Consequences of the Icelandic meltdown for education in  two local authorities: A school crisis?

Along with six of my colleagues at the Center for Research in Educational Leadership

and Program Evaluation, School of Education, we have finished two, of three, phases of a research named: The Consequences of the Icelandic meltdown for education in  two local authorities: A school crisis? An article with the above title was published in NETLA, an On-Line Journal in December 2012. Data from the third phase of the research, involving schools in the municipality of Reykjavík, is presently being analysed.

Gender Equality and Teacher Education

Since 2011 I have been doing a research on Gender Equality and Teacher Education with my colleague, and chair of the  Center for Research on Equality, Gender and Education, Dr Guðný Guðbjörnsdóttur. During the first phase we focused on the views and perspectives of the academic staff at the School of Education, University of Iceland. The article based on this research, “The jetset and the couchset” Gender equality in teacher education, was published in NETLA, an On-Line Journal in December 2012.  This research, which is done in the name of the CREGE, is ongoing. In the next phase the focus will be on students at the School of Education and their views on gender equality in teacher education.

Teaching and Learning in Icelandic Schools. A research project 2009-2011

Along with a group of 25 Icelandic researchers and 20 schools in four municipalities, I have taken part in a study about teaching and learning in Icelandic schools for age levels 6-15, focusing on the learning environment, student learning, teaching strategies and internal structure. The attitude of students, teachers, parents and school administrators towards teaching and learning is also explored, as well as the role of parents in their children´s learning. The aim of the study is to contribute to the body of knowledge on teaching and learning in Icelandic schools with a special emphasis on the development towards individualized and co-operative learning. The results will provide a base for policy making and development projects within municipalities and schools as well as a database for longtitudional research.

A book, covering all the main themes of this research will be published in the year 2014. My colleague, Dr Börkur Hansen, and I, have now finished a chapter on leading and management practices  in the participating schools.