STEP: Partnership for Sustainable Transition from Teacher Education to Profession

Illustrasjon STEP

STEP is a research project that will develop research- and experience-based knowledge about the transition from teacher student to teacher and what can contribute to newly qualified teachers remaining in the profession.

In the autumn of 2022, the first newly qualified teachers with a 5-year master's degree will start working in primary and lower secondary school. The purpose of the programme is to provide students with knowledge about research-based school development and increased specialization in central school subjects.

The research project (STEP) follows this generation of teachers through the last academic year and the first two years as teachers by studying:

  • what expectations do students and their future colleagues, school leaders and owners have for the newly qualified teachers' mastery of the challenges they face in school?
  • how the graduates' professional competence and insight into research valued and used in school?
  • what measures can help retain graduates in the profession and be part of a comprehensive strategy for career development and competence enhancement in schools?
  • how research-based knowledge can contribute to developing the national framework for mentoring newly qualified teachers.

STEP will develop research- and experience-based knowledge with a view to stimulate debate and contribute to measures that allow graduates to use their competence individually and in the professional community in schools. Data is collected via questionnaire, interview and observation and is analysed and discussed in research circles consisting of researchers, students, graduates, school owners, school leaders, teachers and representatives of the organisations participating in the project.


The project group consists of researchers from the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), the Arctic University of Norway (UIT) and representatives of the central parties in the education sector; The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS), Union of Education Norway and their student union Pedagogstudentene.

Logo STEP

About the STEP project

Project leader: Professor Eva Bjerkholt

Funding: NOK 12 million from NFR.

Description: STEP will face challenges in society that require measures to ensure that more newly qualified teachers remain in school.

Objective: STEP will develop research- and experience-based knowledge about the transition from teacher student to teacher, to contribute to knowledge-based policy development in the sector in terms of developing and implementing national frameworks for mentoring newly qualified teachers.

Duration: March 2021 - March 2025

keyboard_backspace First interim report: Teacher students' expectations of working as professional teachers in school

Partners

STEP is based on an equal collaboration between the partners in the project.

Universities

Organizations

International mentor

International Expert Group