The purpose of this study is to examine step-wise admission to two medical programs with regard to selection effects. By using data from a large-scale longitudinal project, the influence of background variables on regular and step-wise admission is estimated. Characteristics of both applicants and those admitted are investigated using descriptive…

In this article we report on one of four schools involved in a research project aiming to develop knowledge about the way in which teaching knowledge is conveyed with the help of information and communication technology. A particular interest was issues of fundamental values. Two classes in Grade 9 of Swedish compulsory school were studied, by…

A recent development of phenomenography, variation theory, is illustrated using a video recorded case of learning. From a variation theory perspective, to learn is to be aware of critical aspects of what is learned. The way we experience or understand something depends on what aspects we are aware of and can discern simultaneously. The possibility…

The purpose of the present article is to study the interrelations between goal orientations, achievements and well-being in school. For this purpose adolescents' academic self-perceived competence, personal interest in school subjects, and affect in regard to different evaluative situations that take place in school were related to eight different…

In the latest decades assessment in education has become a very controversial issue in many western countries, and especially so in the Nordic countries, where the controversy became most passionate in Norway. It was really not a debate about whether or not formal marks should be used in communication of educational outcomes for the individual…

In this article the theme of individualisation of teaching is described and analysed. In the light of a fairly long tradition of a comprehensive school system embracing the idea of individualisation, we expected this to be an important aspect of ongoing changes in Nordic schools. Individualisation can be seen as continuity in the pedagogical…

The aim of this article is to help clarify N. F. S. Grundtvig's influence on the history of education in Denmark, in particular the comprehensive school. Is this school a result of Grundtvig's achievements? Or is Grundtvig receiving credit due to a misinterpretation of the history of education of the twentieth century? We claim that the latter is…

The Nordic model of education is defined in this article as an attempt to construct a national education system on the foundation of specific local values and practices, but at the same time subject to international influences. According to the author, equity, participation, and welfare are the major goals and the publicly funded comprehensive…

In this article, education policy is analyzed from a welfare state perspective. The aim is to Analise the significance attributed to social-inclusive aspects of education in contemporary education policies of the Nordic countries, and the extent to which education is regarded as an element in welfare policies. Four aspects are addressed: (1)…

This article describes, analyses and discusses the development of the Nordic school model in three phases of the post-war period, viewed in the light of the development of the political system throughout the period and in comparison with the development of the school system in the western world in this period. The "classical period" from 1945…

The study aimed to investigate the pedagogy and beliefs of Icelandic pre-school and first-grade teachers during times of immense changes in the policy and trends of early childhood education. The practices of 2 pre-school teachers working with the oldest pre-school children and 2 primary school teachers working with the youngest primary school…

The age structure of university students has changed dramatically in Finland. Now one third of all university students and one quarter of undergraduate students in Finnish universities are aged 30 years or over. The focus of this article is the changing educational identities of students who start and complete their university studies as adults.…

This study examines Finnish and English primary student teachers' ideas when planning to teach a physics topic during their science education studies. Many primary student teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge, which prevents them from constructing the scientific pedagogical content knowledge that enables them to concentrate on pupils'…

The study investigates the mean difference in reading achievement between third-graders in public and independent schools in Sweden. The data come from the Swedish participation in PIRLS 2001 conducted by IEA. Variables from the home questionnaire mainly indicating possession of cultural capital are used as independent variables. A total IRT score…

This study explored girls' and boys' (aged 10-11) attitudes towards reading and writing. Girls enjoyed reading significantly more than boys. Boys liked mostly comics and humorous books; adventure books were girls' favourites. Poetry did not appeal to pupils. Many boys did not enjoy typical school texts. Most pupils, especially boys, did not like…