Public Defence: Kristin Støren - Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge

Kristin Støren is defending her PhD degree. Her thesis explores local curriculum work and quality development in practitioner research.

22 Nov

Practical information

Date: 22 November 2024
10.00 - 15.00
Porsgrunn, Auditorium A-271
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Join virtually (Zoom)

Programme

10:00. Trial lecture How do the articles in the PhD dissertation explain the possibilities and limitations of applying action research in one's own organization with regard to both the philosophy of science and pedagogy, and what significance can these have for data production, analysis, and the researcher's reflexivity?

12:00. Public Defence: Utvikling av en didaktisk refleksjonsmodell. Hvordan kan et aksjonsforskningsprosjekt i lokalt læreplanarbeid bidra til dypere læring? (hdl.handle.net)

Dissertation defence chair: Head of Department of Culture, Religion and Social Studies, Jørn Varhaug

Evaluation committee

First opponent: Søren Frimann, Aalborg Universitet
Second opponent: Erlend Dehlin, NTNU
Administrator and committee-leader: Trine Ørbæk, USN

Supervisors

Main supervisor: Finn Rudolf Hjardemaal, University of South-Eastern Norway
Co-supervisor: Torill Aagot Halvorsen, University of South-Eastern Norway

Any questions?

Liv-Anne Halderaker
31 00 93 59

Kristin Støren is defending her thesis for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of South-Eastern Norway. The doctoral work has been carried out at the Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Sciences.

Kristin Støren. Foto You are welcome to join both her trial lecture and public defence.

Join virtually (Zoom)
Read the full dissertation: Utvikling av en didaktisk refleksjonsmodell. Hvordan kan et aksjonsforskningsprosjekt i lokalt læreplanarbeid bidra til dypere læring? (hdl.handle.net)

Summary:

The dissertation addresses how professional communities of teachers in schools can contribute to quality development and knowledge production through practitioner-driven action research. Teachers and school leaders at six schools participated in developing a didactic reflection model. The model is designed to support teachers in planning learning periods that promote deep, democratic, and creative learning among students. Results from the project show that systematic didactic reflection can help improve teachers’ understanding of the curriculum framework and strengthen schools’ local curriculum and quality development work.

The dissertation consists of five articles that together provide a comprehensive and detailed picture of the opportunities and dilemmas in schools’ curriculum and quality development work. The first three articles analyze the prerequisites for this work, including governance documents and learning theoretical prerequisites. The fourth article examines how practice changes in schools that use the didactic reflection model, while the fifth article investigates experiences with practitioner-driven action research.

The dissertation contributes new knowledge about local curriculum and quality development work and shows how holistic planning of learning periods through reflection on key guidelines in the curriculum framework can contribute to coherence and depth in students’ education. Findings from the project indicate that there is a need for clearer guidelines and a more systematic approach to local curriculum work in national guidelines. There is a call for overarching goals and descriptions of connections between different approaches to learning and a clarification of the importance of a systematic, analytical, and knowledge-based approach in local curriculum and quality development work.