integrated experience for student teachers. Despite the last decades’ increasing attention to coherence in teacher education, the concept needs to be further unpacked. The members of TEPEC are particularly interested in examining and evaluating different teacher education programs in terms of a) visions, b) program- and curriculum design and c) progression, and to see this in relation to student teachers’ professional development over time.  

 

Area 2: Mentoring of student teachers, including newly qualified teachers

Mentoring is indispensable for the professional development of student teachers. Researchers in this area are interested in projects related to investigating experiences student teachers have while in practice and looking at ways to improve the quality of feedback given by mentors in schools. Research is also focused on mentoring of novice teachers as they move into their roles as professional teachers. TEPEC researchers have received NFR funds to develop research-based tools for mentoring in teacher education.  

 

Area 3: Technology supported learning in teacher education and student teacher professional digital competency

Both newly qualified teachers and student teachers need high-quality professional digital competence (PDC) to be able to teach using ICT. In TEPEC we investigate what knowledge and competences student teachers need to be able to navigate in technology-rich classrooms, as well as how we can better design teacher education programs to meet vast technological changes and demands for continuous competence development, including those related to 21st-century skills. Research area 3 is closely connected to ProTed, where innovation in professional digital competence in teacher education is a prioritized area.

Area 4: Professional development of student and novice teachers

Professional development includes both profession specific teacher competence development and professional teacher identity formation. Previous research has identified teachers’ perception of their own competence as a school teacher as an important predictor for pupils’ motivation and achievements, teachers’ professional identity, job satisfaction, professional commitment and attrition from the teaching profession. Members of the research group TEPEC focus particularly on teacher professional development in relation to the concepts of identity and agency, and how personal development as a professional teacher is related to progression in teacher education programs.  

 

Published Oct. 18, 2010 8:24 AM - Last modified Mar. 12, 2024 3:45 PM

Participants

Detailed list of participants